Incident Sequence
A Cessna 172P, registration N99064, was inbound for landing approximately 3 miles west of a shopping mall reporting point. The local controller instructed the pilot to enter a right downwind for runway 21 and to report the mall inbound for downwind. Around the same time, two aircraft—a Cessna 152 and a Cessna TR182, registration N6342T—were sequentially cleared for takeoff on runway 21 for right crosswind departures.
The local controller then informed the 172 pilot that there would be two aircraft making right downwind departures. The 172 pilot asked if the controller wanted him to perform 360-degree turns, but the controller replied to continue inbound and maintain visual from the traffic.
The controller issued traffic advisory about the inbound aircraft to the 182 pilot, who, along with his CFI, responded "negative contact." The controller then informed the 172 pilot that the first of the departing aircraft was now in a right crosswind turn. The 172 pilot replied, "I'm looking."
As the 182 pilot began his right turn, the controller advised that traffic would be at his 11 o'clock position, about 2 miles, northeast bound, and in the pattern. The 182 pilot reported still looking for the traffic. Meanwhile, the 172 pilot reported to the controller that he had a Cessna in front of him. The controller acknowledged and said there was additional traffic off his right wing that was currently in a right crosswind turn.
Shortly thereafter, the 182 pilot reported having "traffic in sight." The controller advised him to maintain visual from the traffic, then told the 172 pilot that the traffic had him in sight. The 172 pilot replied that he did not have the traffic in sight.
Reconstruction of the collision determined that the spinner and cowling of the 182 struck the right side empennage of the 172.
Airport Environment
Scottsdale Airport operates a visual flight rules Air Traffic Control Tower. The tower is equipped with D-BRITE, which obtains data from the Phoenix ASR-9 radar. Terrain restrictions prevent the radar from painting targets below 3,000 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL) in the Scottsdale area. The traffic pattern altitude at Scottsdale is 2,500 feet MSL. The D-BRITE system includes an automated conflict alert capability.