Baston
Yes, I was a little harsh on you - my apologies! Your question as to why they flew into strato-granite is, indeed, the one that puzzles us all. I sincerely doubt we will ever know for sure.
Olive,
What actually happened between WP change and impact, is not known - for certain - remember there was no CVR/ADR and it was assumed that the ac took a direct course from the WP change to the impact on the Mull. However, that is only an assumption. We really have no idea what the crew saw, heard, felt, experienced, said, decided or did! There are possible answers - distraction, disorientation, visual illusion, UFMC/restriction, transient engine faults, negligently in carrying on too close to the cliffs and climbing into cloud or even un auth'd LZs.......all possibilities.....no certainties!
Walt,
I suspect that slowing from 135 kts to zero would take a fair distance - and they would want to do so a few miles out, and not, as you suggest, less than 1 km from the WP/LZ. I think that undermines your position slightly, sorry. But you do make a valid point - what if they thought they still had some miles to go and they were not using the 'best aids' or had made an assumption as to where the transmitter was? If we knew what the CPLS/PRC receiver looked like at that time, it might help. Nonetheless, I think this unlikely for some of the reasons BOAC lists.
Caz (CGB,
The Tornado, Shackleton and Hercules in the early 1990s all hit culmulogranite and it is feasible that they all could have been dealt with in the same manner as ZD576 (ie negligence). But because the BOIs couldn't be certain, there was an element of doubt and so gross negligence could NOT be levelled against the pilots. So why not for ZD576?
Did Wratten's letter to his Air Staff in Feb 1995 set the tone for Day to do his master's bidding - ie 'we must find someone guilty of negligence to improve flying discipline'?
CHINOOK PILOTS OUT THERE - Some advice please:
1. What were the SOPs for HSI selection/slaving at LL and who said what to whom and who did what at WP changes/turning points?
2. Could S-TANS actually be slaved to the HSI?
3. If so, what did the HSI display - (eg was it mag track/true track, was there a distance to go counter and how much x-track error did each dot/full-scale deflection represent?).
4. Did the HSI track display the 'S-TANS track' automatically and did it change over when selected WPs were changed?
5. Does anyone know what the HSI beam bar x-track error was showing on impact?
6. What was significance of 035 degs?
7. Does anyone know what both the heading bugs were selected to at impact?
8. Did 1 Gp SH/SF keep a list of authorised Chinook LZs with all the relevant data - elevation, approach track, obstacles etc? If so, is/was there an entry for Mull lighthouse - either the helo pad or the other one that was bigger and previoulsy used?
9. Was it requ'd that planned LZs would be entered in the Auth Sheets and were unplanned LZs possible?
10. Could someone with accesss to a LFC please measure the track from Corran to Ft George near INV. TVM.
Last edited by flipster; 7th Jun 2009 at 17:45.