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Aircraft into the ocean off Tasman peninsula?

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Old 29th Dec 2014, 07:52
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Aircraft into the ocean off Tasman peninsula?

Reports are coming in of a light aircraft that has crashed into the ocean off the Tasman peninsula, whilst filming Sydney-Hobart race yachts?

Light aircraft crashes into water off Tasmania's south-east: reports - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
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Old 29th Dec 2014, 08:23
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Another Cessna according to some of the reports I've seen.

I've just come back from there today and the water is bloody cold!

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Old 29th Dec 2014, 08:54
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If anyone has any more info like type or rego, could you please PM me? Thank you..
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Old 29th Dec 2014, 08:57
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Update

Light aircraft crashes into water off Tasmania's south-east; two people believed to be onboard - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
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Old 29th Dec 2014, 10:02
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Further Update

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-2...smania/5992052

Two helicopters are searching for a light plane that has crashed in waters off Tasmania's south-east.

The Cessna was filming yachts in the Sydney to Hobart race near the Tasman Peninsula.

Tasmania Police said the crash was reported at 6:30pm (AEDT).

The managing director of Airlines of Tasmania, Shannon Wells, said there were two people on board the plane when it ditched.

"This aircraft was VH-PFT, a Cessna 172 which was conducting areal photography of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race," he said.

"In addition to the pilot, there was one passenger on board.

"At this time our thoughts are with the families of the persons on board."

Lee Kauskoph from the Tasmanian Ambulance Service said two helicopters were searching an area near Storm Bay for the plane.

"At this point all we know is a light aircraft with possible two people on board has gone down in the Port Arthur Storm Bay area," he said.

"We've got two helicopters in the area searching and they'll report back once they find anything."

Mr Kasuskoph said paramedics were on standby near the search zone.

"There's one from Nubeena with an intensive care paramedic and we've got one coming from Sorell also with an intensive paramedic on board," he said.

"They'll stand by at the sports oval at Port Arthur."

Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club, John Cameron, said several yachts had been close to where the crash happened.

"We know of several yachts that were in the vicinity that may have diverted to render assistance," he said.

He said the case was now in the hands of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).
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Old 29th Dec 2014, 10:16
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VH-PFT was a C 172S, manufactured in 2008
Thoughts are with family & friends.
All at Par Avion & Airlines of Tasmania, Southern Aero Club

RW

Last edited by Rotor Work; 30th Dec 2014 at 09:48.
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Old 29th Dec 2014, 21:34
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The crash was apparently witnessed by at least one of the yachts; it seems it was on the water surface for at least a short time. A recording of their report to race control is on this article:
Sail World - The Worlds largest sailing news network: Sail and sailing, cruising, boating news
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Old 30th Dec 2014, 00:06
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Pilots name has been released as 23yr old local man Sam Langford.

Witnesses are saying the plane was banking at the time, the nose dropped and in she went. RIP guys, it sounded like a quick and unexpected end.
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Old 30th Dec 2014, 02:22
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Bugger.
Given proximity of the yatchs it looks like they went down with the ship.
Abc tv aired the emergency call from one of the yatchs, the plane was on the surface for a short time because during the call it was reported in present tense as "sinking" rather than have sunk. Police have suggested this was around 30 seconds.

Assuming they were not wearing helmets, I cant help but wonder if being knocked unconcious may have had a role in their inability to exit the craft.


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Last edited by mickjoebill; 30th Dec 2014 at 03:00.
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Old 30th Dec 2014, 03:45
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Names released

Sydney to Hobart plane crash: Debris found after aircraft nose-dives into sea during race - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
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Old 30th Dec 2014, 03:50
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Flying past a boat at "mast height" means if anything goes seriously wrong you have a couple of seconds before ditching. If he entered the water at speed this hints at CFIT.
An Engine failure would give you some time to convert speed to height, adopting gliding attitude with time to extend flap before ditching in a controlled, survivable fashion, possibly into wind.
Hopefully they are able to raise the wreckage.
Terribly sad thing to happen.
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Old 30th Dec 2014, 04:08
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If he entered the water at speed this hints at CFIT.
No one knows what happened, so don't speculate
The media is all over this forum/thread at the moment.

Last edited by DancingDog; 30th Dec 2014 at 06:15. Reason: Reworded to get to the point quicker
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Old 30th Dec 2014, 04:57
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That's not speculation, that's blatantly obvious. If you fly low there is little margin for error, regardless of whether you are legally entitled to be there (that low) or not.
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Old 30th Dec 2014, 05:32
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Well that it!

Mystery solved.

No need to look for the aircraft as we have all the 'blatantly obvious' facts to rely upon.

We know what height what speed and what the pilot was thinking as well.

Every week we criticise the reporting standards of the Australian Press in their efforts to get the story out.

The so called experts and professionals on this forum are FAR worse as they continue the race for their 5 seconds of internet fame and the continual one upmanship that destroys even the most basic thread.
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Old 30th Dec 2014, 05:34
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Unlike the missing Air Asia flight, with this one there is little to speculate.
Clear photographic evidence of the aircraft at approximately mast height. Experienced yachties would be reliable witnesses who will be able to estimate roughly the bank angle prior to, and at, impact. They would likely know what an engine failure would sound like. So far no reports of that - simply that it hit the water and rapidly sank.
Yachties will also be able to give an accurate appreciation of steady wind and gusts and whether the nearby terrain was producing any williwaws, how clear the water was, whether the aircraft was turning towards the sun etc.
The lady who put out the mayday did well to immediately punch in the MOB coordinates and simply repeated them several times until race control was able to copy and pass them on for SAR action. It may not have been text book mayday but all that was needed and relevant at the time was transmitted.
Well done those sailors.

Last edited by Mach E Avelli; 30th Dec 2014 at 05:48.
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Old 30th Dec 2014, 05:47
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The cause is entirely irrelevant at this time as nobody knows it.

What is relevant is the activity taking place has clearly contributed to the tragic outcome.

Mach E A is entirely correct.

The mayday call was fairly well executed given the difficulty of such a call and the difficult conditions being encountered. If you've ever transmitted a mayday call during difficult circumstances from a yacht, it's not easy and radio use for yachties unlike aircraft pilots is not second nature.

Signed S7700, a yachtie of over 30 years.
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Old 30th Dec 2014, 06:32
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Signed S7700, a yachtie of over 30 years.
Congrats, might as well apply to be an ATSB investigator since you are well and truly qualified to determine the cause of aircraft accidents.

The cause is entirely irrelevant at this time as nobody knows it
So then why did you start the speculation?

The only important thing right now is the ongoing SAR operation. Good luck and thank you to those working on it
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Old 30th Dec 2014, 06:53
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Instead of arguing over who knows the most about aircraft, aerodynamics, communications and a hundred other complex areas, it would just pay to remember that two blokes have lost their lives in this "relatively unimportant" air crash (as far as the media is concerned, anyway) - and that two families are grieving over the loss of two loved family members.

Just imagine if it was one of your family involved? On that basis, let's get some proper perspective of the event and cease the pi$$ing contest.
RIP to these blokes who were just doing their job, and one of whom apparently made a fatal mistake in aircraft handling.
Of course, we will only know the exact reason for the crash in many months time, after the final report is released.
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Old 30th Dec 2014, 08:00
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Dancingdog, you seem to be unhappy about something and that's fine, but there's no need to poke others for no reason.

The SAR phase is officially over as per media reports. The next step is recovery.

I can't see anyone throwing out a cause, just commenting that at that altitude there are few options. Personally I was of the assumption that if they were low, given that they were reportedly operating under an AOC that any low flying would be approved and this was nothing more than a tragic accident.
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Old 30th Dec 2014, 08:09
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Why has this taken so long?

Surely, self appointed "Aviation Expert" Geoffrey Thomas has this case closed already, just like the Air Asia accident?
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