LONG BEACH, CA, USA
N3054N
PIPER PA-28RT-201
N114RJ
CESSNA 172P
A PIPER PA-28RT-201 AND A CESSNA 172P WERE FLYING PARALLEL WESTERLY COURSES ABOVE A JETTY WHICH FORMED A LINEAR GROUND REFERENCE OVER OPEN WATER. THE PIPER WAS TO THE LEFT OF THE CESSNA JUST PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. THE PIPER WAS CONFIGURED FOR SLOW FLIGHT WITH THE FLAPS EXTENDED AND LANDING GEAR DOWN. THE CESSNA FLAPS WERE RETRACTED AND THE CESSNA WAS FLYING FASTER THAN THE PIPER. THE CESSNA STRUCK THE PIPER'S OUTBOARD RIGHT WING TIP WITH THE LEFT WING STRUT SEVERING THE RIGHT WING TIP AND BENDING THE REMAINING OUTBOARD PORTION OF THE WING SPAR FORWARD. THE OUTBOARD PORTION OF THE PIPER'S RIGHT WING WAS SEVERED. THE AZIMUTH AND ANGLE OF THE SUN WAS TO THE LEFT AND TO THE FRONT OF BOTH AIRPLANES.
THE INADEQUATE VISUAL OUTLOOK OF THE PILOTS OF THE CESSNA 172P AND THEIR FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID THE PIPER PA- 28RT-201. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE AZIMUTH AND ANGLE OF THE SUN WHICH WAS IN A POSITION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT TO IMPAIR THE SCAN OF THE CESSNA 172P PILOTS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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