Attitude at impact
Apropos nothing current, I just wondered what you all think of this point relating to CRM and our training?
As pilots, flying multi engined aircraft, we are trained to cope with all forseeable situations and emergencies. Generally, the outcome is a landing at a suitable airfield and everyone walks away. At least that is the outcome when we are in the simulator.
Real life is sadly different, the outcome is often far from ideal and sometimes catastrophic. Some situations and failures are so far removed from the experience and training we have recieved that a disasterous outcome is almost inevitable. The training and mind set, or attitude we have built up over years of simulator exercises can, in my opinion, contribute to the worsening of some of the situations we might find ourselves in.
Why do we persist in the idea that we must get back to an airfield and attempt a landing, even under the most trying condiotions?
Without criticising in any way the acheivement of the flight crew of the Souix City accident, consider this;
If, after finding the aircraft was controllable, up to a point, the crew had come to a different conclusion, disregarded all their previous training and gone for a simpler option?
If the conclusion was that turns and changes in pitch could be effected using thrust was good enough to keep the aircraft flying reasonable safely, why risk that stability in trying to line it up with a distant runway?
Why not look ahead for the open field and gently lower the aircraft to the ground?
I am not saying that I know the outcome would have been different but I suspect the survival rate would have been greatly improved. Aircraft can take a huge amount of damage to the undercarriage before the fusealge is damaged. Writing off a $100 million aircraft should not even enter our minds when it comes to choosing a course of action. Getting the aircraft safely on the ground doesn't mean we have to be at or close to and airfeild.
There are a few other examples where this type of situation has occured but this incident, while so close to being a success, was in the end, a major disaster with severe loss of life.
Just a subject for discussion! Your thoughts please.