DEN05IA025

NTSB incident investigation · Blair-American USA · Fort Collins, CO · November 12, 2004

Incident · No injuriesIncident investigationFinal report
Date
November 12, 2004, 16:25 local (23:25 UTC)
Place
Fort Collins, CO
Injuries
2 uninjured
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N1518Blair-American USAN5531PCessna 152
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report June 8, 2005
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20041112033319I
Case key
60553

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.

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Probable cause

the Blair-American and the Cessna pilot's inadequate visual lookout, and student pilot's failure to give right-of-way to a landing aircraft, which resulted in a runway incursion and subsequent collision. Contributing factors include the student instructor's inadequate supervision, and the student pilot's failure to follow procedures/directives, diverted attention and inadequate radio communications.

the Blair-American and the Cessna pilot's inadequate visual lookout, and student pilot's failure to give right-of-way to a landing aircraft, which resulted in a runway incursion and subsequent collision. Contributing factors include the student instructor's inadequate supervision, and the student pilot's failure to follow procedures/directives, diverted attention and inadequate radio communications.

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.

Midair collisionLanding - flare/touchdown
Visual lookout - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Visual lookout - inadequatePilot of other aircraftCause
Procedures/directives - not followedPilot of other aircraftFactor
Diverted attentionPilot of other aircraftFactor
Radio communications - inadequatePilot of other aircraftFactor
Midair collisionTakeoff - roll/run
Visual lookout - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Visual lookout - inadequatePilot of other aircraftCause
Procedures/directives - not followedPilot in commandFactor
Diverted attentionPilot in commandFactor
Radio communications - inadequatePilot in commandFactor
Supervision - inadequateFlight instructor(on ground)Factor

Analysis

According to the pilot aboard the Blair-American, he was in the pattern behind a Piper and although he did not hear the Cessna, he was in radio communication with the Piper. He stated that he noticed a Cessna taxiing while he was on downwind for runway 33. He announced his intention to land several times while on "short final," and to advise the Piper that he was landing behind him. He became concerned that the Piper was still on the runway, but the Piper had cleared the runway before he reached the runway's threshold. With the Piper off the runway, he continued his approach, landed, and taxied to the ramp. The pilot stated that he did not see the Cessna move from the hold position and onto the runway. According to the pilot aboard the Cessna, she was holding short of the runway to allow a Piper to land. She said the Piper made a long, slow rollout. She then taxied into takeoff position. As she began her take off roll, she noticed that the Piper was still on the runway. She reduced power momentarily, and when the Piper cleared the runway, she applied full power and resumed her take off roll. At that moment, she noticed an airplane land in front of her. She reduced power, applied brakes, and stopped her airplane on the runway. According to the student pilot's instructor, the Blair-American flew over the Cessna and landed. The Blair-American continued its landing roll and taxied to the parking ramp. Airport personnel approached the pilot in the Blair-American, and informed him that he had struck another airplane during his landing. According to the FAA inspector, the Cessna sustained minor damage to one propeller blade, a ruptured left main landing gear tire, and a separated rotating beacon. The Blair-American had no discernible damage.

According to the pilot aboard the Blair-American, he was in the pattern behind a Piper and although he did not hear the Cessna, he was in radio communication with the Piper. He stated that he noticed a Cessna taxiing while he was on downwind for runway 33. He announced his intention to land several times while on "short final," and to advise the Piper that he was landing behind him. He became concerned that the Piper was still on the runway, but the Piper had cleared the runway before he reached the runway's threshold. With the Piper off the runway, he continued his approach, landed, and taxied to the ramp. The pilot stated that he did not see the Cessna move from the hold position and onto the runway. According to the pilot aboard the Cessna, she was holding short of the runway to allow a Piper to land. She said the Piper made a long, slow rollout. She then taxied into takeoff position. As she began her take off roll, she noticed that the Piper was still on the runway. She reduced power momentarily, and when the Piper cleared the runway, she applied full power and resumed her take off roll. At that moment, she noticed an airplane land in front of her. She reduced power, applied brakes, and stopped her airplane on the runway. According to the student pilot's instructor, the Blair-American flew over the Cessna and landed. The Blair-American continued its landing roll and taxied to the parking ramp. Airport personnel approached the pilot in the Blair-American, and informed him that he had struck another airplane during his landing. According to the FAA inspector, the Cessna sustained minor damage to one propeller blade, a ruptured left main landing gear tire, and a separated rotating beacon. The Blair-American had no discernible damage.

Factual narrative

See Narrative for DEN05IA025A.

On November 12, 2004, approximately 1625 mountain standard time, a Blair-American USA homebuilt airplane, N1518, piloted by a commercial pilot, collided with a Cessna 152, N5531P, piloted by a student pilot at Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Airport (FNL), Fort Collins, Colorado. The Cessna sustained minor damage and the Blair-American was not damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the incident. The Blair-American's cross-country flight and the Cessna's local solo flight were being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. Neither pilot was injured. The Blair-American's flight originated at Childress, Texas, approximately 1415. The Cessna's flight was originating at the time of the incident.

According to the pilot aboard the Blair-American, he was in the pattern behind a Piper and although he did not hear the Cessna, he was in radio communication with the Piper. He stated that he noticed a Cessna taxiing while he was on downwind for runway 33. He announced his intention to land several times while on "short final," and to advise the Piper that he was landing behind him. He became concerned that the Piper was still on the runway, but the Piper had cleared the runway before he reached the runway's threshold. With the Piper off the runway, he continued his approach, landed, and taxied to the ramp. The pilot stated that he did not see the Cessna move from the hold position and onto the runway.

According to the pilot aboard the Cessna, she was holding short of the runway to allow a Piper to land. She said the Piper made a long, slow rollout. She then taxied into takeoff position. As she began her take off roll, she noticed that the Piper was still on the runway. She reduced power momentarily, and when the Piper cleared the runway, she applied full power and resumed her take off roll. At that moment, she noticed an airplane land in front of her. She reduced power, applied brakes, and stopped her airplane on the runway.

According to the student pilot's instructor, the Blair-American flew over the Cessna and landed. The Blair-American continued its landing roll and taxied to the parking ramp. Airport personnel approached the pilot in The Blair-American, and informed him that he had struck another airplane during his landing.

According to the FAA inspector, the Cessna sustained minor damage to one propeller blade, a ruptured left main landing gear tire, and a separated rotating beacon. The Blair-American had no discernible damage.

Aircraft · 2

Registration
N1518
Reported as
Blair-American USA
Category
Airplane, amateur-built
Serial number
001
Airframe hours
2,488
Engine
Lycoming IO-360-B, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
No damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Milton D. Pinkston
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Last inspection
Annual · October 20, 2004 · 40 hours before
Departed
CDS · Childress, TX
Destination
FNL · Fort Collins, CO
Airport
FNL · Fort Collins-Loveland Municipa, runway 33, 8,500 × 100 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
N5531P
Reported as
Cessna 152
Category
Airplane
Serial number
15284969
Airframe hours
7,967.4
Engine
Lycoming O-235, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Minor damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
Colorado Contrails Aviation
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · October 29, 2004 · 17.7 hours before
Departed
FNL · Fort Collins, CO
Destination
FNL
Airport
FNL · Fort Collins-Loveland Municipa, runway 33, 8,500 × 100 ft, asphalt

Flight crew · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot, aircraft N1518
Age
73
Injuries
None
Certificates
Flight instructor, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Last flight review
May 5, 2003
Seat
Single
Flight hours
26,300 total · 2,000 in this make and model · 25,500 as pilot in command · 103 in the last 90 days · 45 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Role
Student pilot, aircraft N5531P
Age
19
Injuries
None
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
16 total · 14 in this make and model · 16 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
360° at 5 knots
Visibility
5 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
150 ft broken
Temperature
41 °F, dew point 30 °F
Altimeter
30.19 inHg
Observed at
KBJC, 34 nm away

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.