Investigation finds neither pilot saw each other in 2015 mid-air collision
The investigation into a fatal plane crash in 2015 found that neither pilot saw the other aircraft in time to avoid the collision.
Both pilots were relying primarily on a principle called “see-and-avoid”, which is based on active scanning, and the ability to detect conflicting aircraft and to take appropriate measures to avoid.
The two aircraft collided at 2800 feet, leading to the left float separating from the Cessna 185, and the in-flight breakup of the Cessna 172.
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The occupants of the Cessna 172, Nabeel Chaudhry, 33 years old, a McMurray Aviation instructor and Amjed Ahmed, 32 years old, a student were killed in the crash.
The Cessna 185 pilot was uninjured, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The Transportation Safety Board says there are other ways pilots flying in uncontrolled airspace can take to reduce collisions, like flying along published VFR routes, actively providing and listening for traffic advisories on the radio, and using aircraft collision avoidance systems to detect aircraft flying nearby.