A C182 has a midair with an extra 500 during a formation flight join-up. Both aircraft land safely.

Attributes
ACN	596366
Time
Date	200310
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dfw.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 190 flight time type : 125
ASRS Report	596366
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Flight of 3 aircraft departed ZZZ with intention of flying in loose formation to ZZZ1 for purposes of positioning for display at convention. The C182 was to handle all communications and navigation as lead aircraft. The other 2 aircraft, an extra EA500 single engine turboprop, and an extra EA300/left high performance aerobatic aircraft, were in position on l-hand and r-hand sides of C182, respectively. After takeoff and during climb out, the EA500 was transitioning to intended position when it lost visual on C182 and its r-hand wingtip contacted C182 propeller arc. Both aircraft maintained control and immediately returned to ZZZ. Lndgs were successful, no emergency was declared and no injuries sustained. EA500 sustained minor damage to wingtip and aileron. Components were repaired in accordance with manufacturer's manual and aircraft was returned to service and continued to ZZZ1 next morning. C182 is grounded for propeller overhaul/repair. Debriefing among pilots reviewed factors contributing to event: inadequate planning during preflight briefing, poor communication in flight. Failure to maintain visual contact, use of widely different aircraft, and existence of differing skill levels among pilots contributed to risks.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C182 HAS A MIDAIR WITH AN EXTRA 500 DURING A FORMATION FLT JOIN-UP. BOTH ACFT LAND SAFELY.

Narrative: FLT OF 3 ACFT DEPARTED ZZZ WITH INTENTION OF FLYING IN LOOSE FORMATION TO ZZZ1 FOR PURPOSES OF POSITIONING FOR DISPLAY AT CONVENTION. THE C182 WAS TO HANDLE ALL COMS AND NAV AS LEAD ACFT. THE OTHER 2 ACFT, AN EXTRA EA500 SINGLE ENG TURBOPROP, AND AN EXTRA EA300/L HIGH PERFORMANCE AEROBATIC ACFT, WERE IN POS ON L-HAND AND R-HAND SIDES OF C182, RESPECTIVELY. AFTER TKOF AND DURING CLBOUT, THE EA500 WAS TRANSITIONING TO INTENDED POS WHEN IT LOST VISUAL ON C182 AND ITS R-HAND WINGTIP CONTACTED C182 PROP ARC. BOTH ACFT MAINTAINED CTL AND IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO ZZZ. LNDGS WERE SUCCESSFUL, NO EMER WAS DECLARED AND NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. EA500 SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE TO WINGTIP AND AILERON. COMPONENTS WERE REPAIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH MANUFACTURER'S MANUAL AND ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SVC AND CONTINUED TO ZZZ1 NEXT MORNING. C182 IS GNDED FOR PROP OVERHAUL/REPAIR. DEBRIEFING AMONG PLTS REVIEWED FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO EVENT: INADEQUATE PLANNING DURING PREFLT BRIEFING, POOR COM IN FLT. FAILURE TO MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT, USE OF WIDELY DIFFERENT ACFT, AND EXISTENCE OF DIFFERING SKILL LEVELS AMONG PLTS CONTRIBUTED TO RISKS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.