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Crash scene in Sharonville
(WCPO/WCPO.com)
Crash scene in Sharonville
(WCPO/WCPO.com)
Crash scene in Sharonville
(WCPO/WCPO.com)
Crash scene in Sharonville
(WCPO/WCPO.com)
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Photographed by: Jason Garrison
In a story you saw first, and exclusively, on 9News, reporter Lance Barry has obtained the cockpit radio transmissions from two planes involved in a fatal, mid-air collision last week over Sharonville.
While the recording clears up some misconceptions about the crash, it also creates a mystery – specifically about a third plane near the other two, before the collision.
For the first time, we are hearing the cockpit radio transmissions of two pilots seconds before their planes collided in mid-air over Sharonville last week.
One of the planes was attempting to land at Blue Ash airport, while the other was taking off – in total three people on board were killed at two crash sites in Sharonville.
The transmissions debunk many theories about why the crash occurred nearly one week ago.
As you listen, you hear that both pilots not only knew each other were there, but they even knew each other's exact location.
But, in addition to answering questions, the tape also creates one – specifically about a third plane that was near the other two at the time of the collision.
They are some of the last words longtime pilot Niels Harpsoe would ever say.
Niels Harpsoe:
"Blue Ash traffic, Bonanza 1835 Lima is five miles north of the field. We'll be entering downwind Runway 6."
At the controls of his Beechcraft Bonanza last Friday, Harpsoe was some five miles away from Blue Ash Airport's runway.
Then, radio traffic from a nearby Cessna 172 with student pilot David Woeste in the main seat, and instructor Edward Hitchins by his side.
As you listen closely, you can hear as the Cessna acknowledges that Harpsoe is nearing him.
Cessna:
"Blue Ash traffic, Cessna 6614D has just departed Runway 6, departing heading 320, climbing through 2,100 feet. We'll be looking for the Bonanza on the downwind."
One mile closer to the field, Harpsoe gives one last location update.
Niels Harpsoe:
"Blue Ash traffic, Bonanza 35 Lima, four miles to the field at 3,000 feet. We'll be entering left downwind Runway 6."
Seconds later – an inaudible noise – that quite possibly is the mid-air collision itself.
"It was just wrong place, wrong time," said radio host and former flying traffic reporter John Phillips.
Phillips has some 12,000 flight hours to his credit.
After hearing the transmissions which 9News has obtained, he says there is no obvious reason why the planes collided.
"The Bonanza was doing everything by the book," said Phillips, "and the Cessna was doing everything by the book."
Phillips says with the Cessna climbing, and the Bonanza descending, it's possible Woeste misjudge how fast or how slow the Bonanza was bearing down on his exact location – creating an uncommon broadside collision.
"I'm guessing that the Cessna came into the Bonanza," said Phillips, "as opposed to the Bonanza hitting the Cessna."
While the tapes don't contain a clear explanation for the crash, they do contain a mystery – with the voice of a third pilot based in Blue Ash also heard on it – who, judging by the transmission, just missed the collision.
"I am not going to say he saw anything, but had he been looking, it's conceivable he could have," said Phillips.
Not much is known about that third plane, other than it was identified on the radio transmissions as a Cherokee-type plane.
After the noise you hear that could have been the collision, there was nothing else from either of the two pilots, perhaps not surprising considering they were only 1,000 feet off the ground.
9News was told that there would be little time for any reaction.
