Cessna 150L and amateur-built CHRISTIAN EAGLE II accident near Rialto, California, August 18, 1985
On August 18, 1985 at about 9:15 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 150L (N19530) and amateur-built CHRISTIAN EAGLE II (N42SH), were involved in the same accident near Rialto, California (Rialto Airport). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. 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
- August 18, 1985 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Rialto, California · Rialto Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N19530 · no longer on the register · serial 15074475
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Amateur-built CHRISTIAN EAGLE II CHRISTIAN
- Registration
- N42SH · registry record · serial 002
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 150L final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CHRISTIAN EAGLE BIPLANE WAS RETURNING FROM A LOCAL INTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT AND ENTERED THE PATTERN ON A NORMAL 45 DEGREE ENTRY, ANNOUNCING POSITION AND INTENTIONS ON THE UNICOM FREQUENCY. THE CESSNA 150 WAS DEPARTING THE AIRPORT ON A LOCAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT AND HAD JUST COMPLETED AN ENGINE RUNUP AND TAXIED ONTO THE RUNWAY. THE BIPLANE PILOT SAID HE WAS IN A 3 POINT LANDING ATTITUDE, WHICH PRECLUDED FORWARD VISIBILITY. THE CESSNA 150 PILOT SAID HE LOOKED BOTH ON FINAL AND BASE LEGS PRIOR TO INITIATING THE TAKEOFF. JUST AFTER THE CESSNA 150 MOVED ONTO THE RUNWAY AND ADDED POWER THE FOR THE TAKEOFF, THE CHRISTIAN EAGLE COLLIDED WITH THE CESSNA'S RIGHT WING AT ABOUT THE MID SPAN POINT. THE COMMUNICATIONS RADIO HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THE CESSNA 150 FOR MAINTENANCE REPAIR. THE CLOSEST OFFICIAL WEATHER REPORTING STATION, 8 MILES EAST, LISTED A VISIBILITY OF 2 MILES IN HAZE AND SMOKE, HOWEVER, BOTH PILOTS AND OTHER WITNESSES SAID THE VISIBILITY AT THE AIRPORT WAS '3 MILES.'
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 amateur-built CHRISTIAN EAGLE II final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CHRISTIAN EAGLE BIPLANE WAS RETURNING FROM A LOCAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT AND ENTERED THE PATTERN ON A NORMAL 45 DEGREE ENTRY, ANNOUNCING POSITION AND INTENTIONS ON THE UNICOM FREQUENCY. THE CESSNA 150 WAS DEPARTING THE AIRPORT ON A LOCAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT AND HAD JUST COMPLETED AN ENGINE RUNUP AND TAXIED ONTO THE RUNWAY. THE BIPLANE PILOT SAID HE WAS IN A 3 POINT LANDING ATTITUDE, WHICH PRECLUDED FORWARD VISIBILITY. THE CESSNA 150 PILOT SAID HE LOOKED BOTH ON FINAL AND BASE LEGS PRIOR TO INITIATING THE TAKEOFF. JUST AFTER THE CESSNA 150 MOVED ONTO THE RUNWAY AND ADDED POWER FOR THE TAKEOFF, THE CHRISTIAN EAGLE COLLIDED WITH THE CESSNA'S RIGHT WING AT ABOUT THE MID SPAN POINT. THE COMMUNICATIONS RADIO HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THE CESSNA 150 FOR MAINTENANCE REPAIR. THE CLOSEOUT OFFICIAL WEATHER REPORTING STATION, 8 MILES EAST, LISTED A VISIBILITY OF 2 MILES IN HAZE AND SMOKE, HOWEVER, BOTH PILOTS AND OTHER WITNESSES SAID THE VISIBILITY AT THE AIRPORT WAS '3 MILES.'
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 150L from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,365 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 2,250 as pilot in command; 1,900 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,440 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 29, 1985; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A48 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rialto Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
The factual record for the amateur-built CHRISTIAN EAGLE II from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,251 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 93 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 6,361 as pilot in command; 6,102 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 85 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 18, 1985; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AFIO-360-AID (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.