Incident Overview
On an unspecified date and location, a Beech D-45 (registration N300SH) and a Beech T-34 (registration N5367G) were involved in a midair collision during a practice maneuver performed by the Lima Lima Flying Squadron. Both aircraft were destroyed upon impact with terrain.
Maneuver Description
The aircraft had departed in sequence from a six-ship delta formation to execute a maneuver known as a pop top break. In this maneuver, each aircraft departs the formation by entering a climbing 180-degree turn to follow the lead aircraft in trail. The sequence of departures is critical for safe execution.
Contributing Factors
A video recording of the accident flight revealed that the D-45 delayed its entry into the turn relative to the T-34's entry. The pilot of the T-34 stated that he did not see the D-45 prior to the collision. Notably, the human eye's visual field has a narrow area of approximately 10-15 degrees, which may affect visual detection. The Lima Lima Flying Squadron had not established procedures to recover or adjust for maneuvers that were not successfully completed as planned.