Namibian graveyard continues

[dr27]

Mooney Ovation ZS-SDY damaged at Opuwo, Namibia. Alleged engine failure and had to carry out an emergency landing. Damage is extensive ???

[xplorer]

I hope there were no fatalities involved..

[dr27]

thank goodness no fatalities, unlike your c-206 recently. Seems David Copperfield makes Mt. Klimanjaro disappear only to be discovered by some unlucky pilot.

As far as Namibia is concerned it is no longer living up to its name "Skeleton Coast" and should now be referred to as "Skeleton Country", sadly.

[desertnomad]

OPUWO........a charter pilots heaven!!!! ...luckilly has the best 'vetkoek & mince' in Namibia.

[VortexGen300]

Hey Guys & Girls

Now I don't want to start a fight but I am just curious about the title?

Why? Well my mind is struggling to get to terms with a few issues being raised by the regulars on several forums about aviation on the net?

1. All our training to get a PPL and later a CPL or even an ATP is with one purpose (and I would like to be corrected on this) and that is the correct and safe handling of an aircraft under all conditions with one thing and that is the standard of accuracy to be displayed during the check ride that improves or rather increases at each subsequent "level". Now these include emergencies - and especially engine failures or other life threatening emergencies.

2. My instructor taught me that when the sh!t hits the fan any landing that you and your passengers can walk away from is a good one (especially in a single engine and more often than not on most twin piston aircraft).

3. Interesting that the above incident happened in Namibia but with a South African registered aircraft. So my question is why blame the poor Namibian Aviation Industry? (Or am I now missing something?)

4. Don't get me wrong!!! One thing I know is that aircraft are replaced but human lives are not. It is sad if a beautiful machine is written off - but not nearly as sad as when a person loose their life? I know of far too many pilots who have killed themselves and their passengers or even instructors who killed their students in an attempt to "save a plane" rather than making a survivable forced landing that could cause damage to an aircraft???

5. Maybe we should change our attitude - lets emphisize the positive in this incident - like this one "SUCCESSFUL FORCED LANDING - PILOT SUVIVES!" rather than calling it "Namibian Graveyard Continues".

6. Surely we need to examine the facts and determine the lessons to be learned from every incident - but maybe we need to give credit where it is due as well.

7. I also agree that if there are indications of neglegence or people who are culpable we need to address it and call a spade a spade - however lets be consequent and call the fork a fork and the broom a broom as well.

VG300

[theRealFlyingNomad]

V300...
I completely back you up on this one.
IF the guy had a technical problem, and managed to land the plane and safe his balls (and the ones of his PAX)...he deserve a huge respect...
Yes, we can afteward always bitch about if yes or no he took the right decision.
But he is alive, so are the passengers...
The rest is a story of Insurance and paperwork...
And thanks Life, that Dude will have plenty of time to file it nicely at the bar with a lekker beer...instead of his family just after the funerals!
Respect...

[OneDay21]

V300, a great post, if only more people thought like you in stead of the constant finger pointing.

If the pilot reads this: Great Job

[xplorer]

I agree 100% with the above postings... your safety and that of your pax comes first and the state of your aircraft should come in second if not last on the list...:ok:
There's no equivalent to human life..

[loods]

Good Point V300...

but it is also true that if you can save the plane with minimum damage those sitting in it would most likely walk away from it with minor injuries...

You are right saying that human lives comes first and that should always be an pilots mindset.