LAX87FA057

Factual narrative

A CESSNA 172 & A DEHAVILLAND GIPSY MOTH COLLIDED AT 150 FT. AGL WHILE ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH TO THE UNCONTROLLED ARPT. ON BASE LEG THE PLT FLYING THE MOTH FAILED TO OBSERVE & YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY TO THE CESSNA WHICH WAS ALREADY ESTABLISHED ONTHE FINAL APPROACH COURSE. THE MOTH'S PLT TURNED ON TO FINAL APPROACH SLIGHTLY IN FRONT OF & ABOVE THE CESSNA. BETWEEN 5 - 10 SEC. LATER THE MOTH'S PROPELLER SLICED INTO & PARTIALLY SEVERED AN OUTBOARD PORTION OF THE CESSNA'S RIGHT WING. THE CESSNA PLT HAD BROADCAST HIS POSITION WHILE IN THE DOWNWIND, BASE & FINAL APPROACH LEGS OF THE LEFT-HAND TRAFFIC PATTERN. HOWEVER, THE ARPT HAD A PUBLISHED RIGHT-HAND PATTERN. THE MOTH WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A COMMUNICATION RADIO. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12