North American T-6G and Cessna 152 accident near Mansfield, Massachusetts, October 6, 1996
On October 6, 1996 at about 6:15 pm local time, 2 aircraft, North American T-6G (N5115D) and Cessna 152 (N25589), were involved in the same accident near Mansfield, Massachusetts (Mansfield Municipal). 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
failure of the T-6 pilot to maintain clearance from the Cessna 152, as he turned off the runway after landing. A factor relating to the accident was: the T-6 pilot's restricted view of the Cessna 152 (lack of visual detection), due to a blind spot beyond the nose of his airplane.
failure of the T-6 pilot to maintain clearance from the Cessna 152, as he turned off the runway after landing. A factor relating to the accident was: the T-6 pilot's restricted view of the Cessna 152 (lack of visual detection), due to a blind spot beyond the nose of his airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 1996 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Mansfield, Massachusetts · Mansfield Municipal
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- North American T-6G · all T-6Gs on the register
- Registration
- N5115D · registry record · serial 49-3330A
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N25589 · no longer on the register · serial 15280750
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the North American T-6G final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of a North American T-6G completed a demonstration flight, returned to his departure airport, and entered the traffic pattern to land on runway 22, a grass strip. During the turn to final approach, the pilot observed a Cessna 152 taxing northwest on the hard surface taxiway for runway 14. According to the T-6 pilot, 'After touchdown and retracting my flaps, I realized that the Cessna was not going to be stopping before crossing my runway...At this point, he was disappearing in the huge blind spot in front of my nose. I began to turn to the left in an attempt to pass behind the Cessna. At this time he must have stopped as I didn't see him to my right. I began to turn much harder to the left when I struck his left wing with my prop...and pushing him back about 75 feet...' According to the Cessna pilot, '...The airplane I was watching land on runway 14 suddenly added power and did a go around. Then I saw out of the corner of my eye a yellow T-6 off the right and in front of me. The T-6 was landing on runway 22. I stopped short of where the runway crosses the taxiway. The T-6 then started turning to the left. He turned sharply and struck the Cessna I was operating.' Examination of the airplanes revealed that the Cessna had stopped about 65 feet short of the runway intersection, and had been struck by the T-6 outside the boundaries of runway 22.
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
The pilot of a North American T-6G completed a demonstration flight, returned to his departure airport, and entered the traffic pattern to land on runway 22, a grass strip. During the turn to final approach, the pilot observed a Cessna 152 taxing northwest on the hard surface taxiway for runway 14. According to the T-6 pilot, 'After touchdown and retracting my flaps, I realized that the Cessna was not going to be stopping before crossing my runway...At this point, he was disappearing in the huge blind spot in front of my nose. I began to turn to the left in an attempt to pass behind the Cessna. At this time he must have stopped as I didn't see him to my right. I began to turn much harder to the left when I struck his left wing with my prop...and pushing him back about 75 feet...' According to the Cessna pilot, '...The airplane I was watching land on runway 14 suddenly added power and did a go around. Then I saw out of the corner of my eye a yellow T-6 off the right and in front of me. The T-6 was landing on runway 22. I stopped short of where the runway crosses the taxiway. The T-6 then started turning to the left. He turned sharply and struck the Cessna I was operating.' Examination of the airplanes revealed that the Cessna had stopped about 65 feet short of the runway intersection, and had been struck by the T-6 outside the boundaries of runway 22.
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 North American T-6G from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 15,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,472 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 8, 1996; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1B9 at 5:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from OWD, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 152 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 45 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 18 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1B9
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,498 ft by 75 ft
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.