Cessna 172 N497SJ and Piper PA28 N90874 accident near Pahokee, Florida

Probable cause

The pilots' failure to see and avoid the other airplane, which resulted in a midair collision during short final approach.

NTSB analysis

The low-wing airplane and the high-wing airplane were both being operated as instructional flights. Both airplanes arrived from different airports and had completed several uneventful landings at the non-tower-controlled accident airport. The pilots of both airplanes reported that they were transmitting position reports and hearing transmissions on the airport’s common traffic advisory frequency. Review of ADS-B data indicated that the low-wing airplane flew a wider left traffic pattern, and the high wing airplane flew a closer left traffic pattern before the airplanes converged on final approach, and the left wing of the high-wing airplane contacted the upper cabin of the low-wing airplane, resulting in substantial damage to both airplanes. The instructors onboard each airplane took control, and landed without further incident.

The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the failure of the pilots to see and avoid the other airplane while operating in the airport traffic pattern, which resulted in a midair collision.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA25LA072 for the full record.