Harrier, Lowestoft, lever, oops...

[Nige321]

Anyone seen this...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/suffolk/3330045.stm

Nige

[Man-on-the-fence]

Pilot error seems to be a tad harsh considering its a crap design (however we only have the BBC to believe that). However I suppose that is what he was trained on.

Learn the lessons and move on.

[DuckDodgers]

The article is correct, the findings result was indeed pilot error. Sqn Ldr pay en-route as we speak........

[Gainesy]

Flight Lieutenant XXX, who is now flying again and based at RAF Cottismore, is said to have received advice following the loss of the plane in August 2003.

Is that PC-speak for a bollocking?

[FEBA]

Accidents happen gainsey, we can afford it :{
Ask the Capt of HMS Nottingham, at least in both cases there was no loss of life. That's good.
Merry Christmas Tony
FEBA

[Gainesy]

Yeh Feba, I know only too well. Glad he got out, lost a lot of mates who didn't.

[HOODED]

He got his Sqn Ldr not long after the accident. Nice bloke though and we are all human after all!

[WE Branch Fanatic]

Sadly not everyone subscribes to the "accidents happen - there but for the grace of God..........." line of thought, as demonstrated by the thread at the top of this forum.

[crashsite]

:\ Duckdodgers, how can the investigation finding be 'Pilot Error' when the RAF have no such finding these days? In fact, I can categorically state that there was no such finding here. The RAF have moved on a long way since 'the mull' and it is throw away statements like yours that help to perpetuate the myth that we are still in the dark ages of pinning the blame on the aircrew!! I'll give you a top tip; don't give up your day job or if you do...work for the Sun or the Mirror!!

[Ali Barber]

Only guessing, but I presume the cause was Human Factors (Aircrew) which is PC speak for aircrew error with no blame attached, as allocating blame is no longer part of the Board of Inquiry process. I also presume the "advice" came from someone senior and involved hats! I say again....only guessing, haven't seen the report.

Glad he got out OK and no one was hurt, but crashsite's response was a bit OTT.

[Reichman]

Best Harrier display I'd seen in a long time.

VIFF VIFF, NOZZLE NOZZLE - SPLASH.

[SHAR wannabe]

"An RAF board of inquiry has now established that Flight Lieutenant Cann had accidentally operated the controls for throttle and nozzle direction lever at the same time causing it to drop like a stone. "

It's amazing where they get these 3 handed pilots from. I wish I could operate both levers at the same time as the stick. :confused:

[Impiger]

That's why you'll always be a wannabe

[John Farley]

SHAR wannabe

Your remark that implies you need two hands on the left hand side to move a Harrier throttle and nozzle lever at the same time is very wide of the mark. If it was intended as a joke it is in bad taste. One way is to catch the nozzle lever in the cuff of your left sleeve. A lot in aviation is not as simple as it seems at first glance especially when you lack personal experience of the issue.

[hairyclameater]

Didnt a RAFG GR3 display ship do the same thing late '80s, but at an airfield rather than something a bit softer?

Also '94? GR5 display pilot forgot wheels in Chile?? He continued to be display pilot for the season.

Must be a harrier thing.

[BEagle]

Gosh - so much expert opinion on operating a demanding aircraft in a critical flight regime...NOT :(

I do not know the Harrier or its characteristics at low speed; presumably if the throttle lever is inadvertantly retarded in the hover there is little time or chance to effect an immediate recovery even if the pilot realises what has happened? Is a full throttle slam with a high rate of descent possible - or would that just cause surge? Even if max thrust was obtainable in such a situation, the laws of P=mf (or F=ma, depending upon your age and schooling!) would indicate that a successful recovery would be rather unlikely.

Loss of thrust in the hover, no matter what the cause, is something for which there is no doubt a Harrier SOP - somehow I don't think that this'll include "Check for cause of failure" or "See FRC Card....."

Glad the chap got out in time, sorry about the jet. Hopefully the lessons for the future will address the cause of the inadvertant selection and every Harrier pilot....sorry, 'Harrier mate' will benefit from this.

Happy Humbug-tide from the outer Martian atmosphere!

[Impiger]

Obviously the hovery bit is tricky and a very unforgiving flight regime if anything goes wrong whichever 'factor' causes it. It would be interesting to know the statistics for Harrier accidents in the hover during air displays or role demonstrations. Down the years there seem to have been quite a few - disproportionately so compared with other types. Perhaps Wg Cdr Spry would care to comment.....