T'was A Bad Weekend For GA

An horrific collision at an uncontrolled airport in Westerly, RI, has claimed the lives of an aviator and his passenger. The accident occurred while a Cessna 182 was departing and a PA28 was landing. The occupants of the C182 died while the Piper Archer's occupants survived, with reportedly minor injuries. According to authorities at the scene, some portion of the Cessna's tail made contact with the right wing of the Piper. The sequence that followed involved a pitch-down impact by the Cessna, which went off the runway but remained upright. The Piper reportedly landed on the runway but the impact wiped out the landing gear, which collapsed.

Pilot Hardy Franklin Lebel, 65, and passenger Peter Budd Coleman, 58, were killed as a result of the midair--one of two such accidents that occurred over the weekend. 

** Report created 11/17/2003 Record 4 **
IDENTIFICATION
 Regis#: 2885D Make/Model: PA28 Description: PA-28 CHEROKEE, ARROW, WARRIOR, ACHER, D
 Date: 11/16/2003 Time: 1840  Damage: Unknown
LOCATION
 City: WESTERLY State: RI Country: US

DESCRIPTION
N34AG, C182 DEPARTED IN FRONT OF N2885D, PA28, LANDING ON RUNWAY 32, THEY COLLIDED AT 150 AGL, CAUSING THE C182 TO NOSEDIVE TO THE GROUND, THE TWO PERSONS ON BOARD THE C182 WERE FATALLY INJURED AND THE THREE PERSONS ON BOARD THE PA28 SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, WESTERLY, RI
WEATHER: WST METAR 161753Z VRB05KT 10SM BKN085 08/M01 A3022

OTHER DATA
 Activity: Unknown Phase: Landing Operation: General Aviation
 Destination: UNK Flt Plan: UNK Wx Briefing: U
 Last Radio Cont: UNK  Last Clearance: UNK
 FAA FSDO: BOSTON, MA (NE01) Entry date: 11/17/2003

** Report created 11/17/2003 Record 6 **
IDENTIFICATION
 Regis#: 34AG Make/Model: C182 Description: 182, Skylane
 Date: 11/16/2003 Time: 1840
 Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Fatal Mid Air: Y Missing: N
 Damage: Destroyed
LOCATION
 City: WESTERLY State: RI Country: US

DESCRIPTION
N34AG, C182 DEPARTED IN FRONT OF N2885D, PA28, LANDING ON RUNWAY 32, THEY COLLIDED AT 150 AGL, CAUSING THE C182 TO NOSEDIVE TO THE GROUND, THE TWO PERSONS ON BOARD THE C182 WERE FATALLY INJURED AND THE THREE PERSONS ON BOARD THE PA28 SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, WESTERLY, RI

INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 2
 # Crew: 2 Fat: 2 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk: # Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
 # Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
WEATHER: WST METAR 161753Z VRB05KT 10SM BKN085 08/M01 A3022
OTHER DATA
 Activity: Unknown Phase: Take-off Operation: General Aviation
 Departed: WESTERLY, RI Dep Date: Dep. Time:
 Destination: UNK Flt Plan: UNK Wx Briefing: Y
 Last Radio Cont: UNK  Last Clearance: NONE
 FAA FSDO: BOSTON, MA (NE01) Entry date: 11/17/2003

FMI: www.faa.gov