What happened
On March 17, 2017, two Cessna 152 aircraft were conducting flight training operations out of the St-Hubert airport in Quebec. Each aircraft was operated by a single pilot. During the course of these training flights, the two aircraft collided in mid-air. Following the impact, both aircraft crashed into a shopping mall located in St-Bruno, Quebec.
The investigation
The investigation into the collision focused on the flight paths and the operational environment of the training flights. Investigators examined the circumstances leading to the impact and the subsequent crash at the commercial site. The analysis centered on the adherence to established flight parameters and the ability of the pilots to maintain visual separation.
Findings
The investigation established that the collision was driven by non-adherence to altitude restrictions and failures regarding the see-and-avoid principle. The collision resulted in one fatality and one serious injury among the pilots involved.