Grumman A6E USN
14 April 1993 · Steptoe, Washington, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 14 April 1993 at about 22:24 local time, a Grumman A6E registered USN, operated by United States Navy, was involved in an accident near Steptoe, Washington, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 22:24
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Steptoe, Washington, United States
- Coordinates
- 47.0108, -117.3599
- Aircraft
- Grumman A6E
- Registration
- USN
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- United States Navy
- Operating rule
- Armed Forces
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Nas Whidbey Is → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- SEA93FA094
People
2 people were seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE INHERENT LIMITATIONS OF THE SEE-AND-AVOID CONCEPT OF SEPARATION OF AIRCRAFT OPERATING UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES THAT PRECLUDED THE CREW OF THE A6E AND THE PILOT OF THE AGCAT FROM RECOGNIZING A COLLISION HAZARD AND TAKING ACTIONS TO AVOID A MIDAIR COLLISION.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE A6E WAS TRACKING 033 DEG LEVEL AT 200 FT AGL AT 468 KTS VFR IN PUBLISHED ROUTE VR-1354. THE AGCAT WAS TRACKING 334 DEG LEVEL AT 200 FT AGL AT 96 KTS VFR ACROSS THE ROUTE TO HIS DESTINATION SPRAY FIELD. THE TWO AIRCRAFT CONVERGED ON A 59 DEG COLLISION ANGLE WITH A CLOSURE SPEED OF 429 KTS. THE A6E NOTIFIED FSS THAT HE WAS ENTERING THE ROUTE LATE AND PROJECTED EXITING 8 MINUTES AFTER THE PUBLISHED CLOSURE OF THE ROUTE. THE AGCAT PILOT REPORTED HE WAS UNAWARE OF ANY INFORMATION/PUBLICATIONS REGARDING THE OPERATION OF MILITARY AIRCRAFT IN THE AREA. THE LOCAL FSS WAS IN THE HABIT OF REPORTING THE ROUTE 'HOT' 24 HRS A DAY RATHER THAN THE PRECISE SCHEDULE. THE CONVERGENCE ANGLE OF THE A6E WAS 111 DEG (8 O'CLOCK POSITION & BEHIND THE AGCAT'S LEFT WING). THE CONVERGENCE ANGLE OF THE AGCAT WAS 10 DEG. AT THE PROJECTED CLOSURE SPEED THE AGCAT WOULD HAVE SUBTENDED AN ANGLE OF 0.2 DEG 8.6 SECS BEFORE IMPACT; THE A6E 19.2 SECS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grumman A6E A6E | USN | United States Navy | Destroyed |
| Grumman-Schweizer G-164A G-164A | N8630H | Fender, Darrell | Destroyed |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Jan 1993 | Cessna A185F | Inglewood, Washington, United States | Johnson, Everett H. | No injuries | - |
| 16 Feb 1993 | Cessna 120 | Battleground, Washington, United States | Wills, Charles R. | Serious injuries | - |
| 25 Feb 1993 | Beechcraft C-99 | Seattle, Washington, United States | Ameriflight, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 25 Apr 1993 | Cessna 172C | Darrington, Washington, United States | Roulier, Brent L. | Fatal | 1 |
| 15 Jul 1993 | Piper PA-34-220T | Battleground, Washington, United States | Flightcraft Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 18 Aug 1993 | Enstrom F-28C | Seattle, Washington, United States | - | No injuries | - |