On March 31, 1987, about 0958 local time, a Cessna 172 that had departed from Metropolitan Oakland International Airport collided with a Piper PA 32 cargo flight that was cleared to land at the airport. Visual metorological conditions prevailed. The collision occured at an approximate altitude of 1,000 feet msl, about 1 mile north of the departure end of runway 33. The airplanes were destroyed, all three persons on the alrplanes were killed and one person on the ground was injured as a result of collision.
We determined that the probable cause of this accident was the failure of each pilot-in-command to see and avoid the other aircraft and the failure of the local controller to perceive the traffic conflict and issue traffic advisories. Contributing to the accident was the reduction in airspace separation between arriving and departing aircraft at Oaklands's North field runwaus caused by the failure of the FAA to exercise its authority over airspace management and the Oakland airport authority's estbalishment of noise abatement departure patterns without FAA approval. Also contributing to the accident was the decision to remove the BRITE radar from service while the tower was in operation.
As a result of the investigation, we issued recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration regarding removal of critical pieces of equipment from service at air traffic control facilities, and to the National Association of State Aviation Officials, the Airport Operators Council International, and the American Association of Airport Executives regarding the FAA's airspace management authority.
