Originally Posted by
PapaHotel6
If one was going to argue "if only they'd stayed at 6000', then the accident definitely would not have happened"; I agree this is incorrect (although it *might* not have happened - who knows what else might have been different if they had stayed at 6000'). But in the overall context of how they were flying, and their lack of situational awareness, the descent to 1500' as opposed to 6000' is indeed relevant.
In the simulator with the same flight path and configuration it was possible to miss the mountain but only if the crew reacted instantly and correctly to the first GPWS warning. The GPWS went off four times and Collins pitched up a mere 5 degrees. The GPWS could have gone off all day, Collins was so confused and lost there was no way he was climbing out back to above MSA. The FE had been asking “where is Erebus?” and if they had the visibility required they should have been able to see it. If you can’t see it you’re either completely lost or the visibility isn’t what you think it is.
Chippendale stated only a competent crew acting as soon as the first GPWS warning sounded could have avoided impact. On the day Collins wasn’t. Mahon’s statement that the GPWS can basically be disregarded if you’re an experienced pilot is another example of how far out of his depth he was. The whole reason GPWS goes off and the whole reason we have it is because you’re not where you think you are.