N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rootstown, Ohio 44272
Friday, October 14, 2005 14:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A Lancair 235 airplane and a Cessna 172L airplane were destroyed when they collided in midair during day visual meteorological conditions. The Lancair departed on a personal flight from an airport approximately 38 miles south of the accident site, for a destination airport about 8 miles north-northwest of the accident site. Radar track data depicted the Lancair's flight path as north-northeast, on a direct path to the destination airport, at an altitude between 2,200 to 2,500 feet msl. The Cessna departed an airport about 15 miles west-southwest of the accident site, and flew eastbound with a flight instructor and dual student on an instrument training flight. Radar data indicated that the flight had numerous heading and altitude changes, consistent with the training mission. According to radar track data, during the final minute prior to the collision, the Lancair was on true course of about 356 degrees, with a ground speed of approximately 145 knots. The Cessna was on a true course of about 295 degrees, with a ground speed of approximately 100 knots, and an altitude of 2,300 feet. The relative angle as extrapolated from radar data, indicates that the Cessna would have been positioned about 45 degrees to the right of the Lancair's nose, and the Lancair would have been approximately 80 degrees to the left of the Cessna's nose. A witness to the accident stated that both airplanes appeared to be in straight and level flight prior to impact. Neither airplane was under air traffic control. Federal Air Regulations state that vigilance shall be maintained by each person operating an aircraft so as to see and avoid other aircraft. Postaccident inspection disclosed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies with either airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of both pilots to maintain an adequate visual lookout during cruise flight, which resulted in their failure to see and avoid each other and a midair collision.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/14/2005
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1405
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Rootstown
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 44272
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 410557N
Event Location Longitude 0811154W
Event Location Airport N/A
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1354 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 265
Weather Observation Facility ID AKR
Elevation of weather observation facility 1067
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.05
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
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) 21094
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Oct 14 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 26 2007 9:33AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-Cleveland FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N235U N7768G
NTSB Number CHI06FA010A CHI06FA010B
Missing Aircraft Indicator -- --
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 Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Plavcan Cessna
Aircraft Model Lancair 235 172L
Aircraft Series Identifier -- --
Aircraft Serial Number 001 17259468
Certified Max Gross Weight 1575 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class -- --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2 4
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 1 2004 12:00AM Sep 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 16.7 --
Airframe Hours 381.4 4519
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated -- --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name John P. Plavcan Hobart Aviation Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address -- P. O. Box 682
Aircraft Owner City Newbury Brunswick
Aircraft Owner State OH OH
Aircraft Owner Country USA USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 44065 44212
Operator is an individual? Yes No
Operator Name -- American Winds Flight Academy, Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes No
Operator Street Address -- 1600 Triplett Blvd.
Operator City -- Akron
Operator State -- OH
Operator Country -- USA
Operator Zip code -- 44306
Operator Code -- --
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? -- --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation -- --
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 Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code TSO AKR
Departure City Carrollton Akron
Departure State OH OH
Departure Country USA USA
Departure Time 1345 1315
Departure Time Zone EDT EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt -- dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 29G --
Destination City Ravenna --
Destination State OH --
Destination Country USA --
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 26 2007 9:50AM Jan 26 2007 9:50AM
User who most recently changed record SULP SULP
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA NA
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --