Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Florence, Alabama 35630
Sunday, July 1, 1990 17:23 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOTS OF TWO SIMILAR PA-38-112 AIRPLANES WERE FILED FOR SEPARATE VFR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHTS. AFTER AN INTERMEDIATE STOPOVER AT AN AIRPORT AWAY FROM HOME BASE, THE TWO AIRPLANES JOINED UP AND BEGAN FLYING IN FORMATION. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE TRAILING AIRPLANE (N2409K) COLLIDED WITH THE LEADING AIRPLANE (N2437K) FROM THE REAR WHILE MANEUVERING. IMPACT, PAINT AND RUBBER TRANSFER MARKS INDICATED THAT N2409K COLLIDED WITH N2437K FROM THE REAR, RIGHT SIDE. THE FLIGHT SCHOOL FROM WHICH THE PILOTS WERE ENROLLED EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED FORMATION FLYING OF ANY TYPE. THE PIC'S OF EACH AIRPLANE HAD LOGGED ABOUT 118 HOURS EACH PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, AND HAD RECEIVED THEIR PILOT CERTIFICATES THE MONTH PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOTS AND PILOT RATED PASSENGERS WERE ALL SPANISH CITIZENS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND OF N2409K TO MAINTAIN SAFE SEPARATION FROM N2437K DURING UNAUTHORIZED FORMATION MANEUVERING. OVERCONFIDENCE IN PERSONAL ABILITY AND THE EXECUTIVE OF UNAUTHORIZED FORMATION FLIGHT ON THE PART OF BOTH PILOTS-IN-COMMAND WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT. THE LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE OF BOTH PILOTS-IN-COMMAND WAS ALSO A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/1/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1723
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City FLORENCE
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35630
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 7
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1654 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID MSL
Elevation of weather observation facility 550
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.9
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 982
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 1 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1923
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42204
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:38AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N2409K N2437K
NTSB Number ATL90FA139A ATL90FA139B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Destroyed Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-38-112 PA-38-112
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-38-112 PA-38-112
Aircraft Serial Number 38-79A0620 38-79A0634
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670 1670
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 2 2
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 14 1990 12:00AM Jun 11 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25 20
Airframe Hours 7138 6500
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated Unknown Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name BOLIVAR AIRCRAFT SALES, INC. BOLIVAR AIRCRAT SALES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 229 P.O. BOX 229
Aircraft Owner City BOLIVAR BOLIVAR
Aircraft Owner State TN TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38008 38008
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 Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code HSV HSV
Departure City HUNTSVILLE HUNTSVILLE
Departure State AL AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1641 1640
Departure Time Zone CDT CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt -- --
Destination Airport Code M08 M08
Destination City BOLIVAR BOLIVAR
Destination State TN TN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length 0 0
Runway Width 0 0
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --