Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Vance Brand Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Longmont, Colorado 80504
Friday, March 23, 2012 11:43 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Radar track data depicted the accident airplanes on gradually converging flight paths prior to the accident. Immediately before the collision, the Cessna 172 appeared to be on a north-northeast course in level flight at 7,200 feet mean sea level (msl), and the Cessna 180 was in a gradual climb from 6,800 feet msl to 7,000 feet msl on a north course. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, with reported visibilities at 60 miles. Neither pilot was receiving air traffic control advisories at the time of the collision. The radar track associated with the Cessna 180 indicated that after the collision the airplane entered a 270-degree right turn before proceeding to the west. The Cessna 172 continued northbound, as it entered a descent and impacted the ground.
The pilot of the Cessna 180 airplane stated that she heard a loud bang during cruise flight and the airplane immediately pitched up and rolled into right bank. She subsequently determined that elevator control was limited. The pilot attempted to divert to a local airport, but was unable to land on a runway due to the impaired airplane control. She executed a forced landing to an open area adjacent to the airport. A witness reported that the right horizontal stabilizer of the Cessna 180 appeared to be bent down about 90 degrees at mid-span as the airplane approached for the forced landing. The outboard portion of the right horizontal stabilizer of the Cessna 180 airplane was structurally compromised, which resulted in a nearly complete loss of pitch control. The pilot of the Cessna 180 airplane retained marginal pitch control by varying engine power during the remainder of the flight.
A postaccident examination did not reveal any pre-collision failures or malfunctions associated with either airplane. The examination determined that the left aileron/wing of the Cessna 172 likely contacted the right horizontal stabilizer of the Cessna 180 in flight. The outboard portion of the left wing on the Cessna 172 was structurally compromised, rendering the airplane uncontrollable. Regulations required that each person operating an aircraft maintain vigilance so as to "see and avoid other aircraft."
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The inadequate visual lookout by the pilots of both airplanes, which resulted in a mid-air collision.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/23/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1143 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Longmont |
| Event State | COLORADO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 80504 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | Yes |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | -- |
| Event Location Latitude | 400913N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1050319W |
| Event Location Airport | Vance Brand |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | LMO |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 5055 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1155 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 181 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BJC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 5673 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 13 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 25000 |
| 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) | 60 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.02 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KEIK 231755Z AUTO 13007KT 10SM CLR 20/M08 A2999 K |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 30074 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 29 2012 4:49PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bakd |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
||
|---|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
Aircraft #2 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N10468 | N9325C |
| NTSB Number | CEN12FA199A | CEN12FA199B |
| 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 | Substantial | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 172S | 180 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 172S9817 | 31723 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- | -- |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 2 2012 12:00AM | Mar 12 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 62 | 1 |
| Airframe Hours | 1955 | 4209 |
| ELT Installed | Yes | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No | No |
| ELT Type | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | MountainAir Aviation Services LLC | Beverly J. Cameron |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Superior | Erie |
| Aircraft Owner State | CO | CO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 80027 | 80516 |
| Operator is an individual? | No | Yes |
| Operator Name | McAir Aviation LLC | Beverly J. Cameron |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- | -- |
| Operator City | Broomfield | Erie |
| Operator State | CO | CO |
| Operator Country | USA | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 80021 | 80516 |
| Operator Code | -- | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No | No |
| 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) | Instructional | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No | No |
| Departure Airport Code | BJC | EIK |
| Departure City | Broomfield | Erie |
| Departure State | CO | CO |
| Departure Country | USA | USA |
| Departure Time | 1132 | 1136 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | BJC | EIK |
| Destination City | Broomfield | Erie |
| Destination State | CO | CO |
| Destination Country | USA | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 26 2012 12:19PM | Jun 26 2012 12:22PM |
| User who most recently changed record | sort | sort |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- | -- |
| Runway Width | -- | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No | No |
| Medical Flight | -- | -- |