Cherokee missing in the Channel, 2/4/22
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Cherokee missing in the Channel, 2/4/22
Sadly a Cherokee Arrow went missing in the Channel today, somewhere between Hastings and Bolougne. Coast Guard still searching...
Hope they were wearing full thermal wetsuits? If such things are mandatory nowadays... And if they were able to ditch...
Excuse the topic drift, how coincidentally... was posting in another topic minutes ago about an 'aviation trauma' of mine, when my mind was drifting to the English Channel... ages ago, early spring, back from Shannon, being forced, thank the Gods, to weather divert to Lydd Ferryfield io. Calais. Uneventful SRA, relaxed post flight refuelling & some paperwork, when the somewhat startled refueling guy called the PIC and myself (as studentPM), back to show the fuel uplift figures.... And yes, we had bright orange things, in the baggage compartment of the C172, what we called back then life jackets.... How utterly stupid one can be.... Pure luck and bad weather made me get as far as this keyboard.
Excuse the topic drift, how coincidentally... was posting in another topic minutes ago about an 'aviation trauma' of mine, when my mind was drifting to the English Channel... ages ago, early spring, back from Shannon, being forced, thank the Gods, to weather divert to Lydd Ferryfield io. Calais. Uneventful SRA, relaxed post flight refuelling & some paperwork, when the somewhat startled refueling guy called the PIC and myself (as studentPM), back to show the fuel uplift figures.... And yes, we had bright orange things, in the baggage compartment of the C172, what we called back then life jackets.... How utterly stupid one can be.... Pure luck and bad weather made me get as far as this keyboard.
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I have flown Le Touquet/ Deauville from the UK many times over the years. That 15 mins or so you are over the Channel ( I always head across the shortest distance) was always a concern and focused the mind.
I hope those onboard managed to ditch and are found safe.
I hope those onboard managed to ditch and are found safe.
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Very sad. The DM says it was one of a group making the crossing - presumably a loose formation otherwise one of the others might have been able to remain in the area it went down to assist SAR locating the aircraft.
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There was at least on other aircraft nearby , its track suggests it may have been aware something was wrong.
Rescue aircraft and drone now searching what looks like the correct area.
Rescue aircraft and drone now searching what looks like the correct area.
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Last 3 minutes of the trace shows a steady climb from 4900 ft to 7200 ft with a gradually reducing speed and around 700 ft per minute climb. The return abruptly stops at the point. Possible climb to avoid weather?
Originally Posted by supportteam
There was at least on other aircraft nearby , its track suggests it may have been aware something was wrong.
Rescue aircraft and drone now searching what looks like the correct area.
Rescue aircraft and drone now searching what looks like the correct area.
There was at least on other aircraft nearby
What a sad and tragic affair. I'd hope that my 15 or so hours of real and under the hood IMC (always with an instructor) would be enough to allow me to turn 180 and escape intact if I was ever caught by surprise. However I'm not sure how these 2 guys got caught as the report (and the photos included) says the cloud was visible from some way away and was forecast to be potentially convective.
Agree, so sad. RIP.
Back in Earnest Gann's time, crews apparently lasted only a very short time in cloud before getting into serious difficulties, before the days of IMC instrument flying. I can't now remember what instrument flying is part of the PPL? - is it enough to stay reasonably level at a constant speed and turn 180° in mist or cloud by sole reference to instruments?
Also, I don't recall microbursts from CBs being adequately taught and warned about.
Back in Earnest Gann's time, crews apparently lasted only a very short time in cloud before getting into serious difficulties, before the days of IMC instrument flying. I can't now remember what instrument flying is part of the PPL? - is it enough to stay reasonably level at a constant speed and turn 180° in mist or cloud by sole reference to instruments?
Also, I don't recall microbursts from CBs being adequately taught and warned about.
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I read it as they started descending maybe to go under it as they viewed it ahead and when in it, tried to climb out of it.
PIC just over an hour in the last 90 days regardless of IMCR not great to read either.
PIC just over an hour in the last 90 days regardless of IMCR not great to read either.
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The most surprising thing to me in that bulletin is that shoulder harnesses were worn underneath the life jackets by both occupants. I don’t get why they would do that. A daughter has an equine air vest that inflates if she ‘dismounts’ unexpectedly, are these vests similar, or impact/water activated?
It seems very strange that in the event of a controlled ditching, they may have compromised their escape options in having to remove life vests prior to egress from the aircraft.
It seems very strange that in the event of a controlled ditching, they may have compromised their escape options in having to remove life vests prior to egress from the aircraft.
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Though I have no knowledge specific to this event, in general, "automatic" inflatable life jackets should never be worn in aircraft, and shoulder harness should always be warn over the life jacket. Automatics are great if you fall off a boat into the water, but terrible if they inflate inside a cabin, and prevent your exit, or are ripped as you exit. Also consider that an inflated life jacket would make it extra difficult to swim down to exit a sinking plane.
"The most surprising thing to me in that bulletin is that shoulder harnesses were worn underneath the life jackets by both occupants."
Easy to do accidentally in a small aircraft if you forget to put on lifejackets and try to put them on, even in calm air. I did it the only time I've put on a lifejacket when flying. Noticed after landing.
Easy to do accidentally in a small aircraft if you forget to put on lifejackets and try to put them on, even in calm air. I did it the only time I've put on a lifejacket when flying. Noticed after landing.
