Originally Posted by
junior.VH-LFA
How to conduct a controllability check post airframe damage and what signs to look for is taught to every single military student pilot at the beginning of their careers. You keep making an assumption that no effort was made by the PIC to ascertain the status of the airframe, people here keep telling you that is probably not the case.
Of course you could be right and two ex Roueltte CFS instructors both took a heavily damaged jet that was buffeting at VREF home over Melbourne without any discussion or assessment during their emergency handling. Never say never, seems awful unlikely though.
Ofcourse they could have done a controllability check post airframe damage. The PIC still had concerns about his airframe (checking for debris on the runway), and there was still a suitable airport that did not require overflying built up areas.