Neither Pilot Saw The Other Aircraft

A mid-air collision which occurred last August in Wyoming happened because the pilots of the two aircraft involved simply did not see each other, according to a probable cause report released Tuesday by the NTSB.

NTSB Identification: LAX08FA265A, LAX08FA265B
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, August 10, 2008 in Rock Springs, WY
Probable Cause Approval Date: 7/14/2009
Aircraft: CESSNA R172K, registration: N758NH, Cirrus Design Corp. SR22, registration: N8341
Injuries: 3 Fatal.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The failure of both pilots to see and avoid each other's aircraft.

On August 10, 2008, about 1223 mountain daylight time, a Cessna R172K, N758NH, and a Cirrus SR22, N8341, collided in midair about 5 nautical miles northwest of the Rock Springs-Sweetwater County Airport (RKS), Rock Springs, Wyoming. Both airplanes were destroyed by impact damage and fire. The student pilot, sole occupant of the Cessna, and the private pilot and passenger in the Cirrus were killed. The Cessna was registered to, and operated by, Franklin Aviation, Rock Springs. The Cirrus was registered to Renard Argent, Inc., Wilmington, Delaware, and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. Both airplanes were operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The Cessna departed Rock Springs Airport about 1155 on a local solo instructional flight for the purpose of practicing maneuvers; no flight plan was filed. The Cirrus departed Polson, Montana, about 0955, on a personal cross-country flight to Rock Springs; an IFR flight plan was filed and activated.

File Photo

At 1219, the Cirrus pilot reported the airport in sight and was cleared for the visual approach. The sector 5 radar controller issued traffic advisories for numerous targets in the vicinity of Rock Springs and approved a change to advisory frequency, advising the pilot to cancel his IFR flight plan on his frequency or through Flight Service. The pilot responded by stating, "all right 8341 will start a report over your frequency when I get the other targets any idea what they are using there for runways?" At 1220:20, the controller stated that he did not know which runway was in use, and issued the current surface wind report for Rock Springs. The controller then issued another traffic advisory, advisory stating, “right now I’m showing one target it’s ah ah will be your eleven oclock your one oclock and ah about one zero miles north ah well primarily eastbound east north eastbound altitude indicates niner thousand five hundred." At 1220:47, the pilot responded, "8341 thank you." There was no further contact with the Cirrus.

Radar data was provided by the FAA and was obtained from the Rock Springs Air Route Surveillance Radar, located approximately 15 miles south of the airport. The data indicates that the Cessna was maneuvering northwest of the Rock Springs Airport, and the Cirrus was approaching the airport from the northwest while descending. Between 1219:59 and 1220:28, the Cessna completed a 180 degree turn from a southwesterly heading to a northeasterly heading. From 1220:27 to 1222:22, the Cessna maintained a northeasterly heading, climbed from 9,300 to 9,800 feet msl, and leveled out. About 1222:22, the Cessna turned approximately 20 to 30 degrees right and continued on that heading, level at 9,800 feet msl, until the last radar return recorded at 1222:42. From 1220:27 to 1222:42, the Cirrus descended from 11,300 to 9,700 feet msl on a heading of about 130 degrees magnetic. The data depict the two airplanes converging nearly perpendicular to one another. From 1220:50 to 1222:42, the Cirrus had an average ground speed of 195 knots and was descending at an average rate of 740 feet per minute. The Cessna had an average ground speed of 108 knots for the same time frame. The data suggests the collision took place about 1222:52, at an altitude of about 9,800 feet msl or about 3,300 feet above ground level (agl). According to local authorities, several witnesses reported seeing a cloud of smoke and flaming debris falling to the ground.

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The Cessna pilot, age 54, held a third-class medical and student pilot certificate that was issued on January 1, 2008. The certificate was issued with the limitation: must have glasses available for near vision. On the back of the certificate, there were endorsements for solo flight in Cessna R172K airplanes and for solo cross-country flight in airplanes dated April 10, 2008, and May 1, 2008, respectively. Review of the Cessna pilot's logbook revealed that he had accumulated 64.3 hours of total flight time of which 11.6 hours were solo.

The Cirrus pilot, age 67, held a private pilot certificate with single engine land and instrument airplane ratings. His most recent first-class medical certificate was issued on April 25, 2007, with the limitation: must wear corrective lenses. On January 2, 2008, he completed a biennial flight review in the accident airplane.

Review of the Cirrus pilot's logbook revealed that he had accumulated 1,434.8 hours of total flight time of which 1,316.4 hours were as pilot-in-command. The pilot had flown 671.3 hours in Cirrus SR22 airplanes. He had flown 22 hours in the 30 days preceding the accident.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov