Lockheed L-1011-385-1 and Fairchild SA-227AC incident near Los Angeles, California, July 18, 1992
On July 18, 1992 at about 1:30 am local time, 2 aircraft, Lockheed L-1011-385-1 (N719DA) and Fairchild SA-227AC (N2725D), were involved in the same incident near Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles airport). No one was hurt; 315 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A FAILURE OF GROUND PERSONNEL TO ENSURE PROPER CLEARANCE BETWEEN A TAXIING AIRPLANE AND AN ADJACENT PARKED AIRPLANE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A FAILURE OF GROUND PERSONNEL TO PROPERLY POSITION A PARKED AIRPLANE TO ENSURE THAT IT DID NOT ENCROACH INTO AN ADJACENT SAFETY AREA.
A FAILURE OF GROUND PERSONNEL TO ENSURE PROPER CLEARANCE BETWEEN A TAXIING AIRPLANE AND AN ADJACENT PARKED AIRPLANE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A FAILURE OF GROUND PERSONNEL TO PROPERLY POSITION A PARKED AIRPLANE TO ENSURE THAT IT DID NOT ENCROACH INTO AN ADJACENT SAFETY AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 1992 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Los Angeles
- Type
- Incident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 315 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Lockheed L-1011-385-1 L-1011-385
- Registration
- N719DA · no longer on the register · serial 193C-1135
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Fairchild SA-227AC · all SA-227ACs on the register
- Registration
- N2725D · no longer on the register · serial AC-723
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative for the Lockheed L-1011-385-1 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A FAIRCHILD SA-227 WAS POSITIONED BY GROUND PERSONNEL IN A PARKING SPOT ADJACENT TO ANOTHER OPERATOR'S ARRIVAL GATE. DUE TO OTHER AIRCRAFT IN THE PARKING AREA, THE TAIL OF THE FAIRCHILD ENCROACHED INTO THE SAFETY AREA OF THE NEXT GATE. AS AN ARRIVING LOCKHEED L-1011 WAS TAXIING INTO ITS GATE AREA, GROUND PERSONNEL NOTICED THAT THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING WAS GOING TO CONTACT THE VERTICAL STABILIZER OF THE FAIRCHILD. GROUND PERSONNEL DID NOT SIGNAL A STOP IN TIME TO AVOID THE COLLISION.
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 Fairchild SA-227AC final · quoted from the NTSB record
A FAIRCHILD SA-227 WAS POSITIONED BY GROUND PERSONNEL IN A PARKING SPOT ADJACENT TO ANOTHER OPERATORS ARRIVAL GATE. DUE TO OTHER AIRCRAFT IN THE PARKING AREA, THE TAIL OF THE FAIRCHILD ENCROACHED INTO THE SAFETY AREA OF THE NEXT GATE. AS AN ARRIVING LOCKHEED L-1011 WAS TAXIING INTO ITS GATE AREA, GROUND PERSONNEL NOTICED THAT THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING WAS GOING TO CONTACT THE VERTICAL STABILIZER OF THE FAIRCHILD. GROUND PERSONNEL DID NOT SIGNAL A STOP IN TIME TO AVOID THE COLLISION.
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 Lockheed L-1011-385-1 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 474,000 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce RB-211 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Delta Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: ATL Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 14 | |||
| Passengers | 290 |
The factual record for the Fairchild SA-227AC from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,025 hours in all; 1,874 in this make and model; 2,020 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,093 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 14, 1992; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 14,500 lb
- Seats: 19
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331-11U (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Skywest Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: LAX
- Destination: IYK Inyokern CA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 9 |
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.