NTSB Releases Details of Florida Midair Collision

The airspace where the collision occurred does not require the use of radios or pilot communication, NTSB said.

Thursday, March 09, 2023 at 04:50 PM ET

Verified

According to an NTSB preliminary investigation, the J-3 Cub was in a normal corridor for approach to land on the lake, while the Piper Cherokee was performing a short approach to Runway 29 at Winter Haven Regional Airport. [Credit: Foreflight]

Key Takeaways:

A midair collision in Winter Haven, Florida, killed four people, occurring as both a Piper Cherokee and a J-3 Cub were attempting to land, albeit at different locations.
The NTSB's preliminary investigation suggests the Cherokee, performing a "short approach" (a standard emergency maneuver), was self-announcing, while the J-3 Cub was not.
Factors under review include the collision occurring in Class Echo airspace (where radios aren't required), the J-3 Cub's lack of a built-in radio, and potential blind spots caused by the aircraft designs.

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The midair collision between a Piper Cherokee and a J-3 Cub on floats that killed four people in Winter Haven, Florida, Tuesday may have occurred when both aircraft were attempting to land, according to a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) preliminary investigation.

According to NTSB, the pilot of the Cherokee, which was operated by Sunrise Aviation on behalf of Polk State College, was attempting to land on Runway 29 at the Winter Haven Regional Airport (KGIF). The pilot of the J-3 Cub was attempting to land at Jack Brown’s Seaplane Base (F57).