Plane crash near Oxford Airport

[Hot Charlie]

PLANE CRASH: More witnesses describe crash (From Witney Gazette)

He said: "It was clear skies but he was circling round and round then I heard a pop."

But images on website depict a grey sky.

I drove through Bladon just before 1400 yesterday. It was certainly foggy (as it had been as I drove past Kidlington - where you couldn't see much past the pan seen from the road on the east side), and as you drove further south got worse. Just north of Brize (having come off the A40) it was down a 1-200m or so (more easily estimated when you can - or can't - see the turn off count down signs for the junction).

I was glad I was in my car.

[Pace]

ASN Aircraft accident 15-JAN-2010 Piper PA-31P-425 Pressurized Navajo N95RS

The link posted earlier refers to departure and destination airport as being Oxford. Does that suggest the aircraft was on a maintenance check, training exercise or recurrent for the pilot???

Pace

[BoeingMEL]

There's a penalty to pay...

.. for all that pressurisation kit in the PA31P... it weighs a ton! Still capable of reasonable climb gradient tho if you suffer efato with 2 POB... but you have to be pretty nifty. On the other hand it seems they were (reportedly) airborne for 12 minutes before the crash so any efato could well have been sorted. Good luck to the AAIB determining the likely cause... it could be another difficult one. bm

[IO540]

This is going to be an "interesting" one. One would not expect to have a 10 hour PPL in this type of plane, or indeed any VFR-only pilot, so why flying as low as has been reported?

I don't know the area. Is the accident site consistent with any approach into any of the airports there, possibly a circle to land into Oxford?

[Time Traveller]

Regardless of what may have gone wrong, would you have got airborne in those conditions in a light twin?
Very sad and senseless waste of life.

This is perhaps in the wrong forum. The weather looks like it was fine for an IFR departure, with IR current crew. The trouble with the thread being here is it attracts misguided and inappropriate comments from VFR PPLs for whom the weather would obviously be unflyable - So what?

[jamestkirk]

Fuji

Totally agree with bose and time traveller.

Before making assumptions that soemone exercised poor airmanship by getting airborne in challenging weather. Know your facts and what professional pilots do, are trained for and limited by.

[Pace]

The link above to the actual weather appears to be broken? so dont know what it was.
It is quite normal practice to takeoff in fog maybe down to 200 metre vis.

Check the IFR departure minima on the plates at most airports.

Naturally you know if anything goes wrong you are not coming back so normally check departure landing alternatives if you do get some sort of problem.

Pace

[RobertZZ]

This aircraft was, in the last month, sold via an agent in Germany.

[IO540]

A post on another forum states that one of the two was an airline pilot / training captain, if I recall right.

Is the accident site consistent with any approach into any of the airports there, possibly a circle to land into Oxford?

[james1013]

EGTK approaches

Regards EGTK approaches, METAR for the day shows southerly winds so assume RWY19 in use which has an ILS. Link below for an illustration of a potential procedure for R19. Bladon is to the west of the airfield so unlikely to be overflown on this procedure, however who knows what occurred during this short flight, clearly something unexpected so in attempt to "aviate" above all else PIC may have had good reason/only option to end up west of the airfield.

NATS | AISaip/current/ad/EGTK/EG_AD_2_EGTK_8-2_en.pdf

Circle to land is used on Rwy01 which does take you beacon outbound to the west with the base completed 6.5 from beacon, and track back 100 degs down to 800' QNH for a right break through 270 degs for final on 01.

NATS | AISaip/current/ad/EGTK/EG_AD_2_EGTK_8-5_en.pdf

[StuartRawlinson]

PA31

Hi guys, I've been Reading this with interest as I fly for several companies all on PA31 aircraft. The complexities of the aircraft which is single crew mean it is impossible at this stage to rule on whether it was pilot or plane error. The aircraft are over 30 years old, but then so are the pilots in most cases, hopefully a true conclusion will be found by the professionals so we can learn from this

[BoeingMEL]

Identified and named

Deceased identified and named at pilot Anthony Corr (ATPL) and passenger Richard Leonard. Never met anyone who had a bad word to say about Anthony.. what a tragedy. RIP guys bm

[Speed of Sound]

He said: "It was clear skies but he was circling round and round then I heard a pop."

But images on website depict a grey sky.

Eyewitness report made when aircraft was still in the air.

Photo on website taken sometime after the crash.

i.e. at a different time.

Sos

[in my last airline]

Tony was a wonderful man and a great pilot. He was ex BA and now ex Ryanair. TRE Base checker, everything. When I heard yesterday of his passing my veins filled with sorrow. I am 100% sure every single pilot that has flown with him will be completely baffled as to what has happened. It must be the plane, I have no other answer. RIP Tony I could only dream of being half the guy you were.

[Ex Oggie]

Having been away for a few days, I only learnt of Tony's accident today, and I am deeply saddened having known him for over 20 years. Even more so, very surprised that such an able pilot succumbed to an accident of this magnitude. I have flown with him in Navajos in the past, but my overwhelming memories are of when he was hour building in his VP1, "Biffo the Bear".

Condolences to his family and those of Richard Leonard also.

XO

[Pace]

We all like to think that accidents are confined to pilots who are accidents waiting to happen in aircraft which are also accidents waiting to happen.

It hits too close to home when accidents occur to skillful and experienced pilots flying good aircraft because that highlights are own vulnerability and what an unforgiving and cruel mistress flying can be.

Another bad week. My condolences to the family and friends of yet another tragic loss.

Pace

[will fly for food 06]

RIP Chaps from a fellow PA31 pilot.

[Midland Transport]

Unlike others in this thread I did not know the pilots. I think the post by Pace sums it up so well. We are vunerable no matter how hard we train or how we use our experience to make decisions of flight or how hard we try to ensure the integrity of our craft. It is the combination of problems for which we do not or cannot train which often results in this type of tragedy. I really hope that through the investigation we can all learn. May be there will be something from the R/T. Anthony I am sure would want other pilots to learn from his peril. RIP and condolences to his family and loved ones.

[AlbertoSantos]

RIP - Tony

Tony was an enthusiastic, energetic and funny guy who was inspirational in the development of a unique, international aviation community in the south of France. For those of you unaware of this “Airparc” of 14 plot owners of families and friends, I just wanted to share with you another area of the flying world that has been touched by Tony. The Airparc and our local village are all going to miss this great charismatic character that bought an airstrip and helped to pursue a dream for both him and fellow likeminded aviators. I will be eternally grateful for the vision that Tony allowed me, and others to share in, and which we are now bringing to reality. Here will be one place where there will be a permanent memorial for his contribution to this world and flying.

Tony, we will miss your humour, your sense of fun and mischief, so go now and enjoy your flying with the angels. As Leonardo da Vinci said, “Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return”. We will always be thinking of you.

Bruce

[nick14]

I had the pleasure of flying with Captain Corr recently as he conducted my base check.

He was a lovely gentleman with a brilliant sense of humour. He will be missed by all!