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Almost ten months ago, on Monday, May 18, 2009, at about 6:01 PM, the apparently happy life of Los Alamitos father and husband Gary Gierczak, 54, along with two other men, ended suddenly in a mid-air crash off Long Beach. The weather was clear, it was during daylight, the planes were both being tracked on FAA radar, and the pilots were experienced flyers. In fact, Gierczak had an airline pilot’s license. The National Transportation Safety Board, NTSB, concluded that the pilots did not see each other.
The NTSB issued their report on Wednesday. It said “The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: The failure of both pilots to see and avoid each other's aircraft.”
The report also states “The radar data depicted the two airplanes converging nearly perpendicular to one another about five miles south of the shoreline.” Ian Gregor, FAA spokesperson, told www.OC180NEWS.com the crash occurred over the ocean, in uncontrolled airspace. ”Most of the airspace in the country below 18,000 feet is uncontrolled,” said Gregor.
Thus, even though the crash was within a few miles of the Long Beach airport, and the flight paths of both planes were tracked on FAA radar, Gregor said the planes were not actively monitored by FAA controllers. “The pilots were not talking to air traffic controllers, air traffic controllers were not directing them, or tracking them.” The FAA’s radar picked up the planes, but there is no automated system where flight paths are projected and pilots automatically alerted if they appear to be on a collision course.
Gregor indicated that “The air traffic controllers primary responsibility is handling the aircraft for which they are responsible—either commercial, or a private pilot who’s filed a flight plan and is talking to air traffic controllers as part of his journey.”
Gregor indicated the airspace above 18,000 feet is all controlled, but there is no requirement to file a flight plan for a private pilot operating below 18,000 feet. “Every commercial flight that takes place has a flight plan, but if you are just a private guy flying around, there is no requirement to file a flight plan. Pilots, when they just want to practice, or fly around for fun, often don’t file flight plans.”
Thus, in other words, if you are below 18,000 feet, not in an approach or takeoff zone for a major airport, and are not talking to air traffic controllers monitoring your filed flight plan, you are on your own to avoid a collision. Gregor said “See and avoid is the mantra out there.”
There is no way to know why these two experienced pilots failed to see and avoid the other plane. Gregor said there was no radio traffic which would explain why the pilots did not see each other. The NTSB report did not cite any weather, visibility, or mechanical reasons for the accident.
Here is the summary of findings from the NTSB report:
A Cessna 172N and a Cessna 310P collided in flight in a common practice area for airwork. A witness was flying on a southerly heading within the immediate area of the collision and noticed a silhouette of an airplane, which appeared to be a Cessna 172 at his 10 to 11 o'clock position. The airplane appeared to be performing maneuvers and making turns in a counter-clockwise direction, followed by a turn in a clockwise direction. The witness stated that he noticed another airplane entering the area from the west, traveling at a high rate of speed on an easterly heading. He added that he was unable to see what kind of airplane it was and only saw a "black object" due to the sun being almost on the horizon. The witness continued to watch both airplanes and noted the fast moving airplane was continuing on an easterly heading while the Cessna 172N was still performing maneuvers on a southerly heading around the same altitude. The witness observed both airplanes collide, disintegrate into small pieces, and fall to the ocean below. Review of recorded radar data revealed that the Cessna 310P was maneuvering within a common practice area about 5 miles south of the shoreline at various altitudes. The data depicted the Cessna 172N on a southerly course at an altitude of 3,000 feet msl while conducting a series of shallow left and right turns prior to performing a left 360-degree turn to a southerly heading. The Cessna 310P was on an easterly heading at an altitude of 3,000 feet msl for about 2 minutes prior to the collision. The radar data depicted the two airplanes converging nearly perpendicular to one another about five miles south of the shoreline. During examination of the recovered wreckage, transfer marks were identified consistent with the radar-derived collision angle. Both airplanes were operating under visual conditions when they collided.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The failure of both pilots to see and avoid each other's aircraft.