- Date
- April 10, 1994, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Okeechobee, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 3, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19940410010991A19940410010992A
- Case key
- 37527
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
Both pilots misjudged their clearance from each other.
Both pilots misjudged their clearance from each other.
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
Three airplanes were flying formation performing aerobatics, and during a maneuver two collided. Both subsequently landed without further incident.
Three airplanes were flying formation performing aerobatics, and during a maneuver two collided. Both subsequently landed without further incident.
Factual narrative
Narrative the same as case number MIA94LA119A.
On April 10, 1994, about 1700 eastern daylight time, N78321, a Globe 9C-1B, registered to and operated by Michael P. Kennedy, and N80949, also a Globe 9C-1B, registered to and operated by Lowell E. Sterchi, collided in midair near Okeechobee, Florida, while on 14 CFR Part 91 aerobatic flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for either flight. Both airplanes were substantially damaged, and both pilots, the sole occupants of each airplane were not injured. The flights originated from the River Oak Acres Airport near Okeechobee, Florida, about 15 minutes before the accident.
Before departure a briefing was held regarding the maneuvers that were to be performed. While performing a maneuver, the airplanes collided, then landed uneventfully at the departure airport. A third aircraft was also performing the maneuver with them but was not involved in the collision.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N78321
- Reported as
- Globe 9C-1B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2321
- Airframe hours
- 4,050
- Engine
- Continental IO-360-C, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Kennedy, Michael P.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 5, 1994 · 23 hours before
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
- N80949
- Reported as
- Globe 9C-1B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1142
- Airframe hours
- 3,066
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sterchi, Lowell E.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 27, 1994 · 49 hours before
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 N78321
- Age
- 51
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,500 total · 1,320 in this make and model · 4,300 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N80949
- Age
- 51
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,091 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 2,014 as pilot in command · 49 in the last 90 days · 49 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FPR, 38 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.
Other investigations on N78321 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.