Cessna 182G and Cessna 150L accident near San Andreas, California, December 27, 1998
On December 27, 1998 at about 2:00 am local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 182G (N3787U) and Cessna 150L (N11104), were involved in the same accident near San Andreas, California (Calaveras County airport). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate visual lookout while taxiing in a confined area between rows of parked airplanes.
The other pilot's failure to maintain an adequate visual lookout while taxiing in a confined area between rows of parked aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 1998 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- San Andreas, California · Calaveras County · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 182G · all 182Gs on the register
- Registration
- N3787U · registry record · serial 18255187
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N11104 · registry record · serial 15075200
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 182G final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of N3787U stated that he had radioed that he was clear of the runway and was taxiing to transient parking, and did not hear anyone else on frequency. The taxiway area is surrounded by tie down spots on either side of it. N11104 had pulled forward from the tie down area, and saw N3787U moving in his direction. He stopped, and believed that N3787U had enough time to stop or maneuver around his airplane without colliding with it or the other airplanes surrounding the area. The pilot of N3787U was concentrating his attention to the left due to an airplane that they did not want to hit. N3787U heard a sound from the right and saw the right wing being cut off. The taxiway area and airplanes were inspected on-scene. It was noted that the pilot of N3787U would have had a partially obstructed view of the taxiway area due to airplanes parked on either side of it.
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 150L final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of N3787U stated that he had radioed that he was clear of the runway and was taxiing to transient parking, and did not hear anyone else on the frequency. The taxiway area is surrounded by tie down spots on either side of it. N11104 had pulled forward from the tie down area, and saw N3787U moving in his direction. He stopped, and believed that N3787U had enough time to stop or maneuver around his airplane without colliding with it or the other airplanes surrounding the area. The pilot of N3787U was concentrating his attention to the left due to an airplane that they did not want to hit. N3787U heard a sound from the right and saw the right wing being cut off. The taxiway area and airplanes were inspected on-scene. It was noted that the pilot of N3787U would have had a partially obstructed view of the taxiway area due to airplanes parked on either side of it.
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 182G from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,758 hours in all; 283 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,558 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,550 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 11, 1998
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VNY Van Nuys CA at 3:40 pm
- Destination: 0O3
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
The factual record for the Cessna 150L from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,061 hours in all; 450 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0O3 at 2:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX99LA069.