Commander 114B and Aerotek S-2A mid-air collision near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, April 28, 1993
On April 28, 1993 at about 4:42 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Commander 114B (N194A) and Aerotek S-2A (N51ST), were involved in a mid-air collision near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Wiley Post airport). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT OF THE PITTS, N51ST, MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE TOWER'S INSTRUCTIONS AND CLEARANCE, AND HIS FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID THE COMMANDER 114B, N194A.
THE PILOT OF THE PITTS, N51ST, MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE TOWER'S INSTRUCTIONS AND CLEARANCE, AND HIS FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID THE COMMANDER 114B, N194A.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 1993 · about 4:42 pm local time
- Place
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · Wiley Post
- Type
- Incident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Commander 114B
- Registration
- N194A · registry record · serial 114576
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Aerotek S-2A
- Registration
- N51ST · registry record · serial 2146
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Commander 114B final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TOWER CLEARED THE COMMANDER 114B, N194A, FOR A MODIFIED TRAFFIC PATTERN APPROACH AND LANDING TO RUNWAY 17R. THE PITTS, N51ST, WHICH HAD BEEN DOING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS ON 17R WAS CLEARED TO LAND NUMBER TWO BEHIND THE SINGLE ENGINE COMMANDER. THE PILOT OF THE PITTS MISTOOK A TWIN COMMANDER ON SHORT FINAL TO RUNWAY 17L AS HIS TRAFFIC AND TURNED FINAL. AS THE PITTS ROLLED OUT ON FINAL, ITS LOWER RIGHT WING TIP STRUCK THE TOP OF THE COMMANDER'S COCKPIT ROOF FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AND REAR TO FRONT. IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE COLLISION, THE TOWER CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED THE PITTS TO GO AROUND. FOLLOWING THE COLLISION, THE COMMANDER LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD ON 17R AND THE PITTS WENT AROUND AND LANDED ON 17L.
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 Aerotek S-2A final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TOWER CLEARED THE COMMANDER 114B, N194A, FOR A MODIFIED TRAFFIC PATTERN APPROACH AND LANDING ON RUNWAY 17R. THE PITTS, N51ST, WHICH HAD BEEN DOING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS ON 17R WAS CLEARED TO LAND NUMBER TWO BEHIND THE SINGLE ENGINE COMMANDER. THE PILOT OF THE PITTS MISTOOK A TWIN COMMANDER ON SHORT FINAL TO RUNWAY 17L AS HIS TRAFFIC AND TURNED FINAL. AS THE PITTS ROLLED OUT ON FINAL, ITS LOWER RIGHT WING TIP STRUCK THE TOP OF THE COMMANDER'S COCKPIT ROOF FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AND REAR TO FRONT. IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE COLLISION, THE TOWER CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED THE PITTS TO GO AROUND. FOLLOWING THE COLLISION, THE COMMANDER LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD ON 17R AND THE PITTS WENT AROUND AND LANDED ON 17L.
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 Commander 114B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 2,300 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-T4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Commander Aircraft Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: PWA at 3:40 pm
- Destination: PWA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17R, 4,232 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 14 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; not recorded at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Aerotek S-2A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 15,000 as pilot in command; 3,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: White & Associates, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: PWA at 4:00 pm
- Destination: PWA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17R, 4,232 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.