guys......in response to PM's I have expanded the guide to my speed/time/distance spreadsheet , hopefully making it easier to understand........link is
here...
also from my #7358.........
The fatal last few seconds of flight actually took them over a small cottage , and I think that a possible and far more likely theory , is that they could see this cottage way up on the hillside............
if anyone were taking flash photos near the cottage at the relevant time it could have been a simple mistake .............if the flash were powerful enough to be visible.........
......although I mentioned a camera flash partly in jest , I now realise that it is/was a possible factor..............having done some tests on a overcast , misty day I found that an 'average' flashgun is easily visible at one kilometre from the observer ( ..their range was 1.5 kilometres from waypoint 'A' at waypoint change .........)..and even if the flash is pointed at 45 degrees or 90 degrees from the observer it is still easily visible . In addition if the observer is looking in the right direction it is also visible with the flash pointed
away from the observer due to the reflection from the mist..............I used a Rollei Beta 4 for the test which I consider a medium sized unit and which uses two AA batteries..................They could have gotten a false sense of orientation if they saw any flash at all near the cottage........ or more especially any flash off to their r/h/s which could have re-inforced the impression that they were about to pass offshore abeam the lighthouse..........
rgds all..........