Cessna 152 and Cessna 172M mid-air collision near Morgan Hill, California, July 28, 1982
On July 28, 1982 at about 2:30 am local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 152 (N5090Q) and Cessna 172M (N20100), were involved in a mid-air collision near Morgan Hill, California. 2 people were killed; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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
- July 28, 1982 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Morgan Hill, California · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N5090Q · registry record · serial 15285071
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N20100 · no longer on the register · serial 17261009
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 152 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA 152, N5090Q AND A CESSNA 172, N20100 COLLIDED IN FLIGHT WHILE THE AIRCREWS OF BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE ON LOCAL DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHTS. THE STUDENT IN THE CESSNA 152 WAS PRACTICING A RECOVERY FROM AN UNUSUAL ATTITUDE AFTER THE INSTRUCTOR (IP) PUT THE PLANE IN A LEFT DESCENDING TURN. THE STUDENT HAD HIS HEAD DOWN WHILE THE IP WAS POSITIONING THE AIRCRAFT. AS THE RIGHT WING CAME DOWN DURING THE RECOVERY, THE IP SAW THE CESSNA 172 ON A COLLISION COURSE, BUT DID NOT HAVE TIME TO AVOID A COLLISION. THE CESSNA 172 HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN MANEUVERING AND CHANGING DIRECTIONS, BUT HAD BEEN ON THE SAME HEADING FOR ABOUT 1 MIN PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE PLANES CONVERGED ON ONE ANOTHER FROM A QUARTERING HEAD-ON DIRECTION AT ABOUT 3000 FT. AFTER THE COLLISION, THE IP OF THE CESSNA 152 TOOK CONTROL OF HIS AIRCRAFT AND MADE A SUCCESSFUL LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD, BUT THE CESSNA 172 CRASHED.
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 Cessna 172M final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA 152, N5090Q AND A CESSNA 172, N20100 COLLIDED IN FLIGHT WHILE THE AIRCREWS OF BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE ON LOCAL DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHTS. THE STUDENT IN THE CESSNA 152 WAS PRACTICING A RECOVERY FROM AN UNUSUAL ATTITUDE AFTER THE INSTRUCTOR (IP) PUT THE PLANE IN A LEFT DESCENDING TURN. THE STUDENT HAD HIS HEAD DOWN WHILE TH IP WAS POSITIONING THE AIRCRAFT. AS THE RIGHT WING CAME DOWN DURING THE RECOVERY, THE IP SAW THE CESSNA 172 ON A COLLISION COURSE, BUT DID NOT HAVE TIME TO AVOID A COLLISION. THE CESSNA 172 HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN MANEUVERING AND CHANGING DIRECTIONS, BUT HAD BEEN ON THE SAME HEADING FOR ABOUT 1 MIN PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE PLANES CONVERGED ON ONE ANOTHER FROM A QUARTERING HEAD-ON DIRECTION AT ABOUT 3000 FT. AFTER THE COLLISION, THE IP OF THE CESSNA 152 TOOK CONTROL OF HIS AIRCRAFT AND MADE A SUCCESSFUL LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD, BUT THE CESSNA 172 CRASHED.
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 152 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 907 hours in all; 617 in this make and model; 187 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days; 751 as pilot in command; 560 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 444 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Business Aircraft Center, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: SJC San Jose CA at 6:45 pm
- Destination: SJC San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Cessna 172M from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,354 hours in all; 3,118 as pilot in command; 2,463 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,782 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Jim Dill'S Aviation World, INC
The flight
- Departed from: SJC San Jose CA at 7:13 pm
- Destination: SJC San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 LAX82FA279.