Cessna T210L and Piper AEROSTAR 600 accident near Camarillo, California, November 5, 1988
On November 5, 1988 at about 3:00 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna T210L (N777HS) and Piper AEROSTAR 600 (N8219J), were involved in the same accident near Camarillo, California (Camarillo airport). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT OF N8219J USED POOR JUDGEMENT WHEN SHE ELECTED TO EXECUTE THE HIGH SPEED TAXI OPERATION.
PILOT OF N8219J USED POOR JUDGEMENT WHEN SHE ELECTED TO EXECUTE THE HIGH SPEED TAXI OPERATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 5, 1988 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Camarillo, California · Camarillo · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna T210L · all T210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N777HS · registry record · serial 21060835
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper AEROSTAR 600 AEROSTAR 6 · all AEROSTAR 600s on the register
- Registration
- N8219J · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna T210L final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS DEPARTING WHEN IT WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND BY A PIPER AEROSTAR 600. THE CESSNA PILOT HAD JUST RECEIVED AN IFR CLEARANCE FROM PT. MUGU DEPARTURE CONTROL. THE AEROSTAR PLT REPT THAT SHE WAS EXECUTING A HIGH SPEED TAXI OPERATION ON THE RUNWAY TO CHECK THE ERRATIC FUEL GAUGES IN PREPARATION FOR HER PROPOSED FLIGHT TO KONA, HI. THE CESSNA PLT REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT ANNOUNCE ON THE CTAF HIS INTENTIONS TO TAXI TO RUNWAY 26. THE AEROSTAR PLT ALSO REPORTED THAT SHE DID NOT ANNOUNCE HER INTENTIONS FOR THE HIGH SPEED TAXI OPERATION ON CTAF.
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 Piper AEROSTAR 600 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS DEPARTING WHEN IT WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND BY A PIPER AEROSTAR 600. THE CESSNA PILOT HAD JUST RECEIVED AN IFR CLEARANCE FROM PT. MUGU DEPARTURE CONTROL. THE AEROSTAR PLT REPT THAT SHE WAS EXECUTING A HIGH SPEED TAXI OPERATION ON THE RUNWAY TO CHECK THE ERRATIC FUEL GAUGES IN PREPARATION FOR HER PROPOSED FLIGHT TO KONA, HI. THE CESSNA PLT REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT ANNOUNCE ON THE CTAF HIS INTENTIONS TO TAXI TO RUNWAY 26. THE AEROSTAR PLT ALSO REPORTED THAT SHE DID NOT ANNOUNCE HER INTENTIONS FOR THE HIGH SPEED TAXI OPERATION ON CTAF.
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 T210L from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 950 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,650 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 19, 1987; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CMA at 3:00 pm
- Destination: L71 California City CA
- Runway 26, 6,020 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- 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 Piper AEROSTAR 600 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,600 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 230 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 11,800 as pilot in command; 5,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-G1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Kona HI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 26, 6,020 ft by 150 ft
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 LAX89LA036.