Cessna 172P and Piper PA-23-250 mid-air collision near Snohomish, Washington, December 7, 1991
On December 7, 1991 at about 9:07 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172P (N65831) and Piper PA-23-250 (CFAEC), were involved in a mid-air collision near Snohomish, Washington. 7 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
VISUAL LOOKOUT WAS NOT MAINTAINED.
A VISUAL LOOKOUT WAS NOT MAINTAINED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 7, 1991 · about 9:07 pm local time
- Place
- Snohomish, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 7 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N65831 · no longer on the register · serial 17275902
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- CFAEC · no longer on the register · serial 273679
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172P final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRACTICE INSTRUMENT APPROACHES ON A LOCAL IFR FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT REPORTED THE MISSED APPROACH TO THE CONTROLLER AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO TURN TO 70 DEGREES AND CLIMB AND MAINTAIN 2,000 FEET. THE PILOT RESPONDED TO THE INSTRUCTIONS. WHEN APPROXIMATELY FIVE MILES EAST OF THE AIRPORT, THE FLIGHT WAS INVOLVED IN A MID-AIR COLLISION AT 2,200 FEET IN VMC WITH A VFR AIRCRAFT. THE VFR AIRCRAFT WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AND FLYING IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION ON A VFR FLIGHT PLAN. THE IFR AIRCRAFT WAS LEVEL AT 2,200 FEET. THE VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT IN COMMUNICATIONS WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL.
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 Piper PA-23-250 final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A VFR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT ON A VFR FLIGHT PLAN FROM BOUNDARY BAY, CANADA, TO SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, THE CANADIAN REGISTERED PIPER PA-23-250 WAS INVOLVED IN A MID-AIR COLLISION WITH A CESSNA 172 THAT WAS OPERATING ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN, PRACTICING APPROACHES AT EVERETT, WASHINGTON. THE COLLISION OCCURRED AT 2,200 FEET IN VMC. THE CESSNA WAS PERFORMING A MISSED APPROACH PROCEDURE AND HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO TURN TO 70 DEGREES AND MAINTAIN 2,000 FEET. THE CANADIAN AIRPLANE WAS TRAVELLING IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION OPERATING BELOW AN OVERCAST LAYER IN VMC. THE CANADIAN AIRPLANE WAS NOT IN COMMUNICATION WITH ATC AT THE TIME. THE CESSNA WAS IN COMMUNICATION WITH SEATTLE ARTCC AND WAS AWAITING FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. POST-CRASH TOXICOLOGICAL TESTING REVEALED THAT THE PILOT TESTED POSITIVE FOR TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL IN BLOOD AND THC IN BLOOD AND URINE.
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 172P from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 847 hours in all; 561 in this make and model; 272 in the last 90 days; 73 in the last 30 days; 715 as pilot in command; 435 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,215 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 9, 1991; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S88 Arlington WA at 7:50 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; scat at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from PAE, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-23-250 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,440 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 9, 1991; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CZBB Delta at 8:23 pm
- Destination: BFI Seattle WA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.