Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Tacoma, Washington 98335
Tuesady, November 20, 2007 12:34 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
A Cessna 182A airplane and an American Champion Aircraft 7GCBC airplane collided in midair around 1,500 feet mean sea level (msl) during cruise flight. The pilot of the Cessna 182A said that he was level at 1,500 feet msl on a northwesterly heading and saw a blue and white high wing airplane crossing in front of his immediate position and pitched the airplane upwards just prior to colliding with the other airplane. After the collision, the pilot determined that his airplane was still controllable and he was able to continue flight and land at the airport he originated from. The pilot stated that prior to the collision, he was monitoring both the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency and the tower frequency from another nearby controlled airport, and was also conducting a visual scan of the area with the intention of switching to the tower frequency for his destination airport to monitor local area traffic. The pilot of the American Champion Aircraft 7GCBC reported he was in level cruise flight at an altitude of 1,500 feet msl on a southwesterly heading towards his destination airport when he heard a loud bang followed by a sudden loss of directional control. The pilot stated that the airplane remained flying; however, it was in a 15-degree descending left bank despite opposite control inputs. The pilot initiated a forced landing into the waters of a bay. Both the pilot and passenger exited the airplane as it started to sink. Prior to the airplane sinking; the pilot noticed that the vertical stabilizer was missing. The pilot added that prior to the collision, he had established contact with the tower controller at his destination airport. Review of radar data revealed that the Cessna 182A was on a northwesterly heading and the American Champion Aircraft 7GCBC on a southwesterly heading on converging paths. The Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM), Section, 7-5-2 -- VFR in Congested Areas, recommended that when operating VFR in congested areas, "extra vigilance be maintained."
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of both pilots to maintain an adequate visual lookout during cruise flight.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/20/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1234 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | Tacoma |
| Event State | WASHINGTON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 98335 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | Yes |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 471609N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1222705W |
| 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 | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1304 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 240 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | TIW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 294 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 6 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 4000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1700 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 7 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 20 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.48 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 23204 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 21 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 31 2008 11:52AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Seattle, Washington |
Aircraft Involved |
||
|---|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
Aircraft #2 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6147B | N707BS |
| NTSB Number | SEA08LA031A | SEA08LA031B |
| 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 | No |
| Damage | Substantial | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna | American Champion Aircraft |
| Aircraft Model | 182A | 7GCBC |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 34147 | 1240-98 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2650 | 1800 |
| 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 | 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 | May 1 2007 12:00AM | Oct 1 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3168 | 439 |
| ELT Installed | Yes | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No | -- |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No | No |
| ELT Type | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Kerwyn E. Williams | Jules Bresnick / Karen Mitchell |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Sequim | Bellevue |
| Aircraft Owner State | WA | WA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 98382 | 98004 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes | No |
| Operator Name | -- | Thomas Vincent Torchia |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- | -- |
| Operator City | -- | Kent |
| Operator State | -- | WA |
| Operator Country | -- | USA |
| Operator Zip code | -- | 98042 |
| 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 | No | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PLU | S36 |
| Departure City | Puyallup | Kent |
| Departure State | WA | WA |
| Departure Country | USA | USA |
| Departure Time | 1219 | 1215 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | CLM | TIW |
| Destination City | Port Angeles | Tacoma |
| Destination State | WA | WA |
| Destination Country | USA | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise - normal | Cruise - normal |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 4 2008 12:08PM | Mar 4 2008 12:08PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM | STAM |
| 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 | -- | -- |