Cessna 150E and Cessna 172M mid-air collision near Vancouver, Washington, November 22, 1991
On November 22, 1991 at about 11:50 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 150E (N2582J) and Cessna 172M (N20938), were involved in a mid-air collision near Vancouver, Washington (Evergreen Airpark airport). 2 people were seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT ON THE PART OF BOTH THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT AS WELL AS THE PILOT OF THE OTHER AIRCRAFT. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE SUN GLARE AND THE OTHER PILOT'S LACK OF LANDING/STROBE LIGHT USAGE.
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT ON THE PART OF THE PILOT AS WELL AS BOTH THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT OF THE OTHER AIRCRAFT. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE OTHER PILOT'S LACK OF LANDING LIGHT USAGE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 1991 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Vancouver, Washington · Evergreen Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 150E · all 150Es on the register
- Registration
- N2582J · no longer on the register · serial 15061082
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N20938 · no longer on the register · serial 17263875
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 150E final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CESSNA 172 HAD ENTERED THE PATTERN ON DOWNWIND AND WAS ESTABLISHED ON A LONG FINAL FOR RUNWAY 10L. THE CESSNA 150 WHICH WAS RETURNING FROM AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, WAS OBSERVED EXECUTING A CLOSE IN BASE LEG AND DESCENDING STEEPLY. THE CESSNA 150'S LEFT WING IMPACTED THE CESSNA 172'S DORSAL FIN AND VERTICAL STABILIZER ON SHORT FINAL. THE CESSNA 172 WAS OBSERVED TO COMPLETE APPROXIMATELY 270 DEGREES OF A LOOP BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND. THE CESSNA 150 ROLLED LEFT AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW INVERTED ATTITUDE. BOTH AIRCRAFT HAD ONLY THEIR SINGLE ANTI COLLISION BEACONS OPERATING BUT NOT THEIR TAXI/LANDING LIGHTS. THE CESSNA 172'S STROBE LIGHT WAS NOT SWITCHED ON AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE SUN'S ELEVATION WAS DETERMINED TO BE 5 TO 7 DEGREES ABOVE THE HORIZON AT AN AZIMUTH OF 212 TO 215 DEGREES MAGNETIC.
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 172M final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CESSNA 172 HAD ENTERED THE PATTERN ON DOWNWIND AND WAS ESTABLISHED ON A LONG FINAL FOR RUNWAY 10L. THE CESSNA 150, WHICH WAS RETURNING FROM AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, WAS OBSERVED EXECUTING A CLOSE IN BASE LEG AND DESCENDING STEEPLY. THE CESSNA 150'S LEFT WING IMPACTED THE CESSNA 172'S DORSAL FIN AND VERTICAL STABILIZER ON SHORT FINAL. THE CESSNA 172 WAS OBSERVED TO COMPLETE APPROXIMATELY 270 DEGREES OF A LOOP BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND. THE CESSNA 150 ROLLED LEFT AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW INVERTED ATTITUDE. BOTH AIRCRAFT HAD ONLY THEIR SINGLE ANTI COLLISION BEACONS OPERATING BUT NOT THEIR TAXI/LANDING LIGHTS. THE CESSNA 172'S STROBE LIGHT WAS NOT SWITCHED ON AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE SUN'S ELEVATION WAS DETERMINED TO BE 5 TO 7 DEGREES ABOVE THE HORIZON AT AN AZIMUTH OF 212 TO 215 DEGREES MAGNETIC.
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 150E from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,657 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 1,429 as pilot in command; 463 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,764 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 11, 1991; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Evergreen Flying Svc., INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 2,545 ft by 42 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 18,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from PDX, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Cessna 172M from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 54 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 23 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,738 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 14, 1991; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mill Plain Flying Svc., INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 2,545 ft by 42 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.