PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Boy pilot died after tower gave suprise instruction
Old 14th Jul 2007, 17:12
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MikeJ
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Surrey
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This is indeed a tragic case. Most posters appear to have read the AAIB report. But I do differ from the tone of some posts, especially Heathrow Director.
Apart from him not understanding 'backtrack', thinking he should do it on the taxiway, to me he seems to have done everything 'text book', until his failure to maintain flying speed in an entirely unexpected situation.
The radar shows he flew an excellent circuit, his responses on radio to ATC were clear and proper. On reporting 'downwind' he was told he was No.1 to land. In 1450 hours entirely private flying, to airfields of every size, including Gatwick, I have never had a 'number one to land' revoked. Of course we have all had to go around occasionally because of runway obstruction, but not for letting another aircraft to be No.1.
After reporting 'final' he was then told to go around, maintaining runway heading. I suggest that had he been left with this instruction, which he repeated correctly, there would have been no incident at all, I'm sure he was trained for this. But ATC reversed that instruction, telling him to turn North, which clearly left him in a situation, at very low level, he couldn't cope with.

My veiw is that this sad fatality was caused by the the two reversals of ATC instructions. One that he was No.1 to land, and secondly to go around on runway heading. Both of these were reversed, leaving a student in a postion for was totally unprepared.

There is no evidence from the AAIB report that the student, whatever his age, was not properly and responsibly trained and capable of a second solo.
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