# Accident 19970315003111A: Beech A36, Newton, WI, March 15, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 15, 1997, 15:28 local time
- Place: Newton, WI
- Damage: Destroyed
- Collision: Midair collision, first aircraft
- Phase of flight: Formation Flying
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.9904° N, 87.7301° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.9904&lon=-87.7301&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3657A, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3657A-1999-04-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech A36 (registry code 1151604, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH A36
- Reported engine: CONT IO520BA
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 28,600 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI97FA084](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97FA084) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970315003111A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4)AT 1400 CST, MODIFIED DOUGLAS DE-3C/BT-67R, TZ389, & BEECH A36, N3657A, BEGAN FORMATION FLIGHT TO GET DE-3 FLYING TIME & FOR THE 2ND OCCUPANT OF THE A36 TO GET AERIAL PHOTOS OF THE DC-3. A WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANES (ACFT) AT 500' TO 700' AGL, 'FLY CLOSE TOGETHER HEADING NORTH.'  HE SAID 'THE BIG PLANE (DC-3) WAS FLYING STRAIGHT & LEVEL.  THE LITTLE PLANE (A36) WAS JUST TO THE WEST OF THE BIG PLANE.  THE LITTLE PLANE THEN HIT THE BIG PLANE NEAR THE MIDDLE.'  AFTER IMPACT, PIECES OF ACFT WERE SEEN FALLING.  ANOTHER WITNESS SAW THE DC-3 HEADING NORTH AND THE A36 CIRCLING IT ABOVE AND BELOW.  ON ITS LAST PASS, THE A36 CIRCLED BEHIND THE DC-3, THEN CROSSED OVER THE TOP AND HITTING THE TOP OF THE DC-3. ABOUT 5 SECONDS AFTER IMPACT, THE DC-3 GENTLY ROLLED/TURNED WESTBOUND (APPARENTLY DESCENDING AND GAINING AIRSPEED); THE LEFT WING THEN CAME OFF, FOLLOWED BY THE RIGHT WING ABOUT 2 SECONDS LATER.  PARTS OF THE A36 EMPENNAGE WERE FOUND 3590 TO 4910 FT FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE.  THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT DURING IMPACT, THE DC-3 ELEVATOR AND RUDDER CONTROLS WERE SEVERED.  NO PREIMPACT ANOMALIES WERE FOUND.  AT 1445CST, AN AIRMET HAD BEEN ISSUED, FORECASTING LIGHT TO MODERATE TURBULENCE BELOW  8,000 FT MSL. TOXICOLOGY TESTS OF THE DC-3 COPILOT'S BLOOD SHOWED 0.127 MCG/ML AMITRIPTYLINE (A PRESCRIPTION ANTIDEPRESSANT WITH SEDATIVE SIDE EFFECTS), 0.039 MCG/ML NORTRIPTYLINE (METABOLITY OF AMITRIPTYLINE), AND AN UNDETERMAINED AMOUNT OF EPHEDRINE AND PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE (OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATION USED IN COLD PREPARATIONS, DIET AIDS AND STIMULANTS).                (-23) WHILE ON A PHOTO MISSION, A COMPANY A-36 COLLIDED WITH THE DC-3, WHICH WAS IN LEVEL FLIGHT.  BOTH AIRCRAFT SHED SOME CONTROL SURFACES, AND SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED.

## Other aircraft in the event

- TZ389, Doug DC3C: [Accident 19970315003112A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970315003112A)

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI97FA084](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97FA084), Mar 15, 1997: Beech A36 (N3657A), Newton, WI, destroyed, 4 fatal. Probable cause: failure of the Beech A36 pilot to maintain clearance from the modified Douglas DC-3, while positioning the A36 for photography of the DC-3.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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