- Date
- April 1, 1988, 10:22 local (18:22 UTC)
- Place
- Saticoy, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 4 minor
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 16, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19880401007401A19880401007402A
- Case key
- 25820
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
A certificated private pilot and his instructor, conducting training in a 172P, were turning left to a southeasterly heading at 3,400 feet MSL, near an uncontrolled airport. A Cessna 172N on a pleasure flight in the vicinity was climbing on a southwesterly heading to a cruise altitude of 4,500 feet MSL. A third 172 was climbing through 3,400 feet MSL to a 7,500 feet MSL altitude on a northwest heading. As the three aircraft merged at 3,400 feet MSL the instrument training Cessna 172P and the pleasure flight Cessna 172N collided. The Cessna 172P'S empennage was severed and the aircraft plummeted to the ground. The impact fatally injured the instructor pilot and seriously injured the private pilot. The Cessna 172N was substantially damaged but landed without further incident. The third aircraft was not involved in the collision and its pilot did not observe the other aircraft.
A certificated private pilot and his instructor, conducting training in a 172P, were turning left to a southeasterly heading at 3,400 feet MSL, near an uncontrolled airport. A Cessna 172N on a pleasure flight in the vicinity was climbing on a southwesterly heading to a cruise altitude of 4,500 feet MSL. A third 172 was climbing through 3,400 feet MSL to a 7,500 feet MSL altitude on a northwest heading. As the three aircraft merged at 3,400 feet MSL the instrument training Cessna 172P and the pleasure flight 172N collided. The Cessna 172P'S empennage was severed and the aircraft plummeted to the ground. The impact fatally injured the instructor pilot and seriously injured the private pilot. The Cessna 172N was substantially damaged but landed without further incident. The third aircraft was not involved in the collision and its pilot did not observe the other aircraft.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N733KS
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17268357
- Airframe hours
- 5,530
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Cp Aviation
- Registered owner
- C William E Commings
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 2, 1988 · 69 hours before
- Departed
- SZP · Santa Paula, CA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
- Registration
- N98955
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17276385
- Airframe hours
- 1,228
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D2J, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Unknown
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 17, 1988 · 36 hours before
- Departed
- CMA · Camarillo, CA
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N733KS
- Age
- 38
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 343 total · 31 in this make and model · 305 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N98955
- Age
- 35
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 567 total · 248 in this make and model · 501 as pilot in command · 106 in the last 90 days · 27 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OXR, 6 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.