Airvan crash on Flinders Island
IFR in a SE piston aircraft is way, way, way safer than venturing into the no-man's land that lies between VFR and IFR.
Forget St Mary - it is a REAL miracle that everyone walked away from this.
Dr
Forget St Mary - it is a REAL miracle that everyone walked away from this.
Dr
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So basically what we have here is CFIT from VFR into IMC. Miraculous anyone survived after seeing the wreckage site.
If it was a CFIT in the normal sense there probably would have been zero surviviors.
It would seem that putting it down was the only option available to the pilot. We could debate all day how we all would have done things differently, but that's what happened.
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Having spent a lot of my younger days flying in that area, both VFR and IFR, the question is why did he finish up where he did, when the direct track Lady Barron - Bridport is over the southern tip of Cape Barren Island. In conditions of low cloud, we always tracked coastal through the Strait between Flinders and Cape Barren. From the TV footage, the aircraft appears to be well west of the direct track and up in the foothills.
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XXX seems to know a few things about this prang, and yes he may have done the right thing in the end by putting it gently into the bush, but lets recap my words shall we.
Well had he done the right thing to begin with he would not have had to do anything else!
The end was not all that further away either!
and yes he may have done the right thing in the end
The end was not all that further away either!
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From 'The Examiner' online:
I'm no hero, says crash pilot - Local News - News - General - The Examiner Newspaper
I'm no hero, says crash pilot - Local News - News - General - The Examiner Newspaper
I'm no hero, says crash pilot
18 Oct, 2010 08:22 AM
FLINDERS ISLAND pilot Gordon Rorison claims he is not a hero after he and six passengers survived a terrifying crash- landing of his plane on the island on Friday.
The 63-year-old pilot said yesterday that the passengers were heroic for remaining calm in the crisis.
"It's not a word I accept or I want to be called," Mr Rorison said.
But some of his passengers are not so sure. several said yesterday, that without his flying skills the outcome may have been very different.
Passenger Sarah Mackinnon praised Mr Rorison.
"The pilot was really focused, he did an incredible job," she said.
Fellow passenger Jo Walsh agreed.
"We were all gobsmacked and could not believe seven of us had walked away with only bruises and bumps," she said.
Flinders Deputy Mayor Michael Grimshaw said it was a "bloody miracle" all seven survived.
18 Oct, 2010 08:22 AM
FLINDERS ISLAND pilot Gordon Rorison claims he is not a hero after he and six passengers survived a terrifying crash- landing of his plane on the island on Friday.
The 63-year-old pilot said yesterday that the passengers were heroic for remaining calm in the crisis.
"It's not a word I accept or I want to be called," Mr Rorison said.
But some of his passengers are not so sure. several said yesterday, that without his flying skills the outcome may have been very different.
Passenger Sarah Mackinnon praised Mr Rorison.
"The pilot was really focused, he did an incredible job," she said.
Fellow passenger Jo Walsh agreed.
"We were all gobsmacked and could not believe seven of us had walked away with only bruises and bumps," she said.
Flinders Deputy Mayor Michael Grimshaw said it was a "bloody miracle" all seven survived.
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AO-2010-080
Interesting wording ... "After inadvertently entering cloud, the aircraft collided with high terrain"
My impression from the story first was that the pilot chose to land there after running out of options ... ?
The locals have continued to use charter organisations over the regular service (Sharp Airlines now?) for many years ..., I was under the impression that this operator was previously under scrutiny for brining a passenger or two on the odd mail run ... or maybe that was the previous operator that operated from Bridport ?
For those interested - Mount Razorback - Map of Mount Razorback in Tasmania - Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia
Interesting wording ... "After inadvertently entering cloud, the aircraft collided with high terrain"
My impression from the story first was that the pilot chose to land there after running out of options ... ?
The locals have continued to use charter organisations over the regular service (Sharp Airlines now?) for many years ..., I was under the impression that this operator was previously under scrutiny for brining a passenger or two on the odd mail run ... or maybe that was the previous operator that operated from Bridport ?
For those interested - Mount Razorback - Map of Mount Razorback in Tasmania - Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia
There is an old saying, " a superior pilot is one who uses his/her superior judgment to avoid the need to use his/her superior flying skills"
Another oldie that suits is "I would rather be on the ground whinging that i wanted to be flying than the other way round!"
If you fly around the Strait for long enough you will eventually get caught but I would bet my lefty that not even the seagulls were flying that day on Flinders. They should not have taken off. End of story!
Another oldie that suits is "I would rather be on the ground whinging that i wanted to be flying than the other way round!"
If you fly around the Strait for long enough you will eventually get caught but I would bet my lefty that not even the seagulls were flying that day on Flinders. They should not have taken off. End of story!
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Dunno about you, but this whole incident is reminding me of another island crash last year. Both involved a CFIT where all the occupants walked or swam away, and then both pilots were proclaimed heros by the the press. But the truth in both incidents will be seen to be extremley poor judgement and airmanship. Can't wait to read both ATSB reports
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Seems to have stayed intact pretty well. The wings were removed before it was lifted out of the bush.
http://www.examiner.com.au/multimedi...ull/968250.jpg
http://www.examiner.com.au/multimedi...ull/968250.jpg
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That should buff out ok 
That wreckage is certainly not a result of unintentional CFIT, it is in very good shape considering. You can piece together a little more about what happened based on the wreckage.
That wreckage is certainly not a result of unintentional CFIT, it is in very good shape considering. You can piece together a little more about what happened based on the wreckage.
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That wreckage is certainly not a result of unintentional CFIT, it is in very good shape considering. You can piece together a little more about what happened based on the wreckage.
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Even a blind man could tell by feel that that aircraft did not "crash" into trees in the true sense. It was a "controlled" landing into the tops with full flap at stall speed.
If you look at the pic from when the airvan hit the hangar a couple of months ago you'll get more of an idea of the damage associated with CFIT.
If you look at the pic from when the airvan hit the hangar a couple of months ago you'll get more of an idea of the damage associated with CFIT.