Piper PA-28RT-201 and Cessna 172P mid-air collision near Long Beach, California, August 19, 1990
On August 19, 1990 at about 10:26 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-28RT-201 (N3054N) and Cessna 172P (N114RJ), were involved in a mid-air collision near Long Beach, California. 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INADEQUATE VISUAL OUTLOOK OF THE PILOTS OF THE CESSNA 172P AND THEIR FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID THE PIPER PA- 28RT-201. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE AZIMUTH AND ANGLE OF THE SUN WHICH WAS IN A POSITION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT TO IMPAIR THE SCAN OF THE CESSNA 172P PILOTS.
THE INADEQUATE VISUAL OUTLOOK OF THE PILOTS OF THE CESSNA 172P AND THEIR FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID THE PIPER PA- 28RT-201. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE AZIMUTH AND ANGLE OF THE SUN WHICH WAS IN A POSITION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT TO IMPAIR THE SCAN OF THE CESSNA 172P PILOTS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 19, 1990 · about 10:26 pm local time
- Place
- Long Beach, California · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-28RT-201 PA-28RT-20 · all PA-28RT-201s on the register
- Registration
- N3054N · no longer on the register · serial 28-7918045
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N114RJ · registry record · serial 17275250
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-28RT-201 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PIPER PA-28RT-201 AND A CESSNA 172P WERE FLYING PARALLEL WESTERLY COURSES ABOVE A JETTY WHICH FORMED A LINEAR GROUND REFERENCE OVER OPEN WATER. THE PIPER WAS TO THE LEFT OF THE CESSNA JUST PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. THE PIPER WAS CONFIGURED FOR SLOW FLIGHT WITH THE FLAPS EXTENDED AND LANDING GEAR DOWN. THE CESSNA FLAPS WERE RETRACTED AND THE CESSNA WAS FLYING FASTER THAN THE PIPER. THE CESSNA STRUCK THE PIPER'S OUTBOARD RIGHT WING TIP WITH THE LEFT WING STRUT SEVERING THE RIGHT WING TIP AND BENDING THE REMAINING OUTBOARD PORTION OF THE WING SPAR FORWARD. THE OUTBOARD PORTION OF THE PIPER'S RIGHT WING WAS SEVERED. THE AZIMUTH AND ANGLE OF THE SUN WAS TO THE LEFT AND TO THE FRONT OF BOTH AIRPLANES.
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 172P final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PIPER PA 28RT-201 AND A CESSNA 172P WERE FLYING PARALLEL WESTERLY COURSES ABOVE A JETTY WHICH FORMED A LINEAR GROUND REFERENCE OVER OPEN WATER. THE PIPER WAS TO THE LEFT OF THE CESSNA JUST PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. THE PIPER WAS CONFIGURED FOR SLOW FLIGHT WITH THE FLAPS EXTENDED AND LANDING GEAR DOWN. THE CESSNA FLAPS WERE RETRACTED AND THE CESSNA WAS FLYING FASTER THAN THE PIPER. THE CESSNA STRUCK THE PIPER'S OUTBOARD RIGHT WING TIP WITH THE LEFT WING STRUT SEVERING THE RIGHT WING TIP AND BENDING THE REMAINING OUTBOARD PORTION OF THE WING SPAR FORWARD. THE OUTBOARD PORTION OF THE PIPER'S RIGHT WING WAS SEVERED. THE AZIMUTH AND ANGLE OF THE SUN WAS TO THE LEFT AND TO THE FRONT OF BOTH AIRPLANES.
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-28RT-201 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 293 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 146 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,048 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 6, 1990; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C166 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Benbow Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: T0A Torrance CA at 10:16 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from LGB, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Cessna 172P from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 271 hours in all; 114 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 128 as pilot in command; 15 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 16, 1990; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,407 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: LGB Long Beach CA at 9:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- 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.