Well, having read through the AAIB report, and both this and the other thread on the subject appearing on PPRUNE, for me it comes back to the one thing.
The lad flying it got it wrong. Have a pop at ATC/his instructor.Whoever you like, but thats it in a nutshell. Aviate/Navigate/Communicate. He didn't.
When I did my first spamcan solo, I had to do orbits to let way for the hoofin' big Antonov transporter that was coming in at a rate of knots behind me, then wait for his vortex etc to clear. It was a no fuss, no drama moment. I can't see why some should think it would be? he wasn't even asked to do that, just fly straight and level, and ATC were gong to sort him out in due course. Thats whats sad here - it was a basic instruction he couldn't comply with.
Whether or not this kid was current enough for the task in hand(his 28 days currency was V.poor IMHO) and whether or not he had a 'confident face' the instructor was duped into trusting, who knows, but sadly, he got it wrong. Why snipe at ATC because of it?
My heart breaks for the kid, and his family. Tragic is not the word. But facts are facts.
