# NTSB investigations, CA: Midair collision

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB WPR25LA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA077.md): Bombardier Inc., Canadair CL-215-6B11 · Los Angeles, CA · Incident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jan 9, 2025 · C-GQBE · 2 aircraft · Minor damage
  > The NTSB did not determine the probable cause of this event and does not plan to issue a report or open a public docket. The investigation of this event is being conducted under the jurisdiction of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
- [NTSB WPR24FA309](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24FA309.md): Nanchang China CJ-6A · Lancaster, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Sep 22, 2024 · N313YK · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage
  > The CJ-6A pilot’s failure to maintain separation and the Yak pilot’s failure to monitor the other airplane during a detachment, which resulted in a midair collision.
- [NTSB WPR23FA302](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23FA302.md): Bell 407 · Cabazon, CA · Accident · 3 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Aug 7, 2023 · N555AS · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage
  > The Skycrane flight crew’s decision to enter the Fire Traffic Area’s 7-nm NOCOM ring at an altitude significantly above their maximum cleared altitude, which resulted in their need for an aggressive descent into congested airspace and subsequent failure to…
- [NTSB WPR23LA045](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA045.md): Sikorsky UH-60A · San Diego, CA · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Nov 23, 2022 · N160AQ · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the crewmembers of the second helicopter to maintain visual separation with the first helicopter while complying with the LC controller’s instruction to go around. Contributing to the accident were the nighttime conditions and the lack of a…
- [NTSB WPR22FA309](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22FA309.md): Cessna 152 · Watsonville, CA · Accident · 3 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Aug 18, 2022 · N49931 · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the pilot of the multi-engine airplane to see and avoid the single-engine airplane while performing a straight-in approach for landing.
- [NTSB WPR21LA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA040.md): Schleicher ASW20C · Clayton, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Nov 7, 2020 · N18MA · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage
  > The failure of both pilots of each glider to see an avoid one another while maneuvering, which resulted in a mid-air collision.
- [NTSB DCA20IA081](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA20IA081.md): Aerospatiale AS350BA · Johnson Valley, CA · Incident · No injuries · Class 3 · Incident · Final report · Feb 6, 2020 · N611TC · 2 aircraft · Minor damage
  > the failure of the small UAS remote pilot to give way to the helicopter, resulting in an inflight collision. Contributing to the incident was the sUAS remote pilot’s failure to assess and mitigate the risks of operations in close proximity to other aircraft.…
- [NTSB DCA20IA034](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA20IA034.md): Airbus AS 350 B2 · Los Angeles, CA · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Dec 5, 2019 · N71HD · 2 aircraft · Minor damage
  > an inflight collision with a hard object of polycarbonate construction, with size and features consistent with that of a small UAS (drone).
- [NTSB WPR19FA145](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19FA145.md): Grumman G164 · Pleasant Grove, CA · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · May 15, 2019 · N6787K · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage
  > The failure of both pilots to see and avoid the other airplane, which resulted in a midair collision.
- [NTSB WPR16FA148](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA148.md): Air Tractor AT 502B · Zamora, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 23, 2016 · N502WC · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage
  > The failure of both pilots to maintain an adequate visual lookout, which resulted in a midair collision. Also causal was the other pilot's use of two sedating antihistamines and two impairing medication and the effect of sun glare on his visual lookout, which…
- [NTSB WPR16FA065](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA065.md): Beech M35 · San Pedro, CA · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Feb 5, 2016 · N9872R · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the pilots of both airplanes to see and avoid each other as they converged nearly head-on, which resulted in a midair collision. Contributing to the accident was sun glare on the pilot.
- [NTSB WPR15MA243](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15MA243.md): Cessna 172M · San Diego, CA · Accident · 5 fatal · Major investigation · Final report · Aug 16, 2015 · N1285U · 2 aircraft · Destroyed
  > The local controller's (LC) failure to properly identify the aircraft in the pattern and to ensure control instructions provided to the intended Cessna on downwind were being performed before turning Eagle1 into its path for landing. Contributing to the LC's…
- [NTSB WPR14FA174](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14FA174.md): Cessna 210E · Richmond, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Apr 27, 2014 · N4962U · 2 aircraft · Destroyed
  > Both pilots’ failure to maintain adequate clearance from each other during cruise flight while in visual contact with each other. Contributing to the accident was the unexpected abrupt maneuver made by the other pilot.
- [NTSB WPR13FA211](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA211.md): Cessna 172RG · Calabasas, CA · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Apr 29, 2013 · N4677V · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the pilots in both aircraft to maintain an adequate visual lookout, which resulted in a midair collision.
- [NTSB WPR12LA109](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12LA109.md): Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta · Antioch, CA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Feb 20, 2012 · N7508Y · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage
  > The failure of both pilots to see and avoid each other during cruise flight, which resulted in a midair collision. Contributing to the accident was the failure of air traffic control personnel to issue the helicopter pilot a prompt and appropriate alternate…
- [NTSB WPR12CA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12CA005.md): Combs Dale B RV-4 · Madera, CA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 11, 2011 · N506DC · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage
  > The third airplane pilot’s failure to maintain visual contact with the second airplane during the formation flight.
- [NTSB WPR10FA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10FA068.md): Schleicher ASW-27 · Middletown, CA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Nov 28, 2009 · N127AL · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage
  > The failure of both pilots to see and avoid the other airplane. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to yield right of way to the glider.
- [NTSB WPR09FA248](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09FA248.md): Cessna 172N · Long Beach, CA · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · May 19, 2009 · N738NN · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage
  > The failure of both pilots to see and avoid each other's aircraft.
- [NTSB WPR09LA228](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA228.md): Ayres S2R-T34 · Marysville, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 6, 2009 · N40208 · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage
  > The failure of both pilots to see and avoid the other airplane while making their final approach for landing.
- [NTSB LAX08FA049](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08FA049.md): Cessna 172N · Corona, CA · Accident · 5 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jan 20, 2008 · N737EJ · 2 aircraft · Destroyed
  > The failure of both pilots to see and avoid the other airplane.
- [NTSB SEA08LA057](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08LA057.md): Piper PA 28-180 · Sonoma, CA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jan 1, 2008 · N8037W · 2 aircraft · Minor damage
  > The departing pilot's inadequate visual lookout.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."eventStateOrRegion" = 'CA' AND c."eventCountry" = 'USA'
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT s.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s."tier2Number" = '250' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent"))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250/sequence?state=CA

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