NTSB CAROL · Event
Event LAX89FA103
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
INADEQUATE CONTROL TOWER SERVICE PROVIDED BY THE LOCAL CONTROLLER (LC), AND FAILURE OF THE TWO PILOTS TO SEE AND AVOID EACH OTHER'S AIRCRAFT. RELATED FACTORS WERE: IDENTIFICATION OF THE WRONG AIRCRAFT BY THE LOCAL CONTROLLER, HIS EXCESSIVE WORKLOAD (HEAVY TRAFFIC), AND VISUAL PERCEPTION FROM THE LOCAL CONTROLLER'S POINT OF VIEW.
Factual narrative
ATP PLT (AP) IN CESSNA 150 (C150), N6149G, APCHD ARPT FM EAST FOR STRAIGHT-IN LNDG AS STUDENT PLT (SP) IN CESSNA 152 (C152), N88TE, APCHD FM NW. TFC WAS HVY & PLT OF 3RD HI WING CESSNA (C172, N758ND) WAS INBND TO ENTER RGT TFC BHND C152 & LND ON RWY 22R. AT 1748:43, TWR CTLR (LC) CLRD C150 TO LND (STRAIGHT-IN) ON RWY 22L; 58 SEC LTR, SP (C152) CTCD TWR FOR LNDG INSTRN & ENTERED ANGLING DWNWND. WHEN SP CTCD TWR, LC SAW HI WING CESSNA (PROBABLY C172) NW OF ARPT, THOUGHT ITWAS SP'S C152 & CLRD SP TO LND ON RWY 22R. AT 1751:32, 3RD PLT (C172) CTCD TWR, REQD LNDG ON RWY 22R & WAS CLRD TO LND; 19 SEC LTR, JUST BFR TURNING TO BASE LEG, SP'S CLNC WAS CHGD TO LND ON RWY 22L. SUBSEQUENTLY, C150 & C152 COLLIDED, ABT 20 TO 30 FT AGL ON FINAL APCH FOR RWY 22L. THEY CONVERGED WHILE TRAVELING AT ABT SAME SPD. NEITHER PLT SAW OTR ACFT BFR ACDNT. LC HAD C150 IN SIGHT ON FINAL APCH, BUT INDCD HE ACTUALLY SAW C172, WHEN HE THOUGHT HE HAD C152 IN SIGHT. ALSO, HE NOTED THAT WITH DEVELOPMENT OF HOUSING ON MTNS TO NORTH, ACFT FLYING NORTH OF ARPT BLENDED WITH BACKGROUND. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1989_LAX89FA103.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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