What happened
On the morning of the accident at Brown Field Municipal Airport (SDM) in San Diego, California, a Cessna 172 (registration N1285U) was performing touch-and-go landings. At the same time, an experimental North American Rockwell NA265-60SC Sabreliner (registration N442RM, call sign Eagle1) was approaching the airport for a full-stop landing.
At the time of the incident, the air traffic control tower was operating with a single controller position, as the local controller was supervising a trainee. While the trainee had been handling communications, the qualified controller had recently taken over the radio. The controller was managing a high volume of traffic, including nine different aircraft in the pattern.
As the N442RM aircraft was established on a right downwind for runway 26R, the controller mistakenly identified a different aircraft, a Cessna 172 (N6ZP), as the plane positioned to the right of the Sabreliner. The controller instructed the N6ZP pilot to perform a 360-degree turn, believing this would resolve a potential conflict. However, the aircraft actually positioned to the right of the Sabreliner was the N1285U.
Shortly after, the controller instructed the N442RM crew to turn base for landing. This instruction placed the two aircraft on a direct collision course. During the attempt to verify the position of the aircraft in the pattern, the Cessna 172 and the Sabreliner collided.
Findings
- The controller misidentified the aircraft positioned to the right of the Sabreliner, incorrectly believing it was N6ZP instead of N1285U.
- Incorrectly identifying the aircraft in the traffic pattern led the controller to issue a turn instruction to the wrong pilot, failing to clear the path for the incoming Sabreliner.
- There were no mechanical issues found in either aircraft that would have allowed for an avoidance maneuver.