History of Flight
On April 1, 2017, about 0846 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 170B, N8082D, and a Grumman American AA-5B, N425AE, were destroyed during an in-flight collision over Edgewater, Florida. The two pilots, both holding airline transport pilot certificates, were fatally injured. The airplanes were owned and operated by their respective pilots as personal flights under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. No flight plans were filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
The collision occurred during a recreational formation flight originating from Spruce Creek Airport (7FL6), Daytona Beach, Florida, about 0839, destined for Arthur Dunn Airpark (X21), Titusville, Florida. The formation included five aircraft: a Great Lakes biplane (flight leader), the accident Grumman, the accident Cessna, a Grumman AA-1C (Lynx), and an American Champion 8KCAB (Super Decathlon). All pilots were members of a pilot group based at 7FL6 and were flying to attend a monthly breakfast event.
Initially, the formation flew in a five-airplane "V" formation with the biplane at the apex. Due to sun glare, the flight leader decided to transition to a left echelon formation. He commanded the Cessna and the Lynx to cross from the right to the left behind the leader. Moments after the command, the flight leader saw a "flash" of something white at his 7:00 position. The Lynx pilot observed the Cessna moving left and, when it was almost in position behind the Grumman, saw parts and "vapor" approaching from the right. The Grumman then pitched up abruptly, and the Lynx pilot saw the Cessna's tail slew left before it disappeared. The biplane and Lynx broke formation. The flight leader saw the Cessna descending with its right wing folded over and reported the accident to air traffic control at New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport (EVB).
Witnesses on Interstate 95 saw the formation and observed part of a wing detach, one airplane tumbling tail low, and the other descending nearly straight down. Debris fell, including a piece landing on the I-95 median.
Pilots
The Cessna pilot, an airline transport pilot, held type ratings for Boeing 737, 757, 767, and 777, and Beechcraft 1900 and 300. He held a first-class medical certificate issued February 10, 2017, with no limitations. His total flight experience as of March 2017 was about 24,237 hours.
The Grumman pilot, also an airline transport pilot, held type ratings for Airbus A-330, Boeing 747, 757, and 767, Beechcraft 1900, and Cessna 510S. She held a first-class medical certificate issued October 19, 2016, with no limitations. She had accrued about 11,368 hours total flight experience as of March 2016.
Aircraft
The Cessna 170B was a four-seat, high-wing, tailwheel-equipped airplane powered by a 145-horsepower Continental O-300-A engine with a fixed-pitch propeller. Manufactured in 1952, its most recent annual inspection was completed October 1, 2016, at which time it had accumulated 4,596.8 hours.
The Grumman American AA-5B was a four-seat, low-wing, nosewheel-equipped airplane powered by a 180-horsepower Lycoming O-360-A4K engine with a fixed-pitch propeller. Manufactured in 1977, its most recent annual inspection was completed September 1, 2016, at which time it had 1,673.4 hours.
Weather
About one minute after the accident, weather at EVB (6 nautical miles north) included wind from 260° at 6 knots, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 5,000 ft, temperature 20°C, dew point 17°C, and altimeter setting 30.02 inHg. According to the US Naval Observatory, at 0840, the sun's altitude was 18.2° above the horizon with an azimuth of 94.7° east of north.
Wreckage and Impact
The debris field was about 1,036 ft long and 290 ft wide, with the Cessna and Grumman resting about 220 ft apart. The Cessna's aft fuselage separated forward of the empennage, with control cables entangled. Paint transfer marks matching the Grumman's trim were found on the Cessna's vertical stabilizer, right horizontal stabilizer, and right aft fuselage. The Cessna's right wing flap was found 397 ft away; the right aileron was partially missing, and the right wing structure showed propeller strike damage. The Grumman's wreckage was intact but heavily compressed, with the empennage folded forward. Propeller blade leading edges had gouges matching the diameter of the Cessna's aileron cables.
Background on Formation Flying at 7FL6
Since 1985, formation flights operated from 7FL6. By the time of the accident, over 100 pilots conducted extensive formation flights. Practice occurred Wednesdays and Thursdays, and Saturday breakfast flights involved groups of about 40 airplanes in flights of four. No oversight structure existed; the "Gaggle Flight Formation Group" was not a formal organization. Formation flying standards organizations like FAST and FFI had developed programs, but the Gaggle group had no structured training or proficiency evaluation. The group's manual offered minimal guidance, and no integrated credentialing program existed at the airport.