N6027K

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn September 7, 2016, at 1048 eastern daylight time, a Beech F33A, N6027K, and a Diamond Aircraft Industries DA20-C1, N85WP, collided in midair on the final approach leg of the traffic pattern to runway 35 at West Georgia Regional Airport (CTJ), Carrollton, Georgia. The Beech was substantially damaged, and the private pilot was fatally injured. The Diamond was destroyed, and the flight instructor and the student pilot were fatally injured. The Beech was registered to and operated by the private pilot. The Diamond was registered to and operated by Falcon Aviation Academy LLC. Both flights were conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91; the Beech pilot was conducting a personal flight, and the Diamond pilots were conducting an instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plans were filed for either flight. The Beech departed from Fulton County Airport (FTY), Atlanta, Georgia, about 0915, and the Diamond departed from Newnan Coweta County Airport (CCO), Newnan, Georgia, about 1000.

According to personnel from Falcon Aviation Academy, the pilots of the Diamond were practicing traffic pattern operations and landings at CTJ. The Diamond entered the traffic pattern, followed a few minutes later by N263CF and then by N169PS, both Falcon Aviation Academy DA20s. The flight instructor and student pilot on board N263CF saw the Beech on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. Moments later, the flight instructor and student pilot on board N169PS entered the traffic pattern from the east. They looked down and to the left, in the direction of the final approach path for runway 35, and saw two airplanes collide. The instructors and the students on board both trailing DA20s reported that they did not hear the Beech pilot broadcasting his intentions on the CTJ common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) but they heard the accident Diamond making position calls in the traffic pattern before the collision, with the last call being made on the final approach.

Another flight instructor employed by Falcon Aviation Academy reported that he was familiar with the Beech pilot and his airplane. He had just completed a flight at CCO and heard the Beech pilot broadcasting traffic pattern calls for CTJ about the time of the accident; however, the Beech pilot was broadcasting over the CCO CTAF of 122.7 MHz. The flight instructor reported that the Beech pilot was not in the traffic pattern at CCO at the time of the transmissions.

Radar data provided by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control personnel indicated that the Beech pilot entered an extended left downwind for CTJ from the north, above and behind the accident Diamond, which was on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. The ground speed of the Beech was about 50 knots greater than the ground speed of the Diamond. The last radar returns were on the downwind leg, about 2,000 ft above mean sea level, or about 850 ft above the ground. The locations of the last radar returns showed the airplanes approaching the base leg for runway 35.

The Diamond was not equipped with GPS data recording capability. A portable GPS receiver recovered from the Beech recorded the accident flight. The recording indicated that the Beech was established on the downwind leg for runway 35, about 2,500 ft GPS altitude and 150 knots groundspeed. The CTJ airport elevation was 1,164 ft. The Beech descended toward the base leg, turning base about 2,200 ft and 122 knots. The Beech turned onto final about 1,450 ft and 79 knots. The last recorded data point was at 1048:00, with the Beech at 1,201 ft and 76 knots, about 607 ft south of the runway 35 threshold. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe Beech Pilot

The pilot of the Beech, age 79, held an FAA private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane ratings. He held an FAA third-class medical certificate with a restriction to have glasses available for near vision. He reported 2,500 total hours of flying experience on his FAA third-class medical certificate application that was dated October 5, 2015. His personal pilot logbook was not located.

According to the owner's representative (insurance adjuster), the Beech pilot reported that he completed a Beechcraft Pilot Proficiency Program on October 30, 2015, at Blairsville, Georgia. This was confirmed verbally and accepted as a current flight review by the insurance company.

The Diamond Flight Instructor

The flight instructor in the Diamond, age 24, held an FAA commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane multi-engine land, airplane single-engine land, and instrument airplane. She held an FAA flight instructor certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine, and she held an FAA first-class medical certificate with a restriction to wear glasses. She was seated in the right cockpit seat. She reported 600 total hours of flying experience on her FAA first-class medical certificate application that was dated March 16, 2016. A review of her pilot logbook revealed about 850 hours total time, including 721 hours in single-engine airplanes and 366 hours as a flight instructor.

The Diamond Student Pilot

The student pilot in the Diamond, age 20, held an FAA student pilot certificate. He held an FAA second-class medical certificate with no restrictions. He was seated in the left cockpit seat. He enrolled in the ab initio training program at Falcon Aviation Academy on August 4, 2016, and had logged about 22 hours of flight time. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONBeech

The off-white- and blue/gold-colored Beech F33A was a single-engine, low-wing airplane with a conventional tail. A review of the airplane's maintenance and airworthiness records revealed that an enhanced Whelen light-emitting diode (LED) wingtip position and anti-collision light system, model OR6502GE/OR6502RE, and a Whelen LED tail position and anti-collision light system, model OR5002V, were installed on the airplane per FAA Supplemental Type Certificate, dated November 10, 2014. The airplane was equipped with landing and taxi lights. The airplane was not equipped with a traffic advisory system (TAS), traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS), or automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) equipment or displays. The Beech's avionics suite included a King KX 155 VHF communication/navigation transceiver and a Garmin GNS 530 GPS/communication/navigation all-in-one unit.

According to information provided by the owner's representative, the Beech's most recent annual inspection was completed on or about July 13, 2016. At the time of the inspection, the airframe had accumulated about 4,549 total hours of operation.

Diamond

The white- and blue-colored Diamond DA20 was a single-engine, low-wing airplane with a T-tail configuration. It was equipped with wingtip-mounted anti-collision strobe lights and navigation position lights, and a landing and taxi light. The airplane was not equipped with a TAS, TCAS, ADS-B equipment or displays. The Diamond's avionics suite included an iCOM AC-A200 VHF air band transceiver and a Garmin GNS 430 GPS/communication/navigation all-in-one unit.

The Diamond's most recent annual inspection was completed on August 9, 2016. At the time of the inspection, the airframe had accumulated about 1,990 total hours of operation. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONThe CTJ 1055 weather observation included wind calm, visibility 10 statute miles, scattered clouds at 8,500 ft, temperature 30°C, dew point 19°C, and an altimeter setting 30.30 inches of mercury. AIRPORT INFORMATIONBeech

The off-white- and blue/gold-colored Beech F33A was a single-engine, low-wing airplane with a conventional tail. A review of the airplane's maintenance and airworthiness records revealed that an enhanced Whelen light-emitting diode (LED) wingtip position and anti-collision light system, model OR6502GE/OR6502RE, and a Whelen LED tail position and anti-collision light system, model OR5002V, were installed on the airplane per FAA Supplemental Type Certificate, dated November 10, 2014. The airplane was equipped with landing and taxi lights. The airplane was not equipped with a traffic advisory system (TAS), traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS), or automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) equipment or displays. The Beech's avionics suite included a King KX 155 VHF communication/navigation transceiver and a Garmin GNS 530 GPS/communication/navigation all-in-one unit.

According to information provided by the owner's representative, the Beech's most recent annual inspection was completed on or about July 13, 2016. At the time of the inspection, the airframe had accumulated about 4,549 total hours of operation.

Diamond

The white- and blue-colored Diamond DA20 was a single-engine, low-wing airplane with a T-tail configuration. It was equipped with wingtip-mounted anti-collision strobe lights and navigation position lights, and a landing and taxi light. The airplane was not equipped with a TAS, TCAS, ADS-B equipment or displays. The Diamond's avionics suite included an iCOM AC-A200 VHF air band transceiver and a Garmin GNS 430 GPS/communication/navigation all-in-one unit.

The Diamond's most recent annual inspection was completed on August 9, 2016. At the time of the inspection, the airframe had accumulated about 1,990 total hours of operation. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONGeneral

The main wreckage of both airplanes came to rest in a grass field, about 408 ft south of the approach end of runway 35, on the extended centerline of the runway. The Diamond came to rest in an upright position. The Beech came to rest inverted and on top of the Diamond wreckage. The wreckage debris field was about 350 ft long and about 80 ft wide, oriented on a heading of 350º. All major structural components of both airplanes were accounted for within the wreckage debris field.

Beech

The wreckage of the Beech was generally intact; the win...