N160RA

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn July 17, 2022, about 1203 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-46-350P, N97CX (the low-wing airplane), and a Cessna 172N, N160RA (the high-wing airplane), were destroyed when they were involved in an inflight collision while maneuvering to land at North Las Vegas Airport (VGT), North Las Vegas, Nevada. The pilot and copilot in the low-wing airplane and the flight instructor and student pilot in the high-wing airplane were fatally injured. The low-wing airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight and the high-wing airplane was operated as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight.

The commercial pilot and private pilot-rated copilot in the low-wing airplane were approaching VGT, their home airport, from the north at the conclusion of an instrument-flight-rules (IFR) flight that originated from Coeur d'Alene Airport - Pappy Boyington Field (COE), Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, about 0943.

The high-wing airplane was operating as a visual flight rules (VFR) training flight conducting takeoffs and landings in the right traffic pattern for runway 30R. The flight originated from runway 30L at 1129.

At 1156:08, the Nellis Radar Approach Control controller cleared the low-wing airplane for the visual approach and instructed the pilots to overfly VGT at midfield for left traffic to runway 30L. Air traffic control responsibility for the flight was transferred to the VGT air traffic control tower (ATCT) at 1158:26.

At 1158:43, the copilot in the low-wing airplane contacted the VGT local control (LC) controller and reported that the airplane was descending out of 7,600 ft mean sea level (msl) for landing on runway 30L and crossing the airport mid-field. The controller instructed the airplane to continue to runway 30L, and the copilot in the low-wing airplane acknowledged.

At 1200:03, the high-wing airplane’s pilot requested a “short approach,” and the controller subsequently cleared the airplane for “the option" for runway 30R.

At 1201:36, the controller cleared the low-wing airplane to land on runway 30L. The copilot responded with a correct readback of the clearance.

At 1201:57, the controller confirmed the landing clearance on runway 30L with the low-wing airplane, and the copilot subsequently replied, “yeah affirmative runway three zero left that’s what I heard nine seven charlie x-ray” at 1202:02.

There were no further transmissions from either airplane. The airplanes collided about 0.25 nautical miles from the approach end of runway 30R. Neither airplane was provided advisory information regarding the other from the controller.

Review of ADS-B data indicated that, after correctly acknowledging their clearance to land on runway 30L, the low-wing airplane flew a close-in downwind leg and performed a continuous left turn through the final approach path to runway 30L, rolling out of the turn aligned with the final approach path to runway 30R. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. Overhead view of airplanes’ flight tracks overlaid on satellite imagery (N97CX, low-wing airplane, N160RA, high-wing airplane). PERSONNEL INFORMATIONLow-Wing Airplane

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and pilot records, the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. He also held a flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single- and multi-engine, and instrument airplane. His FAA BasicMed course and Comprehensive Medical Examination Checklist (CMEC) were completed on May 16, 2022. He had accrued about 6,643 total flight hours.

The copilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and sea, airplane multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. Her FAA BasicMed course was completed on June 1, 2022, and her BasicMed CMEC was completed on June 3, 2020. She had accrued about 1,536 total flight hours, of which about 280 hours were in the accident airplane make and model.

The pilot and the copilot were married and flew the airplane together regularly. Review of flight plans indicated that the pilot would file as the pilot-in-command. Review of the pilot’s most current logbook indicated that he had been providing instruction in the airplane on multiple occasions to the copilot. Review of the copilot’s most recent logbook indicated that the 280 or so hours she had in the airplane had been logged in most cases as “Dual Received” or “Second-In-Command.”

After the accident, the pilot was recovered from the left front seat, the copilot was recovered from the right front seat. Review of ATC audio indicated that the copilot was communicating with ATC during the accident flight.

It could not be determined which of the pilots was manipulating the controls during the accident flight.

High-Wing Airplane

According to FAA and pilot records, the flight instructor held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. He also held a flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single- and multi-engine, and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA first-class medical certificate was issued on August 6, 2021. He had accrued about 850 total flight hours, 775 of which were as pilot-in-command.

According to FAA and pilot records, the student pilot held a student pilot certificate. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on October 16, 2020. He had accrued about 57 total flight hours, all of which were in the accident airplane make and model.

It could not be determined who was manipulating the controls at the time of the accident. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe low-wing airplane was a Piper JetProp DLX, which was an aftermarket turbine engine conversion by Rocket Engineering of Spokane, Washington, of a single-engine, pressurized, Piper PA-46-350P, also called a Malibu Mirage.

The high-wing airplane was a Cessna 172N. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONThe recorded weather at VGT at 1153, about 10 minutes before the accident, included wind from 320° at 4 knots, 10 miles visibility, clear skies, temperature 38°C, dew point 12°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.91 inches of mercury. AIRPORT INFORMATIONThe low-wing airplane was a Piper JetProp DLX, which was an aftermarket turbine engine conversion by Rocket Engineering of Spokane, Washington, of a single-engine, pressurized, Piper PA-46-350P, also called a Malibu Mirage.

The high-wing airplane was a Cessna 172N. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONLow-Wing Airplane

Examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any preimpact failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.

The landing gear was down, and the right main landing gear was displaced outboard. The right wing displayed an impact separation around wing station (WS) 93. The inboard wing section remained attached to the fuselage but was canted aft. The right flap was fractured in two about midspan; the inboard section remained attached to the wing and was found in the extended position. The outboard half of the flap was found about 10 ft forward of the right wing.

The right wing’s leading edge displayed a series of crush impressions to the leading edge about 2.5 ft outboard of the wing root. The impressions contained flakes of green primer and cuts to the de-ice boot.

The outboard right wing section remained attached to the inboard wing by the aileron control cables. The aileron remained attached to the outboard wing section but was impact damaged. The outboard leading edge was crushed up and aft. The right wingtip fairing and pitot tube were also impact separated. Longitudinal scratches were visible along the right upper side of the fuselage.

High-Wing Airplane

Examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any preimpact failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.

The airplane impacted terrain in a left-wing-down, nose-low attitude before coming to rest inverted on a 304° magnetic heading.

Blue paint transfer was observed on the lower surface of the separated outboard left wing and the lower surface of the left wing flap. Black de-ice boot material transfer was observed on the lower surface of the separated outboard left wing, the lower surface of the attached portion of the left wing at approximately WS 100, and along the lower leading edge for about 5 ft outboard from the strut attach point.

About 4 ft of the left wing, which included the left aileron, was separated from the rest of the left wing, and was found on the edge of a culvert just south of the main wreckage. The left outboard wing section aft of the forward spar was separated near the aileron/flap junction. The left flap was separated from the wing. Both inboard portions of the wings sustained thermal damage in the areas surrounding the fuel tanks. The cabin and fuselage, except for the cabin roof, were consumed by a post-impact fire.

Impact Mark Comparison

The left flap of the high-wing airplane displayed a concave crush impression along its trailing edge and upper surface. Within the concave area, scrapes and black rubbery material transfers were observed. The impact mark correlated to an approximate 45° angle relative to the trailing edge of the flap.

The right wing of the low-wing airplane displayed aft crushing to the leading edge about 2.5 feet outboard of the wing root. Flakes of paint primer and scrapes were noted within the crush area.

The right inboard wing of the low-wing airplane was placed on stands. The left flap from the high-wing airplane was positioned adjacent to the leading edge of the low-wing airplane. The impact marks and transfers correlated to an approximate 50° angle relative to the wing leading edge of the low-wing airplane.

The left wing of the high-wing airplane displayed deformation to the trailing edge with a roughly 3-inch diameter crush impression present. The impact mark correlated to an impact with the right hor...