Cessna 172N and Cessna 305C mid-air collision near Ballard, California, May 22, 1984
On May 22, 1984 at about 6:20 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172N (N73857) and Cessna 305C (N521ST), were involved in a mid-air collision near Ballard, California. 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
- May 22, 1984 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Ballard, California · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N73857 · no longer on the register · serial 17267725
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 305C · all 305Cs on the register
- Registration
- N521ST · registry record
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172N final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF N73857, A CESSNA 172 AND THE PILOT OF N521ST, A CESSNA 305 ARRANGED PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT TO FLY A 'MISSING MAN' FORMATION WITH TWO OTHER AIRCRAFT. THE PLT OF N73857 WAS INSTRUCTED TO FLY TO THE LEFT REAR OF THE LEAD ACFT, N521ST. THE PILOT OF N521ST REPORTED THAT HE OBSERVED N73857 OVERTAKE HIS AIRCRAFT FROM HIS LEFT REAR, BUT WAS UNABLE TO MANEUVER HIS AIRCRAFT AWAY FAST ENOUGH TO AVOID THE COLLISION. THE PLT OF N521ST STATED THAT HIS WAS THE LEADING AIRCRAFT AND THE OTHER PILOT IN N73857 WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING HIS REARWARD POSITION.
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 305C final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF N73857, A CESSNA 172 AND THE PILOT OF N521ST, A CESSNA 305 ARRANGED PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT TO FLY A 'MISSING MAN' FORMATION WITH TWO OTHER AIRCRAFT. THE PLT OF N73857 WAS INSTRUCTED TO FLY TO THE LEFT REAR OF THE LEAD ACFT, N521ST. THE PILOT OF N521ST REPORTED THAT HE OBSERVED N73857 OVERTAKE HIS AIRCRAFT FROM HIS LEFT REAR, BUT WAS UNABLE TO MANEUVER HIS AIRCRAFT AWAY FAST ENOUGH TO AVOID THE COLLISION. THE PLT OF N521ST STATED THAT HIS WAS THE LEADING AIRCRAFT AND THE OTHER PILOT IN N73857 WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING HIS REARWARD POSITION.
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 172N from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 830 hours in all; 245 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 63,023 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,200 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1ZA Santa Ynez CA at 6:00 pm
- Destination: SMX Santa Maria CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:20 am
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 305C from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,410 hours in all; 1,108 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 3,020 as pilot in command; 689 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-11 (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: IZA Santa Ynez CA
- Destination: SBA Santa Barbara CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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 N73857 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.