Grumman AA5 and Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 mid-air collision near Santa Paula, California, December 4, 1994
On December 4, 1994 at about 10:30 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Grumman AA5 (N6353L) and Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 (N3537L), were involved in a mid-air collision near Santa Paula, California (Santa Paula airport). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of both pilots to maintain an adequate visual lookout for other aircraft in the traffic pattern, and the pilot's failure to effectively use the CTAF for position reports while in the pattern.
The failure of both pilots to maintain an adequate visual lookout for other traffic in the pattern, and the other pilot's failure to effectively use the CTAF for position reports while in the pattern.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 4, 1994 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Paula, California · Santa Paula · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Grumman AA5
- Registration
- N6353L · no longer on the register · serial AA5-0233
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 · all 2T-1A-2s on the register
- Registration
- N3537L · no longer on the register · serial 799
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Grumman AA5 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF N6353L WAS ON AN EXTENDED FINAL APPROACH AND HAD REPORTED NUMBER THREE TO LAND. HE HAD CROSSED THE FIELD BOUNDARY WHEN HE HEARD A PILOT CALL 'SHORT FINAL' AND THEN SAW ANOTHER AIRCRAFT, N3537L. BEFORE HE COULD REACT, THE TWO AIRCRAFT COLLIDED. THE PILOT OF N3537L HAD REPORTED TURNING FINAL WHEN HE FELT HIS AIRCRAFT 'CATCH A WIRE.' AFTER THE COLLISION, THE PILOT OF N6353L CONTINUED THE APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT OF N3537L STATED THAT HIS AIRCRAFT FLIGHT CONTROLS BECAME UNRESPONSIVE AND THAT HIS AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER AND STRUCK THE RUNWAY. AFTER COMING TO REST, A FIRE BROKE OUT IN N3537L'S ENGINE COMPARTMENT. BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE USING THE SANTA PAULA 122.9 CTAF VHF FREQUENCY. THE PILOT OF N3537L REPORTED HEARING THE TRANSMISSIONS OF OTHER TRAFFIC, BUT STATED THAT HE DID HEAR N6353L'S RADIO CALL. A GROUND WITNESS MONITORING THE FREQUENCY HEARD N3537L MAKE SEVERAL TRANSMISSIONS, BUT DID NOT HEAR N6353L MAKE ANY. THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER AIRCRAFT ON FREQUENCY AT THE TIME.
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 Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF N6353L WAS ON AN EXTENDED FINAL APPROACH AND HAD REPORTED NUMBER THREE TO LAND. HE HAD CROSSED THE FIELD BOUNDARY WHEN HE HEARD A PILOT CALL 'SHORT FINAL' AND THEN SAW ANOTHER AIRCRAFT. BEFORE HE COULD REACT, THE TWO AIRCRAFT COLLIDED. THE PILOT OF N3537L HAD REPORTED TURNING FINAL WHEN HE FELT HIS AIRCRAFT 'CATCH A WIRE.' AFTER THE COLLISION, THE PILOT OF N6353L CONTINUED THE APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT OF N3537L STATED THAT HIS AIRCRAFT FLIGHT CONTROLS BECAME UNRESPONSIVE AND THAT HIS AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER AND STRUCK THE RUNWAY. AFTER COMING TO REST, A FIRE BROKE OUT IN N3537L'S ENGINE COMPARTMENT. BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE USING THE SANTA PAULA 122.9 CTAF VHF FREQUENCY. THE PILOT OF N3537L REPORTED HEARING THE TRANSMISSIONS OF OTHER TRAFFIC, BUT STATED THAT HE DID HEAR N6353L'S RADIO CALL. A GROUND WITNESS MONITORING THE FREQUENCY HEARD N3537L MAKE SEVERAL TRANSMISSIONS, BUT DID NOT HEAR N6353L MAKE ANY. THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER AIRCRAFT ON FREQUENCY AT THE TIME.
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 Grumman AA5 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 559 hours in all; 475 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 492 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,861 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 5, 1993; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,650 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; scat at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:46 pm from OXR, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 615 hours in all; 131 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 2, 1993; 150 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-B1G6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,650 ft by 40 ft
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.