An SR22 collided with a Cessna 152 midair, miraculously both pilots live to tell about it. Almost all mid-air collisions between planes lead to multiple fatalities, since almost all parts of an airplane are required to maintain lift. These guys were lucky - landing gear smashed the windshield of the other plane. Landing gear and windshield happen to be 2 components not required for flight.
I just read some safety articles on midair collisions. Some of this is not so obvious. Worth sharing.
I just read some safety articles on midair collisions. Some of this is not so obvious. Worth sharing.
Over 50% of collisions happen in:
- sunny, vfr condiions (when you feel most comfortable)
- below 5000', near airport
- fast aircraft overtaking slow (if you're climbing at 73mph and he's flying at 300mph, you will only have a few minutes from moment of coming into your field of view, to him overtaking you)
- fast aircraft collides with slow from behind (0-15 degrees): how often are you scanning BEHIND you while flying?
- blossom effect: super counter-intuitive. an aircraft on a collision course will appear to NOT BE MOVING AT ALL. It will be a tiny spec in the windshield, and suddenly blossom out into a huge plane collision. ironically, it's the airplane that aren't of any danger that are easy to spot, because they appear to move against the background.
Takeaway
- use your landing and strobe lights when flying near busy, uncontrolled airports. be seen. the argument that you might forget the light on burn out the bulb does not hold. with practice you'll remember to turn it off, and $100 bulb is cheaper than a funeral.
- get in habit of a good outside scan, not just instrument scan. assume that a 300mph turbo is about to overtake you at any moment and you need to see him first.
- scan behind you, not just in front
- clearing turns, even in pattern
- general paranoia, don't be one of those statistics. almost all MAC lead to multiple fatalities.
Read this faa safety guide on mid air collisions. Save lives, not light bulbs. For gory details on the SR22 collision read the preliminary NTSB report.
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