C.A.S.A. 1.131 N1041U and Great Lakes 2T-1E N108CH accident near Red Hook, New York

Probable cause

The Great Lakes pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from the Bucker Jungmann while maneuvering during an air show, which resulted in a midair collision, the inability of the Bucker Jungmann to maintain altitude, and its subsequent forced landing.

NTSB analysis

The two airplanes were part of a performance team that was participating in an air show. During the formation flight, the Bucker Jungmann was the No. 4 airplane in the formation and the Great Lakes was in the No. 5 position and trailing the Bucker Jungmann. A witness video of the formation flight revealed that during the formation flight, the Great Lakes overtook and was above the Bucker Jungmann. Both airplanes then collided, with the top of the Bucker Jungmann impacting the bottom of the Great Lakes. The impact resulted in the Bucker Jungmann’s propeller being damaged and the airplane was no longer capable of maintaining altitude. The pilot of the Bucker Jungmann performed a forced landing in a wooded area, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The midair collision resulted in minor damage to the Great Lakes and the pilot was able to land without incident. Both pilots reported there were no mechanical anomalies or failures that would have precluded normal operation of their airplanes prior to the midair collision.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA24LA332 for the full record.