FORMATION FLIGHT TURNS TRAGIC | WHAT WENT WRONG ? | How a one-time mistake proved deadly A GROUP OF FLORIDA AIRPARK neighbors depart in formation on a sunny spring morning for a breakfast fly-out. Pilots on this airpark fly formation a lot, and joining up to fly out for breakfast is a routine Saturday morning event. Leading the flight is a highly experienced airline transport pilot-rated CFII in a Great Lakes biplane. At least two other airline transport pilots with multiple instructor certificates are in the formation, which consists of an alternating mix of high- and lowwing airplanes, each a different model. After B Y R I C H A R D M C S PA D D E N I L LU S T R AT I O N B Y B R E T T A F F R U N T I aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 73http://www.aopa.org/pilot