Cessna 182Q and Cessna 172M mid-air collision near Richmond, California, July 5, 1984
On July 5, 1984 at about 10:46 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 182Q (N95726) and Cessna 172M (N103PD), were involved in a mid-air collision near Richmond, 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 5, 1984 · about 10:46 pm local time
- Place
- Richmond, California · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 182Q · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N95726 · no longer on the register · serial 6610
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N103PD · registry record · serial 61384
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 182Q final · quoted from the NTSB record
THESE TWO ACFT WERE FLYING BETWEEN 1500-2000 FT OVER RICHMOND, CA, WHEN THEY COLLIDED. N103PD WAS ON POLICE SURVEILLANCEAND WAS CIRCLING TO THE LEFT. THE OTHER, N95726, WAS ON A X-COUNTRY ON A HEADING OF ABOUT 350 DEGREES. THE COLLISION TORE THE RIGHT WING TIP OFF OF N95726 BUT HE WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE FLYING AND LANDED. THE OTHER ACFT LOST ITS WING ON THEWAY DOWN AND CRASHED VERTICALLY INTO A WAREHOUSE.
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
THESE TWO ACFT WERE FLYING BETWEEN 1500 AND 2000 FT AGL WHEN THEY COLLIDED OVER RICHMOND, CA. N103PD WAS ON POLICE SURVEILLANCE CIRCLING TO THE LEFT. N95726 WAS ON A X-COUNTRY FLYING A HEADING OF ABOUT 350 DEGREES. THE COLLISION TORE THE RIGHT WING TIP OFF OF N95726 BUT HE WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE FLYING AND LANDED AT NEARBY NAPA ARPT. N103PD LOST ITS RIGHT WING WHILE DESCENDING AND CRASHED VERTICALLY INTO A WAREHOUSE.
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 182Q from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,480 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 1,480 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 929 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1984; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-47O-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAO Palo Alto CA at 10:30 pm
- Destination: 016 Garberville CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 172M from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,300 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 115 in the last 90 days; 3,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,530 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 26, 1984; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N95726 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 LAX84FA378.