Bellanca 7KCAB and Schweizer SGS 2-32 mid-air collision near Fremont, California, May 30, 1987
On May 30, 1987 at about 9:25 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Bellanca 7KCAB (N88314) and Schweizer SGS 2-32 (N242DB), were involved in a mid-air collision near Fremont, California (Fremont airport). No one was hurt; 4 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 1987 · about 9:25 pm local time · cases in 1987
- Place
- Fremont, California · Fremont · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Bellanca 7KCAB · all 7KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N88314 · registry record · serial 482-74
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Schweizer SGS 2-32 · all SGS 2-32s on the register
- Registration
- N242DB · no longer on the register · serial 42
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Bellanca 7KCAB final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON FINAL APCH TO LND ON RWY 28, A GLIDER (SCHWEIZER SGS 2-32, N242DB) & A TOW PLANE (BELLANCA 7KCAB, N88314) COLLIDED IN FLT AT AN ALT OF ABOUT 200' AGL. THE TOW PLANE WAS RETURNING FM A LCL TOW MISSION & THE GLIDER WAS RETURNINGFM A LCL SIGHTSEEING FLT. AFTER COLLIDING, THE 2 ACFT LNDD SAFELY. NORMAL PROCEDURES AT THE ARPT WERE FOR TOW PLANES TO FLY A LARGE PATTERN WITH A LONG FINAL APCH & FOR GLIDERS TO FLY A SMALL PATTERN WITH A SHORT FINAL. ALL TRAFFIC LNDG ON RWY 28 WAS TO USE A RIGHT PATTERN. THE TOW PLT SAW THE GLIDER AS HE (THE TOW PLT) WAS TURNING ON A LONG FINAL APCH. AT THAT TIME, HE ESTIMATED THE GLIDER WAS AT 1100' AGL & 1/2 MI IN THE TOW PLANE'S 7:30 POSITION. AS THE TOW PLANE CONTD ON FINAL APCH AT 65 MPH, THE GLIDER CONVERGED FM ABV & BEHIND. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE NOSE OF THE GLIDER HIT THE VERTICAL STABILIZER OF THE TOW PLANE. THE GLIDER PLT DID NOT SEE THE TOW PLANE UNTIL THE MOMENT BFR IMPACT. THERE WAS SUBSTANTIALDAMAGE TO THE TOW PLANE'S VERTICAL STABILIZER, BUT ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE GLIDER.
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 Schweizer SGS 2-32 final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON FINAL APCH TO LND ON RWY 28, A GLIDER (SCHWEIZER SGS 2-32, N242DB) & A TOW PLANE (BELLANCA 7KCAB, N88314) COLLIDED IN FLT AT AN ALT OF ABOUT 200' AGL. THE TOW PLANE WAS RETURNING FM A LCL TOW MISSION & THE GLIDER WAS RETURNINGFM A LCL SIGHTSEEING FLT. AFTER COLLIDING, THE 2 ACFT LNDD SAFELY. NORMAL PROCEDURES AT THE ARPT WERE FOR TOW PLANES TO FLY A LARGE PATTERN WITH A LONG FINAL APCH & FOR GLIDERS TO FLY A SMALL PATTERN WITH A SHORT FINAL. ALL TRAFFIC LNDG ON RWY 28 WAS TO USE A RIGHT PATTERN. THE TOW PLT SAW THE GLIDER AS HE (THE TOW PLT) WAS TURNING ON A LONG FINAL APCH. AT THAT TIME, HE ESTIMATED THE GLIDER WAS AT 1100' AGL & 1/2 MI IN THE TOW PLANE'S 7:30 POSITION. AS THE TOW PLANE CONTD ON FINAL APCH AT 65 MPH, THE GLIDER CONVERGED FM ABV & BEHIND. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE NOSE OF THE GLIDER HIT THE VERTICAL STABILIZER OF THE TOW PLANE. THE GLIDER PLT DID NOT SEE THE TOW PLANE UNTIL THE MOMENT BFR IMPACT. THERE WAS SUBSTANTIALDAMAGE TO THE TOW PLANE'S VERTICAL STABILIZER, BUT ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE GLIDER.
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 Bellanca 7KCAB from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 674 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 97 in the last 90 days; 61 in the last 30 days; 399 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,174 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 6, 1986; 174 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-E2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8Q7 at 9:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 2,300 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from HWD, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Schweizer SGS 2-32 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,666 hours in all; 1,648 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,359 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,340 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: None NONE (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8Q7
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 230 ft by 30 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N88314 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N88314 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Bellanca 7 Citabria 1,227 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Bellanca 2,699 aircraft on the register
- N242DB: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Schweizer SGS 2 gliders (2-33 and 2-32) 275 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Schweizer 1,187 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-E2B 4 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: None NONE · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,096 in the last ten years
- California 28,158 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N88314 2 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX87LA224.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.