History of Flight
On December 6, 2008, at approximately 1630 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-44-180 (registration N118TP) and a Cessna 172R (registration N369ES) collided in midair about 18 miles west of Ft. Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport (FLL), Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. N118TP was owned by Airline Transport Professionals Corp of USA and was operated under visual flight rules (VFR) as an instructional flight. N369ES was owned by Pelican Flight School and was also operated as a VFR instructional flight. Both airplanes were substantially damaged. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and the certificated commercial pilot aboard N118TP were killed. The CFI and the certificated private pilot aboard N369ES were also killed. Both flights were conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
Both aircraft were operating in the A-291B concentrated flight training area prior to the collision. This area is depicted on the Miami sectional chart as special use airspace, active from 0600 to 2400, with flight altitudes from 0 to 3900 feet above ground level (agl). No air-to-ground communications were provided in this area.
According to the owner of Pelican Flight School, the Cessna's flight was intended to practice flight maneuvers before the private pilot's instrument checkride. Other instructors at the school reported hearing the Cessna's CFI make position reports on frequency 123.45, a frequency commonly used by flight schools in the local area. The Cessna pilot reported: "North Perry training area, this is a Cessna 172 holding at FRDDY at 2000 feet." No further transmissions from the Cessna were heard.
According to Airline Transport Pilot flight school personnel, the Piper's flight was to train the commercial-rated pilot for his multiengine instructor certificate. The aircraft departed FLL for a local training flight. No radio transmissions from the Piper while in the training area were reported. Instructors at the school were familiar with the 123.45 frequency.
Radar data from FAA Air Traffic Control indicated that the Cessna was on a magnetic course of 210 degrees at 86 knots, and the Piper was on a magnetic course of 160 degrees at 126 knots. Both aircraft converged at the same position at about 2,000 feet agl, north of the FRDDY intersection.
Personnel Information
N369ES (Cessna 172R)
- CFI (right seat): Age 25, held a certified flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane, issued July 7, 2007. He held a first-class medical certificate issued March 19, 2008. He reported 816 total flight hours.
- Pilot receiving instruction (left seat): Age 30, held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land rating, issued January 18, 2002. He held a second-class medical certificate issued August 22, 2006. His logbook showed 179 total flight hours.
N118TP (Piper PA-44-180)
- CFI (left seat): Age 21, held a certified flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane, issued November 10, 2007. He held a first-class medical certificate issued December 6, 2007. His logbook showed 920 total flight hours. He was employed by Airline Transport Pilot flight school.
- Pilot receiving instruction (right seat): Age 37, held a certified flight instructor certificate with airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane ratings, issued April 28, 2006. He held a second-class medical certificate issued December 11, 2006. He reported 1,156 total flight hours.
Aircraft Information
Cessna 172R (N369ES): Manufactured in 1997, four-seat, high-wing, fixed tricycle landing gear, powered by a Lycoming IO-360-L2A 160-horsepower engine. An annual inspection was conducted on September 2, 2008, at tachometer time 3,182.1 hours. The last 100-hour inspection was on November 6, 2008, at tachometer time 3,273.5 hours.
Piper PA-44-180 (N118TP): Manufactured in 1979, four-seat, low-wing, retractable tricycle landing gear, powered by two Lycoming engines: right side LO-360-F1A6D 180-horsepower, left side O-360-E1A6D 180-horsepower. An annual inspection was conducted on November 28, 2008, at tachometer time 7,719.4 hours.
Meteorological Information
Weather reported at North Perry Airport, about 5 miles east of the accident site, at 1553: wind from 230 degrees at 11 knots; visibility 10 miles; sky clear; temperature 26°C; dew point 16°C; altimeter 30.03 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The Cessna came to rest inverted in approximately 3 feet of water in the Everglades National Park. The right wing separated and was found about 100 feet east of the main wreckage. The Piper also came to rest in approximately 3 feet of water in the park. Both aircraft were about 18 miles west of FLL, with a separation distance of 2,463 feet. The Cessna was on a magnetic bearing of 229 degrees, the Piper on 140 degrees.
Examination of the Cessna revealed numerous paint transfer marks. The left fuselage had marks aft of the cabin door; the vertical stabilizer leading edge had blue and red transfer marks about 3 feet long; the right wing leading edge had red transfer marks near the tip. The Piper was painted white with red and blue stripes and a solid blue tail.
The Cessna fuselage was substantially damaged by impact. The firewall was pushed aft; the instrument panel fragmented; no instruments or avionics were observed. Flight control continuity was confirmed except for tension overload separations. The left wing had leading edge compression damage; the right wing had a diagonal crease. The vertical stabilizer leading edge was crushed about 8 inches.
The Piper fuselage was fragmented; the instrument panel crushed with no flight instruments. The nose gear was up and locked. Two transponders were recovered: one set to code 1200 in altitude mode, the other set to 2000 in the off position. Both wings sustained extensive damage; engines separated from nacelles; propellers exhibited bending. No evidence of preimpact flight control or mechanical failure was found in either aircraft.
Pathological Information
Autopsies were performed on all four occupants on December 9, 2008, by the Office of the Medical Examiner District-17. The cause of death for each was reported as "multiple blunt force trauma."
Toxicological testing by the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute found:
- Cessna CFI: 14 mg/dL ethanol in muscle, 17 mg/dL in kidney; putrefaction noted.
- Cessna private pilot: No ethanol or drugs detected.
- Piper CFI: 25 mg/dL ethanol in muscle, 21 mg/dL in heart; no ethanol in blood; 26 mg/dL methanol in blood; no putrefaction noted but recovery ~20 hours post-accident.
- Piper commercial pilot: 37 mg/dL ethanol in muscle; no ethanol in liver; 69 mg/dL methanol in muscle; putrefaction noted; norfluoxetine detected in liver (1.466 µg/mL) and kidney (0.25 µg/mL). Medical records showed no mention of medication or condition since December 11, 2006.