20180402003272A

ON APRIL 2, 2018 AT ABOUT 1709 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME (EDT), A CESSNA 150, N5614E WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED THE EMPENNAGE OF A CESSNA 525, N511AC. THE CESSNA 525 HAD JUST LANDED AND WAS ROLLING OUT ON RUNWAY 22 AT THE MARION MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (MZZ), MARION INDIANA. THE CESSNA 150 WAS TAKING OFF ON THE INTERSECTING RUNWAY 15. THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER OF THE CESSNA 150 WERE FATALLY INJURED IN THE CRASH. THE FOUR PASSENGERS AND THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA 525 WERE NOT INJURED. THE LATEST AWOS-3 WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT REPORTED THE SKY CLEAR, VISIBILITY FOUR NAUTICAL MILES WITH HAZE. THE SUN?S POSITION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS IN THE SOUTHWEST QUADRANT AND ABOUT 39 DEGREES ABOVE THE HORIZON. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME.

THE CESSNA 150 WAS REGISTERED AND OPERATED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) AS A PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.

THE CESSNA 525 WAS REGISTERED TO AVIS INDUSTRIAL CORP AND WAS OPERATED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR AS A PART 91 CORPORATE FLIGHT. THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA 525 STATED THAT THE CESSNA 525 WAS RETURNING TO MZZ FROM JACKSON, MICHIGAN (JAX) ON AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE WAS HELD AT ALTITUDE DUE TO A CONFLICT WITH A BEECHCRAFT. ONCE THE CESSNA 525 WAS CLEARED FOR DESCENT, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE INITIATED A STEEPER THAN NORMAL DESCENT, AND REQUESTED CANCELLATION OF THE IFR FLIGHT PLAN. GRISSOM APPROACH CANCELLED THE FLIGHT PLAN AND, ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, STATED, ?NO KNOWN TRAFFIC BETWEEN YOU AND THE AIRPORT.?

THE CESSNA 525 PILOT STATED THAT HIS NORMAL PROCEDURE WOULD BE TO HAVE LOADED THE UNICOM FREQUENCY INTO STANDBY IN HIS COMMUNICATION RADIO, AND UPON CANCELLATION OF THE IFR FLIGHT PLAN, HE WOULD HAVE SWITCHED TO THE UNICOM FREQUENCY AND ANNOUNCED HIS POSITION AND INTENT TO LAND. HE STATED THAT HE DID NOT RECALL MAKING THAT CALL. HE STATED THAT HE DID USE HIS TRAFFIC COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM (TCAS) AND OBSERVED NO TRAFFIC ON OR AT THE AIRPORT.

THERE WERE THREE INDIVIDUALS IN THE FIXED BASE OPERATOR BUILDING WHO WERE NEAR THE UNICOM RADIO. THESE WITNESSES STATED THEY HEARD THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA 150 ANNOUNCE, ?BACK TAXIING RUNWAY 15,? AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF TIME PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. ONE WITNESS OUT OF THREE INTERVIEWED SAID HE HEARD THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA 525 ANNOUNCE HIS FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 22. THEY ALL OBSERVED THE CESSNA 525 TOUCH DOWN AND ROLL OUT. THEY WATCHED THE COLLISION OF THE TWO AIRCRAFT. THEY INDICATED THE CESSNA 150 WAS AIRBORNE AND IT STRUCK THE EMPENNAGE OF THE CESSNA 525 AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE RUNWAYS. THE AIRPORT MANAGER WAS ONE OF THE WITNESSES. HE STATED THAT HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO WARN THE PILOTS OF THE POTENTIAL COLLISION, BUT IT OCCURRED TO QUICKLY FOR HIM TO GET TO THE UNICOM RADIO.

THE LEFT WING OF THE CESSNA 150 IMPACTED THE CESSNA 525 ON THE VERTICAL STABILIZER, JUST BELOW THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. THE CESSNA 150 LEADING EDGE WAS COLLAPSED OUTBOARD TO INBOARD. WITNESSES STATED THAT A FIREBALL WAS IMMEDIATE. THE LEADING EDGE OF THE CESSNA 525 VERTICAL STABILIZER PENETRATED THE LEFT FORWARD CABIN OF THE CESSNA 150. THE CESSNA 150 PIROUETTED AROUND THE VERTICAL FIN OF THE CESSNA 525, SHEARING THE EMPENNAGE FROM THE JET. THE CESSNA 150 IMPACTED THE GROUND, COMING TO REST APPROXIMATELY 180 DEGREES AND 180 FEET FROM THE POINT OF THE COLLISION.

THE CESSNA 150 CABIN WAS RUPTURED BY THE IMPACT WITH THE VERTICAL STABILIZER OF THE JET. THE PASSENGER DOOR AND SEAT BOTTOM LAY IN THE CENTER OF RUNWAY 22, IN THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF THE JET. THE PASSENGER OF THE CESSNA 150 WAS THROWN FROM THE AIRCRAFT, AND WAS LOCATED OVER 200 FEET FROM THE COLLISION POINT, IN LINE WITH THE 150 WRECKAGE. A POST IMPACT FIRE CONSUMED MUCH OF THE CABIN AND INBOARD WINGS OF THE CESSNA 150.

THE CESSNA 525 PROCEEDED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION, EXECUTED A 180 DEGREE TURN AND RETURNED TO THE INTERSECTION.