Air Moorea Twin Otter crash - Tahiti [Archive]

P.Pilcher

11th Aug 2007, 00:29

Whenever I read about Twin Otters crashing after takeoff, I always think of an incident that happened to me way back in the 1980's. Single crew operating out of Gatwick. After takeoff the propellor pitch controls (in the roof) have to be moved almost to the rear end of the quadrant in the process of setting climb/cruise power. I started to do so on this occasion and immediately felt that something was wrong so stopped and looked at what I was doing. I was moving the HP cock levers instead wasn't I? Fortunately the ends of these levers were a different shape to the pitch ones, hence the "wrong feeling" after I had moved them a mere half inch. I firmly pushed them fully forwards again and adjusted the correct levers as appropriate. Thus I avoided the double engine failure I would have otherwise suffered.
About 8 years later, I found myself flying the same type, this time in Africa and discovered that a plastic guard had been fitted over the HP cock levers to prevent this problem occurring. "Good idea" I thought, someone else has had the same problem."
A couple of years ago I went out to the Maldives for a holiday and the final leg of my journey was in a Twin Otter float plane. I noticed that this aircraft had not received the modification and on mentioning same to the pilot, he was very interested. I suppose a double engine failure on takeoff in a float plane isn't quite as serious a matter as it would be over a built up area!

P.P.

Helen49

11th Aug 2007, 06:15

P Pilcher.........."I found myself flying the same type, this time in Africa and discovered that a plastic guard had been fitted over the HP cock levers to prevent this problem occurring. "Good idea" I thought, someone else has had the same problem."

Does beg the question why de Havilland didn't take this problem and solution on board and pass the solution on to other Otter operators.....??
H49

India Four Two

11th Aug 2007, 06:35

Does beg the question why de Havilland didn't take this problem and solution on board and pass the solution on to other Otter operators.....??Particularly since DHC had known about it since the early 70s. A pilot of a Series 100, belonging to an oil company that I worked for, did the same thing on takeoff out of Edmonton Municipal Airport and made an immaculate forced landing into the only available open ground - a schoolyard. Luckily, it was early morning, before school time.

When I subsequently flew on this aircraft, the fuel levers were secured in the On position with bungee cords that hooked around the levers.

I am surprised the Air Maldive aircraft didn't have this mod, since they come from Ken Borek in Calgary and you would think the Canadian Twin Otter operators would be very aware of the previous incident.

BEXIL160

11th Aug 2007, 08:19

P.Pilcher......

You weren't the first, even in the same company.... if you were flying with the Westcountry Airline I* think you were.

Several years before something similar had happened during some training on the Twin Otter at EXT.

Harry's face was ashen when he got back to PLH. Cue a long telex to Downsview..... and the latter guards that you came across as a safety mod.

Rgds
BEX

P.Pilcher

11th Aug 2007, 08:45

Well, in the light of everyone else's experiences it was clearly a known problem before I started flying the A/C (I can just see poor Harry's face). You would have thought that the appropriate mod would have been made mandatory before I came across it in the latter part of the 90's, and it had still not got as far as the Maldives who are big DHC 6 floatplane operators in 2004.

P.P.

RJ71

11th Aug 2007, 12:56

I find it hard to believe a guy could mistake fuel cut off levers for the props...Especially since they were island hoppers doing many many flights a day. I guess stranger things have happened... In the 6000hrs i flew the DHC6 id never heard of it but had come across the mod in Africa aswell. The other thing is a full twin otter with a failed engine my just take you to the scene of the accident in some cases... Anyways i guess will see what comes out of the investigation

bomarc

11th Aug 2007, 13:09

at one airline I worked for, the DHC 6 always was flown with two pilots...I suppose this is not the norm worldwide. this is some small protection against turning off the HP Cocks.

on such short flights, 7 minutes, alot is on the pilot .

DHC6tropics

11th Aug 2007, 13:20

I heard an interesting tidbit from a fellow pilot who did his DHC-6 training at Air Moorea. He said that Air Moorea's company procedure was to immediately select flaps UP during an engine failure after take-off!!! This flies directly in the face of the DHC-6 flight manual and any training I've done. The correct flap setting is flaps 10.

If this guy was heavy and selected flaps up after and engine failure I can easily see a stall or loss of control happening!!!

flugenbear

11th Aug 2007, 17:06

[quote]
I heard an interesting tidbit from a fellow pilot who did his DHC-6 training at Air Moorea. He said that Air Moorea's company procedure was to immediately select flaps UP during an engine failure after take-off!!!

Could a company be so stupid???:eek:

EZYramper

11th Aug 2007, 17:26

P Pilcher, please view the video:

http://s91.photobucket.com/albums/k296/berlin2006photos/?action=view&current=2007_03120083.flv

I flew on F-OIQI from Tahiti Faa'a to Moorea Airport on Sunday 11th March of this year, the above it just a little video that I took of the engine start up. There was only one pilot as can be seen on the video.

How sad, rest in peace everyone x

P.Pilcher

11th Aug 2007, 21:12

No - definitely no evidence of H.P. cock guards on that A/C either. I have no idea why this modification has not been made mandatory by the manufacturer. Of course the pitch and HP cock knob ends are completely different shapes which was what saved me and probably countless other DHC pilots over the years who are too ashamed to admit that they were caught out so DHC were never aware how serious the problem was, but it is easy to do - especially when you are tired. The A/C is of course designed for entirely single pilot operation, but in many cases it is now always a two crew job as it became in the U.K. in about 1990 when single pilot public transport operations were severely curtailed.
Pity in some ways - I have fond memories of flying up to the Midlands with foggy conditions below, sorting out diversions, RVR's, handling agents, company ops frequencies with no form of autopilot, expecting an ILS down to limits, and a passenger in the RHS! If I remember correctly, he was impressed!

P.P.

ChristiaanJ

11th Aug 2007, 22:44

As usual, let's wait for the results of the investigation, if any.
Without FDR and CVR, and the aircraft at the bottom of the ocean, it will be difficult.

At least, there are a few plausible explanations here.
Unlike the French forum quoted earlier, which already has gone into conspiracy theory mode....

About the only useful info there seems to be that the aircraft went in at an angle, not vertically.

411A

12th Aug 2007, 00:22

Having flown the first DHC-6 on the west coast (1966) and thereafter worked for a company that had thirty eight of 'em at one time, not once were the fuel levers mistaken for the propellor controls.
Totally different shape.

Now, if you actually look at what control you are moving, instead of just grabbing a handful, it works much better.

And yes, I've flown the machine single pilot too.

flugenbear

12th Aug 2007, 10:57

I agree with 411A...
This mistake just shouldn't be made.

P.Pilcher

12th Aug 2007, 11:36

There are two kinds of DHC 6 pilots: Those to which it has happened and thoe to which it hasn't - yet! (It won't with the guard fitted.)

P.P.

ee61re

12th Aug 2007, 11:54

Rather sobering news.

Particularly seeing as my wife and I flew in a Twin Otter from Papeete to Moorea on Honeymoon, last July.

411A

12th Aug 2007, 12:07

Well then, P.P., I suppose we can put your good self in the...'just grab a handful of any 'ole lever' department, without actually looking at what you might be doing.
Folks were flying these aeroplanes I would expect long before you were out of the pram, and they didn't have any problem.

Perhaps you should visit your training department and have 'em sharpen your skills...:ugh:

clear to land

12th Aug 2007, 12:42

In my experience, FWIW, with only about 1000 hrs on type, both Multi crew and SP, I don't think I was ever worried about inadvertent selection. Mr De Havilland put very different tactile knobs on the ends of the levers. Even with flying gloves on, on night ops, it was always obvious what levers my hand was selecting. As to the comment about selecting flaps up for assymmetric ops, if that is actually the case AND that is a contributing factor, I wouldn't like to be in company management now!:ouch:

EZYramper

12th Aug 2007, 13:54

There are 3 sets of lever on the Twin Otter's quadrant, throttle prop and fuel. Which ones do you refer to as HP cocks? The red fuel ones had a small plastic covering on them on F-OIQI.

Bob Lenahan

12th Aug 2007, 14:12

When the Twin Otter first came out up to about 1971 I logged 4000 hrs with a company that had a fleet of'em, and never heard of a case where someone grabbed the wrong lever. Seems to me it says something about the pilot and/or training.

fernytickles

12th Aug 2007, 14:47

I'm amazed at the "because I've never done it, or heard of it being done, anyone who owns up on pprune they did it must be an incompetent" attitude. To err is human, thats why we are all capable of landing gear up, or of pulling the mixture levers back instead of the props, or of trying to get out of our seat with our headset still on...... Admittedly there are times, but definitely not always because we are idiot pilots, or badly trained; everyone makes mistakes. Fatigue, distractions, illness, any number of things can cause that momentary lack of attention to detail.

Most of the time we get away with the mistakes, and learn from them, as Mr Pilcher did. To say that this says "something about the pilot and/or training" asks for people not to own up to their mistakes so that others can learn from them. I doubt, Mr Lenahan, you have gone through life, and your long flying career with no mistakes made. I hope if you ever own up to any of them, no one suggests to you that it says something about you and/or your training.......

Bomber Harris

12th Aug 2007, 15:25

i agree withh 411a et all. I am also a great pilot and never make mistakes like that. in fact i don't know why they bother having switches and levers different shapes. just put them all in one big bank of switches and levers all shaped the same and because we read the label before we operate the switch we will never make a mistake. and as i am never under pressure and never have a bad day it means that i always read the label before i operate any lever or switch on every occasion even thought the switch has been in the same place for 20 years. it's so obvious, why have boeing and airbus wasted all this money designing aircraft the way they do. they should have just spoken to us first!
ps 411a just thought i'd mention the missing aposthrophe from your post. obviously you were just winding mr. PP with that intentional little error. very witty ol' chap.

himalaya

13th Aug 2007, 07:29

Twin Otter is a very forgiving machine. Having logged over 4000 hours in T/O flying around the most difficult areas around the himalayas (RWY elevation up to 11,000 ft, STOL most RWY length 1400-1800 ft, and in all shapes :O) I have tremendeous respect for this aircraft. I must conclude that its takes alot to crash this aircraft. When I say it takes alot, I mean someone has to just make serious mistakes to crash this aircraft.

We have had many T/O crashes (more than 10) in our area, almost one T/O each year and sadly , all of them were Pilot error and not a single one due to technical failure. Having said that I dont intent to negate the possibility of technical failure however, even with technical failure this aircraft does provide alot of margin for the safe return.

Pulling fuel levers instead of Prop levers is a serious mistake very few could make.

DHC6to8

13th Aug 2007, 08:11

I am always sadened to read of accidents with the Twin Otter... there is unfortunately always one or two a year in the accident section of the Flight Intl. magazine. I have flown the DHC6 on floats, wheels, skis, and ski/wheel combos... for thousands of hours in worldwide operations and I have never once heard of people mistakenly selecting the fuel levers for the Prop levers... the fuel levers (are round little red colored at the knob) and the prop levers (are a rectangular shape with little crests), how somebody could mistakenly screw this up is beyond me... I trained lots of guys to fly this aircraft, and one word of caution I always gave was to visually look at which lever you place your hand during emergency training and regular clean up after t/o... I have seen all sorts of things during training.... To crash this aircraft... you really have to have bad luck, or really screw something up... I was doing some training once during confined beach landingings in Africa years ago with a new bloke... the turn from downwind to final was practically a circle due to the trees and rocky hills in the regular straight-in approach (hence no straight in approach), when I selected flaps to full the guy freaked- he had never seen a full flap approach before after having several thousand hours of experience in the UK .... well he got to see his first with me this day.... when I asked him why he had never seen one before: he replied that due to company limitations it was forbiden... when I eventually placed him in the left seat: he tried several times to switch the autofx system to "ON" during final approach... I had also never heard of this before... normally only during t/o... there seems to be such a broad spectrum of procedures (good and bad) that would lead me to think that is why every once in awhile something happens... unfortunately..
I love flying the twin otter, and before I retire I woudl like to go back to flying her!! - soon!
6to8

international hog driver

13th Aug 2007, 08:48

6to8 Has made some very good points, I too have about 4000 on type and find it very hard to believe that someone could make this kind of mistake. I have flown with Serge C, who used to be Air Moorea’s TRE/TRI and there is no why he ever trained anyone to touch and not look!

With regard different procedures, I have flown with 5 different companies on the otter, some used different procedures, ie no AutoFx on Floats, etc however the most amazing was the Full Flap scenario that 6to8 mentions.

How can someone be checked out as competent and never had a full flap landing? The reply I got is its not company procedure……. The same was flapless landings (ok ok I know what the manual says) but if you don’t have access to the sim where do you get it.

The TO is a bush plane and no matter what rules you operate under it is a real hands on plane, no pussy auto this and auto that, hell most don’t even have autopilots!

I find it really difficult to believe this was a pilot error due “training issues” accident, I also find it difficult to comprehend crashing straight ahead a mile from the field with as witness’ reported both engines operating.

Also I find it difficult to understand why it was single pilot where even JAR Ops state that given the number of seats it should have been two crew (or do F-Oxxx have differing rules? Would not surprise me!)

There will be a lot more to this accident than meets the eye so lets stop the speculation and await the report. The weather was good, the operator has a good track record, the leg was 7 mins, there are no traffic issues, nor terrain on departure track…..

Something does not add up.

FlexibleResponse

13th Aug 2007, 12:41

ABUKABOY

13th Aug 2007, 16:13

Just over 1,000hrs on the DHC-6, 2 years @ 10-12 sectors a day (Channel Isles), and the rest on skis, way down south. Must agree with many of the posts here that pitch and fuel levers are visually and tactiley totally different, and I seem to remember that any movement imparted to those controls was always accompanied at the very least by a quick glance to see where my hand was being put. Can't remember if we had a plastic guard fitted or not, (early to mid 80's), but IMO very difficult to pull the wrong levers.
I too came to realise just how strong the a/c was and what seemingly ridiculous things you can ask it to do when flying off remote ski-ways, and both it and the DC-3 are the two aircraft I would dearly love to fly again before I retire for good.

evansb

14th Aug 2007, 23:13

In addition to the guards, I would suggest the installation of a 'braille' type sensory warning beside the HP levers, on the binacle, telling the pilot's fingers he/she is in 'shut-down' territory.

Bob Lenahan

15th Aug 2007, 02:06

I can imagine those who won't like this, but sometimes you just have to fly the airplane. Haven't seen one that idiot-proof yet.
This has no bearing at all on above said accident.

international hog driver

15th Aug 2007, 06:31

Gday All,
I had a French FO yesterday who previously worked there and has spoken directly with some ex colleagues there.

Flight was usually conducted VFR……… explains single pilot
No medical fault with Captain who was in his early 50s
Seems to some confusion as to whether engines were operating upon impact.
Wreckage is located at a depth of 700m+
Unconfirmed reports of CVR being found…….. (FO could not remember if it was fitted – I have only ever flown one that had it)

Still more questions than answers, :confused:

Evansb, the tactile difference between the prop leavers and the fuel leavers are so great that your Braille comment is ridiculous. :=

The thing is a bush plane and not “idiot proofed” and should be flows as one. Any attempt to change it simply over complicates things.:ugh:

islandjumper

24th Aug 2007, 09:28

"Pulling fuel levers instead of Prop levers is a serious mistake very few could make."

Has there been any official information that this may have caused or contributed to the crash, or is this conjecture?

international hog driver

24th Aug 2007, 11:01

All conjecture.

Wreckage is still in 700mts of water. Until they recover it we will have to wait to see if the fuel levers were on or off at impact.

mini

24th Aug 2007, 22:31

"Wreckage is still in 700mts of water. Until they recover it we will have to wait to see if the fuel levers were on or off at impact."

That's deep - i.e. expensive.

Is there a recovery operation planned?

chuks

29th Aug 2007, 09:42

I am currently flying the Twin Otter.

These Twin Otters, like every one I have ever flown (all 300-series) have the little plastic guards on the fuel levers, to prevent snagging or grabbing them without meaning to shut off the fuel.

Too, as pointed out here, the levers are a very different shape to the adjacent throttles and prop levers.

I think it would be extremely unlikely that a pilot would cut the fuel when intending to reduce propeller RPM. It might happen, of course, but between having to get way over to the right, past the rather large prop levers, and then ignore the very different feel of the knobs... you would have to be having a very bad day indeed to make this particular mistake.

Of course if you made the mistake you would immediately put the levers back to the "ON" position, but that wouldn't solve the problem unless you also put the ignition on!

bobusse

29th Aug 2007, 10:00

I heard yesterday over France-Info broadcasting station that a cable layer ship,Ile de Ré, just arrived on the crash zone.That vessel is equipped with a deepsub able to recover CVR's or other small parts.

fbvff

29th Aug 2007, 17:26

ia orana
The Ile de re (a speciality Cable Laying Ship with ROV)
Has arrived late saturday in Papeete. The crew has already demonstrated their deep water work capability with the sharm El Sheik accident.

The aircraft lays by 420 meters depth on a 90 degree slope at the edge of the coral reef.( it falls then to a few thousand feet after that).
Their primary mission is to recover the voice recorder on board, and hopefully bring back some debris (engines especially). there are still 4 victims not recoverd presumably on board.

As a regular of the line (5 minute flight) I havbe all teh confidence in the airlineand the crew.They also have a few ex Patrouille de France Pilots, tons of experience there!.

Some videos of a flight aboard air Moorea can be seen at :

http://youtube.com/results?search_query=air+moorea

fbvff

Stiletto 120

29th Aug 2007, 20:39

Thanks FBVFF for the video link. Enjoyed watching the approach.

Visited Morea for a couple of weeks back in 1998 - probably the most geographical beuatiful places I have ever been - I travelled by ferry from Papetee... but would of love the Otter ride just as much.

Further to all the discussion previously about fuel lever protection cover - in the video you can clearly see that there is in fact the installed cover (on the far right on the central overhead control area). So hopefully that puts that question? (did the company modify or not modify) to bed!

hope recovery efforst go well.

fbvff

31st Aug 2007, 02:33

Good evening
the Tail of the aircraft and the Cargo hold have been located at a deeper depth than initially reported

Very little information comes out though . (As seen at Sharm El Sheik by the same operator of the ship)
fbvff

fbvff

31st Aug 2007, 14:42

Good Morning
the Voice recorders have been recovered with great difficulties at a depth of 600 meters ( among other parts of the aircraft.
They are being sent to France for analysis.

Another greatjob for the crew of the Ile de Re.

meherio

fbvff

5th Sep 2007, 14:30

According to the Tahitipress website
the engines, cockpit , tail section of the aircraft have been recovered from the water ans dent to Paris for further studies.

The Voice recorder tapes have not yielded any major clue for the reason for the crash.

The Ship Ile De re will end it's mission there and return to new caledonia
fbvff

Ignition Override

7th Sep 2007, 03:59

Flying solo, no mistake will be noticed by another pilot (except from the cabin or jumpseat). But solo flying has often been necessary to make money on a "Twotter"?

If not solo, then do both pilots always observe (not just the torque ft-lbs, RPM etc) when somebody's hand is on any and all engine levers during takeoff, approach and landing?

Must the flying (handling) pilot allow the other pilot to verify in an emergency etc before an engine throttle is pulled back, the correct fuel control is touched and the correct prop lever is pulled back to the feather position, etc? :ouch:

A heavily-loaded B-767 many years ago ended up with two shutdown engines after departing LAX. The fuel control switches might have one more detent than the 757? We have no 767s.
Something in an aviation magazine years ago indicated this ("Av. Week & ST" or "Flying"?).

Bob Lenahan

7th Sep 2007, 15:46

Probably doesn't apply now, but flew Otters for two different commuters in the late 60's. Captains watched co-pilots pretty close until they got to know them well. Never noticed a copilot watching Captains movemnts in that respect tho. Problem was both companies had 3 kinds of pilots: 1)copilots; 2) cirlcle of capn's that were self-designated aces; and 3) capn's that were well liked and respected.

EZYramper

6th Oct 2007, 09:34

Thread has been dead now for nearly a month, just wondering if there has been any more news on the cause of this accident?

CaptW5

15th Oct 2007, 17:49

Twin Otter crash inquiry recommends elevator cable checks

French investigators are recommending inspection of elevator cables on De
Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters after discovering severe fraying on the
Air Moorea aircraft which crashed in French Polynesia during August.

The Bureau d’Enquetes et d’Analyses (BEA) says that examination of the
wreckage, following its retrieval from the sea off Moorea, shows that two
stainless-steel elevator control cables were heavily worn.

BEA says the cables were chafed by passage through cable guides located aft
of station 426, and adds: “This wear, which was accompanied by broken
wires, had reduced the loaded section of the cable by more than 50% in some
parts.”

Although the cables had been inspected at least twice since 17 November last
year, during routine maintenance, the investigators point out that the
frayed areas are “difficult to identify” without an in-depth
examination.

BEA says: “They were therefore not noticed during initial visual
examination.”

It is recommending that the European Aviation Safety Agency and Transport
Canada require Twin Otter operators to inspect stainless-steel elevator
control cables as soon as possible, and to consider extending this process
to carbon-steel cables that might also be installed on the type.

All 19 passengers and the single pilot on board the Air Moorea aircraft were
killed when it crashed shortly after take-off on 9 August, while on a
shuttle flight to Papeete. BEA says the inquiry is continuing and it expects
to produce an interim report on the accident within a few weeks.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news

punkalouver

20th Aug 2008, 00:08

Cable fracture caused Air Moorea Twin Otter crash: BEA (http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/08/14/314718/cable-fracture-caused-air-moorea-twin-otter-crash-bea.html)

V1... Ooops

7th Sep 2008, 02:55

...discovered that a plastic guard had been fitted over the HP cock levers to prevent this problem occurring. "Good idea" I thought, someone else has had the same problem."

Does beg the question why de Havilland didn't take this problem and solution on board and pass the solution on to other Otter operators.....??

Bit late (one year later) to be posting the answer to Helen49's question, but de Havilland did take action. Mod 6/1515, which was cut into production aircraft effective at serial number 475 (about 1974), introduced a plastic guard over the two fuel levers when they are at the forward (ON) position. Service Bulletin 6/326 at Revision B status provides retrofit details. The retrofit process takes about 20 minutes to complete.

In any case, the question is not relevant to the accident aircraft, as it has a serial number higher than 475 and thus left the factory with this modification incorporated.

krujje

12th Sep 2008, 22:36

Thought there was a requirement to replace elevator cables on Twin Otters every year, due to previous accidents involving cable wear???

CaptW5

6th Dec 2008, 17:43

Jet-blast damaged elevator cables on crashed Moorea Twin Otter

Jet-blast damaged elevator cables on crashed Moorea Twin Otter (http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/12/06/319840/jet-blast-damaged-elevator-cables-on-crashed-moorea-twin-otter.html)

barit1

6th Dec 2008, 18:21

The FAR 25 standard for control shapes (http://www.flightsimaviation.com/data/FARS/part_25-781.html)was obviously written pre-jet era - is there an updated version?

TowerDog

6th Dec 2008, 22:19

I forgot how elevator trim system on the Twotter works, last flight was 20 years ago, but even with a broken elevator cable, would it be possible to maintain some kind of indirect pitch control using trim only...?

Got 2000 hours in the DHC-6 on floats and wheels, one of my favorite aircraft, like others posted above, would like to fly 'em again before I retire or before I leave earth. :hmm:

411A

7th Dec 2008, 10:07

The FAR 25 standard for control shapes was obviously written pre-jet era - is there an updated version?

The DHC-6 is not a 14CFR25 airplane
would it be possible to maintain some kind of indirect pitch control using trim only...?

Yes, taught/demonstrated by deHavilland instructor pilots many years ago,
Using elevator trim only.

chuks

7th Dec 2008, 14:36

The SOPs I am currently using have us raising the flaps at 400 feet AGL minimum. I suppose at 400 feet you would have just enough time to put the flaps back down to 10 with a pitch control failure to get that nose pointed back up while you sorted yourself out with trim.

It's all to easy to imagine a scenario where you raise the flaps at a low height, have a sudden "Twang!" and the control column just coming back to your chest without any resistance as the nose drops, a moment of baffled incomprehension and... you are dead.

This is the same reason I like to get an airplane configured for landing at about 1000 AGL minimum. If it's going to do something weird when the flaps are set for landing, let that be at a recoverable height.

keskildi

8th Dec 2008, 12:47

communiqué from the french BEA

News (http://www.bea.aero/anglaise/actualite/actu.htm)

full report (in french, I'm afraid..)

http://www.bea.aero/docspa/2007/f-qi070809/pdf/f-qi070809.pdf

dash 27

10th Dec 2008, 21:46

A loaded 300 series departed the Hilton Maldives, enroute to Male'. On take off the aircract pitched up stalled, and was recovered with flap, elevator trim, and an elevator direction. Can't remember if it was a push or a pull. It performed this maneuver several times recovering closer to the water each time, and eventually came to rest with all souls and aircraft safe in a lagoon straight ahead. Complete credit goes to the level headed captain, who finished up not long after. Can hardly blame him. An inspection of the aircraft found an attachment plate with elev cable up, cable down had worn through resulting in one way operation only. Cables ok, but the plate failed. Subsequent inspection of the fleet found that the majority of the aircraft had the same problem waiting to happen. To inspect this was under the floor, removing the hydraulics, and 2 mirrors to see only half, or gut the floor to inspect. An AD was then issued for the inspection of this cable union. Also, we included this in our check rides. This time only flap and trim available, to recognise the issue, deal with it, and when shown, how straight forward it is to land on power, trim and flap. It does require 2 pilots. One to operate the power levers and the captain to fly with rudders, elev trim and flap. The use of the wheel for anything else, except if you goofed it up to recover was not allowed. We all did it, and it became a thing that you just knew how to do. Into wind only, smooth water 10 knots is ideal, and well briefed prior to its instigation. Some might say its a risky thing to do, but with no access to sims for float planes, its the best we could do. Sadly thats all blown over now, and is not included in the training, but for me its a done deal that is welded in my mind. Congrats to the crew on the day, you are the true hero's, and to the pro active training department for developing a sequence for dealing with the issue. Add that to the Beta Backup system that hates salt water, fuel guages and pump problems, longeron and mount issues in rough water, crap weather ops. Its a great operation with massive experience pool passing through over the years. And the greats keep returning. :ok:

Norm Sanson

11th Dec 2008, 14:47

As an old hand with many hours on Twotters, and other "cable driven" types, my best advice is to use the trim a lot, to minimize loadings on elevator cables, rod ends etc, and pay careful attention to speeds for deployment of flaps, particularly full flap, (I think from memory not above 80 kts was my rule in the Otter) to avoid that unusual nose down attitude, tho the Otter has a very effective compensator tab through most of its normal range.
And yes, they can be flown on trims, once you are established in a good landing attitude/speed configuration. I think about half flap works best, giving a bit extra speed for trim responsiveness, and an attitude comfortably nose-up, so a flare is not required.
I have had an elevator failure, its not nice. Very pleased I was on the right side of V1.