What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On June 17, 2003, at approximately 1951 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172, N4903F, registered to gulf stream academy of aeronautics, inc. collided in midair during cruise flight with a Cessna 182, N759XA, which is registered to flying double eagle inc. both aircraft were conducting operations under title 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the collision, with sunset to take place about 30 minutes after the collision. A private pilot with two passengers aboard piloted Cessna N4903F; a commercial pilot with one passenger aboard piloted Cessna N759XA. The collision resulted in both aircraft being destroyed and all personnel aboard the aircraft were fatally injured. The collision took place in class e airspace south of the class d airspace of bct and north of the class d of pmp. N4903 departed ft. lauderdale executive airport earlier in the evening of June 17, 2003 and proceeded to stuart, Florida. After leaving stuart N4903F proceeded southbound along the coastline enroute to fxe. The pilot contacted the pbi TRACON for radar service and clearance to pass through the class d airspace at pbi. He was issued a discreet transponder code and authorized to proceed southbound. When N4903F was clear to the south he was instructed to remain on the discreet code and contact the bct ATCT. The pilot contacted the bct ATCT and reset his transponder to the VFR code of 1200. N4903F then continued southbound at approximately 1000 feet MSL and 1/2 mile offshore, he continued southbound through the bct class d airspace. At 19:50:44(EST) N4903F collided in midair after failing to see and avoid N759XA, which was traveling in the opposite direction. N759XA departed the ft. lauderdale international (fll) for boca raton airport (bct) during the evening of June 17, 2003. The departure from fll was uneventful and N759XA proceeded northbound along the coastline at approximately 1000 feet MSL. N759XA contacted the pompano tower (pmp) at approximately 19:46:25 for clearance to proceed northbound along the Beach to boca raton. The controller approved his request and gave him the current altimeter setting of 29.94. At 19:49:10 the pmp controller gave N759XR a frequency change and advised him to contact boca tower. N759XR acknowledged the frequency change at 19:49:15 and continued northbound at approximately 1000 feet MSL. N759XA failed to observeand avoid the oncoming traffic (4903F) and 89 seconds later; at 19:50:16 N759XA collided with N4903F in midair. The boca controller reports that approximately 19:40:00(EST) the pilot of N759XA contacted him stating N759XA was southeast for landing. N759XA was given instructions to contact the tower on a 2-mile right base. Although the bct ATCT controller does not recall talking to N4903F, the recovered tower recordings indicate that N4903F did establish two-way radio communication with the bct tower. There are no indications of mechanical or avionics deficiencies in either of the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JUNE 17, 2003, AT APPROXIMATELY 1951 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 172, N4903F, REGISTERED TO GULF STREAM ACADEMY OF AERONAUTICS, INC. COLLIDED IN MIDAIR DURING CRUISE FLIGHT WITH A CESSNA 182, N759XA, WHICH IS REGISTERED TO FLYING DOUBLE EAGLE INC. BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE CONDUCTING OPERATIONS UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION, WITH SUNSET TO TAKE PLACE ABOUT 30 MINUTES AFTER THE COLLISION. A PRIVATE PILOT WITH TWO PASSENGERS ABOARD PILOTED CESSNA N4903F; A COMMERCIAL PILOT WITH ONE PASSENGER ABOARD PILOTED CESSNA N759XA. THE COLLISION RESULTED IN BOTH AIRCRAFT BEING DESTROYED AND ALL PERSONNEL ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE COLLISION TOOK PLACE IN CLASS E AIRSPACE SOUTH OF THE CLASS D AIRSPACE OF BCT AND NORTH OF THE CLASS D OF PMP. N4903 DEPARTED FT. LAUDERDALE EXECUTIVE AIRPORT EARLIER IN THE EVENING OF JUNE 17, 2003 AND PROCEEDED TO STUART, FLORIDA. AFTER LEAVING STUART N4903F PROCEEDED SOUTHBOUND ALONG THE COASTLINE ENROUTE TO FXE. THE PILOT CONTACTED THE PBI TRACON FOR RADAR SERVICE AND CLEARANCE TO PASS THROUGH THE CLASS D AIRSPACE AT PBI. HE WAS ISSUED A DISCREET TRANSPONDER CODE AND AUTHORIZED TO PROCEED SOUTHBOUND. WHEN N4903F WAS CLEAR TO THE SOUTH HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO REMAIN ON THE DISCREET CODE AND CONTACT THE BCT ATCT. THE PILOT CONTACTED THE BCT ATCT AND RESET HIS TRANSPONDER TO THE VFR CODE OF 1200. N4903F THEN CONTINUED SOUTHBOUND AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET MSL AND 1/2 MILE OFFSHORE, HE CONTINUED SOUTHBOUND THROUGH THE BCT CLASS D AIRSPACE. AT 19:50:44(EST) N4903F COLLIDED IN MIDAIR AFTER FAILING TO SEE AND AVOID N759XA, WHICH WAS TRAVELING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. N759XA DEPARTED THE FT. LAUDERDALE INTERNATIONAL (FLL) FOR BOCA RATON AIRPORT (BCT) DURING THE EVENING OF JUNE 17, 2003. THE DEPARTURE FROM FLL WAS UNEVENTFUL AND N759XA PROCEEDED NORTHBOUND ALONG THE COASTLINE AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET MSL. N759XA CONTACTED THE POMPANO TOWER (PMP) AT APPROXIMATELY 19:46:25 FOR CLEARANCE TO PROCEED NORTHBOUND ALONG THE BEACH TO BOCA RATON. THE CONTROLLER APPROVED HIS REQUEST AND GAVE HIM THE CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING OF 29.94. AT 19:49:10 THE PMP CONTROLLER GAVE N759XR A FREQUENCY CHANGE AND ADVISED HIM TO CONTACT BOCA TOWER. N759XR ACKNOWLEDGED THE FREQUENCY CHANGE AT 19:49:15 AND CONTINUED NORTHBOUND AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET MSL. N759XA FAILED TO OBSERVEAND AVOID THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC (4903F) AND 89 SECONDS LATER; AT 19:50:16 N759XA COLLIDED WITH N4903F IN MIDAIR. THE BOCA CONTROLLER REPORTS THAT APPROXIMATELY 19:40:00(EST) THE PILOT OF N759XA CONTACTED HIM STATING N759XA WAS SOUTHEAST FOR LANDING. N759XA WAS GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS TO CONTACT THE TOWER ON A 2-MILE RIGHT BASE. ALTHOUGH THE BCT ATCT CONTROLLER DOES NOT RECALL TALKING TO N4903F, THE RECOVERED TOWER RECORDINGS INDICATE THAT N4903F DID ESTABLISH TWO-WAY RADIO COMMUNICATION WITH THE BCT TOWER. THERE ARE NO INDICATIONS OF MECHANICAL OR AVIONICS DEFICIENCIES IN EITHER OF THE AIRCRAFT.
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 N4903F · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.