Gentlemen, when I penned last evenings post I was aware that perhaps I had made a simplistic judgement, hence the apology. Today I’ve read the Pilot Magazine article and also your replies and now feel a little more in command of my thoughts. I was astonished to learn of the Delaware incident, and all other FADEC problems, I had no idea. Still, let me to run through the post on this thread;
PVNS, (17 Oct) I agree entirely with the sad fact that this case will run and run as there is no Proof. I once took a Chinook (not this variant, I admit) to it’s top whack, perhaps 140Kt and found it most unpleasant and I can sympathize with the instrument panel point raised by Hydraulic Palm Tree (HPT, if I may?)
HPT, I note that your remarks (17 Oct) re overtemps seem limited to starts or have you seen them on flight too? I think this is a important point, and if so limited does not necessarily reflect on the FADEC performance in flight. However I cannot see why wx & icing clearance are a red herring, and as this accident occurred in low cloud and poor vis this must be a factor; can you or anyone else please quote the Met actual/forecast for the area, along with icing levels? Also to judge fairly we need to know the icing clearance of the Chinook.
barsandstars, bear in mind that the Chinook is one of the very few helos cleared to fly in only LIGHT icing conditions. However I feel compelled to object to your “Mr RAF…enough nav equipment”. Military nav equipment historically lags a decade or more behind what’s found in even basic club aircraft, though in this case the advanced TANS was reasonably up to date. As Devil’s advocate, though, I would be looking hard at the DR plot.
Skycop, I agree entirely, and find it incredible that a product rejected by Boscombe Down could ever find its way into squadron service. Your remark re “ordered to fly…” is exactly what I meant by ”company pressure”. As an ex-mil pilot I can visualize the pressure these guys were put under, this is exactly my point; [theory…] some poor sod was tasked to fly a new and untrusted Chinook variant on a VIP trip in vile wx. He objected and asked for a good old Mk 1 but was told that none was available (perhaps one wasn’t, perhaps it was just politically expedient to fly these bods in the new cab). Perhaps he tried to cry “Safety” and got told “You an operational RAF helo jock or a pussy? Eh? Sort youself out!!Go fly!!” I fancy military discipline, as you suggested, may be a major cause of this accident, and feel your summary of “carrying out bad orders to the best of their ability “ is likely to be right on the mark.
HTP. Sorry again, I knew I’d upset someone, I didn’t question their ability, I only speculated on their experience in such conditions and meant no criticism by it. I will stand in the front rank to deny their gross negligence, an outrageous and unsustainable slur. However they did fly into a stuffed cloud whilst grubbing at low level when anyone , by choice, would have been IFR at FL100. I, too, have spent many years grubbing like this amongst the terrain, the management and my better judgement in Chinooks and various civvy types.
Ideally we’d like to know how they got there. Ultimately I just think they were suckered into an all too human mistake.