Light Aircraft Crash in Oxfordshire
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Reasons for 'Getthereitis' not explored by the AAIB but why was a commercial organisation using a PPL to position a crew or have I got it wrong and it was just 3 mates who were going to split the costs between them?
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You can read the AAIB report here
"
G-ATMT was operating below 1,000 ft in an area where the Minimum Safe Altitude (MSA1) was 2,200 ft. It was likely that the aircraft flew in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC2) below MSA for at least 1 minute 45 seconds before flying into some trees standing
on a ridge of high ground. The aircraft was extensively damaged and the pilot, the only person on board, was fatally injured."
"
G-ATMT was operating below 1,000 ft in an area where the Minimum Safe Altitude (MSA1) was 2,200 ft. It was likely that the aircraft flew in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC2) below MSA for at least 1 minute 45 seconds before flying into some trees standing
on a ridge of high ground. The aircraft was extensively damaged and the pilot, the only person on board, was fatally injured."

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By the way why should AAIB be concerned about cost sharing for a flight that did not take place.
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Stokenchurch tower by the M40
Weather unsuitable for VFR. Local airfields clear of cloud, but fog has a habit of leaning against this particular slope. All too easy to get lost and disoriented.
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Totally unavoidable accident as CFIT so often is.
He could have prevented this "not being his day".

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I was very sad to read here that it was Dave Norris who died in this accident. The Norris brothers played a key role in getting me back into the air after a 20 year break. If it wasn't for them I probably wouldn't have enjoyed another 20 years of flying and still counting.
Steady on. Whilst Council Van may have 'meandered' a little with his wording, I believe his intent was that David Norris, an experienced pilot, qualified in Instrument flying, already having pushed his luck in going below MSA in poor weather, should have made an earlier decision to climb to safety.
That isn't hindsight, that is applying the knowledge and requirements that make up the responsibilities of holding an Instrument Rating. The accident is a tragedy, of course, but there seems nothing to suggest that it should have been inevitable. For a pilot with that experience and those qualifications, this was sadly, but easily, avoidable.
That isn't hindsight, that is applying the knowledge and requirements that make up the responsibilities of holding an Instrument Rating. The accident is a tragedy, of course, but there seems nothing to suggest that it should have been inevitable. For a pilot with that experience and those qualifications, this was sadly, but easily, avoidable.
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"The pilot’s flying logbook contained no entries after 25 February 2016. The owner of the aircraft recalled that the pilot flew on 8 and 29 November 2016 for a combined total of 2 hours 35 minutes."
Last edited by runway30; 15th Oct 2017 at 12:37.
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Steady on. Whilst Council Van may have 'meandered' a little with his wording, I believe his intent was that David Norris, an experienced pilot, qualified in Instrument flying, already having pushed his luck in going below MSA in poor weather, should have made an earlier decision to climb to safety.
That isn't hindsight, that is applying the knowledge and requirements that make up the responsibilities of holding an Instrument Rating. The accident is a tragedy, of course, but there seems nothing to suggest that it should have been inevitable. For a pilot with that experience and those qualifications, this was sadly, but easily, avoidable.
That isn't hindsight, that is applying the knowledge and requirements that make up the responsibilities of holding an Instrument Rating. The accident is a tragedy, of course, but there seems nothing to suggest that it should have been inevitable. For a pilot with that experience and those qualifications, this was sadly, but easily, avoidable.
‘The results suggest ... high uncertainty and dynamism constrain rule-based response, leading to rules becoming vulnerable, fragile or failing completely.’"
Last edited by runway30; 15th Oct 2017 at 12:38.
The thing I find really strange about this tragic accident is the aircraft’s track (Figure 1 in the report). The pilot tracked roughly south and ended up significantly east of Chalgrove and then for unknown reasons, turned left and not right.
The report mentions that there was a GPS on board and the Nav radio was tuned to the Daventry VOR. Turweston is very close to the radial that would allow a direct track to Chalgrove. It seems very odd that apparently neither of the available navigation devices was used.
The report mentions that there was a GPS on board and the Nav radio was tuned to the Daventry VOR. Turweston is very close to the radial that would allow a direct track to Chalgrove. It seems very odd that apparently neither of the available navigation devices was used.
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I42, exactly, and it seems strange to me that there is no discussion of the navigation errors in the AAIB report. There are plenty of words about not maintaining VMC etc, but not why he found himself where he did. As you say there was ample nav capability on board. Was there some Track-up/North-up confusion? If there was any investigation into how he normally used the aids on board, there is no sign of it, and if there wasn't, why not?

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CFIT accidents are mainly resultant from loss of SA.
I42`s comments about the track the aircraft took are curious. These can only lead us to speculation as to the reasons. The left turn could well have been intended to gain VMC and sight of the ground and position the aircraft at some instrument pre- computed fix for a visual straight- in finals approach.
I42`s comments about the track the aircraft took are curious. These can only lead us to speculation as to the reasons. The left turn could well have been intended to gain VMC and sight of the ground and position the aircraft at some instrument pre- computed fix for a visual straight- in finals approach.