Cessna 170B and amateur-built BABY GREAT LAKES mid-air collision near Casa Grande, Arizona, March 5, 1989
On March 5, 1989 at about 7:30 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 170B (N2766C) and amateur-built BABY GREAT LAKES (N64WD), were involved in a mid-air collision near Casa Grande, Arizona. 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PERFORMANCE OF AN AEROBATIC MANEUVER BY THE PILOT OF THE OTHER AIRCRAFT, WHILE FLYING IN FORMATION, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER CLEARANCE.
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S PERFORMANCE OF AEROBATIC MANEUVERS, WHILE FLYING IN FORMATION, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER CLEARANCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 1989 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Casa Grande, Arizona
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2766C · no longer on the register · serial 26310
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Amateur-built BABY GREAT LAKES BABY GREAT
- Registration
- N64WD · registry record · serial 7104K-385B
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 170B final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PRIVATE PILOT FLYING IN HIS OWN EXPERIMENTAL CATEGORY ACROBATIC BIPLANE, N64WD, PLANNED TO FLY IN FORMATION WITH A COMMERCIAL PILOT FLYING IN HIS OWN NORMAL CATEGORY AIRPLANE, N2766C. BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE RADIO EQUIPPED. WHILE THE CESSNA WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT, N64WD OVERTOOK THE CESSNA FROM ITS REAR, MANEUVERED INVERTED, AND COLLIDED WITH THE CESSNA.
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 BABY GREAT LAKES final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PRIVATE PILOT FLYING IN HIS OWN EXPERIMENTAL CATEGORY ACROBATIC BIPLANE, N64WD, PLANNED TO FLY IN FORMATION WITH A COMMERCIAL PILOT FLYING IN HIS OWN NORMAL CATEGORY AIRPLANE, N2766C. BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE RADIO EQUIPPED. WHILE THE CESSNA WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT, N64WD OVERTOOK THE CESSNA FROM ITS REAR, MANEUVERED INVERTED, AND COLLIDED WITH THE CESSNA.
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 170B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 800 hours in all; 182 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145-2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Arizona AZ
- Destination: Arizona AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
The factual record for the amateur-built BABY GREAT LAKES from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 700 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 625 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Arizona AZ
- 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.
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 LAX89FA120.