2 die, 1 hurt when 2 planes collide in Va
By Associated Press, Tuesday, May 29, 6:50 AMAP
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/2-die-1-hurt-when-2-planes-collide-in-va/2012/05/29/gJQAzcJXyU_story.html?tid=pm_local_pop

WARRENTON, Va. — Federal aviation officials are continuing their investigation into the mid-air collision of two small, private planes that killed two people and injured a third in Fauquier County.

Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller says one of the planes caught fire after Monday’s collision. The planes went down about a mile apart, and debris was scattered between the two crash sites.

Authorities say they recovered two bodies from a six-seat aircraft. The pilot of the second plane was transported to Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg. His condition wasn’t known but Geller says he spoke to troopers.

Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Laura Brown says a Piper PA-28 operated by the injured pilot appeared to be headed to the Warrenton-Fauquier airport.

Investigators from the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

I wonder if they were (1) dogfighting or (2) attempting untrained formation flight?

The photo of one of the planes is ambiguous as to size/capabilities, a 6-seater, however, isn't usually flown upside down on purpose.

=========

A long time ago in a different lifetime, I went up with some aeronautical engineering students in the university's two trainers (used by the engineering department for all sorts of experiments, etc). Though there were limits on the Gs these trainers were approved for, we none-the-less pulled both 4+ and something-minus Gs while "dogfighting" against one another (separate by a mile or so, head at each other, pass left wingtip to left wingtip, fight's on); and the same students regularly formed up in close proximity for formation flight to/from the field - they were well trained, however.

Texting while flying?

Ah - good photos - I see one of the articles mentions a Piper PA-28 flying to Warrenton...oh, interesting...I flew a Piper PA-28 out of Warrenton quite some time back...now I have to check my logbook...nope, not the same one!

It appears, IMHO, that this was a plain old air collision rather than formation and/or dogfighting - maybe crossing a VOR (direction finding radio beacon)?

There was a report of a UFO or a pair of UFO's. However, most likely what people saw were the two white planes colliding with each other. I think this time its Redneck flying and not aliens.

I use to fly remote control planes and even trying to ram two planes into each other is difficult.

How the hell do two small planes hit each other?????? The odds are SO slim.

The crash site, Bealeton, is relatively close to the Casanova VOR:

http://skyvector.com/?ll=38.72738503622947,-77.64089000062296&chart=477&zoom=3

Two planes transiting that point from somewhat the same direction could easily hit each other inadvertently (opposite directions, for example, would suggest different altitudes due to the standards for altitude to fly w.r.t. direction of heading).

A better chart showing more:

http://skyvector.com/?ll=38.627249951035,-77.60477562276947&chart=23&zoom=3

Olde Farte, II Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The crash site, Bealeton, is relatively close to
> the Casanova VOR:
>
> http://skyvector.com/?ll=38.72738503622947,-77.640
> 89000062296&chart=477&zoom=3
>
> Two planes transiting that point from somewhat the
> same direction could easily hit each other
> inadvertently (opposite directions, for example,
> would suggest different altitudes due to the
> standards for altitude to fly w.r.t. direction of
> heading).

I think I see what you're saying...The odds of them hitting each other was more probable because of their altitude and vector/heading?

ODDS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How the hell do two small planes hit each
> other?????? The odds are SO slim.

I once was flying at an appropriate altitude while navigating to a VOR; the plane I was flying was a high-wing Cessna. Another plane was also flying to that VOR from my, oh, 10 o'clock high; it was a low-wing something-or-other. Only because I was sufficiently far from the VOR did I see that plane since it was above me in altitude - and descending - I turned hard away from the VOR as the other plane zoomed by. Interestingly, we were both spot-on with navigating to the VOR!

We were both in compliance with the regs since we were both coming from the same half of the compass - I believe we were under the altitude, in any case, where adherence to "X+500 feet" was mandated.

When in a landing pattern, too, it is real easy for high- and low-wing aircraft to interfere with each other due to the inability of each to see in each's respective blind spots.

[once while entering the landing pattern at Manassas - with my never-flown-before wife - another plane came in from a slightly more northern entry to the same pattern. We for sure were on a collision course (and this is a tower-controlled field, too) - I told the tower "Cessna 1234 is pulling a hard left 360 RIGHT NOW for traffic avoidance" and did so. The tower came on a bit later and said - as I was about 180 degrees into my turn - something like "maneuver approved"...]

Fact Checker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ...the odds of them hitting each other was more probable because
> of their altitude and vector/heading?

Not JUST heading/altitude, but the fact that their both literally aiming at the SAME point on the chart (albeit not necessarily the same altitude).

70-Year-Old Thomas Proven Survives Mid-Air Plane Collision Over Fauquier County
May 29, 2012 12:30 PM
http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/05/29/70-year-old-thomas-provin-survives-mid-air-plane-collision-over-fauquier-county/

WARRENTON, Va. (CBSDC) — Virginia State Police have identified the survivor of Monday’s mid-air plane crash as Thomas R. Proven of Broad Run, Va.

The 70-year-old was flying a 1965 Piper PA28140 when he collided with what is believed to be a six-seat plane over Fauquier County shortly after 4 p.m. He was taken by ambulance to Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg.

Proven was bleeding profusely as he emerged from the crash with a mangled nose according to an eye-witness who spoke with All-News 99.1 WNEW’s Kevin Patrick.

Two people in the plane that collided with Proven’s were killed in the crash. That plane is believed to have caught fire after the impact.

The names of the deceased are being withheld until a coroner is able to confirm their identities.

Following the collision, the planes crashed to the ground roughly one mile apart, scattering debris along the way.

“They looked like they were going to do an aerial,” Debbi Underwood, who witnessed the crash, told The Free Lance Star. Underwood said she often sees small planes performing stunts for the nearby Flying Circus.


Police and officials with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) returned to the scene of the plane crash on Tuesday to investigate the cause of the fatal mid-air collision.

Some airports' skies are more crowded than others:



However:

>>> "...“They looked like they were going to do an aerial,” Debbi Underwood, who
>>> witnessed the crash, told The Free Lance Star. Underwood said she often sees
>>> small planes performing stunts for the nearby Flying Circus..."

Flying Circus is a little further south, however Warrenton-Fauquier is home to many an aerobatic airplane that often "train" right overhead.

Burke Resident Dies in Fauquier County Midair Collision
Paul Gardella, Jr., 57, was a passenger in one plane.
By Susan Larson and Dan Telvock
May 30, 2012
http://burke.patch.com/articles/burke-resident-dies-in-faquier-county-mid-air-collision

The Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has confirmed the identities of two men who died Monday in a midair collision north of Fredericksburg. Paul Gardella, Jr., 57, of Burke, was a passenger in the Beechcraft BE-35 piloted by James M. Duncan, 60, of Bethesda, Md. Both died in the crash.

The Beechcraft BE-35 and a Piper PA-28, owned by Thomas R. Proven, 70, of Broad Run, collided about five miles from the Warrenton-Fauquier Airport in Sumerduck, which is about 30 miles north of Fredericksburg, according to Fredericksburg Patch.

Proven crash landed the Piper in a field and was transported to Mary Washington Hospital, where he was in good condition as of Tuesday morning. The BE-35 crashed in a wooded area and the plane caught on fire, killing both the Duncan and Gardella.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is investigating Monday's crash because the two planes involved are registered to federal employees. Proven is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employee. The BE-35 is registered to James M. and Candace H. Duncan of Eagle Ridge Drive in Bethesda, Md. James Duncan is a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) employee.

NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman consulted with FAA Acting Administrator Michael Huerta, and they decided to ask the Transportation Safety Board of Canada to conduct the investigation.

"This accident hits especially close to home, with the involvement of an NTSB employee," Hersman said. "I'm grateful to TSB-Canada Chair Wendy Tadros for agreeing to conduct the investigation and the NTSB stands ready to support and assist them in any way we can."

NTSB investigator Paul Cox will serve as the NTSB's Accredited Representative to the TSB investigation. Chris Krepski, a media spokesman for the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, said they sent three investigators to the scene in Fauquier County.

The Piper owned by Broad Run resident Thomas R. Proven, who survived Monday's midair plane collision near Sumerduck and Investigator Brad Vardy inspects the Piper PA-28 that collided with another plane Monday near Sumerduck. Credit TSB-Canada.
Attachments:

"November Two Three Sierra Charlie, this is Washington traffic control, please be advised there is traffic at your two o'clock."

I'm not a pilot but I have a very good friend that is. Anytime I've been in the right seat of a small plane, the air traffic control is constantly radioing traffic updates. Not to mention I've also been asked to keep an eye out for air traffic.

What the fuck happened?

@Hank - I dunno wtf.............but I can tell ya..............well, you ever work at a job where all the workers know what they are doing and how to do their job but the bosses NEVER do?

Well, that's all I can think about when I find out that NTB Canada has to look into why this happened. I add that vibe onto what you just posted and ....................well, I dont know. Its just an observation, I guess............