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LAX91LA024

1990-10-12 · WATSONVILLE, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport WVI

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRCRAFT TO SEE AND AVOID THE OTHER.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT OF N65544 SAID THAT HE WAS HOLDING IN THE RUN UP AREA PRIOR TO TAKEOFF AND THE CESSNA 152, N24815, TAXIED UP IN FRONT OF HIS AIRCRAFT IN A PERPENDICULAR ORIENTATION. THE PILOT SAID HE COULD NOT SEE THE CESSNA 152 AND BEGAN TO PULL FORWARD TO MOVE INTO POSITION. THE PROPELLER OF N65544 SLICED INTO THE RIGHT WING OF THE CESSNA 152. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT ON BOARD THE CESSNA 152 STATED IN HIS WRITTEN REPORT THAT HIS STUDENT TAXIED UP TO THE HOLD SHORT LINE IN PREPARATION FOR TAKEOFF. HE SAID THAT HE LOOKED TO HIS RIGHT AND SAW THE STEARMAN TAXI INTO HIS RIGHT WING. THE WATSONVILLE AIRPORT IS AN UNCONTROLLED GENERAL AVIATION FACILITY. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_LAX91LA024.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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