Interesting AAIB report
 

From this month's bulletin:

http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources/Piper%20PA-28-140%20Cherokee,%20G-ATMW%2004-08.pdf

Most definately not made of the "right stuff."

Amazing that it didn't all come to grief much earlier, and that the landing itself was relatively soft, under the circumstances.

I think it was Einstein who said that he thought only two things were infinate. One is the universe and the other is the stupidity of the human race, and I'm not that sure about the universe.

Very lucky chap.

Credit to the AAIB writer who managed to keep a straight face all the way to the very end.

The mind boggles.....

I'm amazed the AAIB were so charitable in simply highlighting lack of airmanship. I wonder how many private flights operate in such a fashion which terminate in they way they deserve to (i.e an accident).

Some folk never seem to run out of luck though, and quite often they turn out to be characters such as this one.

I have a sneaking suspicion this one will make its way to the next GASIL....

could have been much worse.

Could have been much MUCH worse. It could have been an N-reg. Think of the headlines.

:} :ok:

Now seriously, it's all been said previously, but perhaps the PPL syllabus should put a little bit more emphasis on (practical) planning and performance?

All credit to the AAIB for keeping a straight face and sticking to the facts, however from a legal point of view, I'd like to know.....

1) What action was taken regarding not using a customs airfield in Belgium
2) What action was taken for not filing a FPL coming home
3) What happened regarding not diverting to a customs aerodrome in the UK
4) Did it occur to anyone that all this sneaking about at 300ft was to avoid showing up on radar
5) Did anyone investigate how the pilot managed to very easily arrange to get the vehicle to Hinton... and then find it in the dark. I have enough trouble finding real airports in the dark
6) Is it me... or is there much more to this than the aeronautical/airmanship issues?

I thought that too... it's almost like a drug-runner's instruction manual, that report. Concerned about fuel? Sounds like he was more concerned about landing at an airport with customs on the premises. Trying to get into an unlit grass strip with nothing but a (here's one I prepared earlier) car as guidance... ho-hum.
</CynicalSpeculation>

Hinton's not a grass strip - ex WW2 airfield with ?3 hard runways - but totally agree about the suspicious nature of all this!

Tim

None of that is to do with the AAIB, whose only task as required by Annex 13 Chicago 1944 is to investigate the causes of accidents and make safety recommendations based on their results (amazing what one can still remember from ATPL Air Law :ok:)

If feeling nosy, write to the CAA with your questions.

Yes, I agree to an extent. There are definitely a lot of other questions to be asked. And I hope they were! If not, more fool the CAA...But let's not forget that it is not difficult to get a PPL and a lot of very stupid people have them. :rolleyes:

LH2
 

When as an instructor I have to do a PPL checkout I spend a lot of time on technical issues including engine management an performance planning.

It is a mystery to me that when you ask a PPL to set 75% power they look at you and say "is that about 2300 RPM?"

LH2

I know this

... you Muppet. That's why I said "all credit for sticking to the facts".

But as a pilot who regularly flies across the Channel sticking to the rules, however inconvienient they may be sometimes, I'm keen to know what happens to people who don't stick to the rules, which is, as I acknowledge, outwith the remit of the AAIB.

You seem a little to keen to defend this guy.

That's good, what I was saying is it's a shame that the JAR syllabus does not insist more on it, as well as on flight planning--it's all there, but unless as a student you are particularly interested, or happen to have an above average instructor (as I like to think I've had the pleasure), it's easy to miss.

In order to make my browsing a bit more efficient, I have a habit of killfiling posters who consistently fail to make useful contributions to a discussion, or who do not stick to the same standard of politeness one would expect on a face to face conversation. So hasta la vista, baby! :ok:

Yeah, I'm keen to hear from anyone who flys direct into a non customs airfield in europe.
Have you ever been questioned or fined?

I've got a good mind to go direct to my destination next time and save the landing fee and extra fuel cost of going via a customs field first.

What do you think the reply would be if on first contact with Deauville approach if I asked if they had customs present, then asked them to cancel my flight plan and route direct.

I bet they would not like it, I'd be doing them out of their landing fee.