Narrative:
Two airplanes, a Cessna 172M Skyhawk, N1285U, and a Rockwell Sabreliner 60SC, N442RM, collided midair approximately 1 mile northeast of San Diego-Brown Field Municipal Airport (SDM), California. The two pilots and two mission specialists aboard the Sabreliner were fatally injured. The pilot of the Cessna, the sole occupant of the airplane, was fatally injured.
The Sabreliner was being operated as a public use flight by the U.S. Department of Defense in support of the U.S. Navy. The Cessna was operated by the pilot as a personal flight. Both airplanes were destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at SDM. Both airplanes departed SDM earlier that day and a mission flight plan was on file for the Sabreliner; no flight plan was filed for the Cessna 172.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The local controller's (LC) failure to properly identify the aircraft in the pattern and to ensure control instructions provided to the intended Cessna on downwind were being performed before turning Eagle1 into its path for landing. Contributing to the LC's actions was his incomplete situational awareness when he took over communications from the LC trainee due to the high workload at the time of the accident. Contributing to the accident were the inherent limitations of the see-and-avoid concept, resulting in the inability of the pilots involved to take evasive action in time to avert the collision."
KSDM 161753Z 31006KT 10SM CLR 33/19 A2987 RMK AO2 SLP108 T03280194 10339 20189 57001
Wind 310 degrees at 6 knots; Visibility 10+ miles; Clear sky; Temperature: 33°C; Dew point 19°C
accident date: 16-08-2015
type: Rockwell Sabreliner 60SC
registration: N442RM
accident date: 16-08-2015
type: Rockwell Sabreliner 60SC
registration: N442RM
accident date: 16-08-2015
type: Rockwell Sabreliner 60SC
registration: N442RM
Calculated flight tracks of Eagle1 and N1285U
Illustration of approximate collision of airplanes
Illustration of approximate collision of airplanes
N442RM
accident date: 16-08-2015
type: Rockwell Sabreliner 60SC
registration: N442RM
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Sunday 16 August 2015 |
| Time: | 11:03 |
| Type: |  Rockwell Sabreliner 60SC |
| Operating for: | United States Department of Defense |
| Leased from: | BAE Systems Technology Solution & Services |
| Registration: | N442RM |
| MSN: | 306-73 |
| First flight: | 1974 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 13418 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney JT12A-8 Turbo Wasp |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Collision casualties: | Fatalities: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 1,6 km (1 mls) NE of San Diego-Brown Field Municipal Airport, CA (SDM) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | San Diego-Brown Field Municipal Airport, CA (SDM/KSDM), United States of America |
| San Diego-Brown Field Municipal Airport, CA (SDM/KSDM), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | Eagle 1 |
Two airplanes, a Cessna 172M Skyhawk, N1285U, and a Rockwell Sabreliner 60SC, N442RM, collided midair approximately 1 mile northeast of San Diego-Brown Field Municipal Airport (SDM), California. The two pilots and two mission specialists aboard the Sabreliner were fatally injured. The pilot of the Cessna, the sole occupant of the airplane, was fatally injured.
The Sabreliner was being operated as a public use flight by the U.S. Department of Defense in support of the U.S. Navy. The Cessna was operated by the pilot as a personal flight. Both airplanes were destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at SDM. Both airplanes departed SDM earlier that day and a mission flight plan was on file for the Sabreliner; no flight plan was filed for the Cessna 172.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The local controller's (LC) failure to properly identify the aircraft in the pattern and to ensure control instructions provided to the intended Cessna on downwind were being performed before turning Eagle1 into its path for landing. Contributing to the LC's actions was his incomplete situational awareness when he took over communications from the LC trainee due to the high workload at the time of the accident. Contributing to the accident were the inherent limitations of the see-and-avoid concept, resulting in the inability of the pilots involved to take evasive action in time to avert the collision."
Accident investigation:
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|
Classification:
Mid air collisionSources:
» NTSBMETAR Weather report:
17:53 UTC / 10:53 local time:KSDM 161753Z 31006KT 10SM CLR 33/19 A2987 RMK AO2 SLP108 T03280194 10339 20189 57001
Wind 310 degrees at 6 knots; Visibility 10+ miles; Clear sky; Temperature: 33°C; Dew point 19°C
Photos
accident date: 16-08-2015
type: Rockwell Sabreliner 60SC
registration: N442RM
accident date: 16-08-2015
type: Rockwell Sabreliner 60SC
registration: N442RM
accident date: 16-08-2015
type: Rockwell Sabreliner 60SC
registration: N442RM
Calculated flight tracks of Eagle1 and N1285U
Illustration of approximate collision of airplanes
Illustration of approximate collision of airplanes
N442RM
accident date: 16-08-2015
type: Rockwell Sabreliner 60SC
registration: N442RM
Video, social media
Map
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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