Account Indicates Aircraft Collided Head-On

Editor's Note: Below is the unedited transcript of the National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary report on last week's "miraculous" mid-air collision near Grand Junction, CO. As ANN reported, everyone onboard the Cessna 180 and Cessna 210 that came in contact survived the incident... a very fortuitous outcome, given the scenario described below...

NTSB Identification: CEN09LA031A
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, October 22, 2008 in Grand Junction, CO
Aircraft: CESSNA 180, registration: N3389D
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On October 22, 2008, at 0857 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 180, N3389D, registered to and operated by Meil Del Rio Grande, Inc. Monte Vista, Colorado, and a Cessna P210N, N731NX, registered to and operated by Mesa County, Grand Junction, Colorado, collided in mid air approximately 14 miles south of Grand Junction. N3389D was substantially damaged; N731NX sustained minor damage. The two occupants aboard N3389D and the four occupants aboard N731NX escaped injury. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. Both airplanes were being operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. N3389D was on a personal flight that originated at Del Norte (1V8), Colorado, at 0724, and was en route to Aberdeen (U36), Idaho, with a planned refueling stop at Vernal (VEL), Utah . N731NX was a public use (prisoner transfer) flight that originated at Grand Junction (GJT), at 0827, and was en route to Florence (1V6), Colorado. The pilot of N3389D did not file plan. The pilot of N731NX had filed and activated a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan.

According to the pilot of N3389D, he was descending westbound from 16,500 feet to 8,500 feet. As he passed 10,500 feet, he peered out the passenger window, hoping to catch a glimpse of deer. Approximately 10,000 feet, his passenger yelled and he saw N731NX approaching head-on. He dove his airplane, then felt an impact. The airplane yawed 270 degrees and began to roll right. He said had no rudder control and by using full left aileron, he was able to maintain a wings-level attitude. He made a forced landing in a field and the airplane nosed over. The pilot said that the top two-thirds of the vertical stabilizer was missing.

According to the pilot of N731NX, he was climbing eastbound between 9,500 and 10,500 feet when he heard a loud "bang" and thought he had struck a bird. He did not see the other airplane, nor did his passengers see the airplane. He elected to return to GJT to have the damage assessed. Upon extending the landing gear, a RED UNSAFE light illuminated for the nose gear. Control tower personnel confirmed the nose gear was not extended. After several unsuccessful attempts to lower the nose gear, the pilot landed the airplane. It skidded on its nose for approximately 300 feet before coming to a halt.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov