missing DH84 Dragon plane

Author
Discussion

Amused2death

Original Poster:

2,491 posts

195 months

Tuesday 2nd October 2012
quotequote all
As per the title.

DH84 missing in Australia.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/search-on-for-m...

Doesn't look good frown

Eric Mc

121,783 posts

264 months

Tuesday 2nd October 2012
quotequote all
What a pity. Sounds like he is emulating what happened to his father.

The DH84 is an extremely rare type of aircraft.

hurstg01

2,909 posts

242 months

Tuesday 2nd October 2012
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Is that like the one that was at Goodwoods Revival this year ? frown

Eric Mc

121,783 posts

264 months

Tuesday 2nd October 2012
quotequote all
If there was a DH84 Dragon at Goodwood, then yes.

The DH84 is quite different to the later DH89 Dragon Rapide.

DH84



DH89


fatboy b

9,492 posts

215 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
quotequote all
Plane found destroyed and all dead accordingto Sky frown

Eric Mc

121,783 posts

264 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
quotequote all
I was fearing that.

Very sad.

daz3210

5,000 posts

239 months

Simpo Two

85,150 posts

264 months

Eric Mc

121,783 posts

264 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
quotequote all
Is that supposed to be an English language newpaper?

Their use of English is distinctly odd.

An aircraft like a DH84 Dragon would only have fairly rudimentary flight instruments on boad (ca 1930s vintage) although the pilot might have had some sort of GPS device - which should ensure that, even if he was in cloud, he knew where he was.

Simpo Two

85,150 posts

264 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
An aircraft like a DH84 Dragon would only have fairly rudimentary flight instruments on boad (ca 1930s vintage) although the pilot might have had some sort of GPS device - which should ensure that, even if he was in cloud, he knew where he was.
Doesn't tell you which way is up though. I think a few circuits in cloud and he lost orientation and stalled in - or piled straight in under power, judging by the snapped trees.

But why did he start circling - looking for somewhere to get down?

Eric Mc

121,783 posts

264 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
quotequote all
Not knowing where you are in relation to the map is different to losing your spatial awareness - which of course can happen when flying on instruments.

Simpo Two

85,150 posts

264 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
quotequote all
True, but I'd rather be spatially aware/oriented and a bit lost, than know my exact coordinates and suddenly run out of sky.

tr7v8

7,186 posts

227 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
Is that supposed to be an English language newpaper?

Their use of English is distinctly odd.

An aircraft like a DH84 Dragon would only have fairly rudimentary flight instruments on boad (ca 1930s vintage) although the pilot might have had some sort of GPS device - which should ensure that, even if he was in cloud, he knew where he was.
If it is flying fare paying passengers then it will have better than 1930s instruments although they haven't changed a huge amount since then in terms of the basics. Disorientation is the common cause for crashing in IMC. Getting lost & hitting the scenery also sounds part of this.

dr_gn

16,140 posts

183 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
quotequote all
I seem to remember an accident a while ago in a similar aircraft, where a harness buckle had got caught around the control column. It took some time for the AAIB to figure out what happened. There are some pretty bizarre causes of air accidents...

RichB

51,434 posts

283 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
True, but I'd rather be spatially aware/oriented and a bit lost, than know my exact coordinates and suddenly run out of sky.
Eric Mc said:
Not knowing where you are in relation to the map is different to losing your spatial awareness - which of course can happen when flying on instruments.
I know Eric's a very keen aero modeller but OOI what do you two chaps fly? There's a few of us on P'Heads who commit aviation from time to time...

Simpo Two

85,150 posts

264 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
quotequote all
I never got further than a glider - considered the RAF after CCF but chose 'sensible' career instead (ha), probably not enough of a rugby-playing extrovert anyway - but really it's common sense coupled with years of aviation reading, instinct, empathy, and a good brain to interpret the facts. You don't have to be a pilot to form an intelligent view, though of course they would be able to add far more detail, especially the civil and military professionals on here.

Back on topic, I know it's bad form to ponder causes of crashes before investigation is complete but the challenge is to deduce it correctly.

Edited by Simpo Two on Wednesday 3rd October 22:51

daz3210

5,000 posts

239 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
I never got further than a glider ...
Some people would argue a glider pilot is a better pilot.


Eric Mc

121,783 posts

264 months

Thursday 4th October 2012
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RichB said:
I know Eric's a very keen aero modeller but OOI what do you two chaps fly? There's a few of us on P'Heads who commit aviation from time to time...
I've done a bit of flying myself - but a long time ago now (not long enough to have flown DH84s in period - I hasten to add).

I flew Cessna 152s.

And I'm matey with a few private pilots who've taken me up a couple of times - so I've unoficially flown PA28s and an SR22

Burnedout

478 posts

189 months

Thursday 4th October 2012
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Raging S'sou Easter about 30 knots wildly undulating terrain below, heavy showers, 10/10ths at 250 feet.
Just a compass and little else. He set of his distress beacon before he went in. So they knew they were gone.
They tracked the wreck via a mobile phone on the site. SAR had over flown the site the first day.
Very distressing, I knew this aircraft and had met the owner/pilot. He flew Nancy Bird into the Archerfield Airshow in 2005 in this aircraft; now they are all gone, all three.

Eric Mc

121,783 posts

264 months

Thursday 4th October 2012
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Very, very sad.

Should not have been flying that day, I suppose.