Amateur-built 320 and Cessna 152 mid-air collision near Chino, California, June 5, 1993
On June 5, 1993 at about 6:33 pm local time, 2 aircraft, amateur-built 320 (N69WD) and Cessna 152 (N80203), were involved in a mid-air collision near Chino, California (Chino Airport). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT OF THE LANCAIR 320, N69WD, THAT PRECLUDED HIM FROM RECOGNIZING A COLLISION HAZARD AND TAKING ACTION TO AVOID A MIDAIR COLLISION WITH THE CESSNA 152, N80203. IN ADDITION, THE LOCAL CONTROLLER FAILED TO ADVISE THE PILOT OF THE LANCAIR THAT THERE WAS ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC (A SCOUT) IN THE PATTERN, CALLED TRAFFIC (A CESSNA 172) THAT WAS PROBABLY NOT VISIBLE TO THE PILOT OF THE LANCAIR, AND FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE LANCAIR PILOT HAD SIGHTED THE WRONG AIRPLANE. RAIN AND FOG WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT OF THE LANCAIR 320, N69WD, THAT PRECLUDED HIM FROM RECOGNIZING A COLLISION HAZARD AND TAKING ACTION TO AVOID A MIDAIR COLLISION WITH THE CESSNA 152, N80203. IN ADDITION, THE LOCAL CONTROLLER FAILED TO ADVISE THE PILOT OF THE LANCAIR THAT THERE WAS ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC (A SCOUT) IN THE PATTERN, CALLED TRAFFIC (A CESSNA 172) THAT WAS PROBABLY NOT VISIBLE TO THE PILOT OF THE LANCAIR, AND FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE LANCAIR PILOT HAD SIGHTED THE WRONG AIRPLANE. RAIN AND FOG WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 1993 · about 6:33 pm local time
- Place
- Chino, California · Chino Airport · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Amateur-built 320
- Registration
- N69WD · no longer on the register · serial 389
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N80203 · no longer on the register · serial 15285356
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the amateur-built 320 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE LANCAIR, N69WD, HAD BEEN LOST, AND ENTERED CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT CONTACTING ATC. HE THEN ENTERED THE BRACKETT AIRPORT TRAFFIC AREA, BUT CONTACTED THE CHINO AIRPORT TOWER FOR LANDING. BRACKETT TOWER DETERMINED THAT THE PILOT WAS AT THE THE CHINO AIRPORT AND INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO CHANGE TO THE CHINO TOWER FREQ. HE WAS THEN GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS BY THE CHINO TOWER TO LAND #3 BEHIND ANOTHER AIRPLANE ON A 3-MILE FINAL. THAT AIRPLANE, A CESSNA 172, WHICH WAS SEQUENCED TO LAND #2 BEHIND THE CESSNA 152, N80203, HAD REPORTED '...IN THE CLOUDS RIGHT NOW.' THE LANCAIR PILOT STATED 'I HAVE THE CESSNA, I'M GOING OUTSIDE HIM.' THERE WAS ALSO YET ANOTHER AIRPLANE IN THE PATTERN - A SCOUT. THE LANCAIR COLLIDED WITH THE TAIL OF THE CESSNA 152, N80203, ABOUT 3/4 MI FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 26.
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 152 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE LANCAIR, N69WD, HAD BEEN LOST, AND ENTERED CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT CONTACTING ATC. HE THEN ENTERED THE BRACKETT AIRPORT TRAFFIC AREA, BUT CONTACTED THE CHINO AIRPORT TOWER FOR LANDING. BRACKETT TOWER DETERMINED THAT THE PILOT WAS AT THE THE CHINO AIRPORT AND INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO CHANGE TO THE CHINO TOWER FREQ. HE WAS THEN GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS BY THE CHINO TOWER TO LAND #3 BEHIND ANOTHER AIRPLANE ON A 3-MILE FINAL. THAT AIRPLANE, A CESSNA 172, WHICH WAS SEQUENCED TO LAND #2 BEHIND THE CESSNA 152, N80203, HAD REPORTED '...IN THE CLOUDS RIGHT NOW.' THE LANCAIR PILOT STATED 'I HAVE THE CESSNA, I'M GOING OUTSIDE HIM.' THERE WAS ALSO YET ANOTHER AIRPLANE IN THE PATTERN - A SCOUT. THE LANCAIR COLLIDED WITH THE TAIL OF THE CESSNA 152, N80203, ABOUT 3/4 MI FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 26.
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 amateur-built 320 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,070 hours in all; 234 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 234 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 19, 1993; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MCE Merced CA at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,856 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 pm from CNO, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 152 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,440 hours in all; 1,550 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 2,200 as pilot in command; 2,001 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,600 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 8, 1993; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CNO at 6:00 pm
- Destination: CNO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,856 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 N69WD the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.