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High Wing/ Low Wing

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NTSB Identification: SEA08LA057A
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, January 01, 2008 in Sonoma, CA
Aircraft: Piper PA 28-180, registration: N8037W
Injuries: 3 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On January 1, 2008, about 1430 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA 28-180, N8037W, and a Barnard/Stancil Glastar, N15EX, collided in flight at the Sonoma County Airport (OQ3), Schellville/Sonoma, California. Both pilots were operating the airplanes under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot of the Piper, the sole occupant, and the commercial pilot and one passenger of the Glastar, were not injured. The Piper sustained minor damage, and the Glastar sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for either flight.

According to the pilot of the Piper, he was landing at the airport to attend a fly-in. As he was approaching the runway to land, he heard a thump and then saw the Glastar climb out from below his airplane. He noted damage to the rudder of the Glastar. The Glastar pilot attempted to go around the landing pattern and land at Sonoma. However, due to control difficulties, the Glastar pilot flew to Napa County Airport, Napa, California, where he landed uneventfully.

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Everyone must believe in something, I believe that I will go flying.

Those photos are really great-- A fantastic job illustrating how stupid simple that type of accident can be.

Wow! Those are some amazing photos!

It just emphasizes two points:

1. Always have YOUR head on a swivel

2. Always fly defensively

Twice I've had a high-wing airplane taxi out for departure right in front of me while I was coming in on final. Each time it was a non-event. I just sidestepped and kept them in sight as they climbed out underneath me. Some people just get so caught up in the taxi, the runup, the checklist, the radio call, the impending takeoff...they forget to actually LOOK for traffic.

Initially the onus of responsibility should be on the airplane waiting to go. Once he drops the ball, hopefully the pilot on final will look out and notice someone taxiing into position and maneuver appropriately. The fact that BOTH pilots missed each others presence here...unacceptable.

It's easy to do: I remember one time when I was working on my CFI I was on final, and I was SO ABSORBED in concentration on whatever it was I was trying to do on final, I failed to notice that the guy who had been cleared for takeoff (with plenty of spacing initially) had pulled out onto the runway and come to a complete stop and just sat there. I progressed down final until finally my instructor said, in a most casual tone "What about that guy on the runway? Are you going to land on 'im?"

And I remember looking up and realizing that I had been looking RIGHT AT HIM but failed to take any action. Sometimes you just get so focused on the actual landing...well, like I said...unacceptable. Those guys are LUCKY. LUCKY, LUCKY, LUCKY.

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Inst: "So how far out so we make our initial call-up?"
Student: "10 miles"
Inst: "OK, let's make that call"
Student: "Airport Traffic, Cessna 172, 3 miles east..."

I think with all of the new avionics, G1000 and GPS systems, that it is really easy to stay in the cockpit. Especially during training when you are trying to figure it all out. This goes for instructors too.
Check out Safety Session #18-mid-air collision, it's not where you want to be.