- Date
- May 12, 1986, 20:11 local (May 13, 1986, 01:11 UTC)
- Place
- Blackwell, OK
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19860512044532A19860512044531A
- Case key
- 21904
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 pilot of N5878R, a Cessna 172G, had no previous experience in formation flying. The pilot of N2603E, an Aeronca 7AC, stated he had many hours of formation flying in the military during world war ii and has made an occasional formation flight since that date. However, he apparently has very little or no recent experience in that type of flying. The two pilots had pre-planned the formation flight which terminated in the subject accident, including hand signals to be used since they could not communicate by radio. The Cessna was to be the lead plane. The Aeronca was flying right wingman and gave the prearranged signal and crossed under the Cessna to come up on his left wing. The top of the Aeronca's right wing contacted the bottom of the Cessna's left wing. According to witnesses the altitude was 200 to 350 feet AGL. The Cessna pitched up, stalled, pitched steeply nose down and did not recover from the descent. The Aeronca dived, then made a climbing circle to the left and returned to the airport and made a successful landing.
The pilot of N5878R, a Cessna 172G, had no previous experience in formation flying. The pilot of N2603E, an Aeronca 7AC, stated he had many hours of formation flying in the military during world war ii and has made an occasional formation flight since that date. However, he apparently has very little or no recent experience in that type of flying. The two pilots had preplanned the formation flight which terminated in the subject accident, including hand signals to be used since they could not communicate by radio. The Cessna was to be the lead plane. The Aeronca was flying right wingman and gave the prearranged signal and crossed under the Cessna to come up on his left wing. The top of the Aeronca's right wing contacted the bottom of the Cessna's left wing. According to witnesses the altitude was 200 to 350 feet AGL. The Cessna pitched up, stalled, pitched steeply nose down and did not recover from the descent. The Aeronca dived, then made a climbing circle to the left and retruned to the airport and made a successful landing.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N5878R
- Reported as
- Cessna 172G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17253547
- Airframe hours
- 3,949
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Max J. Claybaker
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 13, 1986 · 3,949 hours before
- Departed
- OKS6 · Blackwell, OK
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
- N2603E
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7AC-6185
- Airframe hours
- 2,535
- Engine
- Continental A-65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- M. R. Quinn
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 7, 1986 · 1 hours before
- Departed
- OK56 · Blackwell, OK
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 N5878R
- Age
- 29
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 358 total · 355 in this make and model · 275 as pilot in command · 63 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N2603E
- Age
- 63
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 4,437 total · 326 in this make and model · 4 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 135° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.