What happened
On the day of the accident, a Cessna 182 was traveling westbound while a Cessna 170 was on an easterly heading, attempting to enter the traffic pattern at an uncontrolled airport served with Unicom. The collision occurred in class G airspace approximately 7 miles west of the airport.
Witnesses located on Interstate 40 observed both aircraft traveling in opposite directions on a collision course at an estimated altitude of 1,000 feet above the ground. According to eyewitness accounts, the pilots of both airplanes attempted to avoid the impact by banking to their left. During the maneuver, witnesses saw one wing and various debris fall to the ground as both aircraft nosedived. The two airplanes came to rest in a nose-down attitude in cultivated fields located approximately 1/2 mile apart.
Weather conditions at the time of the accident included visibility in excess of 20 miles. An airline transport rated pilot who witnessed the event reported high cirrus clouds and noted that while the sun was setting, the clouds were obstructing the sun, preventing any glare.
Both aircraft were equipped with 2-way radio communication; however, due to damage sustained in the crash, the specific frequencies being monitored by each pilot could not be determined.