Cessna 680 accident near Los Angeles, California, November 12, 2008
On November 12, 2008 at about 7:10 am local time, a Cessna 680, registered N320QS, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles International airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the ground service vehicle driver to maintain adequate clearance/distance from the taxiing airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 12, 2008 · about 7:10 am local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Los Angeles International · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 680 · all 680s on the register
- Registration
- N320QS · registry record · serial 680-0169
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The captain reported that following an uneventful landing, the ground controller cleared the airplane to parking via a left turn on the adjoining taxiway. The captain stated that the flight crew observed the marshaller, who was located on the parking ramp, and continued in the direction of the parking area. Shortly after turning towards the parking ramp, the airplane collided with a ground service vehicle that pulled in front of the airplane. The service vehicle was traveling perpendicular to the airplane's direction of travel. The driver of the service vehicle reported that he was driving on the non-movement service road located adjacent to the taxiway and briefly looked away from the road towards the active runway. When the driver looked back towards the service road, he observed the accident airplane and applied brakes. The ground vehicle stopped in front of the airplane's left wing just before the collision occurred. At the time of the collision the airplane was transitioning from a movement area to a non-movement area. The service vehicle was operating in a non-movement area and not required to be in contact with air traffic control.
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
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Airport personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 62 in the last 30 days; 3,400 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 7, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 27,110 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 64 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 24,100 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 11, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,009 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 6, 2008; 240 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 33,000 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: P&W Canada PW306C (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada PW306C (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Netjets, Inc
The flight
- Departed from: KSDL Scottsdale AZ at 6:11 am
- Destination: KLAX Los Angeles CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25L, 11,095 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 100° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 am from KLAX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.