Light Aircraft Crash on Isle of Wight

[Leclairage]

I welcome both sides in this

Hi Whirlybird,
Yes, I understand well what you are saying. And to me, your urging for ppruners restraint is as valuable as the speculation.
I fly one of these. And I have to be VERY careful about W&B, and generally think of Her as a 2 seater. A bit akin to a 162, if such a thing existed.
I flew Her down to Valencia this year. Very nice too. 2 up on the way down, just me on the way back. With 2 of us, minimal overnight luggage only and a couple of bottles of water I was OK for full fuel one side, tabs the other. She was within limits, and She flew slowly, but beautifully!
Whilst in Valencia I day-tripped to Valencia. 2 up, no luggage, full fuel (out of Valencia). And a hot day. Performance was as predicted, as worked out, and WAY below what I would expect on a chilly day from Biggin Hill, Her base. But there was, of course, plenty of room on commercial runways.
Coming back, I was solo, no luggage, full fuel at each stop, and had it not been for bad weather over the Channel I would have been back in Biggin that same evening.
Given my knowledge of this type, I do feel permitted to speculate, and from an informed standpoint too.
I have been to Sandown, just 2 up, no luggage on below tabs fuel and I was quite surprised at how long it took Her to unglue on a 15 degree day.
It really wouldent cross my mind to attempt a takeoff from Sandown, 4 up (whatever their weights but we are talking 3 adults plus a sporty Teen) with sufficient fuel to make it to France.
That said, any loss of life in our little community is both shocking and painful. This, of course, is nothing to those more familiar to the 4 people must be feeling.
I am sorry if you don't like my words. But I make no apology for them. If they, or the words of anyone else on this thread cause ANY pilot to think before they fly this summer, and reduce a potential risk to themselves or others, BEFORE the reports all come out they will have been wort. it Even if they have annoyed you.