What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
*Note: original FSDO notification referenced tail number N313RL. The correct tail number is N319RL.
On may 29, 2019, at approximately 10:45 (local time), N203DD and N319RL (both RV-4S), collided in midair near Green Cove springs, Florida. N203DD sustained substantial damage; the noted damages were broken landing gear, broken engine mount, damaged wings (with signs of paint transfer) and broken canopy. N319RL was destroyed. The pilot of N203DD privacy data omitted was seriously injured and the pilot of N319RL privacy data omitted was fatally injured. Both airplanes were being operated under part 91 as personal flights. The conditions at the time of the accident were day VFR, and neither pilot was operating under a flight plan. Both aircrafts took off from 7FL4 (Haller Airpark) approximately 15 minutes prior to this accident.
privacy data omitted Were friends. In a written statement, privacy data omitted stated that he had asked privacy data omitted to fly next to him, to verify the accuracy of his airspeed indicator. After, they engaged in a maneuvered called tail chase, where they flew in trail through various turns, dives and climbs. They were performing the maneuver on a southerly heading. At the end of the maneuver privacy data omitted said ?knock it off? (To end the maneuver) made a left turn (losing sight of privacy data omitted). privacy data omitted Assumed, from past experience, that privacy data omitted would keep him in sight. privacy data omitted Stated that after a series of turns, while on an east heading he saw privacy data omitted at approximately 50 feet from him (heading towards him at an altitude slightly lower than his). privacy data omitted Stated that after the impact he saw N319RL falling to the ground. privacy data omitted Was able to perform a forced landing at a cow pasture. During the forced landing, N203DD, hit a small sandbank, momentarily became airborne, and landed with the nose of the aircraft pointing 90 degrees to the right of the direction of landing. N203DD received additional damages to the wings, empennage, and engine cowling.
As the FAA filed it
*NOTE: ORIGINAL FSDO NOTIFICATION REFERENCED TAIL NUMBER N313RL. THE CORRECT TAIL NUMBER IS N319RL.
ON MAY 29, 2019, AT APPROXIMATELY 10:45 (LOCAL TIME), N203DD AND N319RL (BOTH RV-4S), COLLIDED IN MIDAIR NEAR GREEN COVE SPRINGS, FLORIDA. N203DD SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE; THE NOTED DAMAGES WERE BROKEN LANDING GEAR, BROKEN ENGINE MOUNT, DAMAGED WINGS (WITH SIGNS OF PAINT TRANSFER) AND BROKEN CANOPY. N319RL WAS DESTROYED. THE PILOT OF N203DD ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AND THE PILOT OF N319RL ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS FATALLY INJURED. BOTH AIRPLANES WERE BEING OPERATED UNDER PART 91 AS PERSONAL FLIGHTS. THE CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE DAY VFR, AND NEITHER PILOT WAS OPERATING UNDER A FLIGHT PLAN. BOTH AIRCRAFTS TOOK OFF FROM 7FL4 (HALLER AIRPARK) APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT.
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WERE FRIENDS. IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE HAD ASKED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TO FLY NEXT TO HIM, TO VERIFY THE ACCURACY OF HIS AIRSPEED INDICATOR. AFTER, THEY ENGAGED IN A MANEUVERED CALLED TAIL CHASE, WHERE THEY FLEW IN TRAIL THROUGH VARIOUS TURNS, DIVES AND CLIMBS. THEY WERE PERFORMING THE MANEUVER ON A SOUTHERLY HEADING. AT THE END OF THE MANEUVER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SAID ?KNOCK IT OFF? (TO END THE MANEUVER) MADE A LEFT TURN (LOSING SIGHT OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^). ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ASSUMED, FROM PAST EXPERIENCE, THAT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WOULD KEEP HIM IN SIGHT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT AFTER A SERIES OF TURNS, WHILE ON AN EAST HEADING HE SAW ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AT APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET FROM HIM (HEADING TOWARDS HIM AT AN ALTITUDE SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN HIS). ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT AFTER THE IMPACT HE SAW N319RL FALLING TO THE GROUND. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS ABLE TO PERFORM A FORCED LANDING AT A COW PASTURE. DURING THE FORCED LANDING, N203DD, HIT A SMALL SANDBANK, MOMENTARILY BECAME AIRBORNE, AND LANDED WITH THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT POINTING 90 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT OF THE DIRECTION OF LANDING. N203DD RECEIVED ADDITIONAL DAMAGES TO THE WINGS, EMPENNAGE, AND ENGINE COWLING.
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.