N6342T

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On November 21, 1998, at 1253 hours mountain standard time, a Cessna 172P, N99064, collided with a Cessna TR182, N6342T, while entering the traffic pattern at Scottsdale airport, Scottsdale, Arizona. Both aircraft were destroyed. The solo student pilot in N99064 and a private pilot receiving dual instruction in N6342T sustained fatal injuries. The flight instructor in N6342T received serious injuries. N99064 was operated by Scottsdale Flyers, LLC, as an instructional flight and was returning to the airport for landing when the accident occurred. N6342T was operated by the private pilot/owner on an instructional flight and was departing the airport traffic pattern at the time of the accident. Both aircraft were operated under 14 CFR Part 91. N6342T was originating from the Scottsdale airport and N99064 had originated earlier from the same airport about 1150. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plans were filed for either flight.

During the investigation, the air-ground communications tapes at the Scottsdale Air Traffic Control Tower were reviewed. A full transcript of the communications is appended to this report. In addition, interviews were conducted with the local and ground controllers on duty in the tower cab. A summary of communications and events derived from these sources and leading to the collision is presented below, beginning with the local time.

--1248:47: N99064 reported his position to the Scottsdale ATCT local controller as 3 miles west of the Paradise Valley Mall, inbound for a full-stop landing, with information Whiskey. The controller cleared him into the Class D airspace (Paradise Valley Mall is about 4.5 miles from the center of the airport) and told him to enter a right downwind for runway 21. He was also told to "report the mall inbound for downwind."

--1249:21: N99064 reported his position as 2 miles west of the mall. The controller repeated his request for him to report over the mall. N99064 acknowledged the request.

--1249:35: N7140B (a Cessna A152) reported that he was holding short of runway 21. He requested a right crosswind departure to the north. The controller cleared him "into position and hold." The pilot repeated the clearance.

--1250:04: N6342T reported that he was holding short of runway 21, and that he was also requesting a right crosswind departure to the north. The controller instructed him to hold short. N6342T acknowledged his instructions.

--1250:16: N7140B was cleared for takeoff and at 1250:21, N6342T was instructed to taxi into position and hold.

--1250:29: The controller asked N7140B if he could "move up past the 45" and the pilot replied in the affirmative.

--1250:43: The controller informed N99064 that there would be two aircraft making right downwind departures momentarily. N99064 asked the controller if he would like him to make 360-degree turns. The controller replied in the negative and instructed the pilot to enter the downwind and to "maintain visual from the traffic." N99064 acknowledged his instructions.

--1250:00: The controller cleared N6342T to takeoff and told him that a Cessna was over the mall, inbound to downwind. N6342T acknowledged the transmission but stated that he had "negative contact."

--1250:13: N6342T reported that he was rolling on takeoff.

--1251:49: The controller informed N99064 that the first of the previously advised departures was now in a right crosswind turn. N99064 replied that "I'm looking."

--1251:54: The controller informed N7140B that his traffic was off his left wing, north of the mall and inbound for a right downwind. N7140B replied that he still had negative contact.

--1252:06: The controller told N6342T that as he made his right turn, his traffic would be at his 11 o'clock position, about 2 miles, northeast bound and in the pattern. N6342T replied that he was still looking for the traffic.

--1252:20: N99064 reported to the controller that he had a Cessna in front of him. The controller acknowledged and told him that he had additional traffic off his right wing that was currently in a right crosswind turn. There was no discernable reply from N99064.

--1252:32: N6342T reported that he had "traffic in sight." The controller replied by advising him to "maintain visual from the traffic." N6342T acknowledged his instructions.

--1252:40: The controller advised N99064 that "traffic has you in sight." N99064 acknowledged the call.

--1252:55: The controller asked N99064 if he was "sure you got that traffic in sight off your right wing now?" N99064 replied that he did not have the traffic in sight. The controller responded by saying that the traffic was now off his right wing.

--1253:19: The controller cleared N99064 to land, telling him to "fly it right to the numbers" if he could and asking him if he was "alright."

There were no further communications from either N99064 or N6342T. The on-duty controller was relieved about 1255:03 and left the tower cab.

During his interview, the local controller said he thought that N6342T would pass behind N99064.

Witnesses on the ground reported hearing a "pop" and seeing a puff of smoke followed by the "tail" separating from one aircraft. The aircraft without the "tail" then spiraled downward until striking the ground accompanied by another loud sound. At the point that the collision occurred, small debris was seen fluttering to earth. The other aircraft continued northbound, descending until colliding with terrain. Several witnesses estimated the altitude of both aircraft about 500 feet agl at the time the collision occurred.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot of N99064 was a student pilot whose training had commenced on July 18, 1998. All of his training had been conducted at or around the Scottsdale airport. He had first soloed on October 11, 1998, with 22.3 hours of instruction. He was returning from a local area flight. His student pilot certificate had an endorsement for a Cessna 172. His pilot logbook contained a solo endorsement authorizing flight in the northeast practice area, as well as to and from Phoenix-Deer Valley Municipal and Glendale Municipal airports. His third-class medical certificate required that he have glasses available for near vision.

The flight instructor in N6342T had received his commercial certificate on June 7, 1998. His flight instructor certificate was issued on October 22, 1998. He had given a total of 13.8 hours of dual instruction at the time of the accident. He had a total of 2.9 hours in the same make and model as the accident aircraft. There were no restrictions or limitations on his first-class medical certificate.

The dual student received his private pilot, single engine land, certificate on November 10, 1993. His flight training commenced on September 3, 1992, and he had accumulated 90.1 flight hours by the time of his flight check. He obtained a complex aircraft endorsement on October 20, 1995. He failed in his first flight test for an instrument rating on October 27, 1995. The flight check was not reflected in his pilot logbook. There was no record of a retest for the rating. Following the unsuccessful flight check, there was a period of inactivity from October 26, 1995, until he resumed receiving dual instruction on October 9, 1998. He had accumulated 204.9 hours of flight time, with 27.8 hours in the same make and model as the accident aircraft. According to his flight instructor, he was attempting to attain recurrency for a biennial flight review (BFR). His third-class medical certificate required that he have glasses available for near vision.

The Air Traffic Control Specialist who was working the local control position at the time of the accident entered on duty with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on September 2, 1997, in the Scottsdale ATCT. He possessed an FAA Control Tower Operator certificate, which was issued on April 29, 1988. He completed local control position certification on October 13, 1997, and received a facility rating for Scottsdale on November 29, 1997. The specialist's DBRITE certification was dated November 3, 1998. The last tape talk session was conducted on June 5, 1998, and the most recent technical training discussion occurred on September 30, 1998, with no issues identified.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The maintenance records of N99064 and N6342T were examined by FAA airworthiness inspectors and Safety Board investigators with no deficiencies noted. Both aircraft were equipped for VFR flight in controlled airspace.

COMMUNICATIONS

Review of the communications tapes disclosed that the ATCT local controller communicated with 28 aircraft between 1230 and 1310. There were four instances of unintelligible or partially unintelligible transmissions during that time.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

Scottsdale airport is a VFR ATCT that is equipped with digital-bright radar indicating terminal equipment (D-BRITE), which obtains data from the Phoenix airport surveillance radar (ASR)-9. According to quality assurance personnel in the Western Pacific Region (AWP), due to terrain restrictions, radar target returns in the Scottsdale area cannot be seen below 3,000 feet msl, and are intermittently seen between 3,000 and 4,500 feet msl. The traffic pattern altitude at Scottsdale is 2,500 feet msl. The D-BRITE has an automated conflict alert that advises controllers when two aircraft begin to lose separation. The altitude limitations of the radar system have existed for several years.

Continuous data recording (CDR) data from the Phoenix terminal radar approach control (PHX/P50) was not being recorded at the time of the accident. According to Phoenix terminal radar approach control (TRACON) personnel, both disks that record the data were full. The appropriate keyboard command to cause the CDR to overwrite the older of the two disks had not been entered. The optic...