Report on Cairngorm aircraft crash released
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Report on Cairngorm aircraft crash released
A probe into a light aircraft crash on Cairn Gorm has reported that the pilot was not qualified to fly in the conditions in which he found himself.
The 45-year-old, who died in the accident, was trying to get from the UK to Florida when he crashed into the mountain in April 2008.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch said it had been snowing heavily.
The 45-year-old, who died in the accident, was trying to get from the UK to Florida when he crashed into the mountain in April 2008.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch said it had been snowing heavily.
Earlier reports:- BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | Highlands and Islands | Light plane missing in blizzard
BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | Highlands and Islands | Probe under way on mountain crash
Video:- BBC News Player - Police search plane wreckage
Last edited by G-CPTN; 12th Nov 2009 at 07:37.
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Another AAIB bulletin..another needless fatality..
440 hours total experience and 170 hours on type. IMC trained but no rating issued. Weather was unspeakably foul and was accurately forecast at the time. Maybe, having (allegedly) crossed the pond before, he was over-confident? For sure, neither he nor his 'plane were appropriate for the conditions encountered. These regular stories sadden me beyond words and I still have words ringing in my ears from the early 70s... "Don't ever, ever consider crossing the pond without a current I/R and recent IF practice."
RIP all the same. bm
RIP all the same. bm
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What use is an IR if you not in current practice??......I had a situation a couple of months back with an aircraft that called me inbound to Edinburgh from the south. he called me above cloud and wished to descend towards his destination in the Talla area....he sounded a bit freaked with the conditions and kept asking me for a radar service....I asked him if he was IR qualified and he said yes but had done no IR flying for 11 months....that situation could have turned to mince but managed to get the guy down through cloud with the help of edinburgh radar..........food for thought then, why bother taking an IR rating if you are hardly ever going to practice in those conditions. To me it seems a rating to death!!
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I noticed an obvious error on page one of the report:
I have sent a message to the AAIB bringing to their attention that it should be 2008.
SD
He began the journey at Gamston Airfield, Nottinghamshire on Friday 4 April 2009
SD
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To me, the AAIB report reads as
- lack of even the most basic understanding of weather
- lack of understanding of what "MSA" stands for
- casual attitude to licensing (and, by extension, to other things)
The last one is seen in a lot of GA accident reports.
That he made it to the USA just shows how long one can get away with stuff.
- lack of even the most basic understanding of weather
- lack of understanding of what "MSA" stands for
- casual attitude to licensing (and, by extension, to other things)
The last one is seen in a lot of GA accident reports.
That he made it to the USA just shows how long one can get away with stuff.
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I re-read the original thread in conjunction with the AAIB report and it appears the bulk of the 'speculation' was correct - if somewhat difficult to believe.
It is miraculous he made the previous trans-Atlantic trip successfully. It is difficult to do this low level (i.e. staying out of Class A trans Atlantic airspace) which he would have needed to do to be legal. Given the casual approach to regulations, it is surprising he didn't just file IFR and go, after all the weather system was relatively thin.
(my bold)
I remain staggered at the whole decision making process of this flight.
It is miraculous he made the previous trans-Atlantic trip successfully. It is difficult to do this low level (i.e. staying out of Class A trans Atlantic airspace) which he would have needed to do to be legal. Given the casual approach to regulations, it is surprising he didn't just file IFR and go, after all the weather system was relatively thin.
estimated to have been between 2,000 ft and 6,000 ft amsl, with other isolated layers of scattered and broken stratocumulus/altocumulus clouds between 6,000 ft and 13,000 ft amsl.
I remain staggered at the whole decision making process of this flight.
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That was my thought as I read the report.
Buying maps on the way and ordering a lightraft to meet him at Wick? It doesn't seem like he made any real attempt at planning the flight at all. And as for attempting it VFR in those conditions .. Another Darwin Award finalist, methinks.
Buying maps on the way and ordering a lightraft to meet him at Wick? It doesn't seem like he made any real attempt at planning the flight at all. And as for attempting it VFR in those conditions .. Another Darwin Award finalist, methinks.
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It doesn't seem like he made any real attempt at planning the flight at all. And as for attempting it VFR in those conditions .. Another Darwin Award finalist, methinks.
Some will always think this right up to the point the subject kills themselves.
Then, it's "a free world", " he died doing what he loved" and "went the way he would have wanted to".
Perhaps, it might be advantageous if ATC had some sort of authority to say "G-XXXX, divert - NOW!" It might just save some people from themselves.
Originally Posted by IO540
- casual attitude to licensing (and, by extension, to other things)
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Had it been Maurice "the flying vet" Kirk attempting it, we'd be reading about how we should have "freedom of the skies" and "pioneering aviators" etc.
Some will always think this right up to the point the subject kills themselves.
Then, it's "a free world", " he died doing what he loved" and "went the way he would have wanted to".
Some will always think this right up to the point the subject kills themselves.
Then, it's "a free world", " he died doing what he loved" and "went the way he would have wanted to".
Anyone who wants to take risks should be free to do so.
Aviation safety to me is about knowing how to fly safely. It is a shame when people hurt themselves by doing things they did not realize the dangers of. I have no problem whatsoever with people choosing to do something dangerous.
For example, even though I know it puts me in grave and imminent danger, I will actually venture all the way from the club house to the hangar without wearing a high-vis vest. And back, too!
I don't agree with his decision either, but so what? It's his call, not mine. I imagine he must have been aware his flying was not risk-free, and that he probably realized he was taking more risks than most others would. The decision is his prerogative.
The tone of these discussions trouble me a bit. "Don't do that" is a good, useful conclusion. "What an idiot" is not helpful at all.
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It is a shame when people hurt themselves by doing things they did not realize the dangers of. I have no problem whatsoever with people choosing to do something dangerous.
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I agree one should have the right to kill oneself, but not when carrying passengers.
).Which just illustrates once more that flying in general, and private flying in particular, is about managing risks rather than eliminating them. How much risk is too much risk? By leaving that judgment up to the pilots, we do in fact have not the right to kill our passengers, but certainly the right to do things that could kill our passengers (i.e., get off the ground in the first place!).
The right for PPL pilots to make that judgement ourselves is precious. There are far too many people, even among our own ranks, who want nothing more than to make decisions for other people, "for our own safety and that of those around us", as the standard term goes.
It is at least encouraging to see that this report did not see a need to make any recommendations.
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Anyone who wants to take risks should be free to do so.
The principle of no interference in our aviating is a good one and one for which I am all in favour. However incidents such as these do not do the cause any good whatsoever. Had this chap wiped out the top station would you be of the same opinion I wonder?
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The report does a good job of describing just how quickly problems can escalate in aviation.
That approach works suprisingly often - because in general so long as you can "somehow" get airborne, you can have a "look around" when you are up there, and the statistical nature of a lot of weather means that "ways" can be found to proceed. That's why so many numpties get away with it. And also why some very experienced pilots manage to do flights in awful weather, but they have a smarter strategy - like not flying below the terrain...
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Originally Posted by strake
Perhaps, it might be advantageous if ATC had some sort of authority to say "G-XXXX, divert - NOW!" It might just save some people from themselves.
Each licensed pilot, before being issued a license, had to demonstrate that they understood their role as PIC and be able to exercise good judgement; for some, once in possession of the book, that's where it stops. No amount of safety evenings or good advice from others will deter the determined, Unfortunately.
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ATC find it hard enough getting pilots to understand the nature of the service they provide, telling you to divert when they think you're doing something silly would only make matters worse!
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What it does demonstrate is the dangers of flying over mountains and hostile terrain, something our south of the border pilots may not fully understand. This guy was the 3rd I can remember that piled it in to the Cairngorm granite during the past 10 years...all had flown from south of the border. I think our local Scottish pilots learn to understand and respect the force of turbulance and icing over the hills.