Beech A24R and Grumman AA-1A mid-air collision near Camarillo, California, May 1, 1982
On May 1, 1982 at about 3:45 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Beech A24R (N24584) and Grumman AA-1A (N7254L), were involved in a mid-air collision near Camarillo, California (Camarillo airport). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 1982 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Camarillo, California · Camarillo · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Beech A24R · all A24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N24584 · no longer on the register · serial MC125
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Grumman AA-1A
- Registration
- N7254L · no longer on the register · serial AA1A-0454
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Beech A24R final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED VAN NUYS, CA ON A LOCAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PREPARING ONE OF THE PILOTS FOR A BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW. DURING THE FLIGHT, THE PILOTS PROCEEDED TO THE CAMARILLO AIRPORT FOR A LANDING. BOTH PILOTS REPORT THAT ADVISORY RADIO TRANSMISSIONS WERE MADE ON DOWNWIND, BASE, AND FINAL APPROACH. WHILE ON A SHORT FINAL APPROACH, THEY FELT THE IMPACT WHICH THE INSTRUCTOR REPORTED AS SIMILAR TO WAKE TURBULENCE. A GO-AROUND WAS STARTED, BUT DISCONTINUED AS SOON AS THE INSTRUCTOR SAW THE OTHER AIRCRAFT AND REALIZED THEY HAD A MID-AIR COLLISION WITH N7254L. THE PILOT OF N7254L WAS ON A STEEPER FINAL APPROACH FOR HIS THIRD AND LAST PRACTICE LANDING WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. NONE OF THE PILOTS WERE AWARE OF THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE AIRCRAFT UNTIL AFTER THE COLLISION. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PROPELLER OF N7254L MADE CONTACT WITH THE RUDDER AND RIGHT STABILATOR OF N24584. BOTH AIRCRAFT LANDED SAFELY AFTER THE COLLISION.
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 Grumman AA-1A final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM THE CAMARILLO AIRPORT ON A LOCAL FLIGHT TO PRACTICE TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS. HE HAD MADE TWO TOUCH AND GO PATTERNS AND WAS ON HIS THIRD AND FINAL LANDING WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. HE HAD TRANSMITTED HIS POSITION ON DOWNWIND AND BASE LEG ON EACH OF THE PATTERNS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DELAYED HIS BASE CALL DUE TO OTHER RADIO TRANSMISSIONS ON THE SAME UNICOM FREQUENCY, BUT TRANSMITTED AN ADVISORY OF TURNING BASE TO FINAL APPROACH. HE WAS HIGH WHEN HE BEGAN HIS FINAL APPROACH AND WAS DESCENDING AT IDLE POWER WHEN THE PROPELLER OF HIS AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE RUDDER AND RIGHT STABILATOR OF N24584. NONE OF THE PILOTS WERE AWARE OF THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE AIRCRAFT UNTIL AFTER THE COLLISION. BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
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 Beech A24R from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 494 hours in all; 165 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 453 as pilot in command; 4 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,361 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VNY Van Nuys CA at 2:00 pm
- Destination: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 215° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Grumman AA-1A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,674 hours in all; 68 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 2,536 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,143 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CMA Camarillo CA at 3:15 pm
- Destination: CMA Camarillo CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 6,000 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.
Other NTSB records under N24584 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 LAX82FA156.