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See and Avoid

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The article discusses a recent fatal mid-air collision at Watsonville, speculating that the immediate cause was both pilots' failure to "see and avoid" each other.
  • The author identifies multiple missed opportunities for both the Cessna 152 pilot and the Cessna 340 pilot to take minor evasive actions or adjust their flight paths to prevent the accident.
  • A key underlying factor suggested is that both pilots were "locked into their plan," indicating a lack of flexibility and situational awareness critical for adapting to traffic at a non-towered airport.
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Watsonville, California, is where my Cessna 340 and I used to be based. It’s also where, as I write this, just a few days ago another Cessna 340 and a Cessna 152 unsuccessfully attempted to occupy the same place in the pattern at the same time. The resulting destruction of two aircraft and death of three people has garnered a lot of attention.

I try—I really try—to avoid speculating on causes of publicized accidents. Most all of us do it, but we just have too little data, even if the cause seems obvious. So, it is best to wait for more facts.

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