PLATINUM, AK, USA
N82454
PIPER PA-18-150
N4798U
CESSNA 180H
THE HERRING SEASON WAS TO OPEN AT 1600 HRS. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, ABOUT 30 ACFT WERE CIRCLING IN LEFT TURNS OVER MERGING SCHOOLS OF HERRING WHILE THE PLTS & THEIR RESPECTIVE BOAT CREWS WERE AWAITING THE OPENING SIGNALS. THE ACFT WERE CIRCLING UNDER A LOW OVERCAST WHERE THE HERRING WERE MERGING NEAR A SHORELINE. TWO ACFT (A PIPER PA-18, N82554, & A CESSNA 182H, N4798U) COLLIDED WHILE THE PLTS WERE SPOTTING FISH. OF 6 WITNESSES WHO SAW THE COLLISION 5 AGREED THAT THE CESSNA WAS CONVERGING FROM INSIDE THE RADIUS OF THE PIPER'S TURN. AFTER COLLIDING, BOTH ACFT IMPACTED ON A BLUFF NEAR THE SHORELINE. WITNESSES USED SUCH TERMS AS 'FRANTIC', 'CHAOTIC' & 'INSANE' WHEN THEY DESCRIBED THE FLT ACTIVITY OVER THE FISH AT THE OPENING OF THE HERRING SEASON WITH ITS LUCRATIVE REWARDS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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