Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Independence, Missouri 64050
Tuesady, January 20, 1987 12:28 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE TWO ACFT, A BEECH U-21A AND A PIPER PA-31-350, COLLIDED NEARLY HEAD ON AT 7000 FT MSL OVER INDEPENDENCE, MO. IN DAYLIGHT VMC CONDITIONS WITH A VISIBILITY OF 20 MILES. THE U-21 WAS IN LEVEL CRUISE AND THE PA-31 WAS CLIMBING EASTBOUND TO AN UNDISCLOSED ALT ENROUTE TO SAINT LOUIS. BOTH ACFT WERE EQUIPPED WITH OPERATING MODE-C TRANSPONDERS BUT THE CONTROLLER IN CONTACT WITH THE U-21 DID NOT OBSERVE THE CONFLICT AND TRAFFIC ADVISORIES WERE NOT PROVIDED. THE PA-31 WAS OPERATING IN ACCORDANCE WITH VISUAL FLT RULES. THE U-21 WAS OPERATING IN ACCORDANCE WITH INSTRUMENT FLT RULES. AFTER THE COLLISION BOTH ACFT CRASHED IN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT EITHER ACFT TOOK ANY EVASIVE ACTION. THE CONFLICT ALERT SUBPROGRAM OF THE ARTS III TRACKING SYSTEM WAS NOT PROGRAMMED TO ALERT THE CONTROLLERS TO THE IMPENDING COLLISION AND THE TWO CONTROLLERS DID NOT OBSERVE ANY TARGET IN THE VICINITY OF THE DATA BLOCK REPRESENTING THE U-21. (SEE NTSB/AAR-88/01).

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/20/1987
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1228
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City INDEPENDENCE
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 64050
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 1
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1247 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 288
Weather Observation Facility ID MCI
Elevation of weather observation facility 1025
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 6
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 6
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 112
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 20 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32628
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:35PM
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 N60SE USA
NTSB Number DCA87MA020A DCA87MA020B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Armed Forces
Type of Flight Plan filed None IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Destroyed Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None Ground
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER BEECH
Aircraft Model PA-31-350 U-21A-BH
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31-350 U-21A-BH
Aircraft Serial Number 31-8352010 LM-62
Certified Max Gross Weight 7000 9650
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil Military
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7 6
Number of Engines 2 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Dec 23 1986 12:00AM --
Airframe hours since last inspection 30 --
Airframe Hours 891 10729
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated Yes No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name SACHS ELECTRIC CO. --
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 96 --
Aircraft Owner City ST. LOUIS ANNISTON
Aircraft Owner State MO AL
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63166 --
Operator is an individual? -- No
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 --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation 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) Executive/Corporate --
Second Pilot on Board No Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code MKC ANB
Departure City KANSAS CITY ANNISTON
Departure State MO AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1221 944
Departure Time Zone CST CST
Destination Same as Local Flt -- --
Destination Airport Code SUS FLV
Destination City ST.LOUIS FT. LEAVENWORTH
Destination State MO KS
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb - to cruise Cruise - normal
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM Feb 19 2004 1:06PM
User who most recently changed record dbo NTSB\HAMG
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 -- --