Muni. Baldwin Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Quincy, Illinois 62301
Sunday, July 7, 1991 8:20 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOTS OF FOUR AIRPLANES TOOK OFF IN CLOSE INTERVAL FOR A FORMATION CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE LEAD AND SECOND AIRPLANES STEADIED AT CRUISE HEADING, ALTITUDE AND SPEED, WHILE THE THIRD AIRPLANE JOINED FROM BEHIND AND BELOW. AS IT CLOSED DISTANCE ON THE LEADER, THE THIRD AIRPLANE ARRIVED UNDER AND ROSE INTO LEAD'S RIGHT WING AND FUSELAGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL AFTER COLLISION. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO FLY FORMATION, AND INADEQUATE GROUP BRIEFING BY THE PILOT OF THE OTHER AIRPLANE, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/7/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 820
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City QUINCY
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 62301
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MUNI. BALDWIN FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID UIN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 180
Airport Elevation 769
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 749 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 1
Weather Observation Facility ID UIN
Elevation of weather observation facility 769
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 9000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 18
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 4
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 5
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 605
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44406
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:31AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N8498W N4349J
NTSB Number CHI91FA211A CHI91FA211B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Destroyed Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground None
Aircraft Explosion Ground None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-180 PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180 PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-2746 28-2749
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400 2400
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4 4
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 7 1991 12:00AM Jul 18 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 19 174
Airframe Hours 1177 2200
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated Yes Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name RAYMOND D. BUEHRLE ERNEST L. STURGEON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5013 DWYER RD. 1284 KEW GARDEN CT.
Aircraft Owner City ST. CHARLES FLORISSANT
Aircraft Owner State MO MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63301 63031
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name RAYMOND D. BUEHRLE ERNEST L. STURGEON
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address 5013 DWYER RD. 1284 KEW GARDEN CT.
Operator City ST. CHARLES FLORISSANT
Operator State MO MO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 63301 63031
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown Unknown
Operator Certificate Number -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not -- --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight -- --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail -- --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 820 820
Departure Time Zone CDT CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt -- --
Destination Airport Code 3SZ 1HO
Destination City ST. CHARLES ST. CHARLES
Destination State MO MO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22 22
Runway Length 7097 7097
Runway Width 150 150
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --