- Date
- June 11, 1995, 18:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Levelland, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 16, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 19270
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
The failure of the pilot of the other aircraft to maintain clearance during a formation flight. A factor was the lack of experience in the type of operation.
The failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain clearance during a formation flight. A factor was the lack of experience in the type of operation.
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
During a formation flight one airplane maneuvered to the left and below the other airplane. After their positions were attained, the lower airplane rolled his airplane into a steep turn to the right. The airplane in the turn collided with the other airplane. The pilots reported they wanted photographs of the maneuver. Both pilots were communicating by means of the aircraft radios.
During a formation flight one airplane maneuvered to the left and below the other airplane. After their positions were attained, the lower airplane rolled his airplane into a steep turn to the right. The airplane in the turn collided with the other airplane. The pilots reported they wanted photographs of the maneuver. Both pilots were communicating by means of the aircraft radios.
Factual narrative
See narrative for FTW95IA243A.
On June 11, 1995, at 1800 central daylight time (all times in this report will remain in central standard time), a Cessna 150L, N10964, and a Cessna 150M, N66362, sustained minor damage during a midair collision near Levelland, Texas. Neither of the private pilots received injuries. The airplane was being operated by Steven C. Bernstein under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The local formation flight operated during visual meteorological conditions without flight plans.
The operator reported that both pilots were enrolled in a commercial/instrument pilot certification course. On the Pilot/Operator Reports the pilots stated the following information. Prior to the departure from the Levelland Municipal Airport, the pilot of N66362 agreed to photograph N10964 in a steep turn. The flights departed the airport at 1700 and climbed to a maneuvering altitude of 5,300 to 5,500 feet MSL.
The pilot of N66362 positioned the airplane above and to the right of N10964. The pilot of N10964 maneuvered the airplane into a steep turn (45 degree bank) to the right. During the completion of the steep turn, the outboard section of the left wing tip of N10964 struck the lower wing surface and the outboard end of the left aileron of N66362. Both airplanes returned to the airport and landed at 1800 without further incident.
Examination of the airplanes by the owner/operator and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the left wing tip of N10964 was crushed and the navigation light was missing. Scratches were found about 1.5 feet inboard from the left wing tip of N66362, a dent extended from the leading edge of the wing through the forward half of the left aileron with the skin separated at the rivet heads.
During interviews, conducted by the FAA inspector, both pilots stated that they did not have any prior experience in formation flying.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N10964
- Reported as
- Cessna 150L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15074173
- Airframe hours
- 9,062
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Steven C. Bernstein
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 23, 1995 · 103 hours before
- Departed
- Q24
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
- N66362
- Reported as
- Cessna 150M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15075994
- Airframe hours
- 8,980
- Engine
- Continental 150M, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Steven C. Bernstein
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 15, 1995 · 17 hours before
- Departed
- Q24
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 N10964
- Age
- 21
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 123 total · 121 in this make and model · 33 as pilot in command · 80 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N66362
- Age
- 20
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Unknown
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 166 total · 100 in this make and model · 100 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 315° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
Other investigations on N10964 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.