Cessna 172M and Cessna 172N mid-air collision near Coral Springs, Florida, October 27, 2002
On October 27, 2002 at about 6:30 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172M (N9840V) and Cessna 172N (N6101F), were involved in a mid-air collision near Coral Springs, Florida. 2 people were killed; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the dual students and flight instructors on both N9840V and N6101F to see and avoid each other, which resulted in a midair collision.
The failure of the dual students and flight instructors on both N9840V and N6101F to see and avoid each other, which resulted in a midair collision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 27, 2002 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Coral Springs, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9840V · no longer on the register · serial 17264526
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6101F · no longer on the register · serial 17273141
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172M final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot flying N6101F, a Cessna 172N, said that he and his flight instructor were proceeded southeast bound at an altitude of 2,000 feet toward the "WSBR 740 AM radio tower, and as they approached the "740 tower", suddenly an airplane appeared very close, in the right corner of their airplane's windshield, having come from behind the blind spot created by their airplane's right wing. He said it looked as if the pilot of the other airplane saw them about the same time, and thinks that both he and the other pilot immediately initiated right turns in an attempt to avoid each other. He said that as he initiated the right turn the other airplane appeared to effectively travel across his airplane's wind shield from right to left, remaining just above the glare shield covering his airplane's instrument panel. He said he then felt the impact of his airplane's left wing colliding with some portion of the other airplane, and his airplane "tumbled", and entered a spin to the left. During the spin, he said he saw another airplane about 250 to 300 feet below him, and it appeared to be inverted. The instructor on N6101F confirmed what the student stated and said that he immediately took control of the airplane and made an emergency landing on a dirt road. The other airplane in the collision, N9840V, a Cessna 172M, impacted the ground at a near vertical angle, and was destroyed. Initial examination of N9840V showed that the outboard portion of the right horizontal stabilizer/elevator segment, as well the vertical stabilizer/rudder assembly, had detached from the empennage of N9840V. In addition, examination N9840V's vertical stabilizer/rudder that had detached revealed a scrape/crease, stretching from the leading edge, aft through the length of the stabilizer/rudder assembly. The wing of N6101F also had a scrape mark which originated 49 inches from the root of the left wing outboard, and a gouge/hole then commenced about 6 inches outboard of the scrape mark at station 136, and continued along the undersurface of the wing, aft at an angle of about 53 degrees with respect to the leading edge, to the main spar, terminating at station 172. The missing left elevator counterweight/11- by 7.25-inch section that had been missing from the aft portion of N9840V's elevator had penetrated the wing of N6101F, creating the gouge and wedging itself at station 172 in the wing of N6101F. As the counterweight had traveled through the wing during the collision, the spar and ribs located at stations 154 and 172 had fractured. There was paint transfer on the left side of N9840V's stabilizer/rudder in the area the scrape/gouge consistent with an impact with N6101F, as well as on the outboard leading edge of the left wing on N6101F.
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 172N final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot flying N6101F, a Cessna 172N, said that he and his flight instructor were proceeded southeast bound at an altitude of 2,000 feet toward the "WSBR 740 AM radio tower, and as they approached the "740 tower", suddenly an airplane appeared very close, in the right corner of their airplane's windshield, having come from behind the blind spot created by their airplane's right wing. He said it looked as if the pilot of the other airplane saw them about the same time, and thinks that both he and the other pilot immediately initiated right turns in an attempt to avoid each other. He said that as he initiated the right turn the other airplane appeared to effectively travel across his airplane's wind shield from right to left, remaining just above the glare shield covering his airplane's instrument panel. He said he then felt the impact of his airplane's left wing colliding with some portion of the other airplane, and his airplane "tumbled", and entered a spin to the left. During the spin, he said he saw another airplane about 250 to 300 feet below him, and it appeared to be inverted. The instructor on N6101F confirmed what the student stated and said that he immediately took control of the airplane and made an emergency landing on a dirt road. The other airplane in the collision, N9840V, a Cessna 172M, impacted the ground at a near vertical angle, and was destroyed. Initial examination of N9840V showed that the outboard portion of the right horizontal stabilizer/elevator segment, as well the vertical stabilizer/rudder assembly, had detached from the empennage of N9840V. In addition, examination N9840V's vertical stabilizer/rudder that had detached revealed a scrape/crease, stretching from the leading edge, aft through the length of the stabilizer/rudder assembly. The wing of N6101F also had a scrape mark which originated 49 inches from the root of the left wing outboard, and a gouge/hole then commenced about 6 inches outboard of the scrape mark at station 136, and continued along the undersurface of the wing, aft at an angle of about 53 degrees with respect to the leading edge, to the main spar, terminating at station 172. The missing left elevator counterweight/11- by 7.25-inch section that had been missing from the aft portion of N9840V's elevator had penetrated the wing of N6101F, creating the gouge and wedging itself at station 172 in the wing of N6101F. As the counterweight had traveled through the wing during the collision, the spar and ribs located at stations 154 and 172 had fractured. There was paint transfer on the left side of N9840V's stabilizer/rudder in the area the scrape/gouge consistent with an impact with N6101F, as well as on the outboard leading edge of the left wing on N6101F.
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 172M from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 200 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 150 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 24, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,528 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 270 in the last 90 days; 108 in the last 30 days; 1,338 as pilot in command; 1,080 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 22, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,819 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 12, 2002; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: FXE Fort Lauderdale FL at 5:45 pm
- Destination: FXE
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from FXE, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Cessna 172N from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 130 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 82 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 16, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 519 hours in all; 214 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 102 in the last 30 days; 464 as pilot in command; 203 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 10, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,257 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 16, 2002; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,307 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Airborne Systems Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: FXE Fort Lauderdale FL at 5:53 pm
- Destination: FXE
- Flight plan: none
- 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.