At about 10:23 EST, a Piper PA-44-180 and a Piper PA-28-161, both on instructional flights, collided near the departure end of runway 5 at the Deland Municipal Airport. The pilot and instructor in each plane were killed. The Warrior, part of Embry-Riddles fleet, had received a VFR clearance from Daytona Beach controllers for a flight to Leesburg, but apparently began flying traffic patterns on runway 5 in Deland after radar service was terminated with Daytona Beach Tower. The Seminole also left Daytona Beach on a local IFR clearance to perform a practice VOR 23 approach at Deland, to be followed by NDB and ILS approaches. After the Seminole was cleared for the VOR approach, the pilot canceled IFR. Witnesses reported hearing both aircraft announce their positions over the Deland Unicom frequency.
Dec. 3, Deland, Fla. / Piper Seminole and Piper Warrior
At about 10:23 EST, a Piper PA-44-180 and a Piper PA-28-161, both on instructional flights, collided near the departure end of runway 5 at the Deland Municipal Airport. The pilot and instructor in each plane were killed. The Warrior, part of Embry-Riddles fleet, had received a VFR clearance from Daytona Beach controllers for a flight to Leesburg, but apparently began flying traffic patterns on runway 5 in Deland after radar service was terminated with Daytona Beach Tower. The Seminole also left Daytona Beach on a local IFR clearance to perform a practice VOR 23 approach at Deland, to be followed by NDB and ILS approaches. After the Seminole was cleared for the VOR approach, the pilot cancel...
Key Takeaways:
- A mid-air collision occurred between two instructional Piper aircraft, a PA-44-180 and a PA-28-161, near Deland Municipal Airport.
- The accident resulted in four fatalities, with the pilot and instructor from each aircraft killed.
- Both planes, which had originated from Daytona Beach, were conducting maneuvers at Deland, with at least one having canceled its IFR flight plan, despite witnesses hearing both announce their positions on the Deland Unicom frequency.
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