Mid-air collision Accident MFI-15-200A SE-FIT, Friday 4 October 2002

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Date:	Friday 4 October 2002
Time:	16:07
Type:	MFI-15-200A
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	SE-FIT
MSN:	15832
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	near Gimo - Sweden
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:
Destination airport:	Norrtälje Airport
Investigating agency:	SHK
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
On October 4, 2002, two pilots flew the a MFI-15-200A (SE-FIT) to a private airfield near Gimo. Their plan was to retrieve another aircraft, Cessna 172 SE-FXR, and then fly both planes to Norrtälje Airport, where they were to be used over the following two days during a local exercise of the Swedish Voluntary Air Corps (Frivilliga Flygkåren – CF1), northern Stockholm group. During the exercise, the two pilots were to serve as instructors in formation flying.
Before departure, they decided to fly to Norrtälje in formation, to practice and determine reference points on the two aircraft types for upcoming formation training.
Around 4:00 p.m., FIT took off first, followed about 15 seconds later by FXR. After takeoff, the formation assembled in a right turn, with FXR taking position on the right wing. The aircraft were flying at the same altitude, with FXR about 20 meters to the right and 15 meters behind FIT. During a planned flank change maneuver, the two aircraft collided. Both sustained significant damage. The pilot of FIT experienced great difficulty regaining control but managed to land safely.
The accident was caused by conducting the formation flight without vertical separation (stagger) and by an unsuccessful evasive maneuver.

Contributing factors included:
- the use of aircraft types unsuitable for the task, and
- ambiguous flight instructions that did not clearly prohibit formation flight without stagger or specify proper evasive procedures.

Accident investigation: