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19971007030452A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-32-260 · Robbins, NC · October 7, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
October 7, 1997 · 13:37 local
Place
Robbins, NC
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Collision
Midair collision, second aircraft
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N3940W
NTSB investigation
NTSBMIA98FA007
Reported as
Piper PA32260
Reported engine
Lycoming O540E4B5
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
Pilot’s flight hours
351 total93 in this make and model22 in the last 90 days
N3940WRegistration cancelled Apr 6, 1999 · Piper PA-32-260S/N 32-930Airframe modelPiper PA-32-260

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.

Collided with IFR traffic at VFR cruise level traffic N2050W that had just got IFR. ATC failed see traffic 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 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 altitude plus 500 feet. VFR flight between 0 and 179 degrees, above 3000 feet AGL, should be at odd thousands plus 500 feet. (-23) see narrative #MIA98FA007B.

As the FAA filed it

COLLIDED WITH IFR TRAFFIC AT VFR CRUISE LEVEL TRAFFIC N2050W THAT HAD JUST GOT IFR. ATC FAILED SEE TRAFFIC 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 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 ALTITUDE PLUS 500 FEET. VFR FLIGHT BETWEEN 0 AND 179 DEGREES, ABOVE 3000 FEET AGL, SHOULD BE AT ODD THOUSANDS PLUS 500 FEET. (-23) SEE NARRATIVE #MIA98FA007B.

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 MIA98FA007Accident · 3 fatalField investigationFinal reportRobbins, NCfailure of the pilots in both aircraft to see-and-avoid each other's airplane (inadequate visual lookout), and failure of the Beech pilot to operate his airplane at a correct Visual Flight Rules (VFR) cruising altitude for his route of flight.Oct 7, 1997 · 2 aircraft · Destroyed

Other aircraft in the event · 1

Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.

N2050WBeech 35C33AAccident 19971007030451A · Destroyed · 1 fatal

Other reports on N3940W · 1

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

Accident 19781118044459AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · South Boston, VAPlt stated preoccupied with selecting safe lndg area rather than arting eng.Nov 18, 1978 · Substantial damage