Beech 95-55 and Cessna 182P mid-air collision near Chico, California, February 6, 1990
On February 6, 1990 at about 8:54 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Beech 95-55 (N721L) and Cessna 182P (N790T), were involved in a mid-air collision near Chico, California (Chico airport). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOTS OF N790T AND N721L TO SEE AND AVOID EACH OTHER. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT OF THE C-182P, N790T, WAS DISORIENTED AND IMPROPERLY ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN DUE TO RECENT MARIJUANA USE; THE PILOT OF THE BE-95, N721L, FAILED TO PROPERLY EXECUTE A CROSSWIND LEG IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN; AND THE LOCAL CONTROLLER FAILED TO VISUALLY MAINTAIN ADEQUATE SEPARATION OF THE TWO AIRCRAFT.
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOTS OF N790T AND N721L TO SEE AND AVOID EACH OTHER. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT OF THE C-182P, N790T, WAS DISORIENTED AND IMPROPERLY ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN DUE TO RECENT MARIJUANA USE; THE PILOT OF THE BE-95, N721L, FAILED TO PROPERLY EXECUTE A CROSSWIND LEG IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN; AND THE LOCAL CONTROLLER FAILED TO VISUALLY MAINTAIN ADEQUATE SEPARATION OF THE TWO AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 6, 1990 · about 8:54 pm local time
- Place
- Chico, California · Chico · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Beech 95-55 · all 95-55s on the register
- Registration
- N721L · no longer on the register · serial TD-329
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N790T · registry record · serial 18262370
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Beech 95-55 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE C-182P, N790T, HAD INITIALLY CALLED 8.5 MI NW FOR LANDING, & WAS CLEARED TO ENTER A LEFT DOWNWIND. ABOUT 2 MIN LATER THE PLT REPORTED HE WAS COMING IN ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE FIELD, WAS CLEARED FOR A RIGHT DOWNWIND, AND ADVISED OF THE OTHER ACFT IN THE RIGHT TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE BE-95, N721L, HAD JUST MADE A TOUCH-&-GO AND WAS TURNING TO A DOWNWIND. THE CONTROLLERS REPORTED THAT THE TURN WAS ABOUT A 30-DEG CONSTANT TURN WITH NO ROLL-OUT ON THE CROSSWIND LEG. THE ACFT COLLIDED ABOUT 2 MI N OF THE ARPT. THE AIM STATES, FOR RECOMMENDED VFR TRAFFIC PATTERN OPERATIONS, THAT ARRIVING ACFT SHOULD ENTER THE PATTERN ABEAM THE MIDPOINT OF THE RUNWAY. THE TOX EXAM OF THE PLT OF THE C-182P, N790T, DISCLOSED A POSITIVE CANNABINOIDS (MARIJUANA) FINDING, 0.098 MG/L, IN THE URINE SAMPLE.
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 182P final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE C-182P, N790T, HAD INITIALLY CALLED 8.5 MI NW FOR LANDING, & WAS CLEARED TO ENTER A LEFT DOWNWIND. ABOUT 2 MIN LATER THE PLT REPORTED HE WAS COMING IN ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE FIELD, WAS CLEARED FOR A RIGHT DOWNWIND, AND ADVISED OF THE OTHER ACFT IN THE RIGHT TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE BE-95, N721L, HAD JUST MADE A TOUCH-&-GO AND WAS TURNING TO A DOWNWIND. THE CONTROLLERS REPORTED THAT THE TURN WAS ABOUT A 30-DEG CONSTANT TURN WITH NO ROLL-OUT ON THE CROSSWIND LEG. THE ACFT COLLIDED ABOUT 2 MI N OF THE ARPT. THE AIM STATES, FOR RECOMMENDED VFR TRAFFIC PATTERN OPERATIONS, THAT ARRIVING ACFT SHOULD ENTER THE PATTERN ABEAM THE MIDPOINT OF THE RUNWAY. THE TOX EXAM OF THE PLT OF THE C-182P, N790T, DISCLOSED A POSITIVE CANNABINOIDS (MARIJUANA) FINDING, 0.098 MG/L, IN THE URINE SAMPLE.
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 Beech 95-55 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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,651 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 25, 1990; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,100 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31R
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from CIC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Cessna 182P from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 383 hours in all; 102 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 338 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,714 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 2, 1989; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RDD Redding CA at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31R
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.