Overview
The herring season was scheduled to open at 1600 hours. According to witnesses, approximately 30 aircraft were circling in left turns over merging schools of herring while pilots and their respective boat crews awaited the opening signals. The aircraft were operating under a low overcast where the herring were merging near a shoreline.
Aircraft Involved
The collision involved two aircraft: a Piper PA-18, registered as N82554, and a Cessna 182H, registered as N4798U. Both pilots were engaged in spotting fish at the time of the incident.
Witness Accounts
Of the six witnesses who observed the collision, five agreed that the Cessna was converging from inside the radius of the Piper's turn. Witnesses described the flight activity over the fish at the opening of the herring season as "frantic," "chaotic," and "insane," referencing the lucrative rewards associated with the event.
Collision and Impact
The two aircraft collided while the pilots were spotting fish. After the collision, both aircraft impacted on a bluff near the shoreline.