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| Date: | Wednesday 20 April 1960 |
| Time: | 13:06 |
| Type: |  Cessna 310C |
| Owner/operator: | private |
| Registration: | N1807H |
| MSN: | 35907 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1959 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Hickory Airport, NC (HKY) -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Grand Rapids, MI |
| Hickory Airport, NC (HKY/KHKY), United States of America | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
A Cessna 310H (N1807H) and a Piedmont Airlines Fairchild F-27 (N2704R) were involved in a midair collision at while both were making the final approach for landing in VFR conditions to Hickory Airport, NC, USA.
The accident occurred approximately one-fourth mile from the approach end of runway 19 at an altitude of between 100 and 150 feet. Subsequent to the collision the damaged F-27 was landed without further incident; however, the Cessna crashed out of control and all four occupants received fatal injuries. The Hickory Airport does not have a control tower; however, the airport is served by an FAA Flight Service Station, which had established communications with the Cessna. Piedmont maintained a radio located on the airport which provided the same assistance as the FSS for company flights and had an interphone connection with the FSS. The F27 was on a scheduled flight from Cincinnati, Ohio to Fayetteville, North Carolina with an en route stop at Hickory. At 12:54 hour local time the pilot made an in-range report to the company radio, over a location approximately 23 miles north-west of the airport. Thereafter, an approximate 500 to 600 feet per minute rate of descent from 7,500 feet was established at an airspeed of 170 knots to the base leg of the landing approach. The landing check list was completed just after the turn onto final approach and the aircraft descended to an altitude of between 100 and 150 feet at an airspeed of 100 knots when the company radio advised the flight that there was "an aircraft right off the runway". The pilots were unable to observe the reported aircraft and in reply to their query were told "runway 19 - it looks like he is right behind you - you had better go around". An immediate go-around was ordered and the first officer retracted the gear as the captain started to advance power; however, the impact occurred before an appreciable amount of power could be added. The aircraft responded normally to control and the gear was immediately returned to the down-position and the aircraft was landed safely.
The pilot of the Cessna, commercial rating, age 37, with 2250 total hours, 130 in multiengine aircraft, was completing an IFR flight from Grand Rapids, Michigan. At 12:46 he had reported over a point 54 miles NNW of Hickory at 12,000 feet at which time he requested descent clearance which was granted. At 12:56 he cancelled his instrument flight plan and proceeded VFR to Hickory. The flight path of the Cessna thereafter was not established until it was observed approximately 3 miles ENE of the approach end of runway 19 at Hickory. At 13:02 the pilot called the Hickory FSS and advised he was in the Hickory area and requested the wind directions. This information was furnished and the pilot was advised of no reported traffic in the area. Approximately one minute later the Piedmont agent called the FSS on the interphone and advised that the F-27 was inbound and requested traffic. He was informed the Cessna was the only reported traffic. Immediately thereafter unsuccessful attempts by the FSS were made to contact the Cessna. According to ground witnesses both of the aircraft appeared to be in straight flight on a southerly heading and descending toward the airport until the collision occurred. According to the witnesses during the final approach the Cessna was at all times above and slightly to the rear of the F-27 descending at a steep angle. The Cessna struck the left propeller of the F-27 careered from the left wing and the vertical fin and fell nearly vertically to the ground.
Sources:
1. https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1974/1974%20-%200819.html
2. World Aircraft Accident Summary / CAA, CAP479
https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19600420-0
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 02-Aug-2016 18:09 | harro | Added |
| 17-Aug-2016 13:43 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Operator, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 23-Apr-2020 18:04 | BillKrombeen | Updated [Time] |
| 23-Apr-2020 18:06 | harro | Updated [Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 23-Apr-2020 19:04 | harro | Updated [Operator, Narrative] |
| 29-Jul-2020 08:06 | Captain Adam | Updated [Location, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 07-Mar-2022 20:51 | TB | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
| 22-Mar-2024 20:05 | Cobar | Updated [Aircraft type, Cn] |
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