Cessna 208B accident near Los Angeles, California, August 28, 1993
On August 28, 1993 at about 11:59 am local time, a Cessna 208B, registered N781FE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles International airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inattention of the driver of a service truck to yield to aircraft and subsequent collision with the airplane as it crossed the service roadway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 1993 · about 11:59 am local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Los Angeles International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208B · all 208Bs on the register
- Registration
- N781FE · registry record · serial 278
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LANDING FROM A POSITIONING FLIGHT BEFORE BEGINNING CARGO OPERATIONS, THE PILOT WAS TAXIING SOUTH ON A TAXIWAY AND HAD BEEN CLEARED TO CROSS INTERSECTING TAXIWAYS. WHILE CROSSING A SERVICE ROAD THAT PARALLELED THE EAST/WEST INTERSECTING TAXIWAYS, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A CATERING TRUCK THAT WAS EASTBOUND ON THE SERVICE ROAD. THE RIGHT WING OF THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE LEFT SIDE OF THE TRUCK AND THE AIRPLANE PIVOTED 90 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT. THE RIGHT WING AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE WERE DAMAGED. VEHICLES ARE REQUIRED TO YIELD TO AIRCRAFT.
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 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 single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,600 hours in all; 180 in the last 90 days; 5,400 as pilot in command; 50 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 842 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 22, 1993; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-114A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Westair Industries INC.
The flight
- Departed from: LAS Las Vegas NV at 10:40 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:59 am from LAX
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.
Other NTSB records under N781FE 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.