Page 110 - EAA78.Newsletter.Archives.(February.2017-July.2021)
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CHAPTER CHATTER, EAA Chapter 78 13
At what distance from touchdown NTSB Identification: ERA15LA210A
does the pilot deploy the landing 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
gear? Accident occurred Wednesday, May 13, 2015 in Tullahoma,
TN
Probable Cause Approval Date: 11/19/2015
Generally, an airline flight will be following an Aircraft: AVIAT INC PITTS S-2B, registration: N110PS
Injuries: 1 Serious, 1 Uninjured.
instrument approach even if they’re visual. The
normal practice would be to select gear down NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of
when approaching the glideslope intercept,
about 1500 feet above the ground and about 5– this investigation and used data provided by various
6 nautical miles from the airport. sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
A red V Star biplane and a white Aviat Pitts biplane collided
while both airplanes were landing on the same runway.
Review of both pilot statements, a witness statement, and
a video from a recorder attached to the white biplane
pilot’s helmet revealed that the red biplane was ahead of
the white biplane in the left airport traffic pattern. Both
pilots reported their positions on the common traffic
advisory frequency; the white biplane pilot reported when
he entered the downwind and final legs, and the red
biplane pilot reported when he was 7 miles inbound and
when he entered the downwind leg.
A review of the video showed that, for a 7-second period
just before and as the white biplane was turning onto the
base leg, the red biplane was visible as a small, dull, white
The reason for this? Generally, the extra drag flashing dot above trees on a flightpath consistent with
will allow you to intercept and proceed down the entering the final leg. The red biplane then disappeared
glideslope and maintain the desired approach behind the white biplane’s upper wing but then reappeared
speed without re-trimming. Anything that for 4 more seconds while the white biplane was on the left
makes things easier during the critical final base leg. The red biplane then moved from left of the
phase of flight is a good thing. white biplane’s nose and just below the upper wing to
If I’m flying myself, I’ll do the same if I’m on an centered just above the nose. The red biplane then
instrument approach. If I’m visual, I begin disappeared below the white biplane’s cowling until 1
power reductions about 20 miles out but it’s not second before impact. The white biplane was faster than
until I’m within 5 miles and I’ve made the last the red biplane, flew a closer traffic pattern, and turned
power reduction prior to gear extension that I onto the base leg sooner, which resulted in the white
get slow enough to extend the gear. After I biplane overtaking the red biplane and landing on top of it
make that power reduction, my hand goes to as the red biplane touched down on the runway.
the gear lever and stays there until the plane
slows to Vloe, at which point I extend the gear.
The National Transportation Safety Board
If I’m staying in the traffic pattern, generally on determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as
follows:
downwind after reaching pattern altitude to
keep the speed down. But, I rarely do pattern The pilot’s inadequate visual lookout, which
work. resulted in his airplane landing on top of the
other airplane.
