C172 down near Camden - one fatality
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26th Jan 2024, 19:42
I hope you all don't mind a random interjection, I stumbled across this forum looking at articles frustrated at the incorrect information and saw people not judging him for his age or ability, just the accident. It was a really nice change to what's been around, so thank you. I know absolutely nothing about planes, just this young man. Very very well.
Everyone seems to be interested in this accident and as enthusiasts and professionals I can appreciate the desire for speculation about what happened, even if I don't fully understand them.
Whilst it was his first solo with the flight school, he'd been up in his first solo almost 2 years previously. He was almost an exact month off that anniversary actually. He was young, and only a week out from his 17th birthday so he had been up in the air for just shy of 3 years. I know you all know what it takes to get up there and you might not think he had enough to do it but I can tell you that kid worked harder than any person I have ever seen anywhere and deserved so much more life than he got. He was an absolute pleasure to know, and pride and joy in my life.
Everyone seems to be interested in this accident and as enthusiasts and professionals I can appreciate the desire for speculation about what happened, even if I don't fully understand them.
Whilst it was his first solo with the flight school, he'd been up in his first solo almost 2 years previously. He was almost an exact month off that anniversary actually. He was young, and only a week out from his 17th birthday so he had been up in the air for just shy of 3 years. I know you all know what it takes to get up there and you might not think he had enough to do it but I can tell you that kid worked harder than any person I have ever seen anywhere and deserved so much more life than he got. He was an absolute pleasure to know, and pride and joy in my life.
Reports of first Solo, however just speculation. Absolute tragedy, RIP.
It would appear it has occurred just prior to the base turn. Looking at the FR24 data, doesn’t appear to have stalled. Looks like getting configured for the base turn, you can see the speed pull back from 90-80 knots. Still maintaining a relatively normal downwind heading. Appears like a spiral dive or somewhat?
It would appear it has occurred just prior to the base turn. Looking at the FR24 data, doesn’t appear to have stalled. Looks like getting configured for the base turn, you can see the speed pull back from 90-80 knots. Still maintaining a relatively normal downwind heading. Appears like a spiral dive or somewhat?
Technically it was the young fella's first solo in VH aircraft. He had over 40 hours as I recall it in RA aircraft and was cleared solo in them. He had come to CN today for his check and solo clearance from Altocap.
I'm a bit shook up myself coz we were chatting in the crew room just prior to our both heading off to go flying. Then I get back and hear this...so sad.
I'm a bit shook up myself coz we were chatting in the crew room just prior to our both heading off to go flying. Then I get back and hear this...so sad.
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Relying an airspeed to indicate a stall is a major flaw. A tight turn and unbalanced flight can also result in an unrecoverable stall - regardless of a Groundspeed indication.
If this was his first solo as reported then clearly he was not ready to be sent solo. After all he did not even get around the circuit let alone attempt a landing. I also have concerns that he attempted it in a C172 and not something a bit lighter such as a C150 given he came from RAaus . Sixteen is very young to be rushed through to GA. I think the flying school snd the instructor who cleared him will have a bit of explaining to do and rightfully so. Unfortunately for them but our thoughts should be with the family who put their trust in that school.
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If this was his first solo as reported then clearly he was not ready to be sent solo. After all he did not even get around the circuit let alone attempt a landing. I also have concerns that he attempted it in a C172 and not something a bit lighter such as a C150 given he came from RAaus . Sixteen is very young to be rushed through to GA. I think the flying school snd the instructor who cleared him will have a bit of explaining to do and rightfully so. Unfortunately for them but our thoughts should be with the family who put their trust in that school.
As for being rushed through to GA, 10s of thousands of pilots have gone solo in Cessna 172 types, many 1000s being teenagers with far less hours than what is reported in this scenario.
At about the same age I did my first flight in a 172, with similar experience, after an hour with an instructor I flew at max weight with 3 mates around the training area.
Whatever happened it was a very rare event during a solo in what is a benign training aircraft type.
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How absolutely heartbreaking for all involved. You can only imagine how George and the authorising instructor must feel today - never mind the student's family. I can't begin to imagine how crushing that would be.
So very very sad.
So very very sad.
Last edited by Horatio Leafblower; 24th Jan 2024 at 22:34.
If the reported 40H under RAAus are accurate, that implies he already held an RPC and (I'm speculating here) was upgrading to either an R or PPL - so he has likely already gone solo and presumably passed his RPC flight test. I feel for both the instructor and the pilots family, as parents we naturally want to keep our kids safe, but also not restrict them from broadening their horizons. Sadly, sometimes they don't come home from it.
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That's a bit rough I think.
If the reported 40H under RAAus are accurate, that implies he already held an RPC and (I'm speculating here) was upgrading to either an R or PPL - so he has likely already gone solo and presumably passed his RPC flight test. I feel for both the instructor and the pilots family, as parents we naturally want to keep our kids safe, but also not restrict them from broadening their horizons. Sadly, sometimes they don't come home from it.
If the reported 40H under RAAus are accurate, that implies he already held an RPC and (I'm speculating here) was upgrading to either an R or PPL - so he has likely already gone solo and presumably passed his RPC flight test. I feel for both the instructor and the pilots family, as parents we naturally want to keep our kids safe, but also not restrict them from broadening their horizons. Sadly, sometimes they don't come home from it.
Many kids do their first solo in a 172, it's a perfectly suitable training aircraft. George at Altocap is a great guy and it's hard to imagine one of his planes could have had a mechanical failure that would have brought it down so quickly. Also hard to imagine someone with (allegedly) 40+ hours could manage to cock things up so badly. Medical episode? I'm really scratching my head on this. No matter the why or wherefore, it will be hard felt within the close knit flying community at Camden. Very tragic for all concerned.
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Would be interesting to hear from someone around performance characteristics from transitioning RAus to a GA machine. Assuming they held a RPC, so likely only 0-10 hours in a VH machine.
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I did exactly that. I had 500 hours in Gazelle's / Eurofox and stepped into a 172. The nose attitude in the 172 is so much lower and they climb much slower, like a Mack truck compared to a sports car. Had I been left un-instructed, I may have got dangerously slow on my first takeoff climb!
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