Originally Posted by
jimtun
Apparently the Heli was flying at 130kts just below cloud before the eventful left turn , and a lot of comment suggests 130kts is a bit fast in those met. conditions .
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Heli could also have continued West on 118 towards Camarillo in maybe marginal VFR ,or climbing above the layer and then IR approach to Camarillo , or had he already decided after passing over Van Nuys to then aim for a set down somewhere near Mamba destination Thousand Lakes to give the pax an on-time arrival ?
We may never know , but hope to learn !
We know some, because the pilot talked to ATC about it. Transcribing from the
on the 27th (7:00):
"The pilot requested flight following to continue to Camarillo, but Southern California TRACON advised the pilot that they were too low for flight following. Approximately four minutes later, the pilot advised that they were climbing to avoid a cloud layer. When ATC asked what the pilot planned to do, there was no reply."
This and the published ADS-B data strongly suggests to me that the aircraft was inside the cloud when the left turn and descent were initiated.
It also suggests to me that the pilot intended to reach Camarillo airport. The 118 climbs about 500 feet higher than the 101, which should have made it a worse choice with low clouds? I have seen no evidence at all that a landing near the Mamba Sports Academy was planned.