NTSB Identification: ERA13LA054A
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, November 10, 2012 in Williamson, GA
Aircraft: VANS AIRCRAFT INC RV-12, registration: N678AD
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On November 10, 2012, about 1100 eastern standard time, an amateur-built Vans RV-12 (RV-12), N678AD, and a Boeing E75 (Stearman), N1370V, collided in midair while on approach to the Peach State Airport (GA2), Williamson, Georgia. The private pilot in the RV-12 and the airline transport pilot in the Stearman were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plans were filed for either flight. The RV-12 departed the Covington Municipal Airport (CVC), Atlanta, Georgia. The Stearman departed Seven Lakes Airport (62GA), Jackson, Georgia. Both airplanes were operated as personal flights in accordance with 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, a Veteran’s Day celebration was being held at the non-towered airport, and the Stearman was the lead airplane in a flight of three Stearmans that planned to over-fly the airport from south to north, at an altitude of 1,800 feet mean sea level (msl). The pilot of the RV-12 reported that he overflew the airport at an altitude of about 2,000 feet msl and planned to enter a right downwind for runway 13. Both pilots stated that they communicated their respective positions and intentions over the airport’s common traffic advisory frequency. In addition, they were attempting to visually acquire each other when the two airplanes collided. Both pilots were subsequently able to land their respective airplanes without further incident.

Initial examination of the airplanes by an FAA inspector revealed that RV-12’s nose section and the Stearman’s rudder sustained substantial damage. In addition, the RV-12’s nose gear fairing contained damage consistent with contact with the Stearman’s rudder.

Both pilots reported that they were utilizing handheld Garmin global positioning system receivers, which were forwarded to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory, Washington, DC, for data download.

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