Incident Overview
Description
A DHC-6, N931MA, OPERATING AS TRANSWORLD EXPRESS FLT 7591 (TWE 7591) & A CESSNA 172N, N737EV, COLLIDED ABT 10 MILES WEST/SOUTHWEST OF PALMDALE, CA AT ABT 5500 FT MSL. TWE 7591 WAS DESCENDING ON A 355 DEG MAG HEADING; N737EV WAS LEVEL AND WAS MAINTAINING A 060 DEG MAG HEADING. THE CAPT ABOARD TWE 7591 WAS FLYING THE AIRPLANE & THE FIRST OFFICER OBSVD N737EV JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT AND TOOK THE CONTROLS AND EXECUTED AN ABRUPT RIGHT TURN; THE CAPT THEN CONTINUED THE DESCENDING RIGHT TURN BUT TO NO AVAIL – THE AIRPLANE’S LEFT WING COLLIDED WITH N737EV. THE PLT OF N737EV REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT SEE TWE 7591 UNTIL THE COLLISION. THE CONVERGENCE ANGLE OF 7591 WAS 53 DEG AND 62 DEG FOR 737EV. BOTH AIRPLANES LANDED SAFELY – TWE 7591 LANDED AT WILLIAM J. FOX ARPT, LANCASTER, CA. & N737EV LANDED AT PALMDALE ARPT. Findings 1. (C) VISUAL LOOKOUT – INADEQUATE – PILOT IN COMMAND 2. (C) VISUAL LOOKOUT – INADEQUATE – PILOT OF OTHER AIRCRAFT
Primary Cause
Pilot in command’s inadequate visual lookout due to insufficient situational awareness during the critical phase of the descent.Pilot in command’s inadequate visual lookout due to insufficient situational awareness during the critical phase of the descent.Share on:
