What happened
Both the Piper PA-28 (N9044J) and the Piper PA-38 (N91357) were established on final approach to runway 26 when they collided approximately one-quarter mile from the runway threshold. The impact occurred at an altitude of roughly 200 feet above the ground.
Following the incident, both pilots reported that they had announced their position on the UNICOM frequency. However, multiple witnesses monitoring the radio communications stated that they only heard the pilot of the PA-38 reporting her position. The pilot of the PA-28 did not appear to have made a corresponding announcement.
The investigation
Examination of the aircraft revealed critical discrepancies in radio settings. The radios on the Piper PA-28 (N9044J) were found tuned to the UNICOM frequency of the departure airport, rather than the frequency for the destination airport where the collision occurred.
Findings
The investigation determined that the pilots failed to maintain adequate separation. Contributing factors included the failure of the PA-28 pilot to monitor the correct radio frequency and the resulting lack of positional awareness relative to the other aircraft on final approach.