Mid-air collision Accident Beechcraft V35B Bonanza N6658R,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 145888
 
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Date:Monday 28 May 2012
Time:16:04
Type:Silhouette image of generic BE35 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Beechcraft V35B Bonanza
Owner/operator:Private
Registration: N6658R
MSN: D-10323
Fatalities:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:5 miles S of Warrenton-Fauquier Airport - KHWY, VA -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Training
Departure airport:Warrenton Fauquier Airport, VA (KHWY)
Destination airport:Warrenton Fauquier Airport, VA (KHWY)
Investigating agency: TSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
ABeechcraft V35B Bonanza (N6658R) and a Piper PA-28-140 (N23SC) were involved in a mid-air collision near Warrenton-Fauquier Airport, VA, USA.

The Beechcraft V35B Bonanza was in a shallow climb, heading southbound, in the vicinity of Warrenton, Virginia. The aircraft was operated under visual flight rules for the purposes of a biennial flight review. The Piper PA-28-140 (registration N23SC) was in level flight, also under visual flight rules, and was heading in a southeasterly direction. At 16:04:45 EDT, the aircraft collided approximately 1800 feet above sea level. The Beechcraft broke up in flight, and the pilot and flight instructor were fatally injured. There was a post-impact fire at the Beechcraft accident site. The pilot of the Piper, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, conducted a forced landing in a pasture, approximately 6 nautical miles south of the Warrenton-Fauquier Airport. The pilot sustained injuries, which required examination at a local hospital.

The pilot/owner of the Beech was an employee of the NTSB, and the pilot/owner of the Piper was an employee of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Under the provisions of Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation and by mutual agreement, the United States delegated the accident investigation to the government of Canada. The NTSB designated an accredited representative to the investigation on behalf of the United States, and the FAA designated an advisor to the accredited representative.

Findings as to causes and contributing factors
1.Neither pilot saw the other aircraft in time to avert a mid-air collision, likely due to the inherent limitations of the see-and-avoid principle.
2.Following the receipt of a conflict alert, the controller assessed that there was no conflict between the 2 visual flight rules (VFR) aircraft and therefore did not issue an immediate safety alert. Subsequently, the controller was busy communicating with several instrument flight rules (IFR) aircraft, which precluded further monitoring of the 2 VFR aircraft.

Findings as to risk
1.In the absence of a means of alerting visual flight rules (VFR) pilots to potential conflicts to enhance the current see-and-avoid technique, the risk for mid-air collisions remains.

Other findings
1.The lack of a shoulder harness in the Piper contributed to the pilot’s injuries during the forced landing.



Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: TSB
Report number: A12H0001
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 2 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

TSB

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
29-May-2012 09:54 Geno Added
02-Jun-2012 06:22 Certosino Updated [Time, Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative]
17-Jun-2012 20:05 Geno Updated [Time, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
09-Aug-2013 19:10 harro Updated [Location, Source, Narrative]
09-Sep-2014 15:06 Aerossurance Updated [Nature, Source, Narrative]
21-Dec-2016 19:28 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
24-Dec-2023 19:44 harro Updated [Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Accident report]

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