Introduction
On August 5, 2016, about 1340 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 210-5 airplane (N1839Z) and a turbine-powered de Havilland DHC-2T Beaver (N30CC) collided in midair while landing at Wasilla Airport (PAWS), Wasilla, Alaska. The certificated flight instructor and student pilot aboard the Cessna sustained minor injuries, while the commercial pilot and passenger on the Beaver were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The Cessna, registered to Flying High, LLC, was operated by the student under 14 CFR Part 91 for an instructional flight. The Beaver, privately owned, was operated by the pilot under Part 91 as a personal flight. Neither aircraft was on a flight plan.
Flight History
The Cessna instructor reported that he and the student departed Merrill Field, Anchorage, about 1230 for basic instrument training before proceeding to PAWS for landing practice. The student completed three stop-and-go landings on runway 4 using the published right traffic pattern. The instructor used the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) 122.80 MHz to announce positions. During the accident landing, just as the student began the flare, a loud noise occurred and the airplane abruptly nosed down, impacting the runway. Neither pilot aboard the Cessna saw or heard the other aircraft. The landing and navigation lights were on.
The Beaver pilot stated that he and his passenger departed Leisurewood Airstrip, about 5 miles northwest of PAWS, about 1340 for Healy, Alaska. He conducted a straight-in final approach for runway 4. While on final, about 70 ft above ground level over the runway threshold, the Cessna overtook the Beaver from above, impacting the propeller. The pilot continued the approach, landed, and steered off the runway into 5-ft vegetation to avoid the Cessna. He reported using the CTAF before and after entering final. Neither he nor the passenger saw or heard the Cessna. The landing and navigation lights were on.
Aircraft Information
The Cessna 210-5, manufactured in 1962, was a fixed-gear, high-wing, single-engine airplane with seating for two pilots. It was powered by a Continental IO-470 reciprocating engine. The Beaver, manufactured in 1964, was a tailwheel/ski-equipped, high-wing, single-engine airplane with seating for one pilot and nine passengers. It was powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 turbine engine. Both aircraft were equipped with required communication equipment; neither was equipped with automatic dependent surveillance–broadcast (ADS-B).
Wreckage and Impact
Postaccident examination revealed that the initial impact occurred between the empennage of the Cessna and the propeller assembly of the Beaver. The Cessna's empennage sustained substantial damage, rendering the aircraft uncontrollable and causing it to impact the runway. The Beaver pilot maintained control but the aircraft sustained substantial damage from the Cessna impacting its right wing. No preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions were found on either aircraft.
Communications
A CTAF recording obtained from a private individual showed the Cessna instructor making position reports during the three previous traffic patterns. No transmissions were heard from the Cessna during the accident approach. The Beaver pilot made two transmissions: one indicating inbound from the north 3 miles out, and a second stating "Wasilla Area Traffic, Beaver Charlie-Charlie will be entering a -- coming in from the north left will be 4, Runway 4, Wasilla."
Tests and Research
On August 10, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) tested the Cessna's two radios at PAWS. The Garmin GNS 430 transmitted and received clearly. The Narco COM 11A transmitted weakly but received clearly. No malfunctions were found with the communication control device. Further testing on August 23 at an avionics repair station found no malfunctions with the radios or the communication control device. Examination of the Cessna's maintenance records showed no uncorrected mechanical discrepancies. OpsVue track data indicated convergence of the flight paths about 0.80 miles southwest of the approach end of runway 4, but precise altitudes could not be confirmed.