What happened
On July 26, 2010, a mid-air collision occurred near Feildings Aerodrome involving two Cessna 152 aircraft engaged in flight training. One aircraft, carrying a solo student pilot, was climbing away from the aerodrome circuit. Simultaneously, a second aircraft, carrying an instructor and a student pilot, was returning to the circuit. The two planes collided at an altitude of approximately 1,300 feet.
The impact caused the aircraft carrying two occupants to lose a portion of its wing, rendering it uncontrollable. The aircraft subsequently crashed and was destroyed, resulting in two fatalities. The second aircraft sustained engine damage during the collision, causing the engine to fail. However, the solo pilot managed to glide the plane back to Feilding Aerodrome, performing a successful landing despite extensive damage to the aircraft. The pilot escaped without injury.
The investigation
Investigators examined the flight conditions and the operational environment at the time of the accident. Both aircraft were operating under visual flight rules (VFR) within uncontrolled airspace. A specific altitude constraint of 1,500 feet was in effect, as higher altitudes were reserved for controlled airspace serving Ohakea and Palmerston North Aerodromes. This restriction effectively compressed the traffic density near Feilding, forcing aircraft into closer proximity than usual.
While the pilots were performing the necessary radio transmissions to announce their positions and flight paths, the investigation found that the crews failed to recognize their converging paths in time. The surviving pilot did not observe the other aircraft prior to the impact, and it could not be determined if the crew of the second aircraft saw the solo pilot.
Findings
- The collision was driven by a failure in the see-and-avoid process, a fundamental requirement for VFR flight.
- Pilots may have failed to hear or properly comprehend the radio calls made by the other aircraft.
- A lack of effective radio monitoring prevented the pilots from building an accurate mental picture of surrounding traffic.
- The 1,500-foot altitude limit increased the risk by forcing aircraft into a tighter vertical space.