Cessna U206G and Piper PA-34-200 mid-air collision near Lissie, Texas, August 23, 1987
On August 23, 1987 at about 4:30 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna U206G (N4745U) and Piper PA-34-200 (N1038U), were involved in a mid-air collision near Lissie, Texas. 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 1987 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lissie, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna U206G · all U206Gs on the register
- Registration
- N4745U · no longer on the register · serial U20605078
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N1038U · no longer on the register · serial 347250023
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna U206G final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CESSNA AIRCRAFT, N4745U, DEPARTED FROM RUNWAY 32 AT THE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, WHARTON, TEXAS, ON A NORTHBOUND FLIGHT, ABOUT TWO MINUTES AHEAD OF THE PIPER AIRCRAFT, N1038U. ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER THE TWO AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A MID-AIR COLLISION ABOUT 16 NAUTICAL MILES NORTH-NORTHWEST OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. EVIDENCE REVEALED THAT THE CESSNA WAS OVERTAKING THE PIPER AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. INITIAL CONTACT OCCURRED WHILE THE LONGITUDINAL AXES OF THE TWO AIRCRAFT WERE ABOUT PARALLEL AND THEIR MAGNETIC HEADINGS WERE NEAR THE SAME. THE LONGITUDINAL CENTERLINE OF THE PIPER WAS SLIGHTLY ABOVE AND SLIGHTLY RIGHT OF THAT OF THE CESSNA, HOWEVER, IT WAS MOVING SLIGHTLY LEFT IN RELATION TO THE CESSNA'S FLIGHT PATH. UPON IMPACT THE CESSNA PITCHED UP AND OVER THE PIPER. HOWEVER, ITS WEAKENED FUSELAGE (DUE TO NUMEROUS SLASHES FROM THE PIPER'S LEFT PROPELLER) FOLDED AND SEPARATED. THE SEPARATED SECTION REMAINED UNDER THE PIPER'S LEFT WING THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-34-200 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PIPER AIRCRAFT, N1038U, DEPARTED FROM RUNWAY 32 AT THE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, WHARTON, TEXAS, ON A NORTHBOUND FLIGHT, ABOUT TWO MINUTES AFTER THE CESSNA AIRCRAFT, N4745U. ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER THE TWO AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A MID-AIR COLLISION ABOUT 16 NAUTICAL MILES NORTH-NORTHWEST OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. EVIDENCE REVEALED THAT THE PIPER WAS OVERTAKEN BY THE CESSNA. INITIAL IMPACT OCCURRED WHILE THE LONGITUDINAL AXES OF THE TWO AIRCRAFT WERE ABOUT PARALLEL AND THEIR MAGNETIC HEADINGS WERE NEAR THE SAME. THE LONGITUDINAL CENTERLINE OF THE PIPER WAS SLIGHTLY ABOVE AND SLIGHTLY RIGHT OF THAT OF THE CESSNA, HOWEVER, IT WAS MOVING SLIGHTLY LEFT OF THE CESSNA'S FLIGHT PATH. UPON IMPACT THE CESSNA PITCHED UP AND OVER THE PIPER, HOWEVER, ITS WEAKENED FUSELAGE (DUE TO NUMEROUS SLASHES FROM THE PIPER'S LEFT PROPELLER) FOLDED AND SEPARATED. THE SEPARATED SECTION REMAINED UNDER THE PIPER'S LEFT WING THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record for the Cessna U206G from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Global Aircraft,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: 5R5 Wharton TX at 4:20 pm
- Destination: PWA Oklahoma City OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-34-200 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5R5 Wharton TX at 4:22 pm
- Destination: PWA Oklahoma City OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.