Incident Overview
A Cessna 172, white with blue and gray trim, was in cruise flight crossing the east shoreline of a lake in a southeasterly direction when the pilot felt a "lump or thud" near the rear of the airplane. The Cessna 172 had collided with a Cessna 152, white with blue and gold trim. After the collision, the Cessna 172 pilot felt air entering the cabin from the left door and noted that the airplane required excessive right rudder to maintain directional control. The Cessna 172 proceeded to a nearby airport and landed without further incident.
Cessna 152 and Occupants
The Cessna 152 entered an uncontrolled descent and impacted the lake. On board were a flight instructor and a student pilot practicing pre-solo flight maneuvers.
Aircraft Damage and Evidence
The Cessna 172 exhibited longitudinal red and blue paint transfer markings starting at the left wing strut and extending aft along the exterior lower half of the pilot's door, which was compressed inward 5 inches. The witness marks continued aft along the left fuselage and empennage, ending approximately 1 foot forward of the horizontal stabilizer. A vertical propeller slash was observed on the belly of the Cessna 172, initiating 3 feet forward of the tail tie-down ring and extending aft 2 feet. Two puncture holes were noted on the upper right side of the empennage, corresponding to where the Cessna 152's propeller blade tip exited the airframe skin after severing one of the Cessna 172's rudder cables.
Debris from the Cessna 152 was found in two locations. Inside the Cessna 172's cabin floor were the shattered red navigational light lens, shattered clear strobe light lens with its coil, and sections of the Cessna 152's left wing-tip cap. Along the shoreline of the lake, a separate debris field contained sections of the left wing-tip cap, a 4-foot section of aileron control surface, and the strobe light power box attached to a 2-foot section of left wing skin.
Time and Visibility
Official sunset for the accident area occurred at 1802, 7 minutes after the accident. The pilot of the Cessna 172 reported clear visibility with haze in the direction of the setting sun.