Hey guys, it's me!
I am Vince Hagedorn the pilot. If I have learned one thing it is how difficult it is to get into a site like this and respond.
I am grateful for (most) of your messages, but some seem to be based on newspaper reports rather than fact.
I did not run out of fuel. Nor wasthere any danger I would (see bit about flight plan below) The engine stopped with about 5-7 litres showing in the port visible fuel gauge. I was under the direction of Dundee Tower and had been instructed to go where I was going (to a "long Final" along the beach. I do not want to enter into any discussion about this as I might have been given a wrong direction, or misunderstood the direction I was given and it will be for the AAIB to work that out.
When the engine stopped I immediately called my Mayday. River estuary was beyond reach across sand dunes and a road. Did 180 deg turn towards a crop field (noted on way past) for a soft landing, but not enough height for me to reach it and an undershoot meant a small housing estate to hit. Called negative cropfield, assessed a playing field to the East but children and goal posts ruled that out. Had a golf course to my left (west) so called attempting golf course but when I got closer the fairways were crammed with people and full of bunkers anyway. It was competition day I learned later. That left the tree as that way no-one would get hurt.
For the pilots amongst you I pulled a hard right sideslip, then just before impact pulled the stick back hard and the CT went into the tree belly first, which is why I walked away.
After impact the momentum of the engine pulled the aircraft flatter, which was nice as otherwise I would have been balancing on my right ear!
A veteran aviator tells me that the pancake manoeuvre was part of the ops manual for Burma operations - over almost exclusively trees. My Bridge partner told me last night (he was a Mosquito navigator in WW2) that pancake landings were quite common at that time, but were harder to walk away from at 400mph!
As for flight planning, I did this with Captain ************ (pilot and instructor), Head of Flight Ops at Barrow in Furness from where I departed and with the Airport Manager. We all discussed the fuel issue and, although in perfect conditions I had a 50% margin on the direct flight to Kinloss, we discussed Dundee as a fuel diversion. I was told that they were welcoming to pilots of small aircraft and have no reason to think otherwise.
On leaving Barrow the tower told me to contact Scottish Radar which -when in range - I did. There was layer on layer of broken cloud over the hills so I climbed to 7,000 feet and called for a transit at that height through Edinburgh airspace. The cloud heads got higher (though I still had good ground visibility so I asked for 9,000 and then 10,000 - all granted though at 10,000 the controller called me at fl10. Yes I enjoyed that - I've never had a "flight level" before!!
On the descent North of Edinburgh, I checked everything (D####### - height is safety) and found 10 litres of fuel (50 mins at 12 litres an hour which is the long term average for November Hotel). I ran out of MARGIN for Kinloss, NOT FUEL. The Press did not explain this in their reports.
If I had endangered myself and others by running out of fuel I would be far more angry with myself than any of you could possibly be with me!
It is absolutely true about Biggles being the inspiration for the manouvre. Deepak, my former instructor was also a key part of the landing. And this is where pilots understand but others not. From the moment I called the MayDay I was following training. It was not a good option to try a re-start - I still do not know why the engine stopped in the first place - because the terrain was not very friendly but all else was as taught.
There was nothing heroic and no time to think of any consequences. Far from revelling in the attention i have a cremation on monday and a seriously troubled daughter to visit in Findhorn (next to Kinloss).
I should be very happy to enter into any discussion about all this and am keen to complete my report to the AAIB when the inspector returns on Monday. Thanks for reading this. Vince
Last edited by avgh; 15th August 2009 at 08:01.
Reason: shold remove name