CHI91FA211

1991-07-07 · QUINCY, Illinois, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport UIN

Aircraft involved

N8498W,N4349J Piper,Piper PA-28-180,PA-28-180 Fatal

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL AFTER COLLISION. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO FLY FORMATION, AND INADEQUATE GROUP BRIEFING BY THE PILOT OF THE OTHER AIRPLANE, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE.

Factual narrative

THE PILOTS OF FOUR AIRPLANES TOOK OFF IN CLOSE INTERVAL FOR A FORMATION CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE LEAD AND SECOND AIRPLANES STEADIED AT CRUISE HEADING, ALTITUDE AND SPEED, WHILE THE THIRD AIRPLANE JOINED FROM BEHIND AND BELOW. AS IT CLOSED DISTANCE ON THE LEADER, THE THIRD AIRPLANE ARRIVED UNDER AND ROSE INTO LEAD'S RIGHT WING AND FUSELAGE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_CHI91FA211.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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