- Date
- October 8, 1983, 17:47 local (Oct 9, 1983, 00:47 UTC)
- Place
- Fresno, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19831008056952A19831008056951A
- Case key
- 24056
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
A flt of 5 north American SNJ-2 acft were on a flt from long beach to Fresno, CA. By prior arrangement, the lead plt in N61563 was to handle the radio communication with ATC facilities. During arrival at Fresno, the local controller inquired whether the group desired to be handled as a flt. The leader responded that the acft 'will land individually.' Thereafter #1 received clearance to land on rwy 29R. During the landing, the #1 plt turned off on hi speed taxiway 'm', but was instructed to hold short of rwy 29L. He acknowledged & complied with the instruction. The #2 plt in N60645 also landed on rwy 29R, about 2000 to 3000 ft behind #1. He too turned off on hi speed taxiway 'm'. But did not hear the holding instruction that was issued to N61563. Since the plt (#2) of the tailwheel equipped acft had a blind area over his nose, he did not realize he was converging on #1. Subsequently, #2 (N60645) collided with #1 (N61563) from the rear. The local controller did not inform the plt of N60645 that he was converging on N61563.
A flt of 5 north American SNJ-2 acft were on a flt from long beach to Fresno, CA. By prior arrangement, the lead plt in N61563 was to handle the radio communication with ATC facilities. During arrival at Fresno, the local controller inquired whether the group desired to be handled as a flt. The leader responded that the acft 'will land individually.' Thereafter #1 received clearance to land on rwy 29R. During the landing, the #1 plt turned off on hi speed taxiway 'm', but was instructed to hold short of rwy 29L. He acknowledged & complied with the instruction. The #2 plt in N60645 also landed on rwy 29R, about 2000 to 3000 ft behind #1. He too turned off on hi speed taxiway 'm', but did not hear the holding instruction that was issued to N61563. Since the plt (#2) of the tailwheel equipped acft had a blind area over his nose, he did not realize he was converging on #1. Subsequently, #2 (N60645) collided with #1 (N6L563) from the rear. The local controller did not inform the plt of N60645 that he was converging on N61563.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N61563
- Reported as
- North American SNJ-2
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2025
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-AN1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Skytypers, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 1983
- Departed
- LGB · Long Beach, CA
- Airport
- FAT · Fresno Air Terminal, runway 29R, 9,222 × 150 ft, concrete
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
- N60645
- Reported as
- North American SNJ-2
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 79-3993
- Airframe hours
- 3,560
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-AN1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Skytypers, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 1983
- Departed
- LGB · Long Beach, CA
- Airport
- FAT · Fresno Air Terminal, runway 29R, 9,222 × 150 ft, concrete
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 N61563
- Age
- 43
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 4,000 total · 2,900 in this make and model · 3,750 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N60645
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 27,700 total · 4,000 in this make and model · 7 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FAT
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N61563 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.