Cessna 172N and Cessna 177RG accident near Sacramento, California, May 30, 1989
On May 30, 1989 at about 1:35 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172N (N737WR) and Cessna 177RG (N1844Q), were involved in the same accident near Sacramento, California (Sacramento airport). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT DISPLAYED POOR JUDGEMENT IN CONTINUING TO TAXI WHEN A VISUAL LOOKOUT COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED.
THE PILOT OF THE OTHER AIRCRAFT DISPLAYED POOR JUDGEMENT WHEN HE ELECTED TO CONTINUE TAXIING IN THE RUNUP AREA WHEN VISUAL LOOKOUT COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 1989 · about 1:35 pm local time
- Place
- Sacramento, California · Sacramento · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N737WR · registry record · serial 17269735
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N1844Q · registry record · serial 177RG0244
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172N final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE TAXIING TO THE RUN-UP AREA, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE SUN HAD JUST RISEN AND VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED. THE PILOT WAS TRYING TO POSITION THE AIRPLANE IN THE RUN-UP AREA WHEN HIS AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER AIRPLANE ALREADY IN THE RUN-UP AREA.
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 177RG final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE PARKED IN THE RUNUP AREA, PREPARING TO TAKEOFF FROM R UNWAY 22, THE AIRCRAFT WAS RUN INTO BY A CESSNA 172N THAT WAS TAXIING INTO THE AREA. THE PILOT OF THE OTHER AIRCRAFT STATED THAT HE DID NOT REALIZE HOW THE RISING SUN OBSCURED THE RUNUP AREA AND NEVER SAW THE 177RG THAT HE RAN INTO.
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 172N from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 280 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days; 246 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,293 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 23, 1989; 1,293 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flight Operations INC.
The flight
- Destination: 051 Lincoln CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 5,503 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:47 pm from SAC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 177RG 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: 750 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 700 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,740 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 30, 1989; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 5,503 ft by 150 ft
- 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.
Other NTSB records under N737WR the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 LAX89LA208.