What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Contacted ATC for IFR to mtv swauked radar id then collided with N3940W. ATC failed observe the PA32. (.4)the pilot of Beech 35, N2050W, phoned the leesburg automated flight service station (afss) to file a round trip IFR flight plan, but the briefing specialist inadvertently inputted the departure time as 1130 UTC instead of 1530 UTC (1130 local). The Beech flight departed VFR, and the pilot attempted to obtain an IFR clearance, but the controller advised him that there was no IFR flight plan in the system. The pilot advised the controller that he would proceed VFR. While en route, the Beech was on a north-northwesterly course, when it began to converge with Piper PA-32, N3940W, that was on a east-northeasterly course at about the same altitude. At about that time, the Beech pilot contacted an ATC facility and stated that his flight was level at 5,500 feet. He was given a discrete transponder code to squawk, and the pilot complied. The controller immediately advised the pilot that traffic was off to his left, but there was no acknowledgement. Both airplanes crashed into a rural area. An investigation revealed the nose landing gear of the Piper collided with the left wing tip of the Beech. Review of the far's revealed that while flying VFR between 180 and 359 degrees magnetic course, above 3000 feet above ground level (AGL), the pilot should fly at even thousand feet altitudes plus 500 feet. VFR flight between 0 and 179 degrees, above 3000 feet AGL, should be at odd thousand plus 500 feet. (-23) see narrative #MIA98FA007A
As the FAA filed it
CONTACTED ATC FOR IFR TO MTV SWAUKED RADAR ID THEN COLLIDED WITH N3940W. ATC FAILED OBSERVE THE PA32. (.4)THE PILOT OF BEECH 35, N2050W, PHONED THE LEESBURG AUTOMATED FLIGHT SERVICE STATION (AFSS) TO FILE A ROUND TRIP IFR FLIGHT PLAN, BUT THE BRIEFING SPECIALIST INADVERTENTLY INPUTTED THE DEPARTURE TIME AS 1130 UTC INSTEAD OF 1530 UTC (1130 LOCAL). THE BEECH FLIGHT DEPARTED VFR, AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO OBTAIN AN IFR CLEARANCE, BUT THE CONTROLLER ADVISED HIM THAT THERE WAS NO IFR FLIGHT PLAN IN THE SYSTEM. THE PILOT ADVISED THE CONTROLLER THAT HE WOULD PROCEED VFR. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE BEECH WAS ON A NORTH-NORTHWESTERLY COURSE, WHEN IT BEGAN TO CONVERGE WITH PIPER PA-32, N3940W, THAT WAS ON A EAST-NORTHEASTERLY COURSE AT ABOUT THE SAME ALTITUDE. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE BEECH PILOT CONTACTED AN ATC FACILITY AND STATED THAT HIS FLIGHT WAS LEVEL AT 5,500 FEET. HE WAS GIVEN A DISCRETE TRANSPONDER CODE TO SQUAWK, AND THE PILOT COMPLIED. THE CONTROLLER IMMEDIATELY ADVISED THE PILOT THAT TRAFFIC WAS OFF TO HIS LEFT, BUT THERE WAS NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. BOTH AIRPLANES CRASHED INTO A RURAL AREA. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE NOSE LANDING GEAR OF THE PIPER COLLIDED WITH THE LEFT WING TIP OF THE BEECH. REVIEW OF THE FAR'S REVEALED THAT WHILE FLYING VFR BETWEEN 180 AND 359 DEGREES MAGNETIC COURSE, ABOVE 3000 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL), THE PILOT SHOULD FLY AT EVEN THOUSAND FEET ALTITUDES PLUS 500 FEET. VFR FLIGHT BETWEEN 0 AND 179 DEGREES, ABOVE 3000 FEET AGL, SHOULD BE AT ODD THOUSAND PLUS 500 FEET. (-23) SEE NARRATIVE #MIA98FA007A
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other aircraft in the event · 1
Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.