Aircraft Missing en-route to Mildura
HERALD-SUN'S WEBSITE TONIGHT -
A PILOT missing for more than 55 hours has been pronounced dead after search and rescue crews discovered the wreckage of a light aircraft near Wentworth in New South Wales this afternoon.
A spokesperson from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority confirmed a search and rescue helicopter deployed as part of the operation to locate the elderly pilot from Mildura had located debris about 10km west of the Wentworth airfield late this afternoon.
A PILOT missing for more than 55 hours has been pronounced dead after search and rescue crews discovered the wreckage of a light aircraft near Wentworth in New South Wales this afternoon.
A spokesperson from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority confirmed a search and rescue helicopter deployed as part of the operation to locate the elderly pilot from Mildura had located debris about 10km west of the Wentworth airfield late this afternoon.
A relevant thread from a few weeks ago.
http://www.pprune.org/7181245-post31.html
Without smoke it can be very difficult for a ground crew to find a crashed aircraft.
Wearing a PLB is one solution but if very severely injured the wearer may not be able to deploy.
How about a PLB that can be armed before flight that will then activate via a timer, after a defined period ie 10 min after predicted fuel exhaustion.
A buzzer vibration would warn the wearer of the impending activation where it could be reset if there is no emergency.
Mickjoebill
http://www.pprune.org/7181245-post31.html
Without smoke it can be very difficult for a ground crew to find a crashed aircraft.
Wearing a PLB is one solution but if very severely injured the wearer may not be able to deploy.
How about a PLB that can be armed before flight that will then activate via a timer, after a defined period ie 10 min after predicted fuel exhaustion.
A buzzer vibration would warn the wearer of the impending activation where it could be reset if there is no emergency.
Mickjoebill
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And the best advice is?
Well, what would, have prevented this,............ ADSB?
Before some of you go off, think about your proposals and asertions, think pro-active. Strict liability would have someone to blame, perhaps the DAME/CAA medico extortionists?
But ADSB is the panacea isn't it?
Rest in peace mate, and if you get PPRune up there, ignore the screeching few who would make B050 controlled airspace.
Well, what would, have prevented this,............ ADSB?
Before some of you go off, think about your proposals and asertions, think pro-active. Strict liability would have someone to blame, perhaps the DAME/CAA medico extortionists?
But ADSB is the panacea isn't it?
Rest in peace mate, and if you get PPRune up there, ignore the screeching few who would make B050 controlled airspace.
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Frank.....
I disagree there. Even a class 2 holder at that age is subject of rather frequent testing. If there was an issue it would have been picked up, or even the medical holder noticing a change, and seeking relevant advice.
Our CFI is in his early to mid 70's and is as fit as a fiddle.,,probably capable of spending longer on the end of a log splitter than myself.
One could say he noticed a change, but chose to ignore it. Hmm interesting concept. Prolly more true of an invincible 20yo. You don't get to 79 by ignoring your health.
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Flightnotes/Sartimes.
What strikes me as odd, is that they had an idea where to look, i.e he told someone where he was going/what he was doing, and it took 36 hours (give or take some) for him to be reported missing.
I'll take a punt that he told the reporter what he was up to, but it wasn't formalised as a flight note, so therefore the person he told thought nothing of waiting for him, nor did said person expect a call to say it all went well.
Maybe thats something we should all consider when we do our short flights.
i.e in my case. Hey mum, just gunna take a warrior up to mansfield and back, be about 4 hours. Will give ya a call when i get back.
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Epirbs/Elt's etc.
This tragedy has raised some interesting points.. Personal Beacon Vs Fixed.
I prefer the fixed and its automated activation if required, but some have hinted that they do not always activate. Then there is the difficulty of reaching the portable unit. How about a necklace style panic button that activates whichever type you connect it to....so if you are trapped, not a lot of movement needed to activate the beacon?
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My condolences to the family and friends of the gentleman involved.
Regards
Jas
Notwithstanding all the "advice", and without trying to prejudice the actual facts as they emerge, and the fact the pilot was 79 years of age would suggest to me he may have fell through some of the medical cracks. Possibly as a result of a stress ECG performed days before?
Some questions should be directed to the CAA perhaps?
Some questions should be directed to the CAA perhaps?
I disagree there. Even a class 2 holder at that age is subject of rather frequent testing. If there was an issue it would have been picked up, or even the medical holder noticing a change, and seeking relevant advice.
Our CFI is in his early to mid 70's and is as fit as a fiddle.,,probably capable of spending longer on the end of a log splitter than myself.
One could say he noticed a change, but chose to ignore it. Hmm interesting concept. Prolly more true of an invincible 20yo. You don't get to 79 by ignoring your health.
---------------------------------------------
Flightnotes/Sartimes.
What strikes me as odd, is that they had an idea where to look, i.e he told someone where he was going/what he was doing, and it took 36 hours (give or take some) for him to be reported missing.
I'll take a punt that he told the reporter what he was up to, but it wasn't formalised as a flight note, so therefore the person he told thought nothing of waiting for him, nor did said person expect a call to say it all went well.
Maybe thats something we should all consider when we do our short flights.
i.e in my case. Hey mum, just gunna take a warrior up to mansfield and back, be about 4 hours. Will give ya a call when i get back.
------------------------------------------------------
Epirbs/Elt's etc.
This tragedy has raised some interesting points.. Personal Beacon Vs Fixed.
I prefer the fixed and its automated activation if required, but some have hinted that they do not always activate. Then there is the difficulty of reaching the portable unit. How about a necklace style panic button that activates whichever type you connect it to....so if you are trapped, not a lot of movement needed to activate the beacon?
-----------------------------------------------------
My condolences to the family and friends of the gentleman involved.
Regards
Jas
My instructor at the Thai Flying Club recently turned 80. Looks 60, flies like he's 50. Age alone is not a good predictor
If the aircraft was 10km west of Wentworth, then it was pretty much in the opposite direction from where it should have been going for Mildura. Flight notes / Flight plans etc aren't much help if you don't fly where they suggest.
Sad incident, but sometimes bad things happen.
Also worth noting that at low altitude he may not have had radio coverage with ML CTR and there's certainly no radar.
If the aircraft was 10km west of Wentworth, then it was pretty much in the opposite direction from where it should have been going for Mildura. Flight notes / Flight plans etc aren't much help if you don't fly where they suggest.
Sad incident, but sometimes bad things happen.
Also worth noting that at low altitude he may not have had radio coverage with ML CTR and there's certainly no radar.
Last edited by Old Akro; 30th May 2012 at 14:58.
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I'm yet to read anywhere that he was actually flying to Mildura.
He lived in Mildura but had a hangar at Wentworth and went for a local flight.
No flight note or notice to anyone, so nobody knew where to look hence the 100 sq km search area.
He lived in Mildura but had a hangar at Wentworth and went for a local flight.
No flight note or notice to anyone, so nobody knew where to look hence the 100 sq km search area.
I am yet to read a single piece of anything other than speculation on this whole thread.
The guy could have died at the controlls, comitted hari kari, played crop duster whatever. It is doubtful that the best electronics and a comprehensive "plan in the system" would have changed anything. Condolances to him and his family and all that but there is nothing here that will make me think twice about going out solo with no sar and no details tomorrow. My life, my choice.
You can wax lyrical about costs for SAR but its all BS, the SAR system is already in place and for the most part funded before the event. Lucky we live in Australia.
The guy could have died at the controlls, comitted hari kari, played crop duster whatever. It is doubtful that the best electronics and a comprehensive "plan in the system" would have changed anything. Condolances to him and his family and all that but there is nothing here that will make me think twice about going out solo with no sar and no details tomorrow. My life, my choice.
You can wax lyrical about costs for SAR but its all BS, the SAR system is already in place and for the most part funded before the event. Lucky we live in Australia.
Found him last night.
Was a member of a 172 association I has opportunity to converse with in the past.
RIP
http://www.sunraysiadaily.com.au/news/local/news/general/body-found-big-search-locates-mildura-pilots-crashed-plane/2574996.aspx
Was a member of a 172 association I has opportunity to converse with in the past.
RIP
http://www.sunraysiadaily.com.au/news/local/news/general/body-found-big-search-locates-mildura-pilots-crashed-plane/2574996.aspx
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He lived in Mildura but had a hangar at Wentworth and went for a local flight.
- Much cheaper A/C parking and hangerage than at YMIA.
- No need for an ASIC, as YWTO is not a Secure AD, but YMIA is.
As for flying from YWTO to YMIA, by the time you opened you hangar, rolled out your A/C, do your pre-flight, light the fire and run it up, you would already be there by car.
There is fuel available 24/7 at YWTO, and no LAMEs or other services at YMIA,
The area 10km West of Wentworth is grey and white river run-off flats, would make Ron's 172 quite hard to spot .'
Flight notes
As a local RAA CFI, I take any requests to hold a Flight Note (even by phone or Txt Msg) as a serious obligation.
I set my mobile phone alarm clock for what is an agreed ETR etc (so as not to forget myself) and I expect the pilot to Txt me on arrival at his first leg as well as the return home. Otherwise it gets really messy, you have to carry the SAR time in your head even if you have knocked off work. I ask everyone not to simply leave a note at the airport and hope that someone will lob in and see it hopefully.
The Txt msg system is very effective and still works at locations where signal is poor. For areas with no comm's, I rely on the return call.
I set my mobile phone alarm clock for what is an agreed ETR etc (so as not to forget myself) and I expect the pilot to Txt me on arrival at his first leg as well as the return home. Otherwise it gets really messy, you have to carry the SAR time in your head even if you have knocked off work. I ask everyone not to simply leave a note at the airport and hope that someone will lob in and see it hopefully.
The Txt msg system is very effective and still works at locations where signal is poor. For areas with no comm's, I rely on the return call.
Sorry, I followed the first thread which said he was enroute to MIA. Agree with Aussie Bob. But reiterate the point that flight notes etc only have value when they indicate where you are going and therefore point to where you might be.
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In all this discussion no one has bought up the value or otherwise of Spidertracks/ Spot etc.
In this case it may have been of value.
Also, with regard to flight notes, make sure the person you give it to knows specifically what to do if you are overdue. Mum/girlfriend/person manning the desk etc may not have any idea what to actually do if you are overdue.
It is a sad day for one family.
John
In this case it may have been of value.
Also, with regard to flight notes, make sure the person you give it to knows specifically what to do if you are overdue. Mum/girlfriend/person manning the desk etc may not have any idea what to actually do if you are overdue.
It is a sad day for one family.
John
Last edited by rjtjrt; 31st May 2012 at 05:04.
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In all this discussion no one has bought up the value or otherwise of Spidertracks/ Spot etc.