Fatal MID-AIR COLLISION at Watsonville Municipal, CA | #N49931 #N740WJ

[VASAviation]

Leave your condolences here.

A good coordination on CTAF is essential. Most mid-air collisions occur within uncontrolled airspaces.

[thalesvilela]

“You’re coming at me pretty quick, man”

Sad last words, RIP.

[Techsess]

This lack of give a damn in the older pilot's voice is infuriating!

[ellisisgamer]

They all sound like they really enjoy what they do. Sad to see such passion taken away so soon. Rest In Peace.

[turbofanlover]

I don't understand how the dude in the faster Cessna didn't just break off the approach when he heard that message from the other Cessna. Dude just kept on coming. What a waste of three lives. Brutal.

[AviationJeremy]

“I see you, you’re behind me.”

“I’m gonna go around ’cause you’re coming at me pretty quick man.”

The 152 pilot clearly had sufficient situational awareness to be looking back, and was trying to get out of the way. My suspicion is that the 152 pilot heard the twin pilot call 10 mile final, and thought that he could safely make another touch and go and still be out of the way. He clearly didn’t think that the twin would be coming in so fast (160-180 knots according to ADSB data). Why would he? Why would anyone?

Plus, legally, he had right of way.

[darius]

When I was building hours for my commercial, I pretty much always made straight-ins because of how easy it was for me. Though, I never realize the threat I may have been to other traffic in the pattern. I’ve completely abandoned this mentality and technique SPECIFICALLY because of things like this. It’s best to follow what the FAA has in place for recommended entry and (even though it might take longer to land) it is 10x safer.

[arunhn]

Man, I never make straight in approaches at an uncontrolled airport. You should always enter the pattern midfield. What a horrible, yet avoidable tragedy.

[ActiveSelfProtection]

Oh man that sucks. I wish the student pilot solo had said he was a student. Might have made the other guy more cautious.

[PF]

"Four planes in the pattern, I'm gonna make a straight in..."

[FencerPTS]

This really drives home the need for standard pattern entries. There is an advantage to being able to survey the traffic in the pattern from the side. The best thing anybody can do in a vehicle of any kind is to be predictable - I'd like to believe that a standard pattern entry has this advantage as well. It baffles me why the twin came in at 160-180 kts.

[nikobelic]

This makes my blood boil.

I’ve almost had midair’s because of people entering the pattern in dumb places. Can people really not take the 5 extra minutes and the little bit extra brain power to figure out how to enter 45 degrees midfield downwind?
Plus, from what I read here (and I hope this isn’t actually the case, not that it changes anything now…) the dude was barreling in at 180kts!
My instructors would have smacked me upright the head if I was in the pattern at 110 KTS in the Piper Seminole.

I don’t blame the Cessna 152 pilot, if this dude wasn’t coming in at the approach speed of a jet and if he flew the traffic pattern as it’s recommended in h the AIM this could have been avoided.

Hell, I can even understand a straight in if there is no one else in the Traffic Pattern (even then I would do the recommended entry) but not when there are other aircraft in the pattern.
Such a waste.

[past]

75 year old in a Cessna 310. Old pilot in a high powered twin-engine airplane is such a deadly combination. So many accidents with this pattern.

[db__]

Was very sad to hear about the accident. I think the best thing we can do is to learn from this. Don’t do straight in approaches at uncontrolled airfields, and if someone else does, extend your downwind and don’t turn base until the aircraft on final is past your wing.

[Pop_Hockenbush]

The twin was coming in at twice the speed it should have been . The 152 was lower and therefore had the right of way . 152 is high wing, the twin low wing . The twin could not see the 152 at the impact point . The twin was WAY too fast and should have gone around.

[nationalcollateralservices]

The pattern pecking order sometimes overrides the FARs...Cowboys entering the pattern at 180 knots are dangerous and should be grounded pending a thorough review of their flying practices....

[ricm]

When you are on base, always check final, and check the opposite base. I am here today because I followed those rules. Also, a long straight in final to a busy uncontrolled traffic pattern is often a bad idea. Then there are the pilots in certain airports who take pride in not making radio calls. Their response when asked about this is "you should look out the window". My response is "we should all look out the window AND make radio calls."

[davidmalone]

Truly a sad situation. Over on Blancolirio's channel, he tracked the speed of the twin Cessna at 180 kts in his descent within 10 miles (the point he first reported.) There were three other airplanes announcing themselves on the CTAF, two in the pattern, and the twin didn't budge from his approach. He didn't seem to have any situational awareness. I will stipulate that the C152 would have been wise to extend his downwind when the twin announced his final at 3 miles. I would bet the NTSB hangs the majority of the fault on the twin with mention of the 152 not demonstrating adequate situational awareness. Just an incredibly sad situation.

[LukeShort]

Deepest condolences to all the families involved. And to the watsonville staff.

[ryanmcgowan]

Very surprised to learn both aircraft were in communication yet still had this occur. Most accidents like this is a failure to communicate. There is a reason you have a radio, and it isn't just to broadcast your intentions. It is your responsibility as a pilot to avoid traffic, and both aircraft failed to do this, despite both being aware of the other aircraft. The 152 should have extended the downwind, AND the twin Cessna should have entered the pattern to sequence with multiple aircraft flying that day. If you're aware that there is another aircraft in the same volume of air that you want to be in, YOU need to alter course. Full stop. Your responsible for your aircraft, and simply stating your intentions is not piloting your aircraft.