Air Ambo Incident - Essendon 21/02/17
 

An Air Ambo plane has just gone down off the end of 17 into the DFO. Fingers crossed for all onboard.

Crash at YMEN
 

Just hearing news of an accident at YMEN - apparently Air Ambulance King Air.
May have hit shops. Doesn't look good... Thoughts to those involved.

King Air down at Essendon?
 

ABC Radio reporting black smoke from DFO and witnesses claiming they have seen an air ambulance, possibly a King Air, crash immediately after takeoff.

EN crash?
 

Mods delete please, other threads started.

Reports are an Air Ambulance Kingair with 5 POB into the DFO, not good!

Media reports came in about 5 min ago. Tullamarine freeway closed. Images with lots of black smoke suggests something bigger than a warrior:(

https://twitter.com/JimmyTraffic has some "info"

Bloody hell.

There's differing reports as to whether it's an ambo or a charter/non ambo plane.

Reports of engine failure at around 100ft D: D:

They're saying now it wasn't an air ambulance, it was a charter aircraft on its way to King Island. I'm thinking it could be ZCR.

DF.

Ambulance Vic have stated its not their aircraft.

Possibly VH-ZCR

Yeah that's what they're saying now DF and that the pilot called MAYDAY engine failure. Terrible

Yes appears to be VH-ZCR from FlightRadar24. I was at MEL, clearly audible and visible explosion - thought it was a commercial out of here at first.

200 metres from my front door and pointing approximately in my direction.

Trying to find the video again but in one of the aerial clips I've seen there was a part that looked like a King Air horizontal stab. But only very little remaining of it.

The Australian now reporting 5 confirmed dead :(

ZCR which went in. Looks like engine failure after takeoff, yaw to the left then cartwheeled in. No survivors unfortunately.

They are not saying confirmed, they are saying feared. Im sure we can all draw the final conclusion but lets not go making incorrect statements on the matter.

ABC (Australian) News Radio wall to wall coverage at this time.

SenZubEanS, news reporting that Police have confirmed 5 casualties unfortunately.

Absolutely tragedy, hearts out to all those affected. And to all those affected never be afraid to put your hand up and count yourself out for the day, you're only human and this sort of thing can hit home pretty hard for us all, look after yourselves.

Most channels do, defiantly the largest air incident in Melbourne in a while.

Sen, it probably shows how the 'instant news' we have today may not always be correct.
The Aus's twit feed says "the Victorian government has confirmed...."

Can someone discuss the OEI characteristics of a B300 with 5 on board. What's its performance like? Particularly on TO

I have the same question.
Not drawing conclusions or speculating - just asking.
EFATO at 100 feet scenario in a twin turboprop like the Kingair- would have thought that'd be a nightmare situation...

Ok if it was ZCR then it was a B200 not a B300. Even at MTOW the B200 would perform very well OEI. No problems meeting the climb gradients required using SL ISA. Not sure of the conditions during the departure but my assumption is that they would not have been too extreme and therefore I would contend that the B200 would have no trouble climbing out OEI in those conditions.

A B300 would do even better.

Both have autofeather systems and rudder boost, all to reduce pilot workload.

Performance
 

With the dead engine's propeller feathered and the gear up, there should be plenty of performance.

Given the phase of flight, the gear may have still been down at the point of failure, so its then speculation as to whether it was selected up and whether the auto-feather worked.

Have a google of "Advance Airlines" "Sydney" "Auto feather". They don't go too well with a windmilling prop.

Sincere condolences to all.

Some B200 info for those interested. Not the POH but it has some info.

S/E performance of a B200 (did you mean to say 200? Or was it actually a 300?) is quite good.

Max weight they'll fly away on 1 with a failure without a struggle.

A bit does depend on whether or not the takeoff is conducted with or without flap, and at what point the failure occurs.

Testing the memory, but the FAR 25 (?) performance numbers, on a fully-equipped Raisebck machine you can lose one at V1 and climb away.

Would it be true to say that when flying the King Air, there is a difference between liftoff speed and take off safety speed?

I seem to recall there is a short period of time after takeoff when a King Air is vulnerable to engine failure as it is below Vmca (Vtoss?). I believe this is mitigated by fitment of rudder-boost, but not totally alleviated.

Can anyone elaborate?

Condolences and thoughts to the families involved.

B200 Performance.
 

Don't wax too lyrical about B200 performance.

I haven't run the numbers or know the conditions, but it is possible that there was not enough runway to stop at which point there not enough airspeed to get anywhere. It's a certification thing. Plenty of info out there.

Not suggesting there's any link or relationship but Aircraft Accident Investigation Report into crash of Beech Super King Air 200 VH-AAV after left engine failure on take-off can be found here for those interested.

News reports saying 5 golfers on the way to King Island. What a very sad event, and thoughts with all the families affected.

Having a look at the pics appears that we're heading down the highway? Bulla Rd would be an issue in a large twin due to the trees and lightpoles, I was always advised to head down the freeway if you couldn't make a turn onto 08.

http://i68.tinypic.com/v4vskl.jpg

Poppa, I get the feeling the poor guy didn't have much of a chance to do anything unfortunately.

METAR's, please.

If the news reports are correct re a wheel being found on the freeway, then I respectfully suggest that the gear may still have been down. RIP.

Just watching News24 and overhead camera shots of roof appear to show tin roof with propeller strikes.
I could be wrong.
How very sad for all involved.
My heart goes out to all affected by this

Channel 9 has an "aviation expert" from Monash University (sounded like they gave the name as Prof Greg Bamber) prattling on about the King Air being a "single engine aircraft" :ugh::ugh:

METAR YMEN 210030Z AUTO 23005KT 200V270 9999 // SCT035 18/08 Q1021
RMK RF00.0/000.0


weather no issue