Beech-36 crash at Eros Airport

[freesky]

Apparantly an aircraft crashed at Eros Airport! (FYWE)

Any news?

[Voel]

Jip, sadly so. Beech Bonny V5KLB crashed just after take-off runway 19. Both occupants fataly injured. Happended at 15h48 UTC. Some gusty winds at the time of accident.

[worn chair]

Bonnie crashed after take-off from RWY19 at Eros airport. Both occupants did not survive.

Condolenses to the family and friends!!!

There is also a thread on ATC issues but I feel its better represented here?

Any more news on the cause?

[Stierado]

Terrible stuff...:(

Says the pilot still managed to declare a Mayday with engine problems..

www.namibian.com.na

www.republikein.com

[126,7]

The link for the Republikein should read:

www.republikein.com.na

Nasty pictures. RIP

[square-head]

see links below

www.republikein.com.na (http://www.republikein.com.na)
www.namibian.com.na (http://www.namibian.com.na)

[freesky]

Thank you for this info.

How does s-head have all this info in Sylt?

[126,7]

How does s-head have all this info in Sylt?

Ah, the beauty of the internet.

[square-head]

Einmal Südwester, immer Südwester. I still have family in Nam (mum and sister), that's why I keep abreast with news from Südwest, especially aviation related as I still know quite a lot of them down there. So will Big Man ATC from the ME. As 126.7 said, beauty of the internet.

[bigmanatc]

Eisch....any names yet....? :uhoh:

[B747ATP]

Does any one know if it was pilot error or a combination of things? Info sketchy outside of Namibia!

[abc.fp]

747

I think it is too early and certainly unfair to reach any conclusions at this stage. It amazes me how many experts suddenly crawl out of the woodwork at a time like this, just to have their names heard on the news.

For example. How can people at the Namibian Airports Company make statements on behalf of the DCA? What mandate do they have? Where do they get their information? Some gentleman in the NAC management made comments to the Republikein newspaper about what was said on the frequency. (needless to say he talked bollocks)

Anyway, the facts are that V5KLB (BE36) departed RWY19 at Eros to fly to a lodge near FYMG. (Approx 40NM north-east of Eros). The weather conditions at Eros were not ideal. Wind 180degrees 25knots. There was also a CB overhead the field wich caused gusty conditions and perhaps even a microburst. The pilot was aware of the conditions.

After departure when crossing the opposite threshold, the aircraft struggled to gain altitude, and at about half-a-mile upwind started a steep bank-turn to the left. This is when the mayday call was made (note, only mayday, no reason given) which was the last communication with the aircraft. The aircraft hit the ground vertically, no skidmarks, which would indicate that he had probably stalled before the crash?

The propeller had broken off on impact and first impressions are that it was not under power at the time. But this is only speculation at this stage. Further investigation will confirm this.

After the crash the aircraft was facing in a westerly direction. The questions that I ask myself are: Why did the pilot not land on one of the many roads in the area? It was peak hour traffic (on the road) at the time, would this deter a pilot from landing on a road? Did he try to return to the field?

Perhaps some input from fellow Eros pilots can give us a better understanding on how these wind conditions would influence a RWY19 departure...?

Regards

[grensloos]

It's a very sad and unfortunate accident. Condolences to the friends and families.

Perhaps a moot point, but i can remember it being tough getting out of rwy 19 in those wind conditions. A southern wind over the ridge would create serious turbulence and down drafts, reducing your options when that engine fails.

It seems the pilot tried to turn back to the safety of the airport instead of choosing a "field within 30 degrees", an error of judgement I can relate to. In the heat of battle it is hard to commit your mind to crash an aircraft into an open field when there's a perfectly good runway just 2 miles behind you. Even more so if its your own plane!

Just shedding some light from a different angle...

The problem that worries me is that I know a lot of seat-of-the-pants pilots that would do the same thing.

[abc.fp]

Do you think that if there are many cars on the road at a given time, it might have an effect on the decision a pilot makes regarding on where to make a forced landing?

What are pilots taught in this regard?

[radioexcel]

Been working at Eros many years ago (70's -then FAWE) and I know a lot of pilots rather using RWY 01 for departure even with a 10 kt tail wind. Departure RWY19 with a southerly wind always had a downdraft just after take-off due to the mountains. Have seen a few "underpowered" light aircraft having to do a forced landing due to these conditions.(ZS>>>-PA22, ZSUYS-C150, ZSJMH-C172) A few managed to make it at times... ask Louw Schoeman with his PA32 fully loaded to the west coast?? (ZSWGC) After most of the forced landings, the guys walked away with minor injuries as the just landed straight ahead into the bushes(Aircraft written off but they survived).

This guy must have tried to turn back, stalled and dived nose down into the ground.

Have been in Namibia at the time of this accident....the reason for this answer.

Always sad to hear something like this happening.... condolences to the friends and family.

Hi Big Man Atc da innie sand...kom huis toe. Die boere het jou nodig.

RE

[B747ATP]

an accident is always tragic for the pilots family (i know personally) but has anybody spoken to the controller on duty and find out how she/he is doing.

That must have been a traumatic experience, can you imagine witnessing 2 people die. Yes i know ATC's are trained for such emergencies but no 1 can ever prepare for something like that!

By the way i just read something very interesting on another thread involving namibian ATC's, there seems to be a heated argument over racism. what does that have to do with the "V5-KLB saga" i don't understand if the controller gave all the information why are fellow collegues saying stuff like that! Its not professional

[worn chair]

747.

Carefull!!!

Thats a big word you're using there!!!

- professional -