Cessna 152 and Piper PA-12 mid-air collision near Miramar, Florida, March 9, 1990
On March 9, 1990 at about 9:51 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 152 (N48977) and Piper PA-12 (N7510H), were involved in a mid-air collision near Miramar, Florida (North Perry airport). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE LOCAL CONTROLLER TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE TRAFFIC ADVISORIES TO N7510H, THE LOCAL CONTROLLER'S IMPROPER CLEARANCE TO N7510H TO DESCEND THROUGH THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRCRAFT TO SEE AND AVOID EACH OTHER. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE LOCAL CONTROLLER'S WORKLOAD AND THE EFFECT OF SUNGLARE ON THE PILOT OF N48977.
THE FAILURE OF THE LOCAL CONTROLLER TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE TRAFFIC ADVISORIES TO N7510H, THE LOCAL CONTROLLER'S IMPROPER CLEARANCE TO N7510H TO DESCEND THROUGH THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRCRAFT TO SEE AND AVOID EACH OTHER. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE LOCAL CONTROLLER'S WORKLOAD AND THE EFFECT OF SUNGLARE ON THE PILOT OF N48977.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 9, 1990 · about 9:51 pm local time
- Place
- Miramar, Florida · North Perry · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N48977 · no longer on the register · serial 15281084
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N7510H · registry record · serial 12-371
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 152 final · quoted from the NTSB record
N7510H HAD CONTACTED TOWER SE OF ARPT ON RADIO FREQ USED FOR NORTH RUNWAY. FLT WAS CLEARED TO DESCEND THRU PATTERNS FOR RUNWAYS 9R AND 9L TO 500 FT FOR BANNER DROP. N48977 TOOK OFF ON 9R FOR TOUCH & GO, AND WAS USING RADIO FREQ FOR SOUTH RUNWAY. CONTROLLER GAVE N7510H TRAFFIC AS CESSNAS ON THE DOWNWIND FOR 9R. TWO OTHER CESSNAS WERE ON DWNWIND; N48977 HAD NOT TURNED DOWNWIND YET. PLT OF N7510H ACKNOWLEDGED TRAFFIC IN SIGHT. CONTROLLER GAVE CESSNAS ON DWNWIND TRAFFIC AS BANNER TOWERS INBND FROM SOUTH. CONTROLLER WAS WORKING A COMBINED POSITION OF TWO RUNWAYS AND TWO RADIO FREQ. THERE WERE SEVERAL ACFT IN EACH PATTERN. SHE STATED SHE DID NOT HAVE TIME TO GIVE SPECIFIC TRAFFIC INSTRUCTIONS TO N7510H AND N48977 DUE TO WORKLOAD. PLT IN CESSNA AHEAD OF N48977 STATED AS HE TURNED DWNWIND FOR 9R THE SUNGLARE REDUCED VISIBILITY. N7510H AND N48977 COLLIDED AT A 90 DEG ANGLE SHORTLY AFTER N48977 TURNED DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 9R.
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 Piper PA-12 final · quoted from the NTSB record
N7510H HAD CONTACTED TOWER SE OF ARPT ON RADIO FREQ USED FOR NORTH RUNWAY. FLT WAS CLEARED TO DESCEND THRU PATTERNS FOR RUNWAYS 9R AND 9L TO 500 FT FOR BANNER DROP. N48977 TOOK OFF ON 9R FOR TOUCH & GO, AND WAS USING RADIO FREQ FOR SOUTH RUNWAY. CONTROLLER GAVE N7510H TRAFFIC AS CESSNAS ON THE DOWNWIND FOR 9R. TWO OTHER CESSNAS WERE ON DWNWIND; N48977 HAD NOT TURNED DOWNWIND YET. PLT OF N7510H ACKNOWLEDGED TRAFFIC IN SIGHT. CONTROLLER GAVE CESSNAS ON DWNWIND TRAFFIC AS BANNER TOWERS INBND FROM SOUTH. CONTROLLER WAS WORKING A COMBINED POSITION OF TWO RUNWAYS AND TWO RADIO FREQ. THERE WERE SEVERAL ACFT IN EACH PATTERN. SHE STATED SHE DID NOT HAVE TIME TO GIVE SPECIFIC TRAFFIC INSTRUCTIONS TO N7510H AND N48977 DUE TO WORKLOAD. PLT IN CESSNA AHEAD OF N48977 STATED AS HE TURNED DWNWIND FOR 9R THE SUNGLARE REDUCED VISIBILITY. N7510H AND N48977 COLLIDED AT A 90 DEG ANGLE SHORTLY AFTER N48977 TURNED DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 9R.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,135 hours in all; 555 in this make and model; 127 in the last 90 days; 67 in the last 30 days; 473 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,076 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 25, 1990; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9R, 3,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 9:52 pm from HWO, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-12 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 908 hours in all; 170 in this make and model; 189 in the last 90 days; 87 in the last 30 days; 790 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,725 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 14, 1989; 255 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- 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.
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.