inside TS or not?
Article suggests the aircraft stalled at around 26,000 ft. and then fell off the sky at a very high speed, thus the structural failure. A large piece of the R wing broke-off (about 10 ft long) and was recovered approximately six miles from main crash site.
What is surprising is why the loss of control occurred: was it pilot incapacitation, possibly caused by loss of pressurization? Or, pilot not recognizing the onset of stall due to distraction? Was the AP engaged, or thought to be engaged?
Or, was it instead flying into extreme clear air turbulence, if indeed not inside a TS? What were the CB tops that day? It will be interesting to read the findings of the French BEA.
Recently, two other PC-12 suffered fatal crashes while flying in & out of severe TS in Florida and in India. Possibly the pilots did not interpret the WX-RDR correctly and did not recognized the severe cells and associated [extreme] turbulence. Any other aircraft type would have suffered the same outcome.
Personally, I prefer flying with a stormscope in addition toa WX-RDR. It gives a much better idea ofwhere to cells are.
Why use a Stormscope
StormScope.net
Last edited by avionimc; 1st Sep 2012 at 11:47.