A smashing time...
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A smashing time...
Kenyan aviation is having a real whale of a time at the moment. Its only a month or so ago that we couldn't keep helicopters up in the air (5 prangs/crashes in as many weeks), and now we can't operate the main general aviation airport for more than 24 hours without someone 'dinging' on the runway. Two days, and two runway blockages at Wilson.
Yesterday a taxi way/exit ramp blocked by a small Cessna - today the landing runway blocked by a wheels up Bonanza. We should be so proud of ourselves to be such competant professionals here!?!?!
I think its way overdue that we took a good hard look at what we're doing wrong and try to correct it before something big happens.
Yesterday a taxi way/exit ramp blocked by a small Cessna - today the landing runway blocked by a wheels up Bonanza. We should be so proud of ourselves to be such competant professionals here!?!?!
I think its way overdue that we took a good hard look at what we're doing wrong and try to correct it before something big happens.
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Shouldn't the facts of these accidents be enough of an alert? What more would you suggest?
Usually, the proper use of a simple checklist should be enough to prevent a gear-up landing. That's not 'rocket science,' is it? What I have noticed, though, is that the guys who need that sort of advice often tend to ignore it, being blessed with a sunny disposition that says, 'It's not going to happen to me!'
Usually, the proper use of a simple checklist should be enough to prevent a gear-up landing. That's not 'rocket science,' is it? What I have noticed, though, is that the guys who need that sort of advice often tend to ignore it, being blessed with a sunny disposition that says, 'It's not going to happen to me!'
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I wish it were that simple. Unfortunately we have a tendency to never learn from our mistakes. Most of the time accident reports are never released to the public, and if they are the results are somewhat 'skewed' by political or personal concerns. And most of the time the blame is popularly placed on extremely extenuating circumstances like mysterious mountain winds, unfair mechanical issues and such like. Fault is rarely put where it is most deserved.
And so, we are doomed to repeat the same stupid mistakes again and again. Mere checklists are hardly man enough to stem the onslaught of errors....
And so, we are doomed to repeat the same stupid mistakes again and again. Mere checklists are hardly man enough to stem the onslaught of errors....
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We seem to be able to do just about anything here....
Recently one company was plagued by a really dodgy batch of left-hand (only) tyres on their aircraft. These left-hand tyres were particularly lethal as they kept on deflating/coming off rim/splitting just before the main runway turn-off. I believe a report was made to the manufacturer that they needed to look into the production quality of their left-hand tyres. Seems that the problem has sorted itself out recently as left-hand tyres are holding up well at the moment.
But maybe Bonanzas have a similar weakness on both sides? Or maybe there is a flaw in the gear that won't hold the weight of the aircraft up sufficiently at a specific touch down speed? Or maybe there was too much radio traffic to hear the horn? Or maybe there's a resonance in the headphones that obscures the warning horn?
Whatever the cause - if we ever get to hear of it (which I doubt) - I am certain that it will be an appropriately complex cause well-beyond the pilot's fault. At least we got to hear about the tyre issue. And there's some dodgy winds around Kili I believe but we won't go into the special techniques required to do a midnight landing (or touch&go) at an unmanned/unlit airfield.
Recently one company was plagued by a really dodgy batch of left-hand (only) tyres on their aircraft. These left-hand tyres were particularly lethal as they kept on deflating/coming off rim/splitting just before the main runway turn-off. I believe a report was made to the manufacturer that they needed to look into the production quality of their left-hand tyres. Seems that the problem has sorted itself out recently as left-hand tyres are holding up well at the moment.
But maybe Bonanzas have a similar weakness on both sides? Or maybe there is a flaw in the gear that won't hold the weight of the aircraft up sufficiently at a specific touch down speed? Or maybe there was too much radio traffic to hear the horn? Or maybe there's a resonance in the headphones that obscures the warning horn?
Whatever the cause - if we ever get to hear of it (which I doubt) - I am certain that it will be an appropriately complex cause well-beyond the pilot's fault. At least we got to hear about the tyre issue. And there's some dodgy winds around Kili I believe but we won't go into the special techniques required to do a midnight landing (or touch&go) at an unmanned/unlit airfield.
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Another one bites the dust....
We haven't finished yet... another one fell out of the sky today. A parachute plane had an engine failure on take off at the coast and pranged on its nose wheel doing an emergency landing. A bit broken I'm afraid...
So a perfect record of three prangs in three days. SPECTACULAR!!!!
And the Bonanza apparently was on an IR test with examiner on board when they had a gear failure. They did the emergency extension but still didn't get a satisfactory green light so opted to put it down without gear. Ooops
So a perfect record of three prangs in three days. SPECTACULAR!!!!
And the Bonanza apparently was on an IR test with examiner on board when they had a gear failure. They did the emergency extension but still didn't get a satisfactory green light so opted to put it down without gear. Ooops
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Uhhhhhhh.......The emergency gear extension on a Bonanza or Baron is a handle that drives the same gearbox that the electric motor does. It's not a hydraulic system and "almost" totally bulletproof. Done it before. Now, those pesky torque tubes can get bent and give you a false green if the switches arent properly placed.
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Hmm...
If it's like the early King Air, and I bet it is, then that emergency gear extension procedure requires that you pull a little folding handle and turn it 90º before using that long handle. If you don't get that right then you can yank on that long handle all you like, but it will not have been connected to the gearbox for the landing gear. We had a fellow find that out the hard way, with somewhat similar results.
I was once in a similar fix in a Cessna 303, lacking one green light, with the emergency extension gizmo nowhere in sight, so that I finally just did a very gentle landing, when the green light came on. It was just an indication problem.
Upon investigation, it turned out that the device I was looking for had been covered by the new carpet! How stupid would I have looked if the gear had done a partial collapse?
I was once in a similar fix in a Cessna 303, lacking one green light, with the emergency extension gizmo nowhere in sight, so that I finally just did a very gentle landing, when the green light came on. It was just an indication problem.
Upon investigation, it turned out that the device I was looking for had been covered by the new carpet! How stupid would I have looked if the gear had done a partial collapse?
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was actually in HKML today and i saw the C206 that went down. they are VERY lucky that he was taking off on 17 cause it wound up close to the intersection. If they had taken a different runwany....
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the pilot made it back into the field and there was only a couple of minor scratches despite having more than 4 skydivers onboard.
http://oi47.tinypic.com/mifbxi.jpg
View image: 2012 09 29 065
http://oi47.tinypic.com/mifbxi.jpg
View image: 2012 09 29 065
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We will continue to have a smashing time here as long as there are no professional accident investigations done. Investigations which provide public reports with safety recommendations to KCAA, KAA and the operator(s) involved in accidents.
The courtroom "find someone to blame" drama going on with the George Saitoti heli crash does not count as professional investigation if anyone was wondering.
I'm not holding my breath that the change of investigation culture is going to change anytime soon. Vision 2030 perhaps?
The courtroom "find someone to blame" drama going on with the George Saitoti heli crash does not count as professional investigation if anyone was wondering.
I'm not holding my breath that the change of investigation culture is going to change anytime soon. Vision 2030 perhaps?
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And another one's gone.....
This is beginning to sound like a bad cheap soap opera... but another one's hit the dust. Literally. A C206 sightseeing with tourists on board is reported to have had an engine failure either yesterday or the day before and crashed in Samburu area. Aircraft totalled, but passengers only slightly injured. Not the first time for this particular pilot either. Or the operator.
Nothing in the press about this one yet. But the rumour mill is working overtime on what happened.
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And another one's down...
Or maybe not. A picture in the local newspaper shows a Jetlink aircraft at a jaunty angle off a runway somewhere local. But no info on the picture such as where or when it was taken. But it was illustrating an article in the paper about cheap airline wars.
Can't help but wonder if someone is making a subtle point.
Can't help but wonder if someone is making a subtle point.
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Nope. Definitely not ALY - saw it this afternoon, safe and sound in its hangar. Believe the prang was BAE out of its Nanyuki base. Heard the passengers were Iranians too?????
Maybe they were spying on the British Army operations up in that area? But presume them what owns BAE wouldn't be spying on their own clients?? So just maybe we are expanding our tourist base to include the Middle East.
Maybe they were spying on the British Army operations up in that area? But presume them what owns BAE wouldn't be spying on their own clients?? So just maybe we are expanding our tourist base to include the Middle East.
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and again...
picture of a south African registered twin if the paper (looks like a c406) that wvent down in malindi. Looks like one of the ones doing the surveys. Apparently everyone was ok though. Dark days indeed
picture of a south African registered twin if the paper (looks like a c406) that wvent down in malindi. Looks like one of the ones doing the surveys. Apparently everyone was ok though. Dark days indeed
Last edited by kibz2005; 10th Oct 2012 at 06:24.