ANY INFO ON MIDAIR COLLISIONS ON FINALS

[IBob]

A colleague of mine (in NZ) faces Health & Safety prosecution following the midair collision of his aircraft and a club aircraft, apparently both on finals, which resulted in the deaths of both pilots.

I am doing what I can to help him prepare.

We are looking for similar instances, both here and overseas.

If anyone here knows of such instances, please let me know.

Thank you.

[APenNameAndThatA]

The way seem to be managing this is correct. If you leave stuff in the hands of lawyers, not much will happen. But you also need lawyers.

[turboplanner]

Go on to this site: Safety investigations & reports

Completed is probably best but you could check active as well for some preliminary comments

Probably best to search for Circuit as well as "Final" because you may find something useful there.

Before using it check the Australian regulation vs the NZ regulation. They could be the same or totally different or just different in some aspect that doesn't matter to this case.

It will help the lawyers if you can send them a copy of the NZ Act plus what each pilot did in relation to that Act i.e. this is not amateur judgement, but facts which the lawyers can work on.

If the NZ Act has been standardised to ICAO, then you have a whole raft of other countries to go looking in provided their regulations are ICAO compliant.

You can look at the huge NTSB database, but again you need to establish whether the US regulation for the specific incident matches the NZ regulation.

Edited August 3, 2020 by turboplanner

[Downunder]

https://www.theage.com.au/national/mid-air-collision-kills-ultralight-pilot-20071202-ge6fne.html

 

https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/36828/Review_of_midair_col.pdf

[IBob]

Thank you all for your input...all good stuff.

[pmccarthy]

It would take a while but you could browse the old crash comics at --> <title>Browse Items · Connecting the Nation

[Downunder]

I attended a casa safety seminar and there was a powerpoint presentation about circuit separation (or something). Anyway, one of the case studies was a midair on final.

The WA rep is listed here if you want to find it....

https://www.casa.gov.au/education/aviation-safety-advisors-asa

[facthunter]

The final approach is one of the most dangerous situations for a collision to happen. The most congested piece of Airspace you fly in. Nev

[Jim McDowall]

EASA Safety Review has some data (EASA publishes Annual Safety Review (ASR) - 2020 | EASA ). Also EAA has a lot of analysis of experimental category (and other) accident data.

[laserfly]

A colleague of mine (in NZ) faces Health & Safety prosecution following the midair collision of his aircraft and a club aircraft, apparently both on finals, which resulted in the deaths of both pilots.

I am doing what I can to help him prepare.

We are looking for similar instances, both here and overseas.

If anyone here knows of such instances, please let me know.

Thank you.

 

Hi at Dairy flat Auckland about 25 + years ago

 

2 Cessna 172 both joined on final

one on top of the other

1 crew dead top crew lived

 

cheers Hamish

[KRviator]

There was the fatal accident at Johnson Ck a couple years ago, caught on video.

 

[onetrack]

Interesting reference to (not using) polarised sunglasses in this prang ...

 

https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2002/aair/aair200200548/

[David Isaac]

Do a search on Tumby bay airfield in South Australia.

 

About 7 years ago a Grumman and a RAAus registered Jabiru 230 collided on final. The Jabiru was on the new CTAF frequency and the Grumman was on the old CTAF frequency they were in the circuit together and obviously neither heard the other's calls because of the frequency conflict. Classic reason to not change CTAFs unless absolutely necessary.

 

The impact occurred just as both aircraft were flaring for landing; the Grumman on top of the Jabiru. All crew survived; nothing short of a bloody miracle. The Jabiru pilot was an associate of mine. The Grumman propeller chopped the tail off the Jabiru.

 

There was another one at Cessnock NSW mid 80s that I remember.

 

There have been a significant number over the years and often are low wing on top of high wing.

[IBob]

Thank you David, and thank you all the other contributors. Your input is much appreciated.

[Butch]

Another good reason to use your radio !

 

Even if some users of this site tell you different.

 

The more info I hear on CTAF the safer I feel.........I fly in the country so most times it's not congested so why not broadcast to all in the circuit where you are and and what your intentions are ?

[M61A1]

Another good reason to use your radio !

Did you miss the fact that they were both using the radio....One on the new frequency and the other on the old frequency. I would suggest that using current documents and check them every time may have prevented this. Blase use of the radio could have been a factor...As in, I made my call, no one responded, must be ok, don't need to look.

 

No one here has said not to use your radio, but many of us think some use it unnecessarily too often.

I fly a lot in rural areas too, but on weekends, because discrete CTAF frequencies are few, 126.7 is cluttered and often has people talking over each other and making longwinded unnecessary calls.

Yes, I agree, if I'm not hearing anything on the radio, I get concerned and start checking....frequency, volume, headset connections etc.

[facthunter]

People sometimes knock the volume control down. If your "coming into the circuit call" is not acknowledged by anyone or you are not hearing anything, check your radio. Don't just assume nobody's there. Of course one of the worst things is giving your position incorrectly. People look where you SAY you are. Nev

[Butch]

Did you miss the fact that they were both using the radio..

No I didn't! ....you're right. It is basic airmanship to be on the right frequency for the CTAF.

 

Of course one of the worst things is giving your position incorrectly.

Tell that to the Asian students at our major flight school from Moorabbin with yellow aircraft! (that just shut down)