Midair KWVI Watsonville, CA

[KB4TEZ]

Story from Fryy's post in the Accidents/Incident section.
found from Norcal another aircraft witness account.
RIP

http://www.kathrynsreport.com/search?updated-max=2022-08-18T21:30:00-04:00&max-results=1

WATSONVILLE – Multiple fatalities were reported Thursday after two airplanes collided while attempting to land at the Watsonville Municipal Airport, authorities said.

The mid-air crash was reported around 3 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration. In a statement, the FAA said a Cessna 152 and a Cessna 340 collided while the pilots were on their final approaches to the airport.

One person was onboard the Cessna 152 and two people were onboard the Cessna 304, according to the FAA.

In a statement posted to social media, the city of Watsonville said multiple fatalities were reported.

“Multiple agencies responded to Watsonville Municipal Airport after (two) planes attempting to land collided,” the statement read. “We have reports of multiple fatalities.”

The FAA did not confirm the fatalities but said there were no injuries to anyone on the ground.

Witnesses reported seeing two aircraft collide about 200 feet in the air. Franky Herrera was driving past the airport when he saw a twin-engine plane bank hard to the right and hit the wing of a smaller, single-engine aircraft.

[Rick108]

Here is the audio from the Watsonville CTAF from a few minutes before the accident.  It sounds like the airport was fairly busy.  The Cessna 152 (N49931) was in the pattern doing T&Gs on r/w 20, while the twin Cessna (N740WJ) was inbound, straight in for r/w 20.  Both pilots were reporting their positions, and the 152 had the twin in sight.  There is a dialog between the two pilots just before the accident - the twin reports a one-mile final, and the 152 pilot says he's going around because the twin is approaching fast from behind.  A third aircraft in the downwind witnessed the accident.

Such a tragedy.  My condolences to the families of the pilots involved.