Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-83(MD-83) incident near Apache Junction, Arizona, June 27, 2011
On June 27, 2011 at about 4:58 am local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-83(MD-83), registered N416NV, was involved in an incident during approach near Apache Junction, Arizona (Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). The NTSB record does not give the injuries.
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilots of both airplanes to see and avoid each other and to maneuver as advised by the air traffic controller in time to prevent the conflict that resulted in the reported near midair collision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 2011 · about 4:58 am local time
- Place
- Apache Junction, Arizona · Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- The NTSB record does not give the injuries.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-83(MD-83) · all DC-9-83(MD-83)s on the register
- Registration
- N416NV · no longer on the register · serial 49555
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Boeing/McDonnell Douglas MD-83 and a Cessna 182 passed within 600 feet vertically and 0.36 nautical miles laterally about 6,300 feet mean sea level. The pilots of both airplanes were in contact with air traffic control. The air traffic controller followed merging target procedures as required by Federal Aviation Administration directives and provided traffic advisories in sufficient time to be useful to both pilots. However, the pilots did not maneuver their airplanes to result in diverging flight paths and the conflict and a traffic alert and collision avoidance system resolution advisory occurred. The dark night conditions may have limited the pilots’ ability to visually identify and avoid approaching the other airplane.
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 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Near midair/TCAS alert/loss of separation during approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Ability to respond/compensate
The aircraft
- Seats: 172
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P & W JT8D-219 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P & W JT8D-219 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Allegiant Air LLC
The flight
- Departed from: KMLI IL
- Destination: KIWA Mesa AZ
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 OPS11IA686.