Corona Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Corona, California 92880
Sunday, December 11, 2005 15:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A Boeing B75N1 (Stearman) and a Cessna 172 collided in mid-air while both were on final approach for landing at a non-towered airport. The Stearman was practicing takeoffs and landings and was on its third circuit and already established on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. The Cessna was returning to the airport. The Cessna pilot reported hearing the Stearman pilot radio that he (the Stearman) was entering the traffic pattern. The Cessna pilot further reported that he entered the downwind, but did not see the Stearman, nor did he hear any further radio calls from the Stearman. The Stearman pilot reported that while on short final approach he saw a right wing lifting up from below towards his left wing and attempted to arrest his airplanes' descent; however, the Stearman collided with the top of the Cessna. The Cessna was forced to the ground and rolled to a stop alongside the runway. The Stearman aborted the landing and reentered the pattern after verifying with another airborne pilot that his airplane was structurally intact. The Stearman landed uneventfully. Both pilots reported that the airport was very busy, and that the radio frequency, shared by other local area airports, was congested. Ground witness observed the Stearman on final approach, with the Cessna entering final approach below and behind the Stearman. On short final approach, the Cessna overtook the Stearman and both airplanes collided. One air witness stated that he heard the Stearman pilot making position reports on all legs of the pattern during the approach, and did not hear the Cessna pilot make any radio transmissions.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of both pilots to see and avoid each other during traffic pattern operations at a non-towered airport.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/11/2005
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Corona
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92880
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 335300N
Event Location Longitude 1173615W
Event Location Airport Corona Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AJO
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 533
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID CNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 652
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 21106
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Dec 11 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 WP-RAL-FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N65696 N7187T
NTSB Number LAX06LA056A LAX06LA056B
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? No --
Damage Substantial Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Boeing Cessna
Aircraft Model B75N1 172A
Aircraft Series Identifier -- --
Aircraft Serial Number 75-2628 46787
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950 2200
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class -- --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No 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 Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 1 2005 12:00AM Feb 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50 129
Airframe Hours 580 7579
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name Martin E. Benson Robert L. Heer
Aircraft Owner Street Address -- --
Aircraft Owner City Huntington Beach Corona
Aircraft Owner State CA CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92648 91720
Operator is an individual? Yes Yes
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? -- --
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 Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code AJO --
Departure City Corona Corona
Departure State CA CA
Departure Country USA USA
Departure Time 1445 --
Departure Time Zone PST PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code AJO AJO
Destination City -- --
Destination State -- --
Destination Country -- --
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2007 4:48PM Jan 10 2007 4:48PM
User who most recently changed record COOS COOS
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25 25
Runway Length 3200 3200
Runway Width 60 60
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --