Commonwealth 185 and Beech 23 mid-air collision near St. Petersburg, Florida, September 19, 1987
On September 19, 1987 at about 3:27 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Commonwealth 185 (N92919) and Beech 23 (N2399Z), were involved in a mid-air collision near St. Petersburg, Florida (Albert Whitted airport). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 1987 · about 3:27 pm local time
- Place
- St. Petersburg, Florida · Albert Whitted
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Commonwealth 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N92919 · no longer on the register · serial 1652
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Beech 23 · all 23s on the register
- Registration
- N2399Z · no longer on the register · serial M-100
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Commonwealth 185 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE COMMONWEALTH ERRONEOUSLY REPORTED HIS POSITION TO THE TOWER FOR LANDING INSTRUCTIONS. HE THEN FAILED TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS AND COLLIDED WITH A BEECH 23 ACFT THAT WAS ON DOWNWIND LEG TO LAND AT ALBERT WHITTED AIRPORT. BOTH ACFT INVOLVED IN THE MID-AIR THEN FELL INTO TAMPA BAY ABOUT 1 MILE EAST OF THE ARPT.
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 Beech 23 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE COMMONWEALTH ERRONEOUSLY REPORTED HIS POSITON TO THE TOWER FOR LANDING INSTRUCTIONS. HE THEN FAILED TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS AND COLLIDED WITH A BEECH 23 ACFT THAT WAS ON DOWNWIND TO LAND AT ALBERT WHITTED AIRPORT. BOTH AIRCRAFT INVOLVED IN THE MID-AIR THEN FELL INTO TAMPA BAY ABOUT 1 MILE TO THE EAST OF THE AIRPORT.
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 Commonwealth 185 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 750 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 650 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 24, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAL Lakeland FL at 3:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:29 pm from SPG, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Beech 23 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 120 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 70 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,496 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 21, 1986; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,800 ft by 150 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA87FA250.