Fantome,
Perhaps you are correct in that the sarcasm was uncalled for BUT
"don't forget that ATC cleared them for descent under VMC,"
Did they?? when can a controller CLEAR anybody for descent below route MSA before they have been identified on radar??? the flight was never identified, and by definition requesting a VMC descent requires you, and tells the controller, you can maintain own separation from other traffic and TERRAIN.
"
"No, the company said that's what was found in the cockpit after the crash"
Really?? That is where Elvis comes in. Can he, or anyone, prove that this is only because the Company said it was?? It was in fact a Company memorandum to AntArctic crews dated 8 Nov 1979 OAA:14/13/28. and it was advising that the McMurdo NDB was not available, and it stated as has been posted in this thread many times, the ONLY let down procedure available.
The weather and belief as to position.
"
"the fact is that there is scant, if any evidence to believe that Captain Collins thought he was anywhere other than over McMurdo Sound."
If the crew had of noticed, in this good weather, as it was at the time and place, photo's are available showing Beaufort Island quite clearly, but if they were on the track they thought they were on, they were on the wrong side of the island, hard to mistake that Island, it is the only one there.
"as was proven by the photos and film taken in right up to the second the aircraft hit. Chippindale got that dead wrong."
Really? Less than 4 minutes before impact, Mulgrew told the pax "I still cant see very much at the moment, keep you informed as soon as I see something that gives me a clue as to where we are".
This was the positional awareness as the aircraft was in a descent at more than 265 kts, that descent going down to a little under 1500ft.
To be told that the Chief Aircraft Accident Inspector was "Dead wrong"
and that Mahon got it all correct I must admit makes me a little sarcastic.
Last edited by prospector; 20th Jan 2010 at 20:55.