Incident Overview
During a target towing operation, two aircraft were established at 14,000 feet. The lead aircraft, N13MJ, maintained straight and level flight on autopilot while the chase aircraft, N47MJ, moved up along the left side to observe the target on the lead aircraft's left wing.
Sequence of Events
While moving forward and looking out the right window to see a light on the target, the chase pilot lost sight of the lead aircraft. He reduced power and, in the process of backing away, the chase aircraft struck the top of the lead aircraft's flying tail with its radome, jamming the flying tail. This caused the lead aircraft to pitch down and lose about 6,000 feet before recovering.
Emergency Landing
During the emergency landing of the lead aircraft, it pitched over when the landing gear was extended on short final, struck the ground hard short of the runway, bounced, and started porpoising. As the pilot added power for a go-around, the aircraft began to roll. Power was reduced, and after traveling about 5,000 feet down the runway, the main gear collapsed, causing the aircraft to veer off the runway.
The pilot of the chase aircraft was not military trained and had no formal formation flight training.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause includes multiple occurrences: (1) Midair collision due to improper aircraft handling by the pilot of N47MJ, failure to maintain clearance, and lack of total experience in type operation. (2) Loss of control due to distorted horizontal stabilizer and jammed elevator. (3) Uncontrolled altitude deviation. (4) In-flight collision with terrain/water during a precautionary landing. (5) Main and nose gear collapse due to overload during an aborted takeoff and go-around.