Cessna 152 and Cessna TU206F mid-air collision near Mead, Washington, May 20, 1986
On May 20, 1986 at about 2:38 am local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 152 (N6161M) and Cessna TU206F (N8267Q), were involved in a mid-air collision near Mead, Washington. 2 people were killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 1986 · about 2:38 am local time
- Place
- Mead, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N6161M · no longer on the register · serial 15284632
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna TU206F · all TU206Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8267Q · no longer on the register · serial U20603128
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 152 final · quoted from the NTSB record
BOTH ACFT WERE OPERATING IN VFR CONDITIONS MODIFIED BY SLIGHT HAZE, HIGH OVERCAST AND LOW SUN ANGLE NEAR AIRPORT. N6161M WAS PERFORMING LAZY EIGHT MANEUVERS IN A NORMAL PRACTICE AREA TWO MILES EAST OF AIRPORT; N8267Q WAS IN CLOCKWISE ORBITAL DESCENT FOR LANDING FOLLOWING A PARACHUTE JUMP PLANE. RADAR DATA AND WITNESS INFORMATION SHOW THAT ON EAST SIDE OF AIRPORT, N8267Q DEVIATED FROM ORBIT AND PROCEEDED SOUTHEAST AS N6161M COMPLETED NORTH END OF FIGURE EIGHT IN RIGHT TURN AWAY FROM AIRPORT AND PROCEEDED SOUTH. ACFT CONVERGED AT ABOUT 30 DEGREE CLOSING ANGLE WITH N6161M CLIMBING AND N8267Q DESCENDING AND COLLIDED AT ABOUT 2500 FT AGL.
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 TU206F final · quoted from the NTSB record
BOTH ACFT WERE OPERATING IN VFR CONDITIONS MODIFIED BY SLIGHT HAZE, HIGH OVERCAST AND LOW SUN ANGLE NEAR AIRPORT. N6161M WAS PERFORMING LAZY EIGHT MANEUVERS IN A NORMAL PRACTICE AREA TWO MILES EAST OF AIRPORT; N8267Q WAS IN CLOCKWISE ORBITAL DESCENT FOR LANDING FOLLOWING A PARACHUTE JUMP PLANE. RADAR DATA AND WITNESS INFORMTION SHOW THAT ON EAST SIDE OF AIRPORT, N8267Q DEVIATED FROM ORBIT AND PROCEEDED SOUTHEAST AS N6161M COMPLETED NORTH END OF FIGURE EIGHT IN RIGHT TURN AWAY FROM AIRPORT AND PROCEEDED SOUTH. ACFT CONVERGED AT ABOUT 30 DEGREE CLOSING ANGLE WITH N6161M CLIMBING AND N8267Q DESCENDING AND COLLIDED AT ABOUT 2500 FT AGL.
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 Cessna 152 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,800 hours in all; 60 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,444 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 10, 1986; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SFF Spokane WA at 2:25 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 am from SFF, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Cessna TU206F from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,700 hours in all; 50 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,401 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1985; 204 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S07 Bend OR
- Destination: 70S Mead WA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
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.