Accident Overview
At approximately 1345 Pacific Standard Time, the pilot of a Cessna 172N, registration N4603F, departed from Crest Airpark in Kent, Washington, on a local pleasure flight. About five minutes later, the pilot and one passenger of a float-equipped Cessna 180, registration N4908A, took off from Lake Meridan, also in Kent, for a local pleasure flight.
Collision Sequence
At around 1355, the two aircraft collided in flight and subsequently fell to the ground. A witness who observed both aircraft just prior to the collision estimated they were at about 500 feet above ground level when they struck each other. The witness stated that one aircraft appeared to be on a southwesterly heading while the other seemed to be traveling to the northwest. The witness did not observe any evasive action by either pilot and believed that neither pilot saw the other aircraft as they were converging.
Wreckage Examination
Examination of the wreckage revealed that the two aircraft collided left wing to left wing.
Aircraft Information
The Cessna 172N (N4603F) is a single-engine landplane, while the Cessna 180 (N4908A) was equipped with floats and operated from a lake. Both aircraft were on local pleasure flights without further itinerary details.