THORNTON, CA, USA
N784RF
CESSNA T210M
N3313D
CESSNA 180
AFTER DEPARTURE FROM SACRAMENTO, THE PLT OF THE C-210, N784RF, HAD DECLINED FURTHER RADAR TRAFFIC ADVISORIES, AND WAS CLIMBING ON ABOUT A 152 DEG HEADING. THE PILOT HAD CHANGED RADIO FREQ, AND WAS RECEIVING WEATHER ADVISORIES FOR HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE C-180, N3313D, WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 3,100 FT ON ABOUT A 307 DEG HEADING, AND THE PILOT HAD JUST TERMINATED HIS PARTICIPATION IN RECEIVING RADAR TRAFFIC ADVISORIES FROM THE STOCKTON TRACON. THE TWO AIRPLANES COLLIDED NEAR HEAD-ON ABOUT HALF WAY BETWEEN TWO TRACON FACILITIES. THE RIGHT WING OF THE C-210 CONTACTED THE LEFT WING OF THE C-180, AND BOTH WINGS SEPARATED ABOUT MID-SPAN IN ABOUT A 90-DEG ORIENTATION FROM EACH OTHER. VISIBILITY WAS REPORTED AS 10 MI IN HAZE. OTHER PILOTS REPORTED THAT SMOKE LIMITED VISIBILITY FROM 1 TO 5 MI IN THE AREA. BOTH AIRPLANES HAD MODE C ALTITUDE ENCODING, AND BOTH WERE DEPICTED ON RADAR PRIOR TO THE COLLISION.
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRPLANES TO SEE AND AVOID EACH OTHER. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE SACRAMENTO CONTROLLER TO ADVISE THE STOCKTON CONTROLLER OF THE IMPENDING UNSAFE SITUATION, AND THE FAILURE OF THE STOCKTON CONTROLLER TO ISSUE A TRAFFIC ADVISORY AND A SAFETY ALERT TO THE PILOT OF THE C-180, N3313D.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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