Midair Collision Between Piper and Cessna During Visual Approach (N43450)

Incident Overview and Approach Sequence A Piper and a Cessna were both inbound to the same airport in visual meteorological conditions (VMC). The Cessna pilot reported to the local controller (LC) that he was 1 mile south of a published reporting point located 13.5 miles to the northeast of the airport. The LC directed the pilot to report entering a left downwind, and the pilot continued on a southerly heading for 4 miles before turning right to a southwesterly heading. The Piper pilot then contacted the LC and reported 10 miles to the north of the airport. The LC directed the Piper pilot to enter a left downwind, stating, “Cessna four five zero republic report entering left down,” and the Piper pilot acknowledged, “left downwind for runway one ninner.” ## Traffic Advisory and Collision The LC subsequently informed the Cessna pilot that he had possible traffic off his eleven o’clock position at a half-mile westbound at 1,000 feet. The Cessna pilot responded, “seven two mike looking for traffic.” Forty-one seconds later, the Piper pilot informed the LC of the collision and declared an emergency. ## Controller Account and Regulatory Context In an interview with the National Transportation Safety Board, the LC stated that he scanned the runways, traffic pattern, final approach course, and the remote automated radar display (RACD), when he noticed two VFR targets northeast of the field close to one another. Assuming the target on a southwesterly heading was a VFR helicopter passing to the north of the airport, the LC issued possible traffic to the southbound aircraft, assuming it was the Cessna pilot when it was actually the Piper pilot, and the Cessna pilot acknowledged the traffic call. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Order 7110.65, Air Traffic Control, paragraph 2-1-1, Air Traffic Service, states that the primary purpose of the ATC system is to prevent a collision between aircraft operating in the system and to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide support for National Security and Homeland Defense. It adds that the ATC system has the capability to provide, with certain limitations, additional services, and that the provision of additional services is not optional on the part of the controller, but rather is required when the work situation permits. According to the FAA, traffic advisories to VFR aircraft are considered an additional service. In addition, paragraph 2-1-21, Traffic Advisories, states that, unless an aircraft is operating within Class A airspace or omission is requested by the pilot, controllers should issue traffic advisories to all aircraft (IFR or VFR) on their frequency when, in their judgment, their proximity may diminish to less than the applicable separation minima. Where no separation minima applies, such as for VFR aircraft outside of Class B/Class C airspace, or a TRSA, controllers should issue traffic advisories to those aircraft on their frequency when, in their judgment, their proximity warrants it.