Well ForkTail! That's exactly what they're doing next week.

Injuries or not, the aircraft needs to be recovered and thoroughly investigated to what caused the engine failure or loss of power.
The ATSB is set up just to do that.
These are the circumstances that we can all learn from.
And again credit to the pilot for handling the situation in a professional manner. Well done.

Tongue in cheek I assume?

Anyway fortunately it ended up in a "marine park" or such like so it will be removed at insurer's cost - so the ATSB will get to have a crack at it.

Otherwise you'd be spot on.

Di

Well done Kate
 

Great job, dumping the PA in the drink,
In early lost one in high heat, high altitude at Bombala last year,

Just a tip watch the carby heat like hawk up there in the high relative H this year.

SPR

is MK-BPI suppose to be RPT ?
 

Am i the only one to highlight the fact that this operator is conducting quasi like RPT operation in a PA32 overwater. Where is CASA, i thought you were clamping down on these operations!

as to the pilot, whether you are at fault or not congrats you passed the first test, you are alive and so are the pax. For those who like to criticize the pilot "grow up" it is soo easy to forget the fuel tanks on the pa32 especially when you do in excess of 10 sectors a day. In my opinion all the PA32's fuel system is BS, much better to "ignore the POH" (i know this sounds dangerous and you do it at your own peril) and run it only on the mains. It is much easier than having to switching between 4 tanks all the time and the possiblity of running the tanks dry.

I do not have much experience on PA32 but i totally agree with Duffy by saying flying on the main tanks only. On short sectors when there is only 10-15 minutes flying time the most important thing to do is " AVIATE, NAVIGATE, COMMUNICATE. The last thing i want to do is worrying about switching between tanks.
Besides you probably get better ailerone response not having full fuel in the tip thanks.

The most important thing you two need to do is read the AFM. (This is a different document to the POH) Don't make a system more complicated than it already is.

There is no requirement to take off and land on the main tanks in the PA32. This is an AFM requirement on many other types but not the PA32. Therefore switching between left or right tip is no different than switching between left or right main. Using the tips last is due to the ZFW limit on the type.

On short multi sector shuttles like this use the left tank leaving and the right tank returning and you will always know what tank you should be on. Change the tank after landing so if you were to select "off" or an empty tank the engine will stop before you get airbourne.

leg man
 

Thanks for the information, it has been a long time since i have flown that type.
I like the direction this thread is heading to. The most important thing is to educate all of us so we can avoid these kind of incident/accidents.
When i passed my CPL many years ago my testing officer said to me: "Congratulations! Now get out there and learn to fly!"

LOVE ALL THE MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACKS HERE!!!! WOULD BE HILARIOUS IF IT WASN'T SO PATHETIC.:ugh::ugh::ugh:

WELL DONE KATE!!!!

LOVE YA WORK NO MATTER THE OUTCOME!!

SEE YA SOON

j3

legman ,

yeah i only recall the POH saying take-off / landings on the mains and burn the tips first... it was a while ago.

Just a thought from a nobody..........:ooh:

If you do short runs and carrying pax and baggage.....would you not run on the mains all the time, who needs to cart excess fuel around all day.

DISCLAIMER: NOT even suggesting thats what she did here...OK:ok:

J:ok:

Jaba
 

I personally agree and this is what i suggested before but it seems it is a different situation in the PA32:sad:

Jaba

I haven't flown a PA32 for 22 years, but I still remember

"Fill the tips and drain the mains!"

as in fill the tip tanks first and drain the main tanks first.

possibly therein lies the problem with flying around on the mains only.

God's Gift :cool:

The PA32 has been operating in Australia for what, 30 odd years, i can not imagine there are too many new mistakes to be made and find it highly unlikely any of us are going to make any ground breaking suggestions.

The rules are cast in blood ( legislation, AFM, POH's ), so why exactly would anyone in their right mind try to re-invent the wheel by not operating to the promulgated procedures ?.

For those that have been around a while, remember the Aerocommander that ran out of fuel on short finals at Horn Island, ended up in the drink, i heard that clown spruking crap on " how it was lucky someone with all his hours on type was flying, you know, to pull off the water landing", well i was in awe of his stupidity, i personally would have operated as per the company SOPs and taken enough fuel.

If not a mechanical defect, if there is going to be any finger pointing it is unlikely to be at the Pilot working their first day on the job, who did their training ?.

I can't believe how many people think the PA-32 fuel system is overly complicated. What are you wankers going to do when you get to fly real aircraft?

That prompts another question.
I do not know the particilar aircraft involved, was it fixed or retractable undercarrige? Was gear up or down during ditching?

Fixed gear.

And well done to you Kate!!!

(erin's dad's former workmate)

If you saw the plane ditch, you wouldn't know the cause.

How can you speculate on the cause by simply hearing about it?

Mmmmmm?

Peter Fanelli
 

Real aircrafts have simple fuel system. Even the Queenairs i used to fly(remember the Mercedes of the Sky's) had a simple on-off-crossfeed system even you grasshoppers would get it right. So, why would a simple aircraft like the PA32 would have a complex fuel system that so many pilots get so confused about.:confused: I am not saying Kate got it all wrong, we yet to see the outcome of the investigation.
Maybe the PA32 is too complicated for some new generation pilots?:{

Go ahead make my day!:cool:

maybe its not too complicated, just too easily kicked / bumped out of position by a pax or pilot:ooh:

J