Midair Collision · NTSB ERA16FA324
PIPER PA28 — North Collins, NY
| Date | September 25, 2016 |
| Location | North Collins, NY |
| Aircraft | PIPER PA28 |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Enroute-cruise Midair collision |
| Pilot age | 69 |
| Pilot total time | 793 hrs · Building experience |
| Time in type | 400 hrs |
| Fatalities | 3 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring other aircraft-Pilot - C
What happened
The accident airplanes were the first two of a flight of six that were travelling to another airport for the pilots and passengers to have breakfast together. The first airplane departed first as it was a slower airplane and required more time to fly to the destination airport. The second airplane departed about 1 minute 18 seconds later. Radar data indicated that that the second airplane was behind and to the left of the first airplane, until they collided at 3,500 ft mean sea level. It could not be determined why the pilot of the second airplane did not see and avoid the first airplane prior to the collision. Both airplanes then entered a near-vertical, nose-down descent. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the second airplane's propeller sliced through the first airplane's empennage, and the first airplane subsequently contacted the second airplane's left wing with its tire, severing an outboard section. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were identified with the wreckages of both airplanes that would have precluded normal flight.