Another Midair Near Ottawa

[pelmet]

Fortunately....no fatalities.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/pilot-in ... 487281b68/

[jakeandelwood]

I like the David Hasselhoff analogy . Seriously though, glad for no fatalities.

[pelmet]

On 14 June 2020, a privately operated Cessna 172M aircraft (registration C-GEDC, serial number
172-65285) had departed Arnprior Airport (CNP3), Ontario, with the pilot and 3 passengers on
board, for a daytime visual flight rules (VFR) flight in the local area. A privately operated Champion
7GCB aircraft (registration C-FPTR, serial number 149), equipped with floats, had departed Golden
Lake, Ontario, for a daytime VFR flight to Constance Lake, Ontario. Only the pilot was on board.
Both aircraft were flying along the Ontario side of the Ottawa river, at approximately 1500 feet
above sea level. At 1447 EDT, both aircraft collided while flying over the river near Buckhams Bay,
approximately 12 NM east north-east of CNP3.

The Champion aircraft sustained damage to the tail, entered a descending left hand spiral,
impacted the water and overturned. The pilot egressed from the aircraft and was rescued from the
water by nearby boaters. The pilot received minor injuries. The emergency locator transmitter from
the Champion aircraft activated. There was no fire. The Cessna aircraft sustained damage to the
propeller, nose wheel fairing and engine cowl. The pilot of the Cessna saw the Champion aircraft
impact the water, flew a few orbits to confirm that the other pilot had been rescued and then flew
back to CNP3 without further incident.

[linecrew]

"The pilot of the Cessna saw the Champion aircraft impact the water, flew a few orbits..." not sure if I would have done the same not knowing what sort of condition my aircraft was in right after a mid air.

[jakeandelwood]

No doubt,what can you do anyway besides sending out a mayday for him? It was nice he was thinking of the other guy though, that's pretty admirable.

[pelmet]

No doubt,what can you do anyway besides sending out a mayday for him? It was nice he was thinking of the other guy though, that's pretty admirable.

Gotta think about your own passengers first. Land as soon as possible.

[linecrew]

Final report is out:

https://tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/ ... O0053.html

The see-and-avoid principle is the basic method of collision avoidance for VFR flights that is based on active scanning, and the ability to detect conflicting aircraft and take appropriate measures to avoid them. It has been examined in a number of other TSB investigations, and the TSB has found that, “because of its limitations, the see-and-avoid principle cannot be used as the sole means of preventing aircraft collisions when operating under visual flight rules.”

Both had radios but it was in uncontrolled airspace not at an airport though it was in a known training area with it's own frequency.

[pelmet]

According to the report....

"Both the Champion and the Cessna were equipped with Mode C transponders. Neither aircraft was equipped with any type of aircraft collision avoidance system technology, nor was it required by regulation.

There continue to be advancements in collision avoidance technology and a number of systems are available for general aviation aircraft to enhance the defences against mid-air collisions. These systems include:

*flight alarms branded as FLARM and/or PowerFLARM
*automatic dependent surveillance – broadcast transceivers
*traffic advisory systems
*portable collision avoidance systems"

While I am renting an aircraft in Canada with ADS-B, I don't believe it can pick up transponder replies. And it is unlikely that a lot of GA aircraft in this country have ADS(especially aircraft like a Champ) which limits its usefulness. It does pick up other aircraft from the same flight school which also have ADS-B and I saw a Herc that flew by me the other day with a reply so I guess some RCAF aircraft have it.

I am curious if anyone out there is using any of the other three anti-collision devices mentioned in the report and their opinion about them.