# NTSB WPR23LA129: Navion Navion A, N610, Mesa, AZ, March 17, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: March 17, 2023, 12:40 local (19:40 UTC)
- Place: Mesa, AZ · KFFZ
- Coordinates: 33.46, -111.73
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4600&lon=-111.7300&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining events: [Enroute-cruise: Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250); [Enroute-cruise: Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 106913
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR23LA129
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106913/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106913
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA129

## Probable cause (aircraft 1)

The pilot of the Ryan Navion’s failure to maintain visual sight of and clearance from another airplane during a formation flight, which resulted in a mid-air collision.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause), aircraft 1; cases with it: [Navion NAVION A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=6150104), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause), aircraft 1; cases with it: [Navion NAVION A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=6150104), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md)
- [Attention/monitoring: task monitoring/vigilance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause), aircraft 1; cases with it: [Navion NAVION A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md?model=6150104), [All aircraft, 330 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md)
- [Attention/monitoring: task monitoring/vigilance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot of other aircraft (probable cause), aircraft 2; cases with it: [Yakovlev YAK 52, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md?model=9830220), [All aircraft, 330 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute-cruise: Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250) (defining event), aircraft 1; cases with it: [Navion NAVION A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250/sequence.md?model=6150104), [All aircraft, 196 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250/sequence.md)
- [Enroute-cruise: Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250) (defining event), aircraft 2; cases with it: [Yakovlev YAK 52, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250/sequence.md?model=9830220), [All aircraft, 196 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250/sequence.md)

## Analysis (aircraft 1)

The pilot of a Yakovlev Yak-52 reported that he was in the number three position, off the lead airplane’s left wing while in a four-airplane formation flight. The pilot of the lead airplane initiated a left turn and the formation followed. While in the left turn, the pilot of the number three airplane felt “a bump” from underneath and observed the number four airplane pass under his right wing, and ascend toward the lead airplane. The pilot of the number three airplane realized there had been a mid-air collision, broke away from the formation to the left, and executed an emergency landing. The number three airplane’s right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot of a Ryan Navion reported that, he was in the number four position off of the number three airplane’s left wing in the four-airplane formation flight. The pilot of the lead airplane initiated a left turn and the formation followed. When the pilot of the number four airplane “felt to level off”, his airplane collided with the number three airplane from underneath. He then executed an emergency landing. The fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and rudder were substantially damaged. The pilots of both airplanes reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplanes that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft 1

- Registration: [N610](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N610-2023-09-02), registration cancelled 2023-09-02, S/N NAV-4-2066, built 1950 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: NAVION NAVION A
- Registry model: [Navion NAVION A](https://openairdocs.org/model/navion-navion-a) (registry code 6150104) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental E185 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-e185-series) (registry code 17014, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: NAV-4-2066
- Year built: 1950
- Airframe hours: 4450
- Engines: Continental E185 205 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, May 1, 2022
- Departed: KFFZ, Mesa, AZ
- Equipment: ADS-B

## Aircraft 2

- Registration: [N2504U](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2504U), registered now, S/N 878012, built 1987 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: YAKOVLEV YAK-52
- Registry model: [Yakovlev YAK 52](https://openairdocs.org/model/yakovlev-yak-52) (registry code 9830220) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Vedeneyev M14P](https://openairdocs.org/engine/vedeneyev-m14p) (registry code 63601, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 87-8012
- Year built: 1987
- Airframe hours: 976
- Engines: Vedeneyev M14P 350 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Ttd LLC
- Registered owner: Ttd LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, October 15, 2022, 26 hours before
- Departed: KFFZ, Mesa, AZ
- Equipment: ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator, Electronic primary flight display

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot, aircraft N610; age 89; injuries: serious; commercial, military; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 18, 2023; seat: left; flight hours: 16,000 total, 130 in this make and model
- Pilot, aircraft N2504U; age 55; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 12, 2022; seat: front; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 5,765 total, 223 in this make and model, 2,011 as pilot in command, 19 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: variable at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: KFFZ, 3 nm away
- METAR: KFFZ 171854Z VRB03KT 10SM CLR 18/07 A3000 RMK AO2 SLP143 T01830067=

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20230317007732A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230317007732A), Mar 17, 2023: Navion NAVION A, Mesa, AZ, Destroyed. The airman was in formation flight with three other aircraft. The airman was number four of the formation and positioned on the FAR left of the group. The…

## Docket (6 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 23, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106913. 5.5 MB in all.

- N2504U pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15419681&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR23LA129_N2504U_6120_flat_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- N610 pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 2, PDF, 11 pages, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15420741&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR23LA129_N610_6120_flat_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 726 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15431934&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR23LA129_damagephotos_508-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record a�� lead pilot N469WT, written statement (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 149 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15419572&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MemofRecord_LeadAirplaneN469WT_Scott%20Andrews_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record a�� passenger of airplane #3 N2504U, written statement (item 5, PDF, 2 pages, 101 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15421287&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MemofRecord_PassengerN2504U_DanielBrescia_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photo - in flight photo provided by passenger of airplane number three N2504U (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 287 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15431615&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR23LA129_inflightphoto_508-Rel.pdf

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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