Napa County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Napa, California 94558
Thursday, March 14, 1996 13:28 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot of the Cessna 172L, N7668G, was cleared to enter right traffic. He had been instructed to report entering downwind and to watch for other aircraft in the pattern. When he did not report entering downwind as requested, the tower operator saw the collision course and told him to turn downwind, advising him of the traffic. At the same time he was preparing to turn downwind he saw another aircraft already in the pattern. He immediately initiated a turn to avoid a collision; however, a few seconds later he felt a bang on the tail of the aircraft. The pilot of the Cessna 172M, N20858, had been on downwind when he saw the other aircraft approaching from his left. He turned and dove his aircraft to avoid a collision, but within a few seconds felt a bump. After the collision both aircraft landed without incident. Neither pilot reported seeing the other until they were within a few hundred feet of each other.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the failure of both pilots to see and avoid the other aircraft, and the failure of the pilot of the Cessna 172L, N7668G, to follow VFR procedures by not yielding the right of way to the Cessna 172M, N20858, which was already established in the traffic pattern.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/14/1996
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1328
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City NAPA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94558
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NAPA COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID APC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport 270
Airport Elevation 33
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1330 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID APC
Elevation of weather observation facility 33
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1283
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 14 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1355
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:53AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N7668G N20858
NTSB Number LAX96LA134A LAX96LA134B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Substantial Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna Cessna
Aircraft Model 172L 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier 172L 172M
Aircraft Serial Number 17259368 17263857
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4 4
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 11 1995 12:00AM Apr 4 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8 278
Airframe Hours 1914 4658
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated Yes No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name MOSTAFA J. TABATABAI SILVERADO HAWKS INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 280 CARLISLE WAY P.O. BOX 3476
Aircraft Owner City BENICIA NAPA
Aircraft Owner State CA CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94510 94558
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown Unknown
Operator Certificate Number -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not -- --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight -- --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail -- --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event No Yes
Departure Airport Code O69 APC
Departure City PETALUMA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300 1321
Departure Time Zone PST PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city --
Destination Airport Code APC UKI
Destination City UKIAH
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight -- --
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18R 18R
Runway Length 5931 5931
Runway Width 150 150
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --