What happened
On September 12, 1999, at 17:03 local time, a mid-air collision occurred near the Donaueschingen airfield. The first aircraft, a Reims Aviation F 150 L (C150), was conducting a cross-country flight from Tannheim for the purpose of renewing a pilot license. The aircraft was flying a planned navigation triangle and had intended to land at Donaueschingen for refueling.
Simultaneously, a Piper Aircraft Corporation PA 28-181 Archer II was conducting a private sightseeing flight with three passengers, having departed from Donaueschingen. As the C150 entered the airfield circuit from the southeast, it overflew the aerodrome and transitioned into the pattern.
During the maneuvers, the two aircraft collided. The left side of the PA 28's engine cowling struck the right side of the C1s0's fuselage, just below the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer. The impact of the PA 28's propeller severed the C150's fuselage. This structural failure caused the C150 to become uncontrollable, resulting in the aircraft and its tail section falling to the ground separately. The pilot of the C150 was killed in the crash. The occupants of the PA 28-181 were uninjured, though the aircraft sustained significant damage, including a 130 cm tear in the outer right wing.
The investigation
The BFU investigation relied on physical evidence from the collision marks on both aircraft and witness statements, as radar and radio recordings were unavailable.
Investigators determined the flight paths of both aircraft through reconstruction. The C150 was approaching from the rear-left at a speed of approximately 20 km/h relative to the Piper. The C150 was likely in a climb at the time of impact. The pilot of the PA 28 reported that a passenger first noticed a Cessna flying from right to left, but the pilot did not see the aircraft until it appeared in his peripheral vision, immediately before the collision.
Analysis of the C150 cockpit suggested that the pilot's view of the PA 28 was likely obstructed by the engine cowling and the high instrument panel of the C150, preventing him from recognizing the Piper as he approached from behind.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was that both pilots failed to identify the other aircraft in a timely manner.
- The pilot of the C150 was unable to see the PA 28 due to blind spots created by the aircraft's engine cowling and instrument panel.
- The pilot of the PA 28 failed to maintain adequate visual lookout, only noticing the approaching aircraft at the moment of impact.