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19970406004911A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Amtr PITTSS2E · Arlington, WA · April 6, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
April 6, 1997 · 14:00 local
Place
Arlington, WA
Airport
Arlington Municipal Airport
Phase of flight
Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Collision
Midair collision, first aircraft
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N45WA
NTSB investigation
NTSBSEA97LA083
Reported as
Amtr PITTSS2E
Reported engine
Lycoming IO360A1A
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,282 total38 in this make and model11 in the last 90 days
N45WARegistration cancelled Nov 29, 2012 · Allen-Wayne PITTS S-1ES/N 1 · Built 1981Airframe modelAllen-Wayne PITTS S-1EEngine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft in traffic pattern for touch and glandings. Struck tail of departing aircraft. (.4) the solo student pilot of a Cessna taxied onto runway 34 after visually checking for other airplanes in the traffic pattern and transmitting his intentions to take off. Meanwhile, the commercial pilot of a pitts was on final approach to the same runway after transmitting that he was turning base to final onto the same runway. As the Cessna was climbing through about 30 feet above the ground after takeoff, the pitts overtook it and descended into the tail of the Cessna. The pitts continued downward and impacted the runway on its main landing gear, while the Cessna flipped inverted and fell onto the runway. Both pilots stated that they did not see each other prior to the collision, nor did they hear each other over the radio. No preimpact mechanical or electrical malfunctions were found. The pitts pilot stated that he was watching a red airplane complete a landing rollout on the runway while the pitts was on final approach to the same runway, and that he never saw the Cessna prior to the accident. The pitts did not have a landing light installed.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT IN TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR TOUCH AND GLANDINGS. STRUCK TAIL OF DEPARTING AIRCRAFT. (.4) THE SOLO STUDENT PILOT OF A CESSNA TAXIED ONTO RUNWAY 34 AFTER VISUALLY CHECKING FOR OTHER AIRPLANES IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AND TRANSMITTING HIS INTENTIONS TO TAKE OFF. MEANWHILE, THE COMMERCIAL PILOT OF A PITTS WAS ON FINAL APPROACH TO THE SAME RUNWAY AFTER TRANSMITTING THAT HE WAS TURNING BASE TO FINAL ONTO THE SAME RUNWAY. AS THE CESSNA WAS CLIMBING THROUGH ABOUT 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PITTS OVERTOOK IT AND DESCENDED INTO THE TAIL OF THE CESSNA. THE PITTS CONTINUED DOWNWARD AND IMPACTED THE RUNWAY ON ITS MAIN LANDING GEAR, WHILE THE CESSNA FLIPPED INVERTED AND FELL ONTO THE RUNWAY. BOTH PILOTS STATED THAT THEY DID NOT SEE EACH OTHER PRIOR TO THE COLLISION, NOR DID THEY HEAR EACH OTHER OVER THE RADIO. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL OR ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND. THE PITTS PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS WATCHING A RED AIRPLANE COMPLETE A LANDING ROLLOUT ON THE RUNWAY WHILE THE PITTS WAS ON FINAL APPROACH TO THE SAME RUNWAY, AND THAT HE NEVER SAW THE CESSNA PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PITTS DID NOT HAVE A LANDING LIGHT INSTALLED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA97LA083Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportArlington, WAThe failure of the commercial pilot to perform an adequate visual lookout while on final approach for landing on the runway, and the failure of the student pilot of the other airplane to perform an adequate visual lookout prior to taking off from the same…Apr 6, 1997 · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage

Other aircraft in the event · 1

Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.

N4100UCessna 150DAccident 19970406004912A · Destroyed

Other reports on N45WA · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19950609016749IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Everett, WANarrative: while landing the pilot lost directional control and then groundlooped.Jun 9, 1995 · Reported as Amtrpt PITTSSPECS1 · Minor damageAccident 19810531030099AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Medina, OHRan out of fuel near airport. Landed short of runway in plowed field, nosed over.May 31, 1981 · Reported as Amtrpt PITTSSPECS1 · Substantial damage