Cessna 150J and amateur-built P2-M mid-air collision near Henderson, Texas, February 27, 1988
On February 27, 1988 at about 11:45 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 150J (N5522G) and amateur-built P2-M (N5554), were involved in a mid-air collision near Henderson, Texas. 1 person was killed; 2 others were unhurt. 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
- February 27, 1988 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Henderson, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N5522G · registry record · serial 15071022
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Amateur-built P2-M
- Registration
- N5554 · no longer on the register · serial 1
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 150J final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CESSNA HAD JUST ROLLED OUT ON BASE ON 3RD OR 4TH TOUCH AND GO WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH A BIPLANE THAT WAS NOT IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. COLLISION OCCURRED BETWEEN THE OUTER PANEL OF THE LEFT UPPER WING OF THE BIPLANE AND THE RT SIDE OF THE ENG COWLING OF THE CESSNA. NEITHER PLT IN THE CESSNA SAW THE BIPLANE PRIOR TO IMPACT AND THE EVIDENCE INDICATED THAT EVASIVE ACTION WAS NOT TAKEN BY EITHER ACFT. FOLLOWING IMPACT, THE CESSNA LANDED AT THE ARPT WITH A DAMAGED NOSE GEAR THAT COLLAPSED ON TOUCHDOWN. THE LEFT UPPER WING OF THE BIPLANE SEPARATED AND THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A SPIRAL FROM WHICH THE PLT DID NOT RECOVER. THE CESSNA WAS HEADING DIRECTLY INTO THE SETTING SUN. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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 amateur-built P2-M final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CESSNA HAD JUST ROLLED OUT ON BASE ON 3RD OR 4TH TOUCH GO WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH A BIPLANE THAT WAS NOT IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. COLLISION OCCURRED BETWEEN THE OUTER PANEL OF THE LEFT UPPER WING OF THE BIPLANE AND THE RT SIDE OF THE ENG COWLING OF THE CESSNA. NEITHER PLT IN THE CESSNA SAW THE BIPLANE PRIOR TO IMPACT AND THE EVIDENCE INDICATED THAT EVASIVE ACTION WAS NOT TAKEN BY EITHER ACFT. FOLLOWING IMPACT, THE CESSNA LANDED AT THE ARPT WITH A DAMAGED NOSE GEAR THAT COLLAPSED ON TOUCHDOWN. THE LEFT UPPER WING OF THE BIPLANE SEPARATED AND THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A SPIRAL FROM WHICH THE PLT DID NOT RECOVER. THE CESSNA WAS HEADING DIRECTLY INTO THE SETTING SUN. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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 150J from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 3,600 in this make and model; 149 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,728 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 15, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Whitehouse TX at 11:20 pm
- Destination: F12
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 290° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:46 pm from GGG, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the amateur-built P2-M from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 650 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 112 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1987; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: F12
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N5522G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.