Airplanes in mid-air collision near Carp didn’t see each other: report

There were several factors that led to two planes colliding in mid-air near Carp, Ont., however the crash was ultimately the result of both pilots simply not knowing the other was there, according to a report released on Thursday by the Transportation Safety Board.

According to the report, neither pilot saw the other aircraft in time to avoid a mid-air collision partly due to the fact that the pilots were using the “see-and-avoid principle” of relying exclusively on visual detection of other aircraft as opposed to instrumental detection.

“Relying solely on visual detection increases the risk of collision while in uncontrolled airspace,” said the board in its report. “Pilots are strongly encouraged to broadcast their intentions while in an ATF (aerodrome traffic frequency) area in accordance with Transport Canada’s VFR (visual flight rules) communications procedures, even though they are not mandatory.”

The collision occurred on Nov. 4 at around 10:10 a.m. and involved a Cessna 150G aircraft and a Piper PA-42 Cheyenne III aircraft.

A section of the Cessna’s left wing was severed as a result of the impact, and the aircraft entered a steep dive with no possibility of recovery.

The aircraft was destroyed upon impact, and a post-impact fire further damaged instruments inside the aircraft.

The pilot received fatal injuries and was later identified as Gerhard Herget, 82, from Ottawa.

The Piper aircraft sustained damage to the underside but was able to land at the Ottawa International Airport.

The report places no fault with either pilot, though it does offer several safety messages that would mitigate the possibility of an incident like this in the future. These messages include:

• Broadcasting intentions to let other pilots in the area know what your flight plans are in order to avoid overlap
• Installing a collision avoidance system — a number of viable and economical airborne collision avoidance systems exist, some of which are specifically designed for general aviation
• Installing a transponder and making sure it’s turned on