View Full Version : Seminole Ditching in the Central Pacific
Hold West
9th Jun 2006, 02:12
Just heard about a Seminole being ferrried from OAK to HNL ditching out around EXAMS. From what I heard, they had about 5 hours warning, and there's a USCG C-130 with them. I sure hope the CG found a ship for them to ditch near. Good luck to them!
Hold West
9th Jun 2006, 04:25
Good news - it was a flight of 2 VH-registered PA44s. The one ditched near a surface vessel, both on board picked up and safe.
vapilot2004
9th Jun 2006, 06:31
EXAMS is about 450nm from Hilo - nothing but blue water. :eek:
Thanks for the news and Good news.
Kulwin Park
9th Jun 2006, 13:12
Were they new Seminole's?? or just old ones purchased to go to America, or to Australia ??
EGBKFLYER
9th Jun 2006, 13:29
Oh sh*t. I hope that isn't poor old Ray Clamback or one of his colleagues. Their website (www.clahen.com.au) mentions the ferrying of some Seminoles... He's had two previous successful ditchings so if anyone can get it down in one piece, it's him...
jondc9
9th Jun 2006, 17:51
hats off to the coast guard! cue music: "I want to get you on a slow boat to China"
read on:
Friday, Jun 09, 2006
Breaking News XML
Posted on Fri, Jun. 09, 2006
Two survive watery landing without injuries
Associated Press
HONOLULU - Two people were rescued Thursday after their small plane from Santa Barbara, Calif., ditched in the ocean about 535 miles northeast of Hilo, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
The two were picked up by the container ship Virginius, which was bound for China. A nurse aboard the vessel reported there were no injuries, the Coast Guard said.
The Federal Aviation Administration alerted the Coast Guard's Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Honolulu around 11 a.m. after those aboard the twin-engine Piper Seminole reported engine trouble about 1,000 miles into their flight to Hilo, officials said.
A Coast Guard C-130, which rendezvoused with the ailing aircraft about four hours later, dropped flares on the ocean's surface to form a makeshift runway near the Virginius. The pilot of the small plane used the flares to judge wind speed, direction and altitude, the Coast Guard said.
Coast Guard Petty Officer Brooksann Epiceno said she didn't have the names of those aboard the plane, and didn't know whether the Virginius planned to stop in Hawaii to drop them off. An FAA spokesman also didn't have the names of the two people.
Hold West
9th Jun 2006, 20:44
The scene, courtesy of the USCG:
http://www.bedient.us/images/floating.jpg
rvator
10th Jun 2006, 16:08
WOW !...... Must have been a perfect ditching as the plane integrity seems to indicate it !..
Don't know the reason why they ditch....but did apparently a good job !...Ditching that safely is not a mass-sport !..........:ok:
erikv
10th Jun 2006, 20:21
Very interesting subject. There's about 2200NM of water between California and Hawaii and many didn't complete the crossing for various reasons. Some were never seen again, but a remarkable number made it without serious problems - some even keeping their feet dry!
A search on the NTSB site shows more succesful ditchings.
E.
WX Man
11th Jun 2006, 07:46
How do you ditch a light twin without it nosing over? Max flap, gear up and shut the other engine down just before touchdown?
Extremely skillfully flown by the pilot. Well done mate.
But as the man said, "Was it Ray Clamback again?"
M18bloke
12th Jun 2006, 07:11
It was Lyn Gray an ex teacher who was flying the aircraft, she has had a swim before whilst flying with Ray.
Ray was not flying the ditched machine, it was however his company that was doing the ferry job.:eek:
EGBKFLYER
12th Jun 2006, 14:25
The C&H website hasn't been updated to reflect what's happened yet - guess they might be a bit busy. Does mention that Lyn already turned back once on this trip when the gear didn't retract...
Glad she's safe anyway - she saw Ray go down the last time it happened so she must have got some tips! Great piece of flying though.
Still doesn't put me off wanting to do a trans-pacific - what an adventure!:)
aerolane
13th Jun 2006, 04:32
It was Lyn Gray an ex teacher who was flying the aircraft, she has had a swim before whilst flying with Ray.
Ray was not flying the ditched machine, it was however his company that was doing the ferry job.:eek:
I was told that Ray was flying the other plane. Did my first crossing along Ray in 1974, that was 390 trips ago. Ray was in a Cherokee Warrior and I was flying a Cessna 182.
:ugh:
Times story (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,171-2222366,00.html)
Kulwin Park
14th Jun 2006, 12:09
Ray's website is now updated....
So, I assume that the plane sank?? No recovery made??
Low-Pass
14th Jun 2006, 12:37
The article says that they didn't have a life-raft on board. Really??!! Is this true and, if so, is this normal? Don't think I'd be too happy with the abscence of somehing so critical.
LP
20driver
14th Jun 2006, 21:28
It would be intriguing to go through through C&H's history to get an idea of the reliability of small plane power plants. The ultimate endurance test so to speak.
I must admit I am pretty dubious of anyone who'd attempt that kind of trip without a life raft. Makes you wonder what other (any) survial equipment they did have.
Lastly would it not be a good idea to bring along a flight helmet to wear in case of ditching. Heads smacking on the panel is a prime cause of GA injuries. Even the most skillfull ditch will involve a lot of tossing around with a fair chance of a rap on the noggin.
Good to see all is well and I guess Piper gets another sale.
20driver
tinhorse
14th Jun 2006, 22:02
For this sort of ferry flying, the conventional type of life raft has been replaced by a far more practical, and much lighter type of equipment manufactured by Switlik. This is a life raft that you actually wear, and is very securely attached to you by webbing straps. It is comfortable to wear, and the knowledge is comforting, that if the worst should happen, and you manage to get out of the aircraft, then you can not have your raft blown away from you, or the line snagged on a sinking plane.
Low-Pass
18th Jun 2006, 10:33
Thanks for the info tinhorse. Sounds like a nifty bit of kit. Good to hear all ended well.
LP
Kulwin Park
28th Jun 2006, 12:36
Ray's site has been updated with the explanation to the ditching....
Very interesting ....
http://www.clahen.com.au/hotp/hotp.htm
EGBKFLYER
29th Jun 2006, 05:27
Mmm. I'm going to try the fuel cut-off on the a/c I fly shortly - the subject of inop cut-offs came up in the latest CHIRP (UK Human Factors publication) too, this time on a Robin DR400.
Good to know Lyn is carrying on and it will be interesting to know what caused the cowling burn too.