Light Aircraft Crash

[Nickoli]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/4329560.stm

[Whirlygig]

And there was this one - it's not the same incident is it? (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/norfolk/4299232.stm)

Doesn't sound as if Chris Gurney's having a good time of it. Glad the injuries weren't serious and speedy recovery to those involved.

Cheers

Whirls

[stiknruda]

No, not the same! Different dates, different aircraft types and a differing number of engines!

Stik

[Whirlygig]

But other than that Stik, they were identical ;) :p

Cheers

Whirls

[eyeinthesky]

Without wanting to prejudge the investigations and all that...

Why is it that people will persist in trying to land aircraft on runways for which they or the aircraft are inadequately equipped and thereby threatening the future of these airfields?

Chris is most meticulous in giving an excellent briefing about noise, runway slope, prevailing wind and so on when you ring up for PPR, so there is really no excuse for this kind of event happening twice in two weeks.

As I mentioned in my separate thread, I was stunned to hear that a C421 had even attempted to get into such a short grass strip. Although not having flown one, I would have thought that less than 500m, even on a hard runway, was optimistic to say the least..

If Chris ends up losing his strip as a result of these two incidents, I'd be after the pilots for compensation if I were him...:mad:

[Zulu Alpha]

Yes, I'd also hate to see Chris's excellent strip curtailed in any way. His seafood fly-in is one of our annual must go trips. Also just popping up to Cromer and taking a taxi into town for beach and lunch is a family favourite.

I've always found it safe as long as you get the wind from him beforehand and don't so something silly like try and land downhill with a tailwind. Personally, I will only use 36 for landing and 18 for departure, so wind has to be light or across the strip and I've never had a problem in a 200hp Piper Arrow 2 or 3 up and half tanks

Nowadays everyone seems to want to prevent people from doing anything that might have the slightest chance of causing them to hurt themselves. I fear they will try and prevent me from going to Cromer even though I have a 100% safety record there.

[strake]

"If Chris ends up losing his strip as a result of these two incidents, I'd be after the pilots for compensation if I were him..."

Should he wait until they are released from hospital or get in there and threaten them now?

[Whirlygig]

Should he wait until they are released from hospital or get in there and threaten them now?
No, as with any incident, he should wait until the AAIB reports and findings are published. If these incidents/accidents are deemed to be pilot error and and the operator of this airfield loses the airfield because of these incidents, then I'm sure he would have a claim against them.

This is exactly the way it would be for, say, a motor accident. I know of a case where a van drove into a shop front. The driver was injured (and drunk). A customer was also injured and the shop-owner has had to close the shop whilst building repairs are undertaken. She has lost trade through that accident and will have a valid claim against the driver. OK, the driver was hurt, wrote off his van and will probably also lose his licence but that does not mean to say that somebody else's livelihood should be compromised through another's error.

However, all this is conjecture now.

Cheers

Whirls

[Malcolm G O Payne]

I have flown the 421B and I would not consider any strip with less than 700 metres of hard surface and dry conditions.

[McFunkletrumpet]

Northrepps is now closed.
Details can be found at www.edp24.co.uk

[IO540]

The link is now dead. This one seems to work for now

http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/news/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category=News&tBrand=edponline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED12%20Oct%202005%2018%3A22%3A22%3A603