tucumseh
The BOI also stated at para 16e "The weather was suitable for the flight but would have required flight in accordance with IFR in the vicinity of the Mull of Kintyre."
Moreover, at para 32c the BOI stated " in the forecast conditions, the icing clearance would have allowed an IMC pull-up from low level flight to Safety Altitude over the Mull of Kintyre." Whilst the Forecast may have precluded a medium level transit over the Highlands, it did not preclude a temporary climb to Safety Altitude at the Mull.
The basis of the finding of Gross Negligence was "the crew of ZD 576 neither maintained Visual Flight Rules nor made a safe transition to Instrument Flight Rules."
The BOI calculated that "it would have been possible for the aircraft to have avoided the ground, whilst remaining on track, from any point beyond the position of the WP change until 4 seconds prior to impact, if the crew had initiated a cyclic climb." The BOI also concluded that "the Rad Alt setting procedures used by the crew were a contributory factor in the accident."
Last edited by cazatou; 15th May 2009 at 13:16.