Cessna 150 and Aviat Aircraft INC S-2 accident near Santa Paula, California, February 12, 2016
On February 12, 2016 at about 10:45 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 150 (N704SL) and Aviat Aircraft INC S-2 (N57BC), were involved in the same accident near Santa Paula, California (Santa Paula airport). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The tailwheel pilot's failure to see and avoid a stationary airplane performing a run-up, which resulted in a ground collision.
The tailwheel pilot's failure to see and avoid a stationary airplane performing a run-up, which resulted in a ground collision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 2016 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Paula, California · Santa Paula · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 150 M, built 1976 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N704SL · registry record · serial 15078837
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Aviat Aircraft INC S-2 C, built 2001 · all S-2s on the register
- Registration
- N57BC · registry record · serial 6042
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 150 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, "Due to the restricted visibility from the rear cockpit," he "failed to the see the C-150 that stopped on the taxiway." Subsequently, the propeller of the tailwheel airplane impacted the vertical stabilizer of a stationary Cessna airplane. The student pilot of the Cessna airplane reported that he was preparing for the engine run-up and never saw the tailwheel airplane until after the collision. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer of the Cessna airplane. The pilot of the tailwheel airplane and the student pilot of the Cessna airplane reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with their respective airplanes that would have precluded normal operation.
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 Aviat Aircraft INC S-2 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, "Due to the restricted visibility from the rear cockpit," he "failed to the see the C-150 that stopped on the taxiway." Subsequently, the propeller of the tailwheel airplane impacted the vertical stabilizer of a stationary Cessna airplane. The student pilot of the Cessna airplane reported that he was preparing for the engine run-up and never saw the tailwheel airplane until after the collision. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer of the Cessna airplane. The pilot of the tailwheel airplane and the student pilot of the Cessna airplane reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with their respective airplanes that would have precluded normal operation.
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 150 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot of other aircraft
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot of other aircraft
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 50 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,058 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 2, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cp Aviation Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: SZP Santa Paula CA at 10:45 pm
- Destination: SZP Santa Paula CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from CMA, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
The factual record for the Aviat Aircraft INC S-2 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Not used/operated
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 25,104 hours in all; 3,675 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 15,696 as pilot in command; 5,443 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 24, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,109.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 22, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming AEIO-540-04AS (piston); 1,110 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CMA Camarillo CA at 10:45 pm
- Destination: SZP Santa Paula CA
- Flight plan: none
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA16CA127.