Aircraft into the ocean off Tasman peninsula?

[onetrack]

Reports are coming in of a light aircraft that has crashed into the ocean off the Tasman peninsula, whilst filming Sydney-Hobart race yachts?

Light aircraft crashes into water off Tasmania's south-east: reports - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-29/light-aircraft-crashes-into-the-water-off-tasmania/5992052)

[kaz3g]

Another Cessna according to some of the reports I've seen.

I've just come back from there today and the water is bloody cold!

Kaz

[zappalin]

If anyone has any more info like type or rego, could you please PM me? Thank you..

[beaverlover]

Update

Light aircraft crashes into water off Tasmania's south-east; two people believed to be onboard - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-29/light-aircraft-crashes-into-the-water-off-tasmania/5992052)

[beaverlover]

Further Update

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-29/light-aircraft-crashes-into-the-water-off-tasmania/5992052

Two helicopters are searching for a light plane that has crashed in waters off Tasmania's south-east.

The Cessna was filming yachts in the Sydney to Hobart race near the Tasman Peninsula.

Tasmania Police said the crash was reported at 6:30pm (AEDT).

The managing director of Airlines of Tasmania, Shannon Wells, said there were two people on board the plane when it ditched.

"This aircraft was VH-PFT, a Cessna 172 which was conducting areal photography of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race," he said.

"In addition to the pilot, there was one passenger on board.

"At this time our thoughts are with the families of the persons on board."

Lee Kauskoph from the Tasmanian Ambulance Service said two helicopters were searching an area near Storm Bay for the plane.

"At this point all we know is a light aircraft with possible two people on board has gone down in the Port Arthur Storm Bay area," he said.

"We've got two helicopters in the area searching and they'll report back once they find anything."

Mr Kasuskoph said paramedics were on standby near the search zone.

"There's one from Nubeena with an intensive care paramedic and we've got one coming from Sorell also with an intensive paramedic on board," he said.

"They'll stand by at the sports oval at Port Arthur."

Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club, John Cameron, said several yachts had been close to where the crash happened.

"We know of several yachts that were in the vicinity that may have diverted to render assistance," he said.

He said the case was now in the hands of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).

[Rotor Work]

VH-PFT was a C 172S, manufactured in 2008
Thoughts are with family & friends.
All at Par Avion & Airlines of Tasmania, Southern Aero Club

RW

[jportzer]

The crash was apparently witnessed by at least one of the yachts; it seems it was on the water surface for at least a short time. A recording of their report to race control is on this article:
Sail World - The Worlds largest sailing news network: Sail and sailing, cruising, boating news (http://www.news.sail-world.com/Sydney_Hobart___Mistraal_Mayday_report_of_the_downed_photo_a ircraft/130269)

[Squawk7700]

Pilots name has been released as 23yr old local man Sam Langford.

Witnesses are saying the plane was banking at the time, the nose dropped and in she went. RIP guys, it sounded like a quick and unexpected end.

[mickjoebill]

Bugger.
Given proximity of the yatchs it looks like they went down with the ship.:(
Abc tv aired the emergency call from one of the yatchs, the plane was on the surface for a short time because during the call it was reported in present tense as "sinking" rather than have sunk. Police have suggested this was around 30 seconds.

Assuming they were not wearing helmets, I cant help but wonder if being knocked unconcious may have had a role in their inability to exit the craft.


Mickjoebill

[beaverlover]

Names released

Sydney to Hobart plane crash: Debris found after aircraft nose-dives into sea during race - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-30/debris-found-after-light-plane-crashes-during-sydney-to-hobart/5992298)

[CaptainEmad]

Flying past a boat at "mast height" means if anything goes seriously wrong you have a couple of seconds before ditching. If he entered the water at speed this hints at CFIT.
An Engine failure would give you some time to convert speed to height, adopting gliding attitude with time to extend flap before ditching in a controlled, survivable fashion, possibly into wind.
Hopefully they are able to raise the wreckage.
Terribly sad thing to happen.

[DancingDog]

If he entered the water at speed this hints at CFIT.


No one knows what happened, so don't speculate :=
The media is all over this forum/thread at the moment.

[Squawk7700]

That's not speculation, that's blatantly obvious. If you fly low there is little margin for error, regardless of whether you are legally entitled to be there (that low) or not.

[ad-astra]

Well that it!

Mystery solved.

No need to look for the aircraft as we have all the 'blatantly obvious' facts to rely upon.

We know what height what speed and what the pilot was thinking as well.

Every week we criticise the reporting standards of the Australian Press in their efforts to get the story out.

The so called experts and professionals on this forum are FAR worse as they continue the race for their 5 seconds of internet fame and the continual one upmanship that destroys even the most basic thread.

[Mach E Avelli]

Unlike the missing Air Asia flight, with this one there is little to speculate.
Clear photographic evidence of the aircraft at approximately mast height. Experienced yachties would be reliable witnesses who will be able to estimate roughly the bank angle prior to, and at, impact. They would likely know what an engine failure would sound like. So far no reports of that - simply that it hit the water and rapidly sank.
Yachties will also be able to give an accurate appreciation of steady wind and gusts and whether the nearby terrain was producing any williwaws, how clear the water was, whether the aircraft was turning towards the sun etc.
The lady who put out the mayday did well to immediately punch in the MOB coordinates and simply repeated them several times until race control was able to copy and pass them on for SAR action. It may not have been text book mayday but all that was needed and relevant at the time was transmitted.
Well done those sailors.

[Squawk7700]

The cause is entirely irrelevant at this time as nobody knows it.

What is relevant is the activity taking place has clearly contributed to the tragic outcome.

Mach E A is entirely correct.

The mayday call was fairly well executed given the difficulty of such a call and the difficult conditions being encountered. If you've ever transmitted a mayday call during difficult circumstances from a yacht, it's not easy and radio use for yachties unlike aircraft pilots is not second nature.

Signed S7700, a yachtie of over 30 years.

[DancingDog]

Signed S7700, a yachtie of over 30 years.

Congrats, might as well apply to be an ATSB investigator since you are well and truly qualified to determine the cause of aircraft accidents.

The cause is entirely irrelevant at this time as nobody knows it

So then why did you start the speculation?

The only important thing right now is the ongoing SAR operation. Good luck and thank you to those working on it :ok:

[onetrack]

Instead of arguing over who knows the most about aircraft, aerodynamics, communications and a hundred other complex areas, it would just pay to remember that two blokes have lost their lives in this "relatively unimportant" air crash (as far as the media is concerned, anyway) - and that two families are grieving over the loss of two loved family members.

Just imagine if it was one of your family involved? On that basis, let's get some proper perspective of the event and cease the pi$$ing contest.
RIP to these blokes who were just doing their job, and one of whom apparently made a fatal mistake in aircraft handling.
Of course, we will only know the exact reason for the crash in many months time, after the final report is released.

[Squawk7700]

Dancingdog, you seem to be unhappy about something and that's fine, but there's no need to poke others for no reason.

The SAR phase is officially over as per media reports. The next step is recovery.

I can't see anyone throwing out a cause, just commenting that at that altitude there are few options. Personally I was of the assumption that if they were low, given that they were reportedly operating under an AOC that any low flying would be approved and this was nothing more than a tragic accident.

[Boney]

Why has this taken so long?

Surely, self appointed "Aviation Expert" Geoffrey Thomas has this case closed already, just like the Air Asia accident?

[Squawk7700]

He's busy commenting on the AirAsia disaster.

[Howard Hughes]

All the news outlets lap up the ramblings and wild speculation of aviation experts (sic). Grandma always said empty vessels make the most noise! ;)

[mickjoebill]

Yachties will also be able to give an accurate appreciation of steady wind and gusts

One sailor commented words to effect it was crap weather for both boats and planes.

s, it would just pay to remember that two blokes have lost their lives in this "relatively unimportant" air crash (as far as the media is concerned, anyway) - and that two families are grieving over the loss of two loved family members.

The story of the search led at least one of the commercial networks' prime time programms this evening.
It has far more coverage due to the connection with the sydney hobart race and also that tv news resources are still in the area to cover the finish of the race.
In my opinion the reporting emphasized and characterised the situation as a search for survivors to keep the story/drama alive, despite knowing that reliable eyewitnesses saw no-one escape as or after it sank (no doubt a horrible experience for those onboard the yatch)

There is usually no comfort in watching or reading the news if you have a close connection to a tragic event.
Ditto reading forums or social media.



Mickjoebill

[ejet3]

Congrats, might as well apply to be an ATSB investigator since you are well and truly qualified to determine the cause of aircraft accidents.

what is your problem dancing dog? i heard he did a step turn at low alt to get a photo of the yacht looks like PILOT ERROR TO ME! if it was a engine failure surely convert speed to hight and get out a mayday!

[mickjoebill]

what is your problem dancing dog? i heard he did a step turn at low alt to get a photo of the yacht looks like PILOT ERROR TO ME! if it was a engine failure surely convert speed to hight and get out a mayday!

Hard to get a good shot from a high wing AC whilst in a low level steep turn centered around the subject.
ABC say it hit water 300 meters from the yatch.

Full marks to SAR continuing despite the yatch crew witnessing the plane sink.
From what we know, events could have occured to cause the crash that would not be categerised as pilot error.


Mickjoebill

[Rotor Work]

RIP


Fly Safe
RW

Update from ABC

Two bodies found in wreck of light plane that ditched off Tasman Peninsula - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-31/wreck-of-light-plane-found-at-bottom-of-sea-off-tasmania/5994762)

A plane that crashed near Cape Raoul off the Tasman Peninsula has been found at the bottom of the sea, Tasmanian Police have confirmed.
The bodies of the pilot and the passenger were found in the cockpit of the plane wreck, police confirmed.
Inspector Lee Renshaw said an operation to recover the wreck and the bodies would begin immediately.
"Weather conditions, while sloppy, are not windy and that is good for recovery. As long as the weather stays favourable, we hope to make good progress," he said.
More to come.

[ACMS]

So sad, RIP.

You do have to ask why a single was flying around at 500' ( or lower ? ) over such a horrible area in the first place. ( water with rocky cliffs nearby and absolutely no where to land in the event the noise stops )
Surely a PN 68, twin Helo or similar with a suitably qualified "experienced" Pilot would have been more appropriate.......

I know that no matter how much you paid me I would not have placed myself in the situation in the first place.

Anyway it won't help them now........

RIP

[Sunfish]

I first commented on the low flying mast height Cessna antics circa 1974 and 75 when competing in Melbourne Hobart races. They seemed death defying then.

There may also be an issue of turbulence here, my son was racing and and blew a kite in that area it may have been still blowing, strong from the North when the C172 went in.

Anyway this is by IPad. On my yacht MTF.

[Squawk7700]

If our regulator looks closely at the practice, they need to include the single engine helos that chase the offshore racing cats and the Murray River style ski boat shadowing.

[onetrack]

I think this pic tells us plenty. "No margin for error" comes to mind. I cannot see any substantial reason why he would need to be this low.

Photo of low-flying Cessna taken from yacht. (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-31/image1jpg/5994790)

[currawong]

That is not "no margin for error".

That is about 30ft margin for error.

Not everything goes right all the time.

Thoughts to families and friends.

[ACMS]

I wouldn't be over there in a single outside gliding range of a suitable field, if that meant 5,000' then so be it.

There are risks and then there are risks....that's not one I would take...

Just my opinion, after the fact I know.

[RENURPP]

You do have to ask why a single was flying around at 500' ( or lower ? ) over such a horrible area in the first place. ( water with rocky cliffs nearby and absolutely no where to land in the event the noise stops )
Surely a PN 68, twin Helo or similar with a suitably qualified "experienced" Pilot would have been more appropriate......
For goodness sake get over yourself. If it was a PN68 and had a failure it may well have been the same result, if it were a single engine helicopyer it more than likely would have, I can hear your ridiculous claims that no aircraft should only be permitted to fly straight and level below 5000 feet.
Don't forget the dangers of sailing the yachts along that route???

Life is full of risk, these poor guys struck out, it is very sad but it is all part of life.

Aircraft are completely safe if we don't start the engine.

Do you drive on the roads?
Do you understand how many people die on the roads?
If the answer to both is yes you must consider your self a complete fool?