Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Chandler Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Chandler, Arizona 85224
Friday, October 5, 2012 14:07 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During instructional flights with a flight instructor and a student pilot on board each airplane, a Piper Warrior and a Piper Arrow collided in midair during day visual meteorological conditions. The instructors reported that their students were simulating instrument conditions and were wearing view-limiting devices as they practiced instrument maneuvers. Both flight instructors reported that they saw the other airplane only moments before the collision and were not aware of other aircraft in the area.
Neither airplane was using flight following services nor did they have any radar guidance during the flight. A review of recorded radar data for the area depicted two targets on a southwesterly heading, one ahead of the other. The targets were spaced about 2 miles apart and both were at 4,000 feet mean sea level. The rear target, the Arrow, changed its southwesterly heading to a westerly heading, and shortly after, the target identified as the Warrior started a wide right turn. Both airplanes were flying toward each other when the Warrior’s right wing and the Arrow’s left wing collided.
After the collision, both airplanes subsequently made uneventful landings.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of both flight instructors to see and avoid the other airplane while providing instrument flight training, which resulted in a midair collision.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/5/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1407 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Chandler |
| Event State | ARIZONA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 85224 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | Yes |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | -- |
| Event Location Latitude | 330611N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1120315W |
| Event Location Airport | Chandler Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CHD |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 15 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1243 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1417 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 220 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KCHD |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1243 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 15 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 30 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Light and Variable |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.91 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KCHD 052117Z VRB03KT 35SM SCT200 33/03 A2991 RMK A |
| 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 | 4 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 31813 |
| 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 | Sep 5 2013 1:37PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
||
|---|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
Aircraft #2 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8115Q | N4184M |
| NTSB Number | WPR13LA004A | WPR13LA004B |
| 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 | PIPER | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28-161 | PA-28R-201 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-8016121 | 2844062 |
| 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 | Retractable | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 29 2012 12:00AM | Aug 29 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 2027 | 2144 |
| Airframe Hours | 3931 | 10734 |
| ELT Installed | Yes | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | TRIUMPH AVIATION LLC | AIRCRAFT GUARANTY HOLDINGS & TRUST LLC TRUSTEE |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | COLUMBUS | ONALASKA |
| Aircraft Owner State | OH | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 43235-7217 | 77360-2549 |
| Operator is an individual? | No | No |
| Operator Name | Chandler Air Service | AIRCRAFT GUARANTY HOLDINGS & TRUST LLC TRUSTEE |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- | -- |
| Operator City | Chandler | Mesa |
| Operator State | AZ | AZ |
| Operator Country | USA | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 85286 | 85215 |
| 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 | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No | No |
| Departure Airport Code | CHD | FFZ |
| Departure City | Chander | Mesa |
| Departure State | AZ | AZ |
| Departure Country | USA | USA |
| Departure Time | 1330 | 1230 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | CHD | FFZ |
| Destination City | Chander | Mesa |
| Destination State | AZ | AZ |
| Destination Country | USA | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 5 2013 1:26PM | Sep 5 2013 1:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- | -- |
| Runway Length | -- | -- |
| Runway Width | -- | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No | No |
| Medical Flight | -- | -- |