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19970622015241A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Amtr Sonerai · Westhampton Bea, NY · June 22, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
June 22, 1997 · 16:00 local
Place
Westhampton Bea, NY
Airport
The Francis S Gabreski Airport
Phase of flight
In Traffic Pattern-Circling
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Collision
Midair collision, first aircraft
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N77TY
NTSB investigation
NTSBNYC97LA125
Reported as
Amtr Sonerai
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Pilot’s flight hours
3,600 total
N77TYRegistration cancelled Nov 26, 2014 · Smith Randolph C SONERAI-IS/N 434 · Built 1982Airframe modelSmith Randolph C SONERAI-IEngine modelVolkswagen CONVERSIONReciprocating

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.

During an air show collided in mid air with N20CS. (.4)four homebuilt, low wing airplanes, were being used to participate in an air race, conducted by the formula v air racing association. After crossing the finish line, while banking left at the first set of pylons, the number two and number three airplanes collided. Race procedures were for the pilots to maintain power and airspeed, while climbing to enter a landing traffic pattern. According to the fourth place pilot, the number two airplane, a smith Sonerai-i, N77TY, decelerated, pitched nose up, and collided with the number three airplane, a shafer Sonerai-i, N20CS. During deceleration, the number two airplane was below number three, and it entered the 'blind area' of number three. The number three pilot did not maneuver to maintain visual contact with number two. The design of the FAA approved race course included a 500 foot safety zone between the flight path of the airplanes and the spectators. Wreckage of both airplanes came to rest outside the safety zone, where spectators could have positioned themselves.

As the FAA filed it

DURING AN AIR SHOW COLLIDED IN MID AIR WITH N20CS. (.4)FOUR HOMEBUILT, LOW WING AIRPLANES, WERE BEING USED TO PARTICIPATE IN AN AIR RACE, CONDUCTED BY THE FORMULA V AIR RACING ASSOCIATION. AFTER CROSSING THE FINISH LINE, WHILE BANKING LEFT AT THE FIRST SET OF PYLONS, THE NUMBER TWO AND NUMBER THREE AIRPLANES COLLIDED. RACE PROCEDURES WERE FOR THE PILOTS TO MAINTAIN POWER AND AIRSPEED, WHILE CLIMBING TO ENTER A LANDING TRAFFIC PATTERN. ACCORDING TO THE FOURTH PLACE PILOT, THE NUMBER TWO AIRPLANE, A SMITH SONERAI-I, N77TY, DECELERATED, PITCHED NOSE UP, AND COLLIDED WITH THE NUMBER THREE AIRPLANE, A SHAFER SONERAI-I, N20CS. DURING DECELERATION, THE NUMBER TWO AIRPLANE WAS BELOW NUMBER THREE, AND IT ENTERED THE 'BLIND AREA' OF NUMBER THREE. THE NUMBER THREE PILOT DID NOT MANEUVER TO MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT WITH NUMBER TWO. THE DESIGN OF THE FAA APPROVED RACE COURSE INCLUDED A 500 FOOT SAFETY ZONE BETWEEN THE FLIGHT PATH OF THE AIRPLANES AND THE SPECTATORS. WRECKAGE OF BOTH AIRPLANES CAME TO REST OUTSIDE THE SAFETY ZONE, WHERE SPECTATORS COULD HAVE POSITIONED THEMSELVES.

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 NYC97LA125Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportW.Hampton Beach, NYfailure of the number two pilot (N77TY) to follow race procedures, and failure of the number three pilot (N20CS) to turn and avoid the number two airplane, when it decelerated into the number three pilot's blind spot.Jun 22, 1997 · 2 aircraft · Destroyed

Other aircraft in the event · 1

Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.

N20CSAmtr SoneraiAccident 19970622015242A · Destroyed