xcris
22nd Jan 2014, 09:35
A Britten Norman Islander BN2A-27 crashed in a mountainous area in North-Western part of Romania (Apuseni Mountins) on Monday Dec 20 around 16.15 local time (14.15z).
Approx position 46°32'26.22"N 22°58'39.76"E (Google Earth reference)
The aircraft was en-route from Bucharest (LRBS) to Oradea (LROS) as a VFR flight for a medical mission, to collect organs for transplant from the Oradea Hospital.
CORRECTED According to ROMATSA (Romanian ATS Admin) before departure the pilot considered the flight path as VMC and assumed the flight in VFR conditions. (see next comment) It is not clear what the conditions enroute were but according to rumors it is possible for the PIC have assumed this flight on the edge due to it's importance for life saving - organ prelevation and transport is quite one shot)
Just passing Sibiu (LRSB) the pilot informed the enroute ATC service that they encountered low visibility and icing condition and requested to descend from 11.500 to 10.000 ft due to ice accretion. (It's not clear for me yet if he requested or informed, since he was VFR - this is what Romatsa Director, Mr. Aleodor Francu, declared briefly). The request was granted (?). Sooner, entering a high terrain area he requested/informed (?) further descent for viual reference and eventually disappeared from ROMATSA radar 7-8 NM prior to accident. ROMATSA last marked at "2100 m" (7000 ft) descending (?).
Own remark: examining the sectional VFR Chart (skyvector.com World VFR search for LRCL and see the mountainous area W SW) the lowest safe altitude in this sector is 7000!)
According to survivors on board the a/c crashed into trees and came to a rest in a high forested hill. All aboard was alive at the moment.
One survivor mentioned that "eventually" they lost an engine - just prior the crash (not confirmed).
At least 4 of them phoned to emergency 112 number being in contact with rescuers. The first call was made at 16.34 (LT) Even the GSM signal was good the emergency services were unable (?) to track them. (More both ROMATSA and STS - the service for special telecomm) provided wrong data.
A large search operation was ad-hoc organized by locals and volunteers from Cluj-Napoca and around villages. Eventually, after 8 hours, they were tracked by a forester and volunteers reached them and carried down to the ambulances. They arrived to hospitals in Cluj-Napoca after 12 hours (!) after the crash. The PIC was found dead stuck in the cockpit, another young volunteer medical student lost her life in the ambulance due to injuries and low temp.
One doctor from the medical team onboard the aircraft assisted all of them all of the time providing help. He recounted that the pilot was alive for a long time and conscious they talked and tried to release him from the iron trap, with no success.
The copilot is now in the worse condition but stable in hospital. (Maybe he will clarify all of the aspects of this doomed flight).
RIP Aurelia Ion (23) Adrian Iovan (55)!
About the aircraft:
manufactured in Romania in 1977 (Romaero Bacau)
Reg YR-BNP, first reg 01.12.1978, last reg 2006
in 2012 was subject to major overhaul after a long period of retirement
last inspection Dec 2013
airworthiness certificate issued Dec 20, 2013 void Dec 27, 2014
flown occasionally for medical purposes flown by volunteer crews
Pilots:
PIC - Adrian Iovan 55 y.o. retired TAROM and BLUEAIR pilot, 38 years of activity as a pilot, +16.000 hours, various types from An2, BN2, AN-24 to Boeing 737 (most on Boeing 737) (commercial pilot, supposed ATPL with no restrictions)
FO Razvan Petrescu 23 y.o. flight instructor Romanian Fligt Academy (certification not available yet), aerobatic team pilot
Crew: medics from the transplant team from various hospitals, all injured from minor to moderate injuries.
Disclaimer: I tried to make a synthesis of the media reports until now. I'll provide new info if necessary as they appear. Thank you!
Cristian
some links with photos from Romanian media:
FOTO EXCLUSIV Pilotul Adrian Iovan, g?sit mort între fiarele contorsionate ale avionului pr?bu?it la Cluj | Citynews Cluj (http://citynews.ro/eveniment/foto-exclusiv-pilotul-adrian-iovan-gasit-mort-intre-fiarele-contorsionate-ale-avionului)
PRIMELE IMAGINI cu avionul care a aterizat for?at în Mun?ii Apuseni - FOTO - Mediafax (http://www.mediafax.ro/social/primele-imagini-cu-avionul-care-a-aterizat-fortat-in-muntii-apuseni-foto-11935958)
Approx position 46°32'26.22"N 22°58'39.76"E (Google Earth reference)
The aircraft was en-route from Bucharest (LRBS) to Oradea (LROS) as a VFR flight for a medical mission, to collect organs for transplant from the Oradea Hospital.
CORRECTED According to ROMATSA (Romanian ATS Admin) before departure the pilot considered the flight path as VMC and assumed the flight in VFR conditions. (see next comment) It is not clear what the conditions enroute were but according to rumors it is possible for the PIC have assumed this flight on the edge due to it's importance for life saving - organ prelevation and transport is quite one shot)
Just passing Sibiu (LRSB) the pilot informed the enroute ATC service that they encountered low visibility and icing condition and requested to descend from 11.500 to 10.000 ft due to ice accretion. (It's not clear for me yet if he requested or informed, since he was VFR - this is what Romatsa Director, Mr. Aleodor Francu, declared briefly). The request was granted (?). Sooner, entering a high terrain area he requested/informed (?) further descent for viual reference and eventually disappeared from ROMATSA radar 7-8 NM prior to accident. ROMATSA last marked at "2100 m" (7000 ft) descending (?).
Own remark: examining the sectional VFR Chart (skyvector.com World VFR search for LRCL and see the mountainous area W SW) the lowest safe altitude in this sector is 7000!)
According to survivors on board the a/c crashed into trees and came to a rest in a high forested hill. All aboard was alive at the moment.
One survivor mentioned that "eventually" they lost an engine - just prior the crash (not confirmed).
At least 4 of them phoned to emergency 112 number being in contact with rescuers. The first call was made at 16.34 (LT) Even the GSM signal was good the emergency services were unable (?) to track them. (More both ROMATSA and STS - the service for special telecomm) provided wrong data.
A large search operation was ad-hoc organized by locals and volunteers from Cluj-Napoca and around villages. Eventually, after 8 hours, they were tracked by a forester and volunteers reached them and carried down to the ambulances. They arrived to hospitals in Cluj-Napoca after 12 hours (!) after the crash. The PIC was found dead stuck in the cockpit, another young volunteer medical student lost her life in the ambulance due to injuries and low temp.
One doctor from the medical team onboard the aircraft assisted all of them all of the time providing help. He recounted that the pilot was alive for a long time and conscious they talked and tried to release him from the iron trap, with no success.
The copilot is now in the worse condition but stable in hospital. (Maybe he will clarify all of the aspects of this doomed flight).
RIP Aurelia Ion (23) Adrian Iovan (55)!
About the aircraft:
manufactured in Romania in 1977 (Romaero Bacau)
Reg YR-BNP, first reg 01.12.1978, last reg 2006
in 2012 was subject to major overhaul after a long period of retirement
last inspection Dec 2013
airworthiness certificate issued Dec 20, 2013 void Dec 27, 2014
flown occasionally for medical purposes flown by volunteer crews
Pilots:
PIC - Adrian Iovan 55 y.o. retired TAROM and BLUEAIR pilot, 38 years of activity as a pilot, +16.000 hours, various types from An2, BN2, AN-24 to Boeing 737 (most on Boeing 737) (commercial pilot, supposed ATPL with no restrictions)
FO Razvan Petrescu 23 y.o. flight instructor Romanian Fligt Academy (certification not available yet), aerobatic team pilot
Crew: medics from the transplant team from various hospitals, all injured from minor to moderate injuries.
Disclaimer: I tried to make a synthesis of the media reports until now. I'll provide new info if necessary as they appear. Thank you!
Cristian
some links with photos from Romanian media:
FOTO EXCLUSIV Pilotul Adrian Iovan, g?sit mort între fiarele contorsionate ale avionului pr?bu?it la Cluj | Citynews Cluj (http://citynews.ro/eveniment/foto-exclusiv-pilotul-adrian-iovan-gasit-mort-intre-fiarele-contorsionate-ale-avionului)
PRIMELE IMAGINI cu avionul care a aterizat for?at în Mun?ii Apuseni - FOTO - Mediafax (http://www.mediafax.ro/social/primele-imagini-cu-avionul-care-a-aterizat-fortat-in-muntii-apuseni-foto-11935958)