Marrocco crash

[WrongWayCorrigan]

Anyone know anything about a Cherokee (I think) crash last week in Marrocco in which 4 were killed, one a friend of mine?

[maggioneato]

Sorry to hear about your friends. Was reading about the accident this morning. Here is the link.

http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_1811480,00.html

[WrongWayCorrigan]

Thanks! Wonder what the Atlas mountains are like to fly in.

[Morane]

Hello,

the article, posted hier refered to an accident 2 weeks ago,
which involved HB-PHB.
There is a short statement from Swiss AAIB here:
http://www.bfu.admin.ch/common/pdf/HB-PHB
If you want more information:
http://www.flugsimulation.ch/forum/showthread.php?t=37519
Here you kann contact friends of the pilot/FI,
maybe they can give you more information.

Joe

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

I've just returend from a motorcycling trip to Morocco, including a leg from Quarzazate to Marrakech, the repciprocal of this accident flight, and about a week later. The Atlas are very beutiful but very rugged and remote. The wx when we were in Morocco was superb (blue skies, 40C+) except for an isolated shower or two on one day and a brief sandstorm another (we were there 10 days, plus several more riding down through Spain and back to and from Santander).

SSD

[B2N2]

NTSB database report is here:
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief2.asp?ev_id=20051017X01656&ntsbno=DFW06WA006&akey=1
Not much info.
Wondering about 4 people in a Pa28-181,
Overweight in the mountains comes to mind.
http://www.flightforum.ch/forum/showthread.php?t=16877&highlight=HB-PHB

Pics of the plane on a different trip,
it's an Archer 2.
Performance figures:

Piper PA-28-181 Archer II

Horsepower: 180 Gross Weight: 2550 lbs
Top Speed: 129 kts Empty Weight: 1416 lbs
Cruise Speed: 125 kts Fuel Capacity: 48.00 gal
Stall Speed (dirty): 49 kts Range: 565 nm

Takeoff Landing
Ground Roll: 870 ft Ground Roll 925 ft
Over 50 ft obstacle: 1210 ft Over 50 ft obstacle: 1390 ft

Rate Of Climb: 667 fpm
Ceiling: 13236 ft

[172driver]

Sad to hear that. Flew this route myself some months ago. Don't have charts to hand, but if memory serves well, MSA is around FL 95+. Terrain very rugged and area prone to severe turbulence (I didn't encounter any, but know several pilots who fly this regularly and have).

Frankly, don't think a PA 28-181 fully loaded (and, this being Morocco, probably on an above-standard temp day) is such a good idea for this run.

RIP

[WrongWayCorrigan]

Assuming 3 hours fuel, I'd have thought the weights would be within limits. Dunno about luggage.

[172driver]

Assuming 3 hours fuel, I'd have thought the weights would be within limits. Dunno about luggage.

Well, depends on the individual weights - a quick look in a generic graph shows either just about in or just about out. Add high alt / high temp and you're setting yourself up for trouble. In other words, even if notionally within limits, a PA-28 loaded to the gunwales will have no reserves left of any kind at high altitude.

Temps on the accident day were about 8 degs C above standard (you can check on weather.com) assuming they left around or shortly after the point of lowest temp. I don't know the baro on the day, but assuming standard, going over these mountains would have brought the plane very close to the edge of the envelope.

Tragically, sounds like another heavy/hot/high accident.