Incident Overview
An in-flight collision occurred between two aircraft operating in a closed left-hand traffic pattern for runway 04. At the time of the mishap, there were four airplanes in the traffic pattern.
Sequence of Events
Both pilots received directions from the tower to follow preceding traffic. While established on final approach, one pilot reported the wrong position number, causing the second pilot to be unaware that three airplanes were on final. As the second pilot maneuvered from the downwind leg to the final approach, he lost situational awareness and did not anticipate the presence of the preceding airplane on final, resulting in an in-flight collision.
Visibility and Communication
The airplane involved was a high-wing type, which prevented the first pilot from visually clearing the area for the second aircraft as it rolled from base to final. The tower controller did not provide proper separation to either pilot.