What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Location: 3 miles east of anthem, AZ [33°51?53.5?, w 112°12?05?]
Pob/injuries 2/2 N327PA + 2/2 N2459K (WPR13FA254B) ? No ground injuries
Departure point: kdvt for the purposes of conducting an instructor proficiency check iaw 14CFR section 141.79
Intended destination: kdvt
CFR: 91/141 instructor proficiency check
On may 31, 2013 at approximately 10:03 am two aircraft collided three miles east of anthem, AZ resulting in two destroyed aircraft and four fatalities. It is likely that the aircraft were conducting private pilot ground reference maneuvers. N327PA struck the ground without any post-impact fire and was largely intact. Both occupants suffered fatal injuries.
The aircraft involved were N327PA, a PA-28-181, operated by transpac aviation academy and N2459K, a Cessna 172S, operated by westwind aviation. Both westwind aviation and transpac aviation academy hold pilot school certificates issued under 14 CFR part 141.
A recording of radar data shows two aircraft maneuvering at approximately 700? AGL in the area of the accident. Both aircraft appear, initially to be maneuvering in east/west, west/east directions. The radar shows both aircraft turning to the south. After the southward turn the radar tracks converge.
Neither aircraft was receiving ATC services at the time of the flight.
A witness, who was conducting flight instruction in the area, stated that he saw two aircraft operating in close proximity. He stated that a ?split-second? After observing the aircraft, ?they separated, appearing to have collided, and began spinning towards the ground?.
A second witness, who was also conducting flight instruction in the area, stated that he heard the pilot of the N327PA, who was conducting the proficiency check, frequently broadcasting position reports on the practice area frequency.
The pilot of N2459, who was conducting a flight lesson, was a citizen of the united kingdom and spoke with a british accent. The second witness did not recall hearing a pilot with a british accent announcing on the practice area frequency.
This frequency, 122.75, is an ?agreed upon? Frequency utilized by many flight instructors who operate regularly in the practice areas north of Phoenix, AZ. It is not published on any FAA charts, but is posted on the Arizona flight training workgroup website (www. Aftw.org).
Both pilots' logbooks and records were examined and it was found that both pilots's were in compliance with all currency requirements with one exception.
Paul brownell?s log books were examined. In addition, his transpac talon records were examined. Talon is the computer based record keeping system used by transpac to record all student and instructor activities.
Mr. Brownell?s most recent logbook is not a complete record of his flight activities. There are no entries between March 26, 2012 and November 28, 2012. The final entry in Mr. Brownell?s logbook was on November 29, 2013. The entries on November 28 and 29, 2013 reflect an instrument proficiency check conducted in accordance with 14 CFR 61.57(d). Mr. Brownell?s logbook also contain a flight record and endorsement for a flight review, required by 14 CFR section 61.56, which was conducted on June 30, 2011.
Mr. Brownell?s talon records show several flights that had not been logged in Mr. Brownell?s personal log book. These records show that Mr. Brownell had flown 55.5 hours in the previous 90 days and 131.2 hours in the previous 12 months. The talon records do not reflect the number of take-offs and landings performed by the pilot. Therefore, it is not possible to determine whether Mr. Brownell met the recent experience requirements set forth by 14 CFR section 61.57.
Both aircraft also met the regulatory inspection and maintenance requirements.
The aircraft wreckage was located approximately 1149 feet south of the accident location. The Piper was approximately 450 feet west of the Cessna's wreckage.
As the FAA filed it
LOCATION: 3 MILES EAST OF ANTHEM, AZ [33°51?53.5?, W 112°12?05?]
POB/INJURIES 2/2 N327PA + 2/2 N2459K (WPR13FA254B) ? NO GROUND INJURIES
DEPARTURE POINT: KDVT FOR THE PURPOSES OF CONDUCTING AN INSTRUCTOR PROFICIENCY CHECK IAW 14CFR SECTION 141.79
INTENDED DESTINATION: KDVT
CFR: 91/141 INSTRUCTOR PROFICIENCY CHECK
ON MAY 31, 2013 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:03 AM TWO AIRCRAFT COLLIDED THREE MILES EAST OF ANTHEM, AZ RESULTING IN TWO DESTROYED AIRCRAFT AND FOUR FATALITIES. IT IS LIKELY THAT THE AIRCRAFT WERE CONDUCTING PRIVATE PILOT GROUND REFERENCE MANEUVERS. N327PA STRUCK THE GROUND WITHOUT ANY POST-IMPACT FIRE AND WAS LARGELY INTACT. BOTH OCCUPANTS SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES.
THE AIRCRAFT INVOLVED WERE N327PA, A PA-28-181, OPERATED BY TRANSPAC AVIATION ACADEMY AND N2459K, A CESSNA 172S, OPERATED BY WESTWIND AVIATION. BOTH WESTWIND AVIATION AND TRANSPAC AVIATION ACADEMY HOLD PILOT SCHOOL CERTIFICATES ISSUED UNDER 14 CFR PART 141.
A RECORDING OF RADAR DATA SHOWS TWO AIRCRAFT MANEUVERING AT APPROXIMATELY 700? AGL IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT. BOTH AIRCRAFT APPEAR, INITIALLY TO BE MANEUVERING IN EAST/WEST, WEST/EAST DIRECTIONS. THE RADAR SHOWS BOTH AIRCRAFT TURNING TO THE SOUTH. AFTER THE SOUTHWARD TURN THE RADAR TRACKS CONVERGE.
NEITHER AIRCRAFT WAS RECEIVING ATC SERVICES AT THE TIME OF THE FLIGHT.
A WITNESS, WHO WAS CONDUCTING FLIGHT INSTRUCTION IN THE AREA, STATED THAT HE SAW TWO AIRCRAFT OPERATING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY. HE STATED THAT A ?SPLIT-SECOND? AFTER OBSERVING THE AIRCRAFT, ?THEY SEPARATED, APPEARING TO HAVE COLLIDED, AND BEGAN SPINNING TOWARDS THE GROUND?.
A SECOND WITNESS, WHO WAS ALSO CONDUCTING FLIGHT INSTRUCTION IN THE AREA, STATED THAT HE HEARD THE PILOT OF THE N327PA, WHO WAS CONDUCTING THE PROFICIENCY CHECK, FREQUENTLY BROADCASTING POSITION REPORTS ON THE PRACTICE AREA FREQUENCY.
THE PILOT OF N2459, WHO WAS CONDUCTING A FLIGHT LESSON, WAS A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND SPOKE WITH A BRITISH ACCENT. THE SECOND WITNESS DID NOT RECALL HEARING A PILOT WITH A BRITISH ACCENT ANNOUNCING ON THE PRACTICE AREA FREQUENCY.
THIS FREQUENCY, 122.75, IS AN ?AGREED UPON? FREQUENCY UTILIZED BY MANY FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS WHO OPERATE REGULARLY IN THE PRACTICE AREAS NORTH OF PHOENIX, AZ. IT IS NOT PUBLISHED ON ANY FAA CHARTS, BUT IS POSTED ON THE ARIZONA FLIGHT TRAINING WORKGROUP WEBSITE (WWW.AFTW.ORG).
BOTH PILOTS' LOGBOOKS AND RECORDS WERE EXAMINED AND IT WAS FOUND THAT BOTH PILOTS'S WERE IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL CURRENCY REQUIREMENTS WITH ONE EXCEPTION.
PAUL BROWNELL?S LOG BOOKS WERE EXAMINED. IN ADDITION, HIS TRANSPAC TALON RECORDS WERE EXAMINED. TALON IS THE COMPUTER BASED RECORD KEEPING SYSTEM USED BY TRANSPAC TO RECORD ALL STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR ACTIVITIES.
MR. BROWNELL?S MOST RECENT LOGBOOK IS NOT A COMPLETE RECORD OF HIS FLIGHT ACTIVITIES. THERE ARE NO ENTRIES BETWEEN MARCH 26, 2012 AND NOVEMBER 28, 2012. THE FINAL ENTRY IN MR. BROWNELL?S LOGBOOK WAS ON NOVEMBER 29, 2013. THE ENTRIES ON NOVEMBER 28 AND 29, 2013 REFLECT AN INSTRUMENT PROFICIENCY CHECK CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH 14 CFR 61.57(D). MR. BROWNELL?S LOGBOOK ALSO CONTAIN A FLIGHT RECORD AND ENDORSEMENT FOR A FLIGHT REVIEW, REQUIRED BY 14 CFR SECTION 61.56, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED ON JUNE 30, 2011.
MR. BROWNELL?S TALON RECORDS SHOW SEVERAL FLIGHTS THAT HAD NOT BEEN LOGGED IN MR. BROWNELL?S PERSONAL LOG BOOK. THESE RECORDS SHOW THAT MR. BROWNELL HAD FLOWN 55.5 HOURS IN THE PREVIOUS 90 DAYS AND 131.2 HOURS IN THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS. THE TALON RECORDS DO NOT REFLECT THE NUMBER OF TAKE-OFFS AND LANDINGS PERFORMED BY THE PILOT. THEREFORE, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER MR. BROWNELL MET THE RECENT EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH BY 14 CFR SECTION 61.57.
BOTH AIRCRAFT ALSO MET THE REGULATORY INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS.
THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 1149 FEET SOUTH OF THE ACCIDENT LOCATION. THE PIPER WAS APPROXIMATELY 450 FEET WEST OF THE CESSNA'S WRECKAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.