Airbus A319-112 and Cessna M337B incident near St Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida, April 29, 2021
On April 29, 2021 at about 7:07 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Airbus A319-112 (N306NV) and Cessna M337B (N370SD), were involved in the same incident near St Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida (St Pete-Clearwater Intl airport). No one was hurt; 130 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The air traffic controller’s failure to properly scan the runway and local area, and their general loss of situational awareness, resulting in a near midair collision. Contributing to the incident was the Cessna 337 pilot's poor decision making when he failed to fly the standard downwind leg distance from the runway and to maintain the standard traffic pattern altitude.
The air traffic controller’s failure to properly scan the runway and local area, and their general loss of situational awareness, resulting in a near midair collision. Contributing to the incident was the Cessna 337 pilot's poor decision making when he failed to fly the standard downwind leg distance from the runway and to maintain the standard traffic pattern altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 2021 · about 7:07 pm local time
- Place
- St Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida · St Pete-Clearwater Intl · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 130 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Airbus A319-112, built 2005 · all A319-112s on the register
- Registration
- N306NV · registry record · serial 2420
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna M337B, built 1969 · all M337Bs on the register
- Registration
- N370SD · registry record · serial 69-7659
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Airbus A319-112 final · quoted from the NTSB record
Review of the radar data showed that N370SD, a Cessna 337, was on a right downwind for runway 22 at 300 feet when it overflew runway 18, and at the same time Allegiant Air flight 803 (AAY803), an Airbus A319, was at 200 feet departing runway 18. The closest proximity was 100 feet vertically and 369 feet laterally. The crew of AAY803 saw the Cessna 337 and took evasive action by stopping their takeoff climb and maintaining 200 feet, and flew underneath the Cessna 337, which was at 300 feet as the airplane’s paths intersected over the runways. The local controller did not visually scan all runways and airspace when he instructed the Cessna 337 pilot to enter a right downwind, and again, when he issued a takeoff clearance to the Allegiant Air flight; the lack of fully scanning all runways and airspace resulted in the local controller losing situational awareness of the Cessna 337, and ultimately not ensuring positive control and separation between the Allegiant Air flight and the Cessna 337. The Cessna 337 pilot’s downwind leg for runway 22 was significantly less than the standard 1/2 to 1 mile defined downwind leg distance from the runway, which placed the Cessna 337 in a closer vicinity to the runway intersections than what was expected. Additionally, the Cessna 337 pilot did not fly a standard traffic pattern altitude, and the local controller did not instruct or advise the pilot that the traffic pattern altitude was 1,000 feet. PIE airport did not have a charted traffic pattern altitude.
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 M337B final · quoted from the NTSB record
Review of the radar data showed that N370SD, a Cessna 337, was on a right downwind for runway 22 at 300 feet when it overflew runway 18, and at the same time Allegiant Air flight 803 (AAY803), an Airbus A319, was at 200 feet departing runway 18. The closest proximity was 100 feet vertically and 369 feet laterally. The crew of AAY803 saw the Cessna 337 and took evasive action by stopping their takeoff climb and maintaining 200 feet, and flew underneath the Cessna 337, which was at 300 feet as the airplane’s paths intersected over the runways. The local controller did not visually scan all runways and airspace when he instructed the Cessna 337 pilot to enter a right downwind, and again, when he issued a takeoff clearance to the Allegiant Air flight; the lack of fully scanning all runways and airspace resulted in the local controller losing situational awareness of the Cessna 337, and ultimately not ensuring positive control and separation between the Allegiant Air flight and the Cessna 337. The Cessna 337 pilot’s downwind leg for runway 22 was significantly less than the standard 1/2 to 1 mile defined downwind leg distance from the runway, which placed the Cessna 337 in a closer vicinity to the runway intersections than what was expected. Additionally, the Cessna 337 pilot did not fly a standard traffic pattern altitude, and the local controller did not instruct or advise the pilot that the traffic pattern altitude was 1,000 feet. PIE airport did not have a charted traffic pattern altitude.
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 Airbus A319-112 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Air traffic event during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › ATC personnel
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › ATC personnel
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › (general) › ATC personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,454 hours in all; 6,111 in this make and model; 252 in the last 90 days; 84 in the last 30 days; 2,815 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 30, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,224 hours in all; 2,270 in this make and model; 207 in the last 90 days; 56 in the last 30 days; 0 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 30, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 46,011.3 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 28, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 154,323 lb
- Seats: 163
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl CFM56-5B6/P (turbofan); 45,343 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl CFM56-5B6/P (turbofan); 44,538 hours total
- Operator: Allegiant Air
The flight
- Destination: ORF Norfolk VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 9,730 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 7 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KPIE, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPIE 291853Z 17007G18KT 10SM SCT045 31/19 A3004 RMK AO2 SLP174 T03060194
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 6 | |||
| Passengers | 123 |
The factual record for the Cessna M337B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Near midair/TCAS alert/loss of separation during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Flight planning/navigation › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › ATC personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,100 hours in all; 341 in this make and model; 11.5 in the last 90 days; 11.5 in the last 30 days; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 14, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: type not recorded, March 29, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor IO-360 C/D (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor IO-360 C/D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSPG St. Petersburg FL
- Flight plan: none
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 OPS21LA002.