AOPA'S AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE RELEASES EARLY ANALYSIS: WINTER HAVEN MIDAIR VIDEO

On March 7, 2023, a Piper Warrior and a Piper J-3 Cub on floats collided over Lake Hartridge, just east of Winter Haven Regional Airport in Winter Haven, Florida. Sadly, all four people on board the airplanes perished in the accident.

The Piper Warrior had flown from Lakeland Linder International Airport for pattern work at Winter Haven. The Piper Cub had just returned to transition to Jack Brown’s Seaplane Base located at Lake Jessie, adjacent to the Winter Haven Airport.

The weather was VFR with good visibility and a few clouds at 4,100 feet. The Warrior turned left base for Runway 29 as the J-3 Cub flew across Lake Hartridge when the two airplanes collided.

“In Early Analysis: Winter Haven Midair the AOPA Air Safety Institute wants to help pilots understand what is known about the accident as we look at factors that are likely to be a subject of the investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board," said AOPA's ASI Senior Vice President Richard McSpadden.

McSpadden continued, “The NTSB issued a statement based on video footage it obtained, that it can confirm that the two airplanes collided nearly head-on. The NTSB also said that the J-3 attempted to dive to the right immediately before the collision.”

“Most midairs happen near an airport traffic pattern where things just line up perfectly for two airplanes to be in the same piece of sky. Airplanes like the J-3 Cub without an electrical system might consider portable technologies like hand-held radios and ADS-B In technology for situational awareness of traffic volume and position at the airport,” McSpadden concluded.

Early Analysis videos provide an initial assessment of prominent mishaps that generate large public interest and may indicate important safety lessons for the general aviation community.

View the video here.

View other Early Analysis videos here.