Air North Brasilia Crash in Darwin (Merged)
 

Breaking news

Quote:

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TWO people are believed to have been killed when a plane crashed at Darwin's airport this morning.
A witness told the NT News he saw the plane crash at the Darwin RAAF base about 10.15am.

"We just heard this loud bang and then looked and saw the plane explode," one witness said.

Police, St John Ambulance and firefighters have been called to the scene but it is understood the two people on board the light plane were dead when they arrived.

It is not yet known where the plane was coming from.

Defence have confirmed it was a civilian plane, not a RAAF aircraft

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Apparently an Air North Brasilia. In one sense, it's "lucky" (obviously not for the crew involved), it's 2 POB and not 18.

Further details - looks like AirNorth
 

Two dead in plane crash

By Eleni Roussos
Updated 13 minutes ago
http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201003/r535511_3074922.jpg An E120 plane similar to this one has crashed in Darwin, killing two people.

• Map: Darwin 0800

Two pilots have died after their plane crashed at the RAAF base in Darwin just after 10am (CST) today.
Police say the 30-seater Airnorth Embraer 120 had just taken off when it banked sharply to the left and crashed onto the RAAF runway.
It immediately burst into flames.
An Airnorth spokesperson says both pilots had significant flying experience and were undertaking a refresher training course.
The spokesperson says nobody else was on board.
The cause of the crash is still unknown.
Assistant Commissioner, Mark Payne, says police will begin investigating the crash as soon as they can get near the site.
Fire crews have been working to put out the flames but witnesses say the wreckage keeps re-igniting.
The crash scene is some distance from the Darwin International Airport terminal and all flights are running normally.

Does anyone have any more info. Two of my very good friends work for AN and no-one has their phone on at the moment...:(

My thoughts go to the AN family at this time.:sad:

Air North Brasilia Crash in Darwin (Merged)
 

Very sad indeed, one of my "almost family" :{

Check PM's OpsNormal

I am not sure its right just yet to publish names, but I can confirm the PIC (I assume he would have been) was a family friend, you know the adopted family thing....almost a brother. :{

So rather than broadcast things, if you wish to PM me with the names of folk you are concerned about I will either confirm or deny based on that one person. I do not know the other pilot concerned

MODS
If this post is out of line please remove it. I know how I felt for an hour or so, and others may want clarity.

Just not too sure how to handle this from here, but I now know how others feel at a time like this.

J

I can't believe someone has already updated wikipedia under the Airnorth information.

Farking despicable.

I knew both of 'em :{

When you fly long enough, I suppose this sort of thing happens. let's just hope that something positive comes from this mess.

My sincere condolence's to the families and the greater pilot/aviation community of the NT for the unnecessary loss of life.:{

I hope that this brings the need for full flight simulator's to mandatory status for RPT operator's. Tam-air proved that.:ugh:

Leatherdog.

Like conducting refresher training in simulators and not aircraft... because this is an oft-trodden path. I wonder if they were practising an engine failure on takeoff...

Very sad for the families and friends of the crew, made worse by the fact that this sort of accident is unnecessary in this day and age.

Two threads merged - please keep all posts on this subject here.

This is really sad news.

I am sure the pilots did their best in the circumstance but unfortunately it wasn't enough.

A sad day for aviation.

In another thread it was said they were doing Asymmetric training. Possibly a simulated EFATO, that went actual.

My sincerest condolences to the family and friends of the two pilots lost. This is a very sad day for both Air North and Australian Aviation as a whole.

To the family, My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Please don't turn this into a condolences thread especially if you have no personal connection with the crew concerned.

remoak,

Spot on.

And going further, cutting out in-air exercises, where the training value is no way proportionate to the risk. Our accident rate in training in small multi-engine aircraft ( where there is no sim. available) is there for all to see --- and it is not a pretty picture.

Our inflexible regulations ---- one size fits all ---- doesn't help either, with very little flexibility for training pilots to exercise operational judgment re. particular types of aircraft/AFMs/ Type Certificate Holder's recommendations, in complying with the "rules".

Tootle pip!!

I was trained by the PIC, such a great guy and an absolute professional.

I'm just waiting for all the usual suspects to start bleating on about waiting for the report...

No airline-level aircraft should ever have it's crew training done in the aircraft. These two guys died for no reason at all. V1 cuts in small (and even large) turboprops are extremely risky if not handled correctly... that is why simulators exist.

Please No Names, No Condolences from strangers and definately NO SPECULATION!

These were great guys.

Downunder......

Yes, its true that he was one of lifes great people, comes from a family of them, and with recent events and other family sadness in the last 10-15 years I really am not looking forward to seeing his mum tonight. I have heard heaps from others along a similar line and will do my best to convey it appropriately.....however you do that. :sad:

I certainly agree with the above posts. I know for a fact that there is an Emb120 sim in Melbourne available.

I would hate to think that a company would use an actual aircraft to simulate and practice high risk manuevers than spend a proportionate amount and have the crew use a simulator and overnight them at a hotel etc.

I dont know what happened in this case nor do I wish to speculate what caused the accident, but a simulator lets you practice in relative safety, if the incorrect action/procedure was to be completed................

Now another two pilots have their eternal wings :{