What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
N48870 was on short final. N739FX was on top of N48870 on short final. N739FX hit N48870 and both aircraft crashed at Winter Haven, FL. (.19) on April 29, 1999, at 1755, eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N739FX, and a Cessna 152, N48870, collided in-flight while on approach to runway 29, at the Gilbert airport, in winterhaven, Florida. The 172, was operated by the aero l'aquila flight school, under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91, and visual flight rules. The 152, was operated by the britannia flight center, under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual metoerological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flights. The certified flight instructor and passenger of the 172, sustained serious injuries, and the student pilot of the 152 sustained minor injuries. Both aircraft sustained substantial damage. According to witnesses, the 152 had been practicing full stop landings and had remained in the pattern. The 172 had reportedly departed kissimmee, Florida about 15 minutes prior to the accident. The witnesses stated that they heard the pilot of the 152, over the UNICOM frequency, announcing his left downwind, base and final approach positions. Witnesses said the 172 was observed making a right downwind approach and an abbreviated base to final to runway 29 above the 152. A witnesses who was in his aircraft at the hold short line attempted to warn the 172 over the UNICOM frequency of 122.7 several times, however, there was no reply. The 172 impacted the top of the 152 about 30 feet above the ground forcing the 152 into the ground. The 172 pitched up, rolled right and nosed into the ground coming to rest on it's back. The 152 landed hard on its main gear, and slid to a stop. (.4)the 152 had been practicing full-stop landings and had remained in the pattern. A 172 had departed kissimmee, Florida, for a touch and go landing at Gilbert airport. The witnesses stated that they heard the pilot of the 152, over the UNICOM frequency, announcing his left downwind, base and final approach positions. Witnesses said the 172 was observed making a right downwind approach and an abbreviated base to final to runway 29 above the 152. A witness who was in his aircraft at the hold short line attempted to warn the 172 over the UNICOM frequency of 122.7 several times; however, there w as no reply. The 172 impacted the top of the 152 about 30 feet above the ground, forcing the 152 into the ground. The 172 pitched up, rolled right and nosed into the ground coming to rest on its back. The 152 landed hard on its main gear, and slid to a stop. Title 14 CFR part 91.113(g) landing, stated in part; 'aircraft, while on final approach to land or while landing, have the right-of-way over other aircraft in flight or operating on the surface.'
As the FAA filed it
N48870 WAS ON SHORT FINAL. N739FX WAS ON TOP OF N48870 ON SHORT FINAL. N739FX HIT N48870 AND BOTH AIRCRAFT CRASHED AT WINTER HAVEN, FL. (.19) ON APRIL 29, 1999, AT 1755, EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172N, N739FX, AND A CESSNA 152, N48870, COLLIDED IN-FLIGHT WHILE ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 29, AT THE GILBERT AIRPORT, IN WINTERHAVEN, FLORIDA. THE 172, WAS OPERATED BY THE AERO L'AQUILA FLIGHT SCHOOL, UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. THE 152, WAS OPERATED BY THE BRITANNIA FLIGHT CENTER, UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. VISUAL METOEROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHTS. THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND PASSENGER OF THE 172, SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES, AND THE STUDENT PILOT OF THE 152 SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. BOTH AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE 152 HAD BEEN PRACTICING FULL STOP LANDINGS AND HAD REMAINED IN THE PATTERN. THE 172 HAD REPORTEDLY DEPARTED KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA ABOUT 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY HEARD THE PILOT OF THE 152, OVER THE UNICOM FREQUENCY, ANNOUNCING HIS LEFT DOWNWIND, BASE AND FINAL APPROACH POSITIONS. WITNESSES SAID THE 172 WAS OBSERVED MAKING A RIGHT DOWNWIND APPROACH AND AN ABBREVIATED BASE TO FINAL TO RUNWAY 29 ABOVE THE 152. A WITNESSES WHO WAS IN HIS AIRCRAFT AT THE HOLD SHORT LINE ATTEMPTED TO WARN THE 172 OVER THE UNICOM FREQUENCY OF 122.7 SEVERAL TIMES, HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO REPLY. THE 172 IMPACTED THE TOP OF THE 152 ABOUT 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND FORCING THE 152 INTO THE GROUND. THE 172 PITCHED UP, ROLLED RIGHT AND NOSED INTO THE GROUND COMING TO REST ON IT'S BACK. THE 152 LANDED HARD ON ITS MAIN GEAR, AND SLID TO A STOP. (.4)THE 152 HAD BEEN PRACTICING FULL-STOP LANDINGS AND HAD REMAINED IN THE PATTERN. A 172 HAD DEPARTED KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA, FOR A TOUCH AND GO LANDING AT GILBERT AIRPORT. THE WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY HEARD THE PILOT OF THE 152, OVER THE UNICOM FREQUENCY, ANNOUNCING HIS LEFT DOWNWIND, BASE AND FINAL APPROACH POSITIONS. WITNESSES SAID THE 172 WAS OBSERVED MAKING A RIGHT DOWNWIND APPROACH AND AN ABBREVIATED BASE TO FINAL TO RUNWAY 29 ABOVE THE 152. A WITNESS WHO WAS IN HIS AIRCRAFT AT THE HOLD SHORT LINE ATTEMPTED TO WARN THE 172 OVER THE UNICOM FREQUENCY OF 122.7 SEVERAL TIMES; HOWEVER, THERE W AS NO REPLY. THE 172 IMPACTED THE TOP OF THE 152 ABOUT 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, FORCING THE 152 INTO THE GROUND. THE 172 PITCHED UP, ROLLED RIGHT AND NOSED INTO THE GROUND COMING TO REST ON ITS BACK. THE 152 LANDED HARD ON ITS MAIN GEAR, AND SLID TO A STOP. TITLE 14 CFR PART 91.113(G) LANDING, STATED IN PART; 'AIRCRAFT, WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND OR WHILE LANDING, HAVE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY OVER OTHER AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT OR OPERATING ON THE SURFACE.'
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.
Other reports on N739FX · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.