Aeronca 65-TL accident at Spokane, Washington, 26 Oct 1943 (NC-31333)

Accident narrative

On October 26, 1943, at approximately 10:18 a.m., two local instruction flights collided mid-air north of Calkins Air Terminal in Spokane, Washington. The collision resulted in fatal injuries to both solo student pilots and the destruction of both aircraft.

### The flights

The aircraft were an Aeronca 65-TL, registration NC 31333, flown by Thane Spahr, and a Waco UPF-7, registration NC 29984, flown by William Ryan. Both were War Training Service trainees holding student pilot certificates; Spahr had approximately 174 flight hours and Ryan had 236. The aircraft were operated by the Calkins Aircraft Company.

Spahr departed Calkins Air Terminal at 9:38 a.m. His instructor had given him verbal instructions to climb to 3,000 feet for high-altitude maneuvers, then descend to 500 feet for low-altitude practice. The instructor did not assign a specific practice area, leaving the location to Spahr's discretion, but assumed the student would use an area three miles west-southwest of the airport.

Ryan took off at 9:49 a.m., heading for a practice area eight miles north of the airport to practice a similar sequence of high and low-altitude maneuvers.

### The collision

At about 10:18 a.m., witnesses observed the two airplanes approaching each other from opposite directions at an estimated altitude of 500 feet. Both aircraft were in straight and level flight when they collided head-on. Neither plane was observed making any attempt to avoid the other, indicating the pilots apparently did not see each other. The aircraft interlocked and fell to the ground.

### What the investigation found

The Civil Aeronautics Board investigation found that the propeller hub of the Aeronca struck the right side of the Waco's engine. The wreckage was severely entangled and distorted, yielding little information about the condition of either airplane before the collision. However, the Board found no evidence of mechanical failure prior to the crash, nor any indication that either student was engaging in reckless or unauthorized maneuvers. Weather conditions were satisfactory and did not contribute to the accident. Both pilots were wearing parachutes, but their safety belts were found fastened, indicating no attempt was made to use them.

The Board examined the operator's procedures and found them lax. Students were permitted to select their own practice areas and determine what constituted overcrowding, making it impossible for the flight office to know how many aircraft were in a single area simultaneously. The operator had not implemented a War Training Service regional bulletin suggesting that definite practice areas be assigned to each airplane.

Furthermore, the operator had not fulfilled a contract clause requiring simulated traffic control in the absence of a control tower, as a local CAA representative had interpreted regulations to mean only certificated Air Traffic Control personnel could perform this function. The Board noted that the lack of effective traffic separation had resulted in another non-fatal collision between two aircraft landing at the same airport the previous day.

### Probable cause

The Board determined the probable cause of the accident was the "lack of vigilance of both student pilots in failing to observe and avoid the other."