Cessna 150 and Taylorcraft BC12-D accident near Half Moon Bay, California, March 6, 1982
On March 6, 1982 at about 10:00 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 150 (N5678E) and Taylorcraft BC12-D (N94906), were involved in the same accident near Half Moon Bay, California (Half Moon Bay airport). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. 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 6, 1982 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Half Moon Bay, California · Half Moon Bay
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N5678E · registry record · serial 17178
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Taylorcraft BC12-D · all BC12-Ds on the register
- Registration
- N94906 · no longer on the register · serial 9306
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 150 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCREW IN CESSNA, N5678E, WERE TAXIING FROM THE TIE-DOWN AREA WHEN THE AIRCRAFT BECAME MIRED IN SOFT EARTH NEAR THE TAXIWAY. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT STEPPED OUT TO PUSH WHILE THE STUDENT REMAINED AT THE CONTROLS. AT THE SAME TIME, THE PILOT OF TAYLORCRAFT, N94906, WAS MAKING MILD S-TURNS WHILE PROCEEDING DOWN THE TAXIWAY. A COLLISION OF THE AIRCRAFT OCCURRED ON THE TAXIWAY.
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 Taylorcraft BC12-D final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF TAYLORCRAFT, N94906, WAS MAKING MILD S-TURNS AS HE PROCEEDED DOWN A TAXIWAY. AS HE WAS MAKING AN S-TURN BACK TO THE RIGHT, HE SAW A CESSNA 150, N5678E, AT THE RIGHT EDGE OF THE TAXIWAY ON A CONVERGING COURSE. HE TURNED LEFT TO AVOID A COLLISION, BUT WAS TOO LATE. PREVIOUSLY, THE AIRCREW OF THE CESSNA 150 HAD BECOME MIRED IN SOFT EARTH NEAR THE TAXIWAY. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT IN N5678E HAD STEPPED OUT AND WAS PUSHING WHILE THE STUDENT REMAINED AT THE CONTROLS.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,410 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HAF Half Moon Bay CA
- Destination: HAF Half Moon Bay CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 4,200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 149°F (65°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Taylorcraft BC12-D from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,417 hours in all; 656 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 1,303 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,171 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-75-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HAF Half Moon Bay CA at 9:30 am
- Destination: MOD Modesto CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 4,200 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.