OpenAirDocs.org

19970406004912A

Accident · Destroyed
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Cessna 150D · Arlington, WA · April 6, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
April 6, 1997 · 14:00 local
Place
Arlington, WA
Airport
Arlington Municipal Airport
Phase of flight
To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Collision
Midair collision, second aircraft
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N4100U
NTSB investigation
NTSBSEA97LA083
Reported as
Cessna 150D
Reported engine
Continental O200A
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
31 total26 in this make and model17 in the last 90 days
N4100URegistration cancelled Oct 6, 2014 · Cessna 150DS/N 15060100 · Built 1963Airframe modelCessna 150DEngine modelContinental 0-200 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.

Solo flight, vertical stabilizer was hit by N45WA which was landing. Flipped over and crashed on runway. (.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

SOLO FLIGHT, VERTICAL STABILIZER WAS HIT BY N45WA WHICH WAS LANDING. FLIPPED OVER AND CRASHED ON RUNWAY. (.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 · Destroyed

Other aircraft in the event · 1

Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.

N45WAAmtr PITTSS2EAccident 19970406004911A · Substantial damage

Other reports on N4100U · 1

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

Incident 19970308007899IFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Mount Vernon, WANarrative: on March 8, 1997, george hammer departed auburn municipal airport (S50), WA., enroute to harvey field, (S43), snohomish, WA. At approximately 2215 PST. The generator light illuminated 5 minutes after take off. Not being too concerned with the…Mar 8, 1997