Light aircraft disappears with two people on board...
Discussion
hutchst said:
ecs said:
Carb icing, limited service ceiling.
Isn't the TSIO fuel injected and turbocharged?Guvernator said:
So crash landed in the water and sunk without trace?
I just find it a bit odd that no mayday was called, obviously I am not a a pilot so have no experience of such things but surely he would have realised something had gone wrong and tried to radio in for help?
If it was an engine failure then yes, if it went out of control due to icing etc then he'd be too busy trying to regain control.I just find it a bit odd that no mayday was called, obviously I am not a a pilot so have no experience of such things but surely he would have realised something had gone wrong and tried to radio in for help?
motco said:
The pilots' rumour forum is interesting.
Here
A whole world of acronyms I don't understand. But a lot of knowledgable professionals, which is good.Here
"I am listed in the FAA database as PPL. Neither ATPL nor any IR nor anything else is approved at first FAA validation. You have to take additional steps to get these onto the 61.75 piggyback. Even a 100kh ATPL will only get PPL privileges at first step in the validation, so speculation on competency based on the airman database are useless. Updates on the database entries only occur if you are actively signing off your endorsements into the IACRA system and not many do (or even know about it). Let legal aspects go to the lawyer mudslinging. This still is P-Pilots-RuNe and it should stay there."
What about a Mayday ? What about personal location devices etc ? This sounds more like the plane broke up in the air . 24 hours in those waters is a long time for debris to move around and be out of a search area .If the plane was "coming down" .There must be a a chance of a emergency call been made or a location device been activated etc ?
NormarkSuperswede said:
Then in that situation a "Emergency" button should be pressed .This send all information required and activates a location device fitted to the plane. 2 seconds to activate .
Respectfully, I think you're expecting an aviation equivalent of "Shoot the gun out of the bad guys hand".They likely didn't have 2 seconds.
NormarkSuperswede said:
Then in that situation a "Emergency" button should be pressed .This send all information required and activates a location device fitted to the plane. 2 seconds to activate .
We've had this discussion before. Someone pointed out that a pilot working flat out trying to keep the aircraft airborne would be unlikely to press the one button guaranteed not to help regain control.NormarkSuperswede said:
Would make a big difference once in the water etc .If they survive that bit. Then they can concentrate of getting out from the plane and into a raft . If they leave the plane super fast with NOTHING . they are dead in a few hours .I would want that button .
That's what ELTs are for, they are designed send location information automatically after impact.https://www.aopa.org/advocacy/aircraft/aircraft-op...
NormarkSuperswede said:
Would make a big difference once in the water etc .If they survive that bit. Then they can concentrate of getting out from the plane and into a raft . If they leave the plane super fast with NOTHING . they are dead in a few hours .I would want that button .
A bit naive I'm afraid.As highlighted in Pprune - survival drills where you are gently lowered during daylight into a 20deg C swimming pool in a pre-fitted immersion suit are fine. Ditching a hobbled iced-up plane at whatever (significant) speed and angle into icy sea water with a 2 metres swell and in pitch dark adds a new element. Add to this pressurisation issues, the horrific C.I. tidal races and the fact that you are likely to be injured adds up to the perfect storm.
As a Cardiffian it just fills me with a sense of sadness, so above all condolences to the family of the two men. Like Aberfan, over half a century ago, there are tragedies that are so avoidable...
NormarkSuperswede said:
Exactly .And the moment it looks like a crash is happening . they should be activated .Also a thought life rafts and flotation vests had them ?
If you have flown a light aircraft on instruments, you would know that reliance on what the instruments are telling you is paramount, looking out of the aircraft, whilst on instruments can be disorientating. but on a winter night in poor weather, what would the pilot be able to see, that would be of help, The channel does not have street lights..At night and in bad weather, apart from a high reading on the VSI, and an unwinding altimeter, there would be difficulties in determining where the surface below actually was, Altimeters are after all only modified barometers. The pilot may have been hoping to get into a bit of clear air above the surface, after dropping out of cloud, sufficient to pull the aircraft out of its descent, but in all probability the first the occupants would have known about where they actually were in terms of height, was when the aircraft impacted the surface.
If the aircraft broke up on impact, there might have been something in the way of debris floating on the surface. e.g seat cushions, bags etc, but it would be as likely for it to dive below the surface, leaving no more than a small temporary splash (like a good high diver) which in a rough sea would be virtually invisible even if someone was watching it as it went in.
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