History of Flight
On May 31, 2013, at 1003 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28-181, registration N327PA, and a Cessna 172S, registration N2459K, collided in-flight approximately 3 miles west of Anthem, Arizona. Both aircraft were conducting instructional flights under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and both flight instructors and the student pilot sustained fatal injuries. The Piper, registered to Bird Acquisition LLC and operated by TransPac Academy, was substantially damaged. The Cessna, registered to Westwind Leasing LLC and operated as a rental airplane, was destroyed. Both aircraft departed from Phoenix Deer Valley Airport, with the Piper departing at 0917 and the Cessna at 0930.
Radar data showed two visual flight rules (VFR) tracks operating about 1 mile apart. The western track (the Piper) was at 2,500 feet msl and 106 knots ground speed, on a northerly heading before making a 180-degree right turn to a southerly heading. The eastern track (the Cessna) was at 2,600 feet msl and 92 knots ground speed, also on a northerly heading before making a left turn to a southwesterly heading. Both turns occurred simultaneously, and shortly after completion, the tracks intersected.
The wreckages were located near the radar intersection. The Piper impacted flat desert terrain in a flat and upright attitude with all essential components present. The Cessna wreckage was 468 feet southwest of the Piper, having impacted vertically with the engine and propeller embedded in the ground; the wings were crushed accordion-style from leading edges aft. The entire Cessna wreckage was consumed by a post-impact fire. Its vertical stabilizer and left elevator were found 1,152 feet north of the main wreckage.
According to TransPac flight instructors, the accident area is commonly used for practicing ground reference maneuvers due to the prominence and linear aspect of New River Road, typically performed at about 1,000 feet above ground level (approximately 2,700 feet msl).
Personnel Information
The Cessna pilot, aged 42, held a commercial pilot certificate with multiple ratings and a flight instructor certificate for airplane single engine land. He held a first-class medical certificate with the limitation that he must wear corrective lenses. His logbook was not located, but on a December 2012 application he reported 1,678 total flight hours in airplanes and 1,570 hours as pilot-in-command. The Westwind School of Aeronautics chief flight instructor stated that he was an Affiliate Instructor renting from Westwind, with 54 hours of billed rental time since August 2012.
The student pilot, aged 58, held a student pilot certificate and third-class medical certificate. Her logbook showed she had been flying since August 2012, with 49.3 hours of dual instruction, all from Phoenix Deer Valley Airport.
Aircraft Information
The Cessna 172S, serial number 172S10034, was a four-seat, high-wing, fixed-gear airplane manufactured in 2005. It was powered by a Lycoming IO-360-L2A 160-hp engine with a McCauley fixed-pitch propeller. Maintenance records show a annual inspection on April 19, 2013, at 3,920.0 hours total time; a 100-hour inspection on May 16, 2013, at 4,027.2 hours; and a 50-hour inspection on May 28, 2013, at 4,077.7 hours. Engine time since new was 6,962.5 hours, with 2,173.2 hours since overhaul.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The Cessna wreckage was located on flat desert terrain with cactus and scrub. It was inverted; the cabin and fuselage were consumed by fire. Wings were discolored and sooty. Three propeller slashes were found on the left wing, angled 30 degrees from the longitudinal axis, with 17-inch spacing. The vertical stabilizer and left elevator, found 1,156 feet north on a bearing of 349 degrees, showed no fire damage. The stabilizer had black witness marks consistent with tire material and blue paint transfer. The left elevator leading edge had a 22-inch semicircular crush.
The engine, severely fire-damaged, remained attached. Power train continuity was not established; the propeller flange had separated from the crankshaft. The propeller exhibited an s-bend and various scratches and bending.
The Piper wreckage was 468 feet away on a bearing of 280 degrees.
A collision angle and closure rate were calculated using radar ground speeds (106 and 92 knots) and propeller slash geometry, yielding a 72-degree angle and 116-knot closure rate. Propeller slashes on the Cessna's left wing and the presence of the Cessna's rudder balance weight in the Piper wreckage indicated the Piper was above the Cessna at impact.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsies were performed on both occupants of the Cessna. The flight instructor's cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries. Forensic toxicology showed no carbon monoxide, positive ethanol in muscle and various organs but not in brain, and negative for other drugs. The student pilot's cause of death was also multiple blunt force injuries; toxicology showed no carbon monoxide, positive ethanol in various organs but not brain, positive N-Propanol in gastric, heart, lung, and cavity blood, and negative for other drugs. Cyanide testing was not performed.
Additional Information
The Arizona Flight Training Workgroup (AFTW) has established a Phoenix Terminal Area chart overlay for training areas, including the area where the accident occurred, referred to as "the prison." The associated coordination frequency was 122.75 MHz. Pilot reports of radio traffic before the accident were inconsistent; some recalled heavy traffic, others light. One pilot heard the Cessna student making position reports, and another heard the Piper pilots announce asking if anyone was working ground reference maneuvers.