Cessna 310H and Cessna 152 mid-air collision near Corona, California, March 20, 1998
On March 20, 1998, 2 aircraft, Cessna 310H (N310RR) and Cessna 152 (N6575L), were involved in a mid-air collision near Corona, California (Corona Municipal airport). 3 people were killed. 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 and to see and avoid the other airplane.
The failure of both pilots to maintain an adequate visual lookout and to see and avoid the other airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 20, 1998
- Place
- Corona, California · Corona Municipal
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 310H · all 310Hs on the register
- Registration
- N310RR · registry record · serial 310H-0011
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N6575L · no longer on the register · serial 15284444
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 310H final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Cessna 310 and a Cessna 152 collided in-flight about 2 miles south of the Corona airport at 2,600 feet mean sea level (about 2,000 above ground level). The Cessna 310, with two pilots aboard, was descending toward another nearby area airport, and the Cessna 152, flown by a certified flight instructor (the sole occupant) from the right seat, was orbiting south of the airport awaiting the reopening of the runway following construction. Radar data showed that in the 1 minute 18 seconds prior to the collision, the Cessna 310 descended from 4,000 feet to the collision point on a southeast bound ground track at a rate of about 1,200 feet per minute. Nine seconds prior to the collision, the Cessna 152, which had been on a westbound track, began a right turn toward a northwest bound ground track. Over the 1 minute 18 second period, the horizontal separation decreased from 6.01 nautical miles to zero as the vertical separation decreased 1,400 feet. Reconstruction of the two airplanes revealed that at the point of collision, the Cessna 310's lateral axis was about 80 degrees to the Cessna 152's vertical axis as the 310's outer right wing and tip tank contacted the 152's left main gear strut, lift strut, and inboard left wing. In the one minute prior to the collision, the relative horizontal bearing from the Cessna 310 ground track to the Cessna 152 was between 8 and 10 degrees left of the track. During this same period, the relative horizontal bearing from the Cessna 152 ground track to the Cessna 310 varied between 25 degrees and 40 degrees right of the Cessna 152 ground track as it maneuvered prior to the right turn. Trigonometric calculation of altitude difference between the targets yielded a 2 degree 10 minute relative vertical angle between the target positions.
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
A Cessna 310 and a Cessna 152 collided in-flight about 2 miles south of the Corona airport at 2,600 feet mean sea level (about 2,000 above ground level). The Cessna 310, with two pilots aboard, was descending toward another nearby area airport, and the Cessna 152, flown by a certified flight instructor (the sole occupant) from the right seat, was orbiting south of the airport awaiting the reopening of the runway following construction. Radar data showed that in the 1 minute 18 seconds prior to the collision, the Cessna 310 descended from 4,000 feet to the collision point on a southeast bound ground track at a rate of about 1,200 feet per minute. Nine seconds prior to the collision, the Cessna 152, which had been on a westbound track, began a right turn toward a northwest bound ground track. Over the 1 minute 18 second period, the horizontal separation decreased from 6.01 nautical miles to zero as the vertical separation decreased 1,400 feet. Reconstruction of the two airplanes revealed that at the point of collision, the Cessna 310's lateral axis was about 80 degrees to the Cessna 152's vertical axis as the 310's outer right wing and tip tank contacted the 152's left main gear strut, lift strut, and inboard left wing. In the one minute prior to the collision, the relative horizontal bearing from the Cessna 310 ground track to the Cessna 152 was between 8 and 10 degrees left of the track. During this same period, the relative horizontal bearing from the Cessna 152 ground track to the Cessna 310 varied between 25 degrees and 40 degrees right of the Cessna 152 ground track as it maneuvered prior to the right turn. Trigonometric calculation of altitude difference between the targets yielded a 2 degree 10 minute relative vertical angle between the target positions.
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 Cessna 310H from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,150 hours in all; 800 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,895 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 1998
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: L67 Rialto CA
- Destination: CNO Chino CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 152 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,020 hours in all; 1,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,623 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 15, 1998; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: RAL Riverside CA
- Destination: AJO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,200 ft by 60 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.