Cessna P206 and Northrop T-38A mid-air collision near Tehachapi, California, May 22, 1987
On May 22, 1987 at about 5:58 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna P206 (N2520X) and Northrop T-38A (USAF), were involved in a mid-air collision near Tehachapi, California. 4 people were killed. 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 1987 · about 5:58 pm local time · cases in 1987
- Place
- Tehachapi, California · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna P206 · all P206s on the register
- Registration
- N2520X · registry record · serial 0020
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Northrop T-38A · all T-38As on the register
- Registration
- USAF · registered outside the United States · serial 62-3639
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · military rules
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna P206 final · quoted from the NTSB record
AN USAF T-38 AIRCRAFT AND A CESSNA 206 AIRCRAFT COLLIDED IN MID-AIR DURING VISUAL FLIGHT OPERATIONS IN A MILITARY OPERATIONS AREA. RADAR DATA REVEALED THAT THE OVERTAKING T-38 COLLIDED WITH THE CESSNA 206 FROM THE RIGHT. THE CESSNA WAS ON A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTRACT TERRAIN PHOTO MISSION AND HAD ALMOST COMPLETED A LEFT 360 DEGREE TURN. THE T-38 WAS TRANSITING THE MOA IN CONNECTION WITH A MILITARY MISSION. BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE OPERATING UNDER VFR AND WERE NOT IN CONTACTWITH THE MOA CONTROLLERS. NEITHER PILOT WAS REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH OR MAINTAIN POSITIVE RADIO OR RADAR CONTACT WITH THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL FACILITY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE AREA. HOWEVER, THE AIRMAN'S INFORMATION MANUAL STATES 'PILOTS OPERATINGUNDER VFR SHOULD EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION WHILE FLYING WITHIN A MOA... PRIOR TO ENTERING AN ACTIVE MOA, PILOTS SHOULD CONTACT THE CONTROLLING AGENCY FOR TRAFFIC ADVISORIES.' RADAR AND RADIO ASSISTANCE WAS AVAILABLE TO EITHER PILOT. THE T-38 WAS USING A TRANSPONDER WITH MODE C READOUT. THE COLLISION OCCURRED AT ABOUT 8,700 FEET MSL.
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 Northrop T-38A final · quoted from the NTSB record
AN USAF T-38 AIRCRAFT AND A CESSNA 206 AIRCRAFT COLLIDED IN MID-AIR DURING VISUAL FLIGHT OPERATIONS IN A MILITARY OPERATIONS AREA. RADAR DATA REVEALED THAT THE OVERTAKING T-38 COLLIDED WITH THE CESSNA 206 FROM THE RIGHT. THE CESSNA WAS ON A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTRACT TERRAIN PHOTO MISSION AND HAD ALMOST COMPLETED A LEFT 360 DEGREE TURN. THE T-38 WAS TRANSITING THE MOA IN CONNECTION WITH A MILITARY MISSION. BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE OPERATING UNDER VFR AND WERE NOT IN CONTACTWITH THE MOA CONTROLLERS. NEITHER PILOT WAS REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH OR MAINTAIN POSITIVE RADIO OR RADAR CONTACT WITH THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL FACILITY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE AREA. HOWEVER, THE AIRMAN'S INFORMATION MANUAL STATES 'PILOTS OPERATINGUNDER VFR SHOULD EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION WHILE FLYING WITHIN A MOA... PRIOR TO ENTERING AN ACTIVE MOA, PILOTS SHOULD CONTACT THE CONTROLLING AGENCY FOR TRAFFIC ADVISORIES.' RADAR AND RADIO ASSISTANCE WAS AVAILABLE TO EITHER PILOT. THE T-38 WAS USING A TRANSPONDER WITH MODE C READOUT. THE COLLISION OCCURRED AT ABOUT 8,700 FEET MSL.
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 P206 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,071 hours in all; 1,515 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 4,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,380 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 4, 1987; 252 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SNA Santa Ana CA at 4:08 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from WJF, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Northrop T-38A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,246 hours in all; 170 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 2,074 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,512 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge J-85-5H (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Usaf
The flight
- Departed from: EDW Edwards Afb CA at 4:58 pm
- Runway 0
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N2520X on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna P206 Super Skylane 163 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Northrop T-38 30 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Northrop 81 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A5 9,485 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Ge J-85-5H 5 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- John Wayne/Orange County · departed from
- Edwards Air Force Base · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,098 in the last ten years
- California 27,686 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX87FA213.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.