Beech 95-B55B and Cessna 150B mid-air collision near Lakeville, Minnesota, November 18, 1989
On November 18, 1989 at about 9:47 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Beech 95-B55B (N5678K) and Cessna 150B (N7343X), were involved in a mid-air collision near Lakeville, Minnesota (Airlake airport). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND IN BOTH AIRCRAFT.
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND IN BOTH AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 18, 1989 · about 9:47 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeville, Minnesota · Airlake · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Beech 95-B55B · all 95-B55Bs on the register
- Registration
- N5678K · no longer on the register · serial TC-762
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 150B · all 150Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7343X · registry record · serial 15059443
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Beech 95-B55B final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING FLIGHT IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AN AIRCRAFT ON A IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND AN AIRCRAFT OPERATING WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN COLLIDED AT 2500 FEET MSL. VISIBILITY AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION WAS REPORTED AS 15 MILES.
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 150B final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING FLIGHT IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AN AIRCRAFT ON A IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND AN AIRCRAFT OPERATING WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN COLLIDED AT 2500 FEET MSL. VISIBILITY AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION WAS REPORTED AS 15 MILES.
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 Beech 95-B55B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 3,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 4, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EBS Webster City IA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: FCM Flying Cloud MN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from MSP, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 150B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 184 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1989; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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 N5678K 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.