Mid-air collision between Cessna FA152 and Grob Astir near Farnborough Airfield
On July 23, 1994, a Cessna FA152 Aerobat and a Grob Astir glider collided mid-air near Farnborough Airfield in the United Kingdom. The glider pilot released from a tow at approximately 1,800 feet and attempted to find lift when the collision occurred. The glider was damaged beyond economic repair, and the pilot sustained minor injuries after parachuting to safety. The Cessna suffered substantial damage to its left wing but managed to return to Blackbushe Airport safely. The incident occurred during a period when Farnborough ATC was not operational, and gliding club members were managing radio communications.
- Aerotow release: After aero-tow from Farnborough Runway 07, the glider pilot released at about 1,800 feet agl southwest of the airfield and began searching for lift.
- Thermal search turns: The glider conducted a left-hand orbit to find lift, then adopted an easterly heading back towards the airfield before encountering lift and entering a right turn at relatively low height near the ATZ.
- Converging Cessna traffic: While the glider was turning in lift near 1,800 feet agl, a Cessna 152 on a training flight from Blackbushe inadvertently tracked into the Farnborough ATZ and converged with the glider’s flight path.
- Late sighting and impact: The glider pilot saw the Cessna only when it was very close in a banked right turn and, almost immediately thereafter, the Cessna’s left wingtip struck the glider’s fin and T-tail, breaking the rear fuselage and causing loss of pitch control.
- Pilot bailout: After realizing he had lost pitch control, the glider pilot opened the canopy, exited over the left side of the fuselage, and deployed his back parachute, sustaining only a bruised ankle.
- Crash - minor injury: The now-uncontrolled glider stalled, descended in a flat spin, struck a tree which separated the empennage, and crashed on rough ground near the Runway 07 threshold, being damaged beyond economic repair while the pilot survived with minor injury.