Cessna 152 and Cessna 152 mid-air collision near Wahiawa, Hawaii, November 26, 1990
On November 26, 1990 at about 2:05 am local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 152 (N95144) and Cessna 152 (N88TE), were involved in a mid-air collision near Wahiawa, Hawaii. No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT OF THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRPLANES WHICH RESULTED IN THE COLLISION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE IMPROPER VFR PROCEDURES OF N88TE WHILE TRANSITIONING THROUGH THE WHEELER AFB AIRPORT TRAFFIC AREA.
THE INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT OF THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRPLANES WHICH RESULTED IN THE COLLISION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE IMPROPER VFR PROCEDURES OF N88TE WHILE TRANSITIONING THROUGH THE WHEELER AFB AIRPORT TRAFFIC AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 1990 · about 2:05 am local time
- Place
- Wahiawa, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Incident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N95144 · no longer on the register · serial 15285857
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N88TE · no longer on the register · serial 15284536
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 152 final · quoted from the NTSB record
TWO CESSNA 152'S COLLIDED IN MID AIR. BOTH AIRPLANES RETURNED TO THEIR DESTINATION AIRPORT AND LANDED SAFELY. ONE OF THE CESSNA 152'S PLANNED FLIGHT PATH OVERFLEW THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC AREA WHERE THE OTHER AIRPLANE WAS DESCENDING TO ENTER THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE PILOT OF THE OVERFLYING C-152 STATED THAT HE WAS FLYING AT AN ALTITUDE OF 2,200 FEET MSL. THE PUBLISHED TRANSITION OVER THE AIRPORT INSTRUCTS PILOTS TO CONTACT AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER AND EXPECT AN ALTITUDE OF 2,500 FEET.
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 Cessna 152 final · quoted from the NTSB record
TWO CESSNA 152'S COLLIDED IN MID AIR. BOTH AIRPLANES RETURNED TO THEIR DESTINATION AIRPORT AND LANDED SAFELY. ONE OF THE CESSNA 152'S PLANNED FLIGHT PATH OVERFLEW THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC AREA WHERE THE OTHER AIRPLANE WAS DESCENDING TO ENTER THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE PILOT OF THE OVERFLYING C-152 STATED THAT HE WAS FLYING AT AN ALTITUDE OF 2,200 FEET MSL. THE PUBLISHED TRANSITION OVER THE AIRPORT INSTRUCTS PILOTS TO CONTACT AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER AND EXPECT AN ALTITUDE OF 2,500 FEET.
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 152 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 914 hours in all; 360 in this make and model; 132 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 746 as pilot in command; 418 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,620 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 29, 1990; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-N2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HHI Wheeler Afb HI at 1:17 am
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from HHI, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Cessna 152 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 60 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-N2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HNL Honolulu HI at 1:30 am
- 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.
Other NTSB records under N95144 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.