Cessna 172N and Piper PA-32RT-300 mid-air collision near Oakland, California, March 31, 1987
On March 31, 1987 at about 5:58 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172N (N75584) and Piper PA-32RT-300 (N39614), were involved in a mid-air collision near Oakland, California (Metro Oakland Intl airport). 3 people were killed. 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
- March 31, 1987 · about 5:58 pm local time
- Place
- Oakland, California · Metro Oakland Intl · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N75584 · no longer on the register · serial 75584
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-32RT-300 PA-32RT-30 · all PA-32RT-300s on the register
- Registration
- N39614 · registry record · serial 32R7885232
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172N final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT 0954:54, PLT OF PIPER PA-32RT, N39614, RPRTD 9 MI NORTH FOR LNDG. TWR CONTROLLER (NORTH CTLR) TOLD HIM TO PLN FOR A RGT ENTRY TO RWY 27R. AT 0955:32, A STUDENT PLT & INSTRUCTOR (CFI) IN CESSNA 172N, N75584, WERE CLRD FOR TKOF ON RWY 33 WITH A 'RIGHT TURN OUT' IAW NOISE ABATEMENT PROCEDURES. APRX 2 MIN LATER, THE PA-32 PLT RPRTD TURNING DOWNWIND OVER A PROMINENT LND MARK. THE TWR CTLR REPLIED THAT THE PA-32 WAS 'NOT IN SIGHT' & CLRD THE PLT TO LND ON RWY 27R. NO FURTHER X-MISSIONS WERE RCVD FM EITHER ACFT. THE 2 ACFT COLLIDED NRLY HEAD-ON AT ABOUT 1000' MSL, APRX 1 MI NORTH OF THE DEP ENDOF RWY 33. THE CESSNA CRASHED INTO A PG&E FACILITY & BURNED; A SECURITY GUARD WAS INJURED THERE. THE PA-32 CRASHED IN A NRBY BAY. INV REVEALED TWR PSNL HAD NOT PROVIDED TRAFFIC ADZY TO EITHER ACFT & THAT THE BRITE RADAR WAS OUT-OF-SVC FOR ROUTINE MAINT. ARPT PSNL HAD POSTED SIGNS ARND THE ARPT WITH NOISE ABATEMENT PROCEDURES W/O FAA APVL, WHICH EFFECTIVELY RDCD SEPN BTN DEPG/ARRG ACFT. FAA TFC MGR DID NOT ORDER MODIFICATION OR RMVL OF SIGNS WHEN HE LEARNED OF THEIR PRESENCE.
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-32RT-300 final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT 0954:54, PLT OF PIPER PA-32RT, N39614, RPRTD 9 MI NORTH FOR LNDG. TWR CONTROLLER (NORTH CTLR) TOLD HIM TO PLN FOR A RGT ENTRY TO RWY 27R. AT 0955:32, A STUDENT PLT & INSTRUCTOR (CFI) IN CESSNA 172N, N75584, WERE CLRD FOR TKOF ON RWY 33 WITH A 'RIGHT TURN OUT' IAW NOISE ABATEMENT PROCEDURES. APRX 2 MIN LATER, THE PA-32 PLT RPRTD TURNING DOWNWIND OVER A PROMINENT LND MARK. THE TWR CTLR REPLIED THAT THE PA-32 WAS 'NOT IN SIGHT' & CLRD THE PLT TO LND ON RWY 27R. NO FURTHER X-MISSIONS WERE RCVD FM EITHER ACFT. THE 2 ACFT COLLIDED NRLY HEAD-ON AT ABOUT 1000' MSL, APRX 1 MI NORTH OF THE DEP ENDOF RWY 33. THE CESSNA CRASHED INTO A PG&E FACILITY & BURNED; A SECURITY GUARD WAS INJURED THERE. THE PA-32 CRASHED IN A NRBY BAY. INV REVEALED TWR PSNL HAD NOT PROVIDED TRAFFIC ADZY TO EITHER ACFT & THAT THE BRITE RADAR WAS OUT-OF-SVC FOR ROUTINE MAINT. ARPT PSNL HAD POSTED SIGNS ARND THE ARPT WITH NOISE ABATEMENT PROCEDURES W/O FAA APVL, WHICH EFFECTIVELY RDCD SEPN BTN DEPG/ARRG ACFT. FAA TFC MGR DID NOT ORDER MODIFICATION OR RMVL OF SIGNS WHEN HE LEARNED OF THEIR PRESENCE.
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 172N 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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,250 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Alameda Aero Club
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 33, 3,366 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-32RT-300 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,825 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYV Marysville CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27R, 5,453 ft by 150 ft
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.