Piper PA-28R-201 and Cessna 152 mid-air collision near Palmdale, California, October 2, 1988
On October 2, 1988 at about 5:56 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-28R-201 (N31386) and Cessna 152 (N49382), were involved in a mid-air collision near Palmdale, California. 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 October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 2, 1988 · about 5:56 pm local time
- Place
- Palmdale, California · 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
- Piper PA-28R-201 · all PA-28R-201s on the register
- Registration
- N31386 · registry record · serial 28R7837233
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N49382 · no longer on the register · serial 15283451
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-28R-201 final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT APPROXIMATELY 6000 FT MSL TWO AIRPLANES COLLIDED IN FLIGHT. N49382 WAS CLIMBING TO ALTITUDE, N31386 WAS DESCENDING IN A SHALLOW LEFT TURN. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDING COLLIDED WITH THE CLIMBING AIRPLANE FROM BEHIND AND TO THE RIGHT. BOTH AIRPLANES WERE ABLE TO LAND WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
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 Cessna 152 final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT APPROXIMATELY 6000 FT MSL TWO AIRPLANES COLLIDED IN FLIGHT. N49382 WAS CLIMBING TO ALTITUDE, N31386 WAS DESCENDING IN A SHALLOW LEFT TURN. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDING COLLIDING WITH THE CLIMBING AIRPLANE FROM BEHIND AND TO THE RIGHT. BOTH AIRPLANES WERE ABLE TO LAND WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
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 Piper PA-28R-201 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 630 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 520 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,953 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1988; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHX Phoenix AZ at 3:25 pm
- Destination: WJF Lancaster CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Cessna 152 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,592 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 3,383 as pilot in command; 2,644 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,597 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 18, 1988; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EDW Edwards Afb CA at 5:42 pm
- Runway 0
- 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.