20150707012401A

On July 7, 15, at 1100 EDT, a Cessna 150M, N3601V, and a USAF F-16CM, collided in midair near Moncks Corner, s.c. the Cessna was destroyed during the collision, and the private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The damaged F-16 flew for 3 minutes until the pilot activated the ejection system and landed safely on the ground. The F-16 crashed and was destroyed. VMC conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the Cessna, while the F-16 was operating on an IFR flight plan. The Cessna departed on a PART91 flight from berkley county airport (mks), Moncks Corner, at 1057, and was destined for grand strand airport (cre), n. myrtle beach, s.c. the F-16 had departed from shaw afb (ssc), sumter, s.c. about 1020 and then proceeded to myr for practice approaches before flying in the direction of the charleston intl. Airport (chs) s.c. the F-16 pilot contacted the approach controller at chs about 1052 and requested to perform a practice tacan instrument approach to runway 15. The controller instructed the F-16 pilot to fly a heading of 260 degrees to intercept the final approach course and then at 1055 (the F-16 was 34 NM NE of chs), instructed him to descend from his present altitude of 6000 ft to 1600 ft. at 1057, the Cessna displayed a transp. Code of 1200, appeared in the vicinity of the dept. End of runway 23 at mks at an altitude of 200 ft. the Cessna continued its climb and began tracking se over the next 3 minutes. The pilot of the Cessna didnt contact chs approach, nor was he required to do so. At 1100:18, the controller advised the F-16 pilot, "traffic 12 o'clock, 2 miles, opposite direction, 1,200 indicated, type unknown." The F-16 pilot responded to the controller that he was "looking" for the traffic. At 1100:26, the controller advised the F-16 pilot, "turn left heading 180 if you don't have that traffic in sight." The pilot responded by asking, "confirm 2 miles?" 8 seconds later, the controller stated, "if you don't have that traffic in sight turn left heading 180 immediately." The next 18 seconds, the track of the F-16 began turning southerly. At 1100:49, the F-16 was located 1/2 mile NE of the Cessna, at an indicated altitude of 1500 ft, and was on a track of 215 degrees. At that time, the cessnas transponder reported an altitude of 1400 ft, and was established on an approximate track of 110 degrees. At 1100:52 the controller advised the F-16 pilot, "traffic passing below you 1400 feet." At 1100:54, the altitude of the F-16 remained at 1500 ft and no valid altitude information was returned from the Cessna. The 2 aircraft were laterally separated by about 1000 ft. the wreckage of the Cessna was recovered in the vicinity of its last observed radar target, over the west branch of the cooper river. The largest portions of the Cessna's airframe were the fuselage aft of the main landing gear and the left and right wings, which were within 500 ft nw of the airplane's final position. Portions of the cabin interior, instr. Panel, fuel system, and eng firewall were found on site. The eng, propeller, and nose gear were not recovered. The lower aft eng cowling and small pieces of the F-16 were recovered in the vicinity of the Cessna's aft fuselage, while the F-16'S eng augmenter was recovered about 1500 ft sw. The Cessna's wings displayed uniform leading edge crush damage throughout their spans oriented aft and upward. Paint transfer and rub markings oriented in a direction from the airplane's left to right were on the upper fwd surfaces of both wings. Both fuel tanks were ruptured and evidence of heat damage and paint blistering were on the upper surface of the right wing. Flight control continuity was traced through overload-type cable separations from the cabin area to each flight control surface. The pitch trim actuator showed a position with a 3-4 degree deflection of the tab in the nose down direction, and measurement of the flap actuator showed a position consistent with the flaps in the retracted position.