Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wenatchee, Washington 98802
Saturday, October 23, 1999 13:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight instructor in the Cessna reported that the student was under the hood for the practice VOR approach. The flight was tracking inbound heading 285 degrees. About six miles from the airport, approximately 3,800 feet, and just prior to the final approach fix, the flight instructor was just about to announce their location when they felt a bump. The flight instructor did not see what they had collided with, and realized shortly thereafter that it was another aircraft. The pilot of the RV-6A, reported that he had just taken off from the airport and was climbing to cruise altitude on an easterly heading, when he suddenly saw the Cessna directly ahead and in his flight path. The pilot immediately pushed the nose down in a rapid descending right turn. The left wing tip of the RV-6A came up and collided with the bottom side of the Cessna's right wing tip. Both pilots reported that the weather was clear with haze. Both aircraft returned to the airport and landed without further incident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the pilots in both aircraft to maintain an adequate visual lookout. Haze was a factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 10/23/1999
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1320
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City WENATCHEE
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98802
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1255 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 285
Weather Observation Facility ID EAT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1249
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 977
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 23 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 12:00PM
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 N54844 N811KM
NTSB Number SEA00IA007A SEA00IA007B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Minor Minor
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna Kenneth Miller
Aircraft Model 172P RV-6A
Aircraft Series Identifier 172P RV-6A
Aircraft Serial Number 17275065 60008
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400 1800
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No Yes
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4 2
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 6 1999 12:00AM Jun 27 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 31 33
Airframe Hours 8737 108
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name WINGS OF WENATCHEE KENNETH J. MILLER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 200-F AIRPORT WAY 491 FORD ST.
Aircraft Owner City EAST WENATCHEE MANSON
Aircraft Owner State WA WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98802 98831
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Instructional Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code EAT EAT
Departure City
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230 1300
Departure Time Zone PDT PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere --
Destination Airport Code 4S3
Destination City JOSEPH
Destination State OR
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach Climb
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --