FlightFollowerInvestigation of a Mid-Air Collision and Multiple Survival Landings
Two Midair Collisions, Two Very Different Outcomes
This ATC audio reconstruction brings together two midair-collision cases with very different outcomes. In the first, a Cirrus aircraft approaching Centennial Airport in Colorado collided with a Key Lime Air Fairchild Metro on final approach. The Cirrus parachute system was deployed and the Metro continued to a successful landing with damage. In the second case, two light aircraft collided in cruise flight under VFR, one aircraft was destroyed and the other continued to an airport and landed.
The common thread is not the aircraft type. It is the difficulty of visually detecting another airplane against a complex background and the tiny amount of time available once two flight paths converge.
At Centennial, the Cirrus overshot the final approach path for Runway 17R and entered the path of Metro Flight 970. The collision damaged both aircraft. The Cirrus pilot activated the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System, which slowed the descent and gave the occupants a survivable landing. The Metro, despite damage, retained sufficient control and landed on a single engine.
Two separate collision cases are covered below. They are not a single accident. The first involves a Cirrus approaching Centennial and a Key Lime Air Fairchild Metro on final. The second involves two light aircraft in visual cruise. Their outcomes differ, but the evidence in both cases points to the same physical problem: converging aircraft can remain difficult to detect until the time available for avoidance is extremely short.
A Second Collision Without ATC Communication
The second collision involved a Cessna 207 and Cessna 175 operating in visual conditions without ATC communication. The Cessna 175 pilot reported seeing one airplane pass below, then noticed the shadow of another aircraft converging from the opposite direction. The aircraft collided before a full evasive maneuver could be completed.
These cases show why “see and avoid” is necessary but imperfect. Human vision has blind spots, aircraft windshields create framing limitations, and a small aircraft can remain almost invisible until its relative motion becomes obvious.
The Cirrus case adds another layer: modern safety equipment can sometimes create a second chance after collision. The CAPS parachute is not a substitute for traffic avoidance, but once the collision occurred it became a powerful last line of defense.
In the Centennial case, the Cirrus overshot the final approach and entered the Metro’s flight path. The Cirrus pilot deployed the CAPS parachute system after the collision, giving the aircraft a controlled descent. The Metro sustained damage but retained enough control to land. In the second case, the aircraft were operating VFR without ATC separation, and visual detection occurred too late to prevent contact.
How the Metro Crew Landed on One Engine
The Metro crew’s successful single-engine landing demonstrates another form of resilience. A damaged aircraft can remain controllable when the crew maintains disciplined energy management and avoids unnecessary maneuvering.
The broader lesson is that traffic awareness should be multi-layered. Pilots should use radio calls when appropriate, monitor traffic displays when available, maintain predictable flight paths and actively scan. Controllers can reduce conflicts in controlled airspace, but many general-aviation collisions occur outside positive control environments.
The two cases also demonstrate the value of avoiding fixation. A pilot who becomes focused on one aircraft may miss another threat. Effective scanning is systematic rather than random.
The value of presenting these cases together is that the outcomes demonstrate two different last-resort defenses: a parachute system on one aircraft and continued controllability on the other. Neither defense prevents a midair collision. They only change what happens after avoidance has failed.
Investigation and findings
When an aircraft is damaged, the priorities change again: maintain control, determine what remains functional and choose the safest landing option. The successful outcomes in these cases came from preserving those fundamentals after the collision.
Research and reconstruction
Flight Follower Editorial Team
This reconstruction was researched from official investigation records where they exist, the original air traffic control recording, and contemporary reporting. The aircraft movement, timeline and written account were assembled independently by Flight Follower. Where an investigation is open or no probable cause has been published, the account says so rather than offering one.
About the Flight Follower team · Editorial policy · Corrections
Sources and investigation material
Accident Facts
- Registration
- N91038
- Aircraft
- Cirrus
- Airports
- APA (Centennial)
- Category
- Midair / Near miss
- Reconstruction
- 11:23