ST AUGUSTINE, FL, USA
N9206V
Mooney M20C
N83BL
LEMOINE CHRISTEN EAGLE
The pilots of a Mooney M20C, N9206V, and a homebuilt (Lemoine) Christian Eagle, N83BL, entered a left traffic pattern to land on runway 31 at an uncontrolled airport. While on final approach at an altitude of about 100 to 150 feet AGL, the two airplanes collided. Both airplanes continued the approach and landed without further damage. Investigation revealed that the pilot of the Mooney entered the traffic pattern for runway 31 from an upwind leg, then he announced his position with radio calls on all legs of the traffic pattern. The Christian Eagle pilot said that after completing a touch-and-go on runway 31, he remained in a standard left pattern. He stated that he had been listening to other aircraft and reporting his position in the pattern, but on downwind after the touch-and-go, his 'radio started to break up on transmission.' He stated that he turned base and final calling his position; however, neither the UNICOM operator nor pilots of other airplanes heard the Christian Eagle pilot announce his landing intentions.
On April 16, 1996, about 1925 eastern daylight time, a privately owned Mooney M20C, N9206V, and a privately owned homebuilt Christen Eagle, N83BL, collided while both were on final approach to land at the St. Augustine Airport, St. Augustine, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for either flight, which were both operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The Mooney sustained minor damage and the private-rated pilot and one passenger were not injured. The Eagle sustained substantial damage and the private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The Mooney flight originated about 1800 from the St. Lucie County International Airport, Fort Pierce, Florida. The Eagle flight originated about 10 minutes earlier from the St. Augustine Airport. The eagle pilot stated he had performed one touch-and-go landing and the flight remained in the traffic pattern using left hand turns for a planned full stop landing. While on final approach to runway 31 about 150 feet above ground level, he felt an impact and observed damage to the right wing of his airplane. He landed with no further damage to his airplane. Postaccident airplane damage assessment indicates in part that the right main landing gear tire was contacted by the propeller of the Mooney. Also, propeller slash marks were located on the bottom of the fuselage from the wings to the empennage. An individual who was monitoring the UNICOM radio and another pilot who was inbound to the airport both stated that they did not hear the Eagle pilot announce his landing intentions. The Mooney pilot stated that while near the airport, he monitored the UNICOM frequency and entered the traffic pattern to land using left hand pattern, for runway 31. He announced all legs over the UNICOM frequency and while on short final approach about 100 feet above ground level, he felt a jolt and the airplane was forced down. He recovered and landed with no further damage to his airplane. Postaccident airplane damage assessment indicates that the propeller was damaged. The individual who was monitoring the UNICOM, and the pilot of another airplane who was inbound to land both reported hearing the Mooney pilot announce his landing intentions over the UNICOM frequency. The pilot of the other airplane also reported seeing the Mooney in left traffic for runway 31.
inadequate visual lookout by the pilots of both airplanes, which resulted in their failure to see-and-avoid each other's airplane. A factor relating to the accident was: the lack of traffic pattern position reports from the Christian Eagle, due to the reported failure of its VHF radio for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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