Lots of folk seem to be speculating based on what they have heard on the Bankstown tower tape. The previous 8 minutes on the Syd Center tape provide a little more insight into the developing situation.
Where can we hear that? I'd be most interested.
For some of you more experienced PA-31 pilots out there, if you had to put down on a road (other than a motorway) would it be wheels up or down?
I'm a PA-31 driver. Would I land a PA-31 wheels up on a road? Nope.
Would I land a PA-31 on a golf course that I was flying so low over, witnesses could tell if my props were feathered? Darn tootin... BTW - Gear up, idle cut-off, full fine, master off.
I mean no disrespect to Andrew, he's sadly missed. I have little doubt he was heading back to Bankstown because of commercial pressures. Experienced pilot for his age no doubt, but maybe lacking in life experience to know when to tell the boss "I wasn't prepared to risk it" and chance having to find a new job, rather than chance having to make a distant field on one engine.