- Date
- February 12, 2000, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Clearwater, FL
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 20000212004642A20000212004641A
- Case key
- 48616
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain visual lookout during flight operations under Visual Flight Rules. A factor is that the pilot was not on the airport radio frequency.
The of other aircraft pilot's failure to maintain proper visual look out during flight operations under Visual Flight Rules.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The narrative is the same as ATL-00-LA-025A
According to eyewitnesses, the Cessna 152 had landed on runway 16, and was about 1500 feet down the runway when the Cessna 140A landed on top of the Cessna 152, striking the vertical stabilizer and collapsing the right main gear. The Cessna 140A came to rest on its nose. There were wrinkles in the empennage and firewall of the Cessna 140A.
Factual narrative
The narrative is the same as ATL-00-LA-025A
On February 12, 2000, at 1400 eastern standard time, a Cessna 152, N757XF, and a Cessna 140A, N5339C, collided while both airplanes were attempting to land on runway 16, at the Clearwater Air Park, in Clearwater, Florida. The Cessna 152 was operated by a Certified Flight Instructor, (CFI) and a student pilot, and The Cessna 140A, was operated by a private pilot. Both airplanes were operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and neither aircraft had filed a flight plan. Neither the CFI or the student pilot on board the Cessna 152 was injured, The pilot of the Cessna 140A was not injured. However, both airplanes sustained substantial damage. The Cessna 152 training flight departed Clearwater Air Park in Clearwater, Florida, at 1236. The Cessna 140A originated from Manatee Airport, Palmetto, Florida at 1330.
The CFI on board the Cessna 152 stated that he departed Clearwater Air Park at 1236 with a student pilot, and flew to the practice area west of Clearwater Air Park. At approximately 1340, they returned to Clearwater Air Park for closed traffic. The CFI stated that they entered the traffic pattern from the north, and made all radio calls on 123.0. After the first landing, they remained in the traffic pattern for runway 16. The CFI said they made a second landing on runway 16. After the landing the CFI recalled hearing the sound of metal bending. The CFI quickly applied full brakes, stopped the airplane, shut down the engine, and exited the airplane.
The pilot of the Cessna 140A said he departed Manatee Airport, Palmetto, Florida to Clearwater Air Park at 1330. He stated that he entered a mid-field downwind for runway 16, and made the necessary radio calls for the traffic pattern. He stated that he followed normal procedures for landing, and made all required radio calls for traffic advisory. According to the pilot of the Cessna 140A, he never saw the Cessna 152. The pilot of the Cessna 140A also said that when he flared over the runway his aircraft collided with the Cessna 152.
According to eyewitnesses, the Cessna 152 had landed on runway 16, and was about 1500 feet down the runway when the Cessna 140A landed on top of the Cessna 152, striking the vertical stabilizer and collapsing the right main gear. The Cessna 140A came to rest on its nose. There were wrinkles in the empennage and firewall of the Cessna 140A.
According to the FAA inspector, the Cessna 140A COM1 was tuned to 121.9 frequency. The airport radio frequency is 123.0.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N757XF
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15280080
- Airframe hours
- 4,541
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Brian Stirk
- Registered owner
- J Cr Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 2, 2000 · 13 hours before
- Departed
- CLW
- Airport
- CLW · Clearwater Airpark, runway 16, 3,300 × 75 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
- Registration
- N5339C
- Reported as
- Cessna C-140A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15459
- Engine
- Continental O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James F. Healey
- Departed
- CLW
- Airport
- CLW · Clearwater Airpark, runway 16, 3,300 × 75 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N757XF
- Age
- 29
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 604 total · 554 as pilot in command · 170 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N5339C
- Age
- 82
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,712 total · 3,011 in this make and model · 51 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PIE, 21 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.