Accident Overview
On May 13, 2015, about 1930 central daylight time, an Aviat Pitts S-2B (N110PS) and an experimental amateur-built V STAR (N675GM) collided while landing on runway 36 at Tullahoma Regional Airport (THA) in Tullahoma, Tennessee. The Pitts sustained minor damage, while the V STAR was substantially damaged. The private pilot of the Pitts was not injured; the private pilot of the V STAR was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plans were filed for the local personal flights conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Pilot Statements
The pilot of the Pitts reported that he was approximately 2.5 miles southeast of runway 36 at 2,500 feet mean sea level when he switched his radio frequency from the THA automated weather observation system to the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF). While setting up for a 45-degree entry into the traffic pattern, he heard a radio transmission from another airport and then announced his own position. On downwind, he heard another transmission about an airplane approaching THA that would follow the Pitts. He then heard a faint transmission mentioning a red biplane on the runway, but without an associated airport. He saw no airplanes on runway 36 and continued his approach. After crossing the runway threshold, he heard a "bang" and felt a sudden deceleration; only after stopping did he realize he had collided with another airplane. The pilot had a GoPro HERO 3 video recorder attached to his helmet, which was sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory.
The pilot of the V STAR stated that he entered the downwind leg for runway 36 and announced his position on CTAF using the callsign "red biplane." He turned from base to final, announced his position on final, touched down normally, and was then impacted by the Pitts.
Witness Account
A witness, a flight instructor in a third airplane with a student, reported that he was flying in the traffic pattern. Using only a handheld radio and being distracted by teaching, he could not hear transmissions well. He recalled the Pitts pilot announcing being 7 miles out and entering the pattern on a 45-degree entry to downwind for runway 36. The V STAR pilot had been performing touch-and-go landings on runway 36 and remaining in the pattern. The witness only heard the V STAR pilot announce being on a half-mile final, though both pilots may have made additional transmissions he did not hear. The witness extended his crosswind leg to allow the faster Pitts to go ahead, noting the Pitts also turned base leg sooner than the V STAR, resulting in the Pitts overtaking the V STAR upon landing.
Video Analysis
Examination of the accident video revealed a duration of 7 minutes, 58 seconds. At about 3 minutes, 30 seconds elapsed time (ET), the Pitts pilot began a right turn into a path consistent with a 45-degree entry to the left downwind leg for runway 36. By 4 minutes, 14 seconds ET, the Pitts was on the left downwind leg. At 4 minutes, 23 seconds ET, the V Star was visible on a flight path consistent with final approach to runway 36, appearing as a small dull white flashing dot near a tree line. The camera's point of view oscillated, indicating the Pitts pilot was looking in various directions. At 4 minutes, 29 seconds ET, two seconds after the Pitts was abeam the runway numbers, the Pitts began a descending left turn. The V Star disappeared behind the Pitts' upper wing, reappeared left of the nose, and at 4 minutes, 38 seconds ET was centered just above the Pitts' nose—the last sighting until impact. At 5 minutes, 3 seconds ET, the red and white upper wing of the V Star was visible below and left of the Pitts' nose, one second before impact.
Weather Conditions
The recorded weather at THA at 1935 included calm wind, clear sky, and visibility of 10 miles.