Incident Overview
A Cessna 152 and a Cessna 172 collided in mid-air while in a closed traffic pattern at Gillespie Field. The C-152 was occupied by a student and a flight instructor, while the C-172 was flown by a student pilot as the sole occupant. The C-172 had been cleared for takeoff with instructions to follow the C-152. A third aircraft was also in the traffic pattern at the time.
Traffic Pattern Sequence
After takeoff, the air traffic controller looked away to check on other traffic. When he looked back, neither aircraft was visible. He made several unsuccessful radio calls to both pilots. The student in the C-152 reported that he had turned crosswind as he came abeam of the third aircraft. Upon reaching pattern altitude, he began his downwind turn. While trimming the aircraft, he saw the C-172 approaching his position. He banked hard to avoid the aircraft but felt an impact.
Emergency Landing
The instructor attempted to take control of the aircraft, and with both pilots on the controls, they executed an emergency forced landing on a surface street. During the descent, the elevator control lost effectiveness, and the aircraft landed hard. No other mechanical abnormalities were reported before or after the collision.
Witness and Environmental Conditions
Witnesses reported that both aircraft were on a converging flight path. The student pilot in the C-172 was on his second solo flight but had not advised the controller of this fact. The controller did not specify that the C-172 was number 3 in the pattern. Haze was reported in all quadrants. Additionally, the Brite radar repeater in the tower cab is not capable of monitoring traffic on the south side of the airport due to terrain height.