- Date
- February 7, 2009, 14:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Fairmont, NE
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Defining events
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Midair collisionApproach-VFR pattern final: Midair collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 23, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Lincoln FSDO
- FAA reports
- 20090207001541A20090207001552A
- Case key
- 73341
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Probable cause
Both pilots' failure to see and avoid the other aircraft.
Both pilots' failure to see and avoid the other aircraft.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
N55502 · Piper PA28
N5757G · Cessna 150
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
N55502 · Piper PA28
N5757G · Cessna 150
Analysis
The pilot of N55502, a low-wing airplane, said that he was on final approach at about 400 feet above ground level when he felt a mild jolt and heard a noise. The pilot discovered a flat tire immediately after touchdown, but taxied to the ramp in that condition. The pilot said he was not aware of the collision until after the postflight inspections of both airplanes. The pilot of the other airplane, N5757G, a high-wing airplane, said that he saw the other airplane immediately after the collision and that he landed second and followed N55502 to the ramp. N55502 sustained minor damage to the left main gear wheel pant and left main tire. N5757G sustained minor damage to both propeller tips and superficial damage to the top of the right wing. Both pilots said that they had flown a standard traffic pattern and that they had been making position announcements on the multicom radio frequency of 122.900.
The pilot of N55502, a low-wing airplane, said that he was on final approach at about 400 feet above ground level when he felt a mild jolt and heard a noise. The pilot discovered a flat tire immediately after touchdown, but taxied to the ramp in that condition. The pilot said he was not aware of the collision until after the postflight inspections of both airplanes. The pilot of the other airplane, N5757G, a high-wing airplane, said that he saw the other airplane immediately after the collision and that he landed second and followed N55502 to the ramp. N55502 sustained minor damage to the left main gear wheel pant and left main tire. N5757G sustained minor damage to both propeller tips and superficial damage to the top of the right wing. Both pilots said that they had flown a standard traffic pattern and that they had been making position announcements on the multicom radio frequency of 122.900.
Factual narrative
On February 7, 2009, about 1400 central standard time, a Piper 28-180, N55502, registered to Blue Valley Flying Club, Inc., collided in-flight with a Cessna 150K, N5757G, registered to a private individual, when both airplanes were on final approach to landing on runway 35 at Fairmont State Airfield (FMZ), Fairmont, Nebraska. There were no injuries to the two pilots, who were the only persons onboard, and both airplanes sustained minor damage Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for either of the two 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flights. N55502 had departed Hebron Municipal Airport (HJH) Hebron Nebraska and N5757G had departed from Crete Municipal Airport (CEK) Crete, Nebraska. The pilot of N55502, the low wing airplane, was on final approach at about 400 feet above ground level (AGL) when he felt a mild jolt and heard a noise. The pilot discovered a flat tire immediately after touchdown, but taxied to the ramp in that condition. N55502 said he was not aware of the collision until after the post flight inspections of both airplanes. The pilot of N5757G, the high wing airplane, said he saw the other airplane immediately after the collision. He landed second and followed N55502 to the ramp. N55502 sustained minor damage to the left main gear wheel pant and left main tire. N5757G sustained minor damage to both propeller tips and superficial damage to the top of the right wing. Both pilots said they had flown a standard traffic pattern. Both pilots said they had been making position announcements on the multicom radio frequency of 122.900.
On February 7, 2009, about 1400 central standard time, a Piper 28-180, N55502, registered to Blue Valley Flying Club, Inc., collided in-flight with a Cessna 150K, N5757G, registered to a private individual, when both airplanes were on final approach to landing on runway 35 at Fairmont State Airfield (FMZ), Fairmont, Nebraska. There were no injuries to the two pilots, who were the only persons on board, and both airplanes sustained minor damage Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for either of the two 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flights. N55502 had departed Hebron Municipal Airport (HJH) Hebron Nebraska and N5757G had departed from Crete Municipal Airport (CEK) Crete, Nebraska. The pilot of N55502, the low wing airplane, was on final approach at about 400 feet above ground level (AGL) when he felt a mild jolt and heard a noise. The pilot discovered a flat tire immediately after touchdown, but taxied to the ramp in that condition. N55502 said he was not aware of the collision until after the post flight inspections of both airplanes. The pilot of N5757G, the high wing airplane, said he saw the other airplane immediately after the collision. He landed second and followed N55502 to the ramp. N55502 sustained minor damage to the left main gear wheel pant and left main tire. N5757G sustained minor damage to both propeller tips and superficial damage to the top of the right wing. Both pilots said they had flown a standard traffic pattern. Both pilots said they had been making position announcements on the multicom radio frequency of 122.900.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N55502
- Reported as
- Piper PA28 (180)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7305401
- Engine
- Lycoming O360, reciprocating
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- HJH · Hebron, NE
- Destination
- KFMZ · Fairmont, NE
- Airport
- KFMZ · Fairmont State Airfield, runway 35, 4,316 × 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
- N5757G
- Reported as
- Cessna 150 (K)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15071257
- Airframe hours
- 3,343
- Engine
- Continental O200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 2008 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- CEK · Crete, NE
- Destination
- KFMZ · Fairmont, NE
- Airport
- KFMZ · Fairmont State Airfield, runway 35, 4,316 × 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 N55502
- Age
- 80
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 26, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,601 total · 500 in this make and model · 2,556 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot, aircraft N5757G
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 7, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 56 total · 54 in this make and model · 15 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- KLNK, 40 nm away
Docket · 8
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 24, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.