Cessna 180J and Beech 95-A55 mid-air collision near Tracy, California, August 24, 1989
On August 24, 1989 at about 4:27 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 180J (N42695) and Beech 95-A55 (N9750Y), were involved in a mid-air collision near Tracy, California (Tracy airport). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY BOTH PILOTS, WHICH RESULTED IN THEIR FAILURE TO SEE-AND-AVOID EACH OTHER'S AIRCRAFT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE LACK OF A CONFLICT ALERT SYSTEM FOR THE STOCKTON ARTS II RADAR.
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY BOTH PILOTS, WHICH RESULTED IN THEIR FAILURE TO SEE-AND-AVOID EACH OTHER'S AIRCRAFT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE LACK OF A CONFLICT ALERT SYSTEM FOR THE STOCKTON ARTS II RADAR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 1989 · about 4:27 pm local time
- Place
- Tracy, California · Tracy · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 180J · all 180Js on the register
- Registration
- N42695 · no longer on the register · serial 18052370
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Beech 95-A55 · all 95-A55s on the register
- Registration
- N9750Y · no longer on the register · serial TC-431
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 180J final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEECH 95 (N9750Y) WAS TRACKING SOUTH AT APRX 185 KTS AS CESSNA 180 (N42695) WAS TRACKING 118 DEG AT ABOUT 147 KTS. BOTH WERE IN VMC, RCVG RADAR SVC (VFR FLT FLWG) FM STOCKTON TRACON. DRG AUTOMATED RADAR HANDOFFS TO TRACY SECTOR (TR) CTLR, THE PLTS RPRTD AT 5500' MSL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE 2 ACFT CONVERGED, COLLIDED AT ABOUT 5500' MSL, THEN CRASHED IN UNCTLD DSCNTS. THE CTLR WAS OCCUPIED WITH CTLG 2 OTR ACFT. BOTH WERE OPERG UNDER IFR & REQUIRED HIS ATTN TO MAINT SEPN. THE COLLISION OCCURRED AS THE CTLR WAS CONCENTRATING ON SEPN OF THE 2 IFR ACFT. N9750Y CONVERGED ON N42695 FROM THE NE (APRX70 DEG LEFT OF N42695'S NOSE). N42695 CONVERGED ON N9750Y FM THE SW (APRX 48 DEG RGT OF N9750Y'S NOSE). THE CTLR WAS NOTAWARE OF THE COLLISION UNTIL LATER. THE STOCKTON ARTS II RADAR WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A CONFLICT ALERT SYS. THE ARTS II RADAR WAS PROGRAMMED TO MOVE NO BEACON (VFR) CALL SIGNS TO THE TAB LIST AFTER NOT RCVG A TRANSPONDER REPLY FOR 5 SCANS (APRX 20 SEC). AFTER AN ADNL 33 SCANS (A TOTAL OF APRX 2.5 MIN), THE CALL SIGN WOULD DISAPPEAR FM THE TAB LIST, AS WELL.
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 Beech 95-A55 final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEECH 95 (N9750Y) WAS TRACKING SOUTH AT APRX 185 KTS AS CESSNA 180 (N42695) WAS TRACKING 118 DEG AT ABOUT 147 KTS. BOTH WERE IN VMC, RCVG RADAR SVC (VFR FLT FLWG) FM STOCKTON TRACON. DRG AUTOMATED RADAR HANDOFFS TO TRACY SECTOR (TR) CTLR, THE PLTS RPRTD AT 5500' MSL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE 2 ACFT CONVERGED, COLLIDED AT ABOUT 5500' MSL, THEN CRASHED IN UNCTLD DSCNTS. THE CTLR WAS OCCUPIED WITH CTLG 2 OTR ACFT. BOTH WERE OPERG UNDER IFR & REQUIRED HIS ATTN TO MAINT SEPN. THE COLLISION OCCURRED AS THE CTLR WAS CONCENTRATING ON SEPN OF THE 2 IFR ACFT. N9750Y CONVERGED ON N42695 FROM THE NE (APRX70 DEG LEFT OF N42695'S NOSE). N42695 CONVERGED ON N9750Y FM THE SW (APRX 48 DEG RGT OF N9750Y'S NOSE). THE CTLR WAS NOTAWARE OF THE COLLISION UNTIL LATER. THE STOCKTON ARTS II RADAR WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A CONFLICT ALERT SYS. THE ARTS II RADAR WAS PROGRAMMED TO MOVE NO BEACON (VFR) CALL SIGNS TO THE TAB LIST AFTER NOT RCVG A TRANSPONDER REPLY FOR 5 SCANS (APRX 20 SEC). AFTER AN ADNL 33 SCANS (A TOTAL OF APRX 2.5 MIN), THE CALL SIGN WOULD DISAPPEAR FM THE TAB LIST, AS WELL.
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 180J from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: San Rafael CA at 4:00 pm
- Destination: FAT Fresno CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Beech 95-A55 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,417 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 3, 1989; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,880 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SAC Sacramento CA
- Destination: SMX Santa Maria 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.
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.