Beech 400 and Raytheon Aircraft Company B300 incident near Midland, Texas, April 13, 2011
On April 13, 2011 at about 5:22 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Beech 400 (MILITARY) and Raytheon Aircraft Company B300 (N631ME), were involved in the same incident near Midland, Texas (Midland airport). The NTSB record does not give the injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Inadequate planning and control instructions issued to the pilots involved by the trainee controller operating the local control position and inadequate supervision by the instructor responsible for the position.
Inadequate planning and control instructions issued to the pilots involved by the trainee controller operating the local control position and inadequate supervision by the instructor responsible for the position.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 2011 · about 5:22 pm local time · cases in 2011
- Place
- Midland, Texas · Midland · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- The NTSB record does not give the injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Beech 400 UNDESIGNAT · all 400s on the register
- Registration
- MILITARY · registered outside the United States
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · military rules
- Aircraft 2
- Raytheon Aircraft Company B300
- Registration
- N631ME · no longer on the register · serial FL-430
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Beech 400 final · quoted from the NTSB record
An air traffic control operational error and near midair collision occurred in Class C airspace when the second aircraft in a flight of two T-1 Jayhawk U.S. Air Force training airplanes (civilian-type Beech BE40 turbojets) lost separation with a Raytheon-Beech King Air 300 on final approach. Both airplanes were receiving air traffic control services from an instructor and trainee controller. Postincident investigation revealed that the trainee controller failed to issue control instructions necessary to properly sequence the second T-1 airplane and the King Air. The trainee's instructor did not intervene to resolve the conflict and the pilot of the King Air discontinued the approach to avoid the T-1 ahead.
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 Raytheon Aircraft Company B300 final · quoted from the NTSB record
An air traffic control operational error and near midair collision occurred in Class C airspace when the second aircraft in a flight of two T-1 Jayhawk U.S. Air Force training airplanes (civilian-type Beech BE40 turbojets) lost separation with a Raytheon-Beech King Air 300 on final approach. Both airplanes were receiving air traffic control services from an instructor and trainee controller. Postincident investigation revealed that the trainee controller failed to issue control instructions necessary to properly sequence the second T-1 airplane and the King Air. The trainee's instructor did not intervene to resolve the conflict and the pilot of the King Air discontinued the approach to avoid the T-1 ahead.
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 400 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Near midair/TCAS alert/loss of separation during approach (VFR pattern base) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › ATC personnel
- cause Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Oversight › Oversight of personnel › ATC
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: United States Air Force
The flight
- Departed from: MAF Midland TX
- Destination: MAF Midland TX
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from MAF, 5 miles away
The factual record for the Raytheon Aircraft Company B300 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Near midair/TCAS alert/loss of separation during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › ATC personnel
- cause Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Oversight › Oversight of personnel › ATC
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cog Operating LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under MILITARY the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- Beechcraft 400 Beechjet 311 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Beechcraft 6 aircraft on the register
- N631ME: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Raytheon Aircraft Company 2,138 aircraft on the register
- Engine: · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: · as the NTSB recorded it
- Midland International Air And Space Port · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,235 since 1982 · 1,056 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,943 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under MILITARY 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/OPS11IA476.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.