- Date
- September 11, 1992, 14:57 local (19:57 UTC)
- Place
- Greenwood, IN
- Injuries
- 6 fatal, 2 serious
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 16, 1993
- Report
- Board-adopted at Board Meeting
- Investigation class
- Class 1
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- FAA reports
- 19920911036531A19920911036532A
- Case key
- 15958
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 inherent limitations of the see-and-avoid concept of separation of aircraft operating under visual flight rules that precluded the pilots of the MU-2 and the PA-32 from recognizing a collision hazard and taking actions to avoid the midair collision. Contributing to the cause of the accident was the failure of the MU-2 pilot to use all the air traffic control services available by not activating his instrument flight rules flight plan before takeoff. Also contributing to the cause of the accident was the failure of both pilots to follow recommended traffic pattern procedures, as recommended in the airman's information manual, for airport arrivals and departures. (NTSB report AAR-93/05)
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 PA-32, N82419, had been receiving ATC radar services en route to the Greenwood muni arpt. Radar services were terminated 3 mi from the arpt. The MU-2, N74FB, had just taken off from the arpt, and had reported to ATC in anticipation of receiving his IFR clearance. The flight had not yet been identified on radar. The two airplanes collided aprx 2 mi from the arpt at 2,100 ft MSL. The collision took place just outside and to the east of the indianapolis airport radar service area (arsa). The MU-2 track was 066 deg, and the PA-32 track was 174 deg. The pax/plt on the PA-32 took control of the airplane & was able to make a controlled landing. Guidance for traffic pattern operations & recommended arrival and departure procedures is found in the airman's information manual.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N74FB
- Reported as
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-60
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 770S.A.
- Airframe hours
- 4,098
- Engine
- Garrett TPE331-10-511, 900 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Executive/Corporate · Part 91
- Operator
- Solar Sources Inc.
- Registered owner
- Solar Sources
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · May 29, 1992 · 76 hours before
- Destination
- COL · Columbus, OH
- Airport
- Greenwood Muni
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
- N82419
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-301
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-8006074
- Airframe hours
- 2,416
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1G5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Raf Flying Servies
- Registered owner
- Control Systems Engineering
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 31, 1992 · 53 hours before
- Departed
- Indianapolis, IN
- Airport
- Greenwood Muni
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 N74FB
- Age
- 68
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 19,743 total · 9,000 in this make and model · 92 in the last 90 days
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N82419
- Age
- 54
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,224 total · 150 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- IND, 12 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.