C172 Crash near to Madrid

[kilomike_19]

A C172 G1000 of the Aeroclub de Barcelona crashed near to Madrid after losing one of his wings. The three souls on board were killed.
http://ep00.epimg.net/elpais/imagenes/2016/03/30/album/1459350240_556813_1459350337_album_normal.jpg

(http://ep00.epimg.net/elpais/imagenes/2016/03/30/album/1459350240_556813_1459350337_album_normal.jpg)
http://ccaa.elpais.com/ccaa/2016/03/30/madrid/1459340949_857284.html

[9 lives]

The "losing a wing" is a stretch to believe, I will watch that with interest. My translator says there is reference to a bird strike, which could bring down a 172, if it were a big bird. I am willing to believe that a bird strike took off a wingtip, and made the wing unflyable....

[piperboy84]

Believe me, I could see how you could have lost a wing, the Maule is in a field 170 kilometres east of Madrid, I've spent last night and this morning with the civil defences who are investigating. The air accident guys are meeting me tomorrow, (don't know why the landing in a farmers field after being hit with severe turbulence was uneventful), but they are deeming it a crash for now.

Vid to follow when I can figure out how to post

[Unusual Attitude]

I ran into some of that en route from San Sebastian to Lleida once east of Pamplona, so a bit north of where you are. Was rattling my fillings out not helped by the fact I was in a bit of a hurry and doing 160kts most of the way....was glad to be flying something with a +/- 12g ultimate load!

Spain + Aviation = no sense of humour... good luck explaining your precautionary landing ….. I was glad to get back over the hills into France where things are far more friendly.....

Have a safe trip back....... :ok:

[Coolhand78]

Apparently they collided with a vulture of 2.5 m wingspan. So yes, it was a big bird.

A few months ago there was another similar accident in Spain, north of Cuenca, when a TB20 collided with another vulture. The 4 occupants, of the same family, were killed.

[9 lives]

Apparently they collided with a vulture of 2.5 m wingspan. So yes, it was a big bird.

Ooo... So we're talking a "mid air" rather than a bird strike!

[kilomike_19]

Step Turn, maybe the journalist who wrote the article about the incident isn't an expert. For normal people a bird strike can happen in take-off, cruise or landing, you know? Anyway, the three guys had an unfortunate incident. R.I.P

[riverrock83]

the Maule is in a field 170 kilometres east of Madrid,
Sorry to hear that piperboy - I hope there hasn't been much damage and since you're posting - glad that you're OK!

[piperboy84]

Sorry to hear that piperboy - I hope there hasn't been much damage and since you're posting - glad that you're OK!

No damage whatsoever, the grass field was as smooth as a baby's bum, as was the landing. The problem I've got now is I've had 3 visits by 3 different sets of civil defenses officers going over the same **** and they've now scheduled a fourth meeting, there are only so many ways you can say thru google translator
" flying along , hit bad turbulence, **** myself, landed"

We shall see what today's meeting brings

[piperboy84]

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=1EDF911B882D2AC5!2999&authkey=!AJMzp_hC6lglVfE&ithint=video%2cMOV



The Maule safely on the deck.

[ericferret]

A bit off topic but relevant to the bird strike theory, we often fly in the flat area south of Grimsby. Surprisingly few issues, over years, with seagulls, but over the last month I have had a few close encounters with buzzards at levels 800-2,000 ft.

Though I've noticed on the ground that we are getting more buzzards around here (as I think most places in UK?) it is only now that I find they are a factor here whilst we are airborne.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Buzzards and Red Kites are both increasing in number in UK which is a good thing, except for the increased collision risk for light aircraft.

My one bird strike was a black headed gull which came through the prop of the chippy but missed the canopy and did no damage, thankfully. I did have a near miss with a thermalling buzzard once, and the scary thing is it came up from below so wasn't in my sight until the last second or so. It appeared in my 10-o'clock from below, and flashed over the canopy top making me duck involuntarily!

Interesting to find lots of swallows and martins at about 6,000 feet during aerobatics once! They must have thermalled up there following the insects they feed on, which had been carried aloft in the thermals.

[Union Jack]

The Maule safely on the deck. - Piperboy84

Good job all round, video included.:ok: Perhaps the Spanish authorities' concern stems from the not too distant accident in the OP, but hope that you will soon be on your way.

Jack

[Curlytips]

Lots and lots of buzzards in Kent now. Difference with other birds is that they don't dive when they see you. Seems they know they own the sky. On Thursday they flew alongside and above me.

Fortunately haven't come into contact yet, but the only bird I have hit was a sparrow. The prop took his head off, but the body cracked the cowling opening before it hit the firewall then cooked on the rear cylinder. If a few grams of sparrow can do that, wouldn't like the buzzard to hit anything!

[Jetblu]

Piperboy84

I'm pleased to see that you and craft are well.

Where are you now?

[patowalker]

Have they taken you back to Granada to apologise to the lady in the tower? :-)

[piperboy84]

Finally got home Sunday night but not without a couple more dramas to finish the touring holiday off.

I finally got the OK on Saturday from the Spanish cops to take off out the field I had done the precautionary landing in 4 days earlier, I arrived early and the Maule was covered in frost so I waited till the sun had melted it, unfortunately it made the field to soft and boggy for take off so I had to use the rough, stoney and rutted tractor track which was exciting to say the least. Once in the air it was a 4h15m flight to Jersey to refuel, my calculations were the 2 hour flight from Malaga to the Field then the 4h15m for that days flight make for a total of 6h15m total which would leave me a 1 hour reserve. As I coasted out from France for Jersey I noticed the gauges were lower than I expected but as I rely on my calcs first and the gauges as a back up I was not worried. Upon landing in Jersey I noticed large blue streaks down one side of the plane, it was Avgas leaking from the gasculator ! I guess on takeoff the tundra tyres where throwing around all kinds of mud and stones one must have hit and pushed up the sump drain and it had not sprung back fully. I cringed as the fuel guy give me the total delivery, it was 9 litres short of the maximum capacity.

I got the problem solved and filed a flight plan and GAR for Blackpool as I did not think I would make it back up to Scotland before dark. I skirted round West of Liverpool over the sea and radioed up Blackpool to be told they were about to close in 15 seconds as they have a mandatory 30 minute closure at 6pm, and I could hold offshore till they opened back up. I said I will push on to Carlisle, The clouds on the way up had been consistent with a broken layer between 4000 and 6000 and I decided to go over the top instead of under as I did not want to be scud running thru the Lake District. North of Blackpool it was overcast and I stupidly assumed the tops would be about the same height as they had been to the south, I entered the base at 3000 and did not get clear till 9500 and well above the freezing level ( I know, stupid) . There was another overcast layer 3000 above at about 12000, as I pondered my options I thought there's not point going all the way back down thru that for Carlisle I may as well just keep going and get the ILS at Leuchars and be home. Unfortunately the 2 layers came together over the Lake District and I thought bugger this I'll just go back to Blackpool. Landed, parked up and got a hotel.

Next morning I was awakened by a phone call from the border agency, they wanted to meet, upon my arrival I was meet by 4 very serious looking cops and a drug dog. I was taken to a room where I was informed I was being questioned under some anti terrorist statute and that the legislation dictates that if this interview ran for more than 2 hours they would either release me, or if if they had more questions, arrest me which would allow them more time to finish the interview. The questions were scripted and after about an hour of my entire life story, names addresses dates if birth of my sister, brothers, father, ex wives and son they asked to see my mobile phone , I handed it to one of the officers and he asked for the passcode which I gave them. He then left and the guy asking the questions informed me my phoned was being downloaded onto their computer. Then we went thru my 2 passports and questions were asked about each and every stamp. Then they asked me to give them a full description of my journey and whereabouts on a day by day basis since leaving Scotland 2 weeks earlier, and to provide the names of the friends I had met in Spain. After all this it was out to the Maule and they put the dog thru the entire plane, they seemed very suspicious about the Tundra Tyres, then I realised they were thinking they could be loaded up with drugs. I suppose they are looking at everything but I got the feeling the prime focus of the interview based on the questions was terrorism.

Finally after a few hours they said they had some more question but we're out of time and would I be willing to terminate the interview and just chat casually or they could detain me, I went for the casual chat option, then soon after I was free to fly back home.

Never a dull moment !!





As

[treadigraph]

Never a dull moment indeed... Welcome home to a wet and windy Blighty!

[ETOPS]

then I realised they were thinking they could be loaded up with drugs.

Sorry that's my fault :\ If I hadn't mentioned it at the start of the "Morocco" thread none of this would have happened................:uhoh:

[Fionn101]

It's looks like a good field selection for a precautionary landing so +1 for that.

Glad you are back okay, and cheers for a good read Piperboy.

Fionn

[patowalker]

Do you think the Spanish police set you up?

Thanks for the interesting posts.

[piperboy84]

Do you think the Spanish police set you up?

Thanks for the interesting posts.

No I don't think so, I have a hunch that after Paris, Brussels and all the threats ISIS have been throwing around the security forces have been given the mandate and the budget to deep dive everything and anything that is even slightly out of the norm. Some guy in a strange looking plane capable of landing anywhere arriving from overseas circling over the Lake District at different altitudes at twilight when the flightplan listed Blackpool as his destination probably raised some eyebrows. Although there was a perfectly legitimate explanation you can see from their point how the optics weren't good on it and further investigation was needed.

[India Four Two]

pb84,

Your posts about your trials and tribulations reminded me immediately of a pertinent quote from THHGTTG:

You DO lead an interesting life, Mr. Beeblebrox*

I suspect the clincher for the Blackpool plod was when they discovered the pilot spoke English with a strange accent! ;)

* The irony of this particular quote is that it was spoken by a character with a Scottish accent!

[piperboy84]

There is another anomaly about this flight that is unrelated to cops, mechanical faults or dubious airmanship that has got me puzzled and that I'd like to throw out and see if someone with a tad more grey matter than myself can answer.

Firstly, I use 2 GPS systems for navigation, the primary is a panel mounted and integrated Garmin 496 VFR unit with external antenna that has never ever failed me. The second is an IPAD mini running Skydemon, sometimes I have the IPad blue toothed to a Garmin GLO other times I don't bother and just use the IPADs internal GPS receiver, regardless of method it also has never failed or frozen on me.

Upon my departure from Jersey it was pretty much IMC conditions right after departure and upon reaching 1000 feet, about 20 miles out I lifted my instrument scan to view the iPad for a verification of my situational awareness and was rather perturbed to notice the little airplane icon was in a tight right turn, I want back to my steam gauges to verify I was climbing straight ahead which I was, and a glance over at the Garmin verified this and confirmed the Skydemon info on the iPad was erroneous. I looked back at the IPAD and it was switching back and forward from an altitude reading of 22,000 feet and 500 feet so it was decidedly in error ( which was a first and very surprising). Anyway I continued and subsequently completed my journey, the next day I looked back over my flight track on flightradar24 ( see link below) and noticed at the point on the flight where the IPAD/SD info went bad near St Anne's Island and abeam the northern tip of the Cherbourg peninsula the radar track shows a sharp right then left turn back on track that I did not make.

My question is, if the info on flightradar24 is accurate, AND I did not make those turns, is it just pure coincidence that both my iPad and the mode S transponder both independently and in error said I had turned? Is there some type of magnetic field or electronic interference at that point of the Channel that could have interfered with both the IPAD and the info the radar was receiving from my transponder ?

Flightradar24 track info
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n3110j/#94979e1

[The Ancient Geek]

My best guess is that some of your receivers were using a dodgy satellite, occasionally a satellite will loose sync with the rest of the constellation. They are closely monitored but it can take the control centre a while to command the rogue satellite offline.
This is one of the lesser known reasons why GPS should not be used as a primary means of navigation. There was a well reported incident about a year ago when one of the Russian Glonass satellites was causing errors of up to 10 miles for half a day, making life interesting for ships in the English Channel
and Dover Coastguard.