Plain English Meaning

Two aircraft hitting each other in the air. They almost always happen in clear weather close to airports, when at least one pilot did not see the other aircraft in time.

Full Definition

An in-flight impact between two aircraft, typically occurring in good visibility, near airports, at low altitudes, and during daylight weekend hours. Most occur when one aircraft overtakes another or when both are converging on a similar flight path, and most are preventable through effective visual scanning and traffic awareness.

Context Anchor

Seen in see-and-avoid training, traffic scanning, collision avoidance discussions, and instructor about maintaining awareness outside the aircraft.