Grand Van down at Eros

[CONFOR]

Van Crash Eros

Doodlebug, my friend I'll never go for you - to old in the trade I guess !! - yes I also lost a friend in that crash - and yes time will tell (hopefully) what went wrong - You take care-

[Doodlebug]

Report is out.

Gewicht falsch berechnet

According to this it was due to a combination of overloading, pilot unfamiliarity with the airfield, and the application of a non-certified layer of rough, protective 'paint' to the leading edges. Interesting, that last one.

[V1... Ooops]

Originally Posted by Doodlebug

...the application of a non-certified layer of rough, protective 'paint' to the leading edges. Interesting, that last one.

This business of applying unapproved automotive coatings that are intended to minimize rock and stone damage to exposed surfaces of truck wheel wells to aircraft leading edges seems to be a uniquely South African fetish.

Below are two pictures that I took of a Rossair DHC-6 that I audited in 2005. Someone had applied a very rough automotive coating to the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer, apparently in an attempt to "protect" the surface from rock chips. I just about crapped my pants when I saw this, and grounded the aircraft immediately. The effect of an unapproved rough coating like this is EXACTLY the same as the effect of a layer of rime ice on the airfoil - and just as dangerous.

It would be a good idea if the South African regulatory agency took a closer look at this problem.

Michael

ZS-OEF, operated by Rossair, 2005.

[Spadhampton]

They removed the de-ice boot....

Looks like they just sprayed painted over the de-ice boot glue instead of cleaning it off. Hard to get off that stuff. Note the overspray through the inspection hole. I don't think the "roughness" is the paint, but rather the remnant boot glue. Even the boot's edge seal is still present.

Really though, this leading edge don't look as bad as some beat up de-ice boots I've seen.