Light Aircraft crash in County Down
 

Sky news are reporting a light aircraft crash in County Down Northern Ireland. Police are stating 3 dead.

You beat me to it.

BBC news are saying:

Field aircraft crash claims lives
 

A light aircraft has crashed with loss of life near Kilkeel in County Down, the police have said.
More at:- BBC NEWS | Special Reports | Field aircraft crash claims lives

Please pray for them. I know the pilot personally and two pilots at my local airfield seen it happen.

RIP to those taken by this accident. Always sad.

Weather reported to be poor (mist), its a hilly area too if memory serves me correctly.

What were they flying?

A good friend of mine and a good pilot!!! I was only talking with him before he departed for this flight today. As for the mist dont read the hype. He was more than capable of dealing with a bit of mist.I am totaly stunned at this. It really hits home when it is someone you know. I am really sorry Hugh, and feel for his flying companion who always flys in formation with him.Gary and Hugh (IoM) are thinking of you both.

A comprehensive report can be found on the Belfast Telegraph website.

Very sad ! In all these fatal crashes we want the pilot to be an accident waiting to happen and the aircraft an accident waiting to happen too.

When its a good pilot in a good aircraft it is too close to home and highlights our own vulnerability.

Very sad

Pace

At the risk of upsetting others here, decent pilots do not get in to these situations.
The fact that the pilot had a good reputation will be little comfort for the families of the passengers.

Read this:

Investigation into fatal Co Down plane crash
Saturday, 13 June 2009 13:23

An investigation is under way into the cause of a plane crash that killed three people in Co Down yesterday.

The 53-year-old pilot has been named as Hugh McKnight.

The two 24-year-old passengers who were also killed in the crash have been named locally as Andrew Burden and Steven Annett. All three are from the Annalong area.
Advertisement

It is understood that the men had been returning from the Senior-TT race in the Isle of Man.

The plane was attempting to land on a private air strip near the harbour town of Kilkeel when it crashed and burst into flames.

The wreckage of the Jodel 4 seater plane is lying just short of the runway.

Local people say that at the time of the crash, 9pm last night, fog had closed in on the area and visibility was poor.http://dynimg.rte.ie/00025da510dr.jpg

Anyone have an info on the aircraft? Reg etc?

G-ATGE JODEL DR1050 Year Built: 1960

Owner:
HUGH ALEXANDER MCKNIGHT

[Address details removed - mods]

http://www.airport-data.com/images/a...272/272501.jpg

Gents,

I know this information is freely available elsewhere online (CAA etc), but if that had been me today I would not want my home address published.

Also, lets not make comments about what makes a 'decent pilot' (or not) when the facts are not in. Cheers.

Des

Mods: Please delete Phil Space's post#13 above.

Cusco

Mist had nothing to do with it. Hugh had engine problems that resulted in slow flight. during a turn 500 yards from th strip he stalled and span in.

Everyone really should learn not to focus reports of mist. I took of from Andreas the same time as Hugh and headed to Newtonards. The vis was greater than 50k and cloud base was 2100. There was a slight bit of mist but nothing to write about.

Local people say that at the time of the crash, 9pm last night, fog had closed in on the area and visibility was poor.

Phil

On its own that doesnt mean a lot.

Naturally an experienced pilot who knows his local area is going to safely make approaches in conditions considered poor by lesser experienced pilots.

Did the aircraft collide with terrain in controlled flight? Did it stall in poor vis?
You cannot make presumptions on innacurate weather reports made by local people. All they do is indicate that the weather may not have been CAVOK

Pace

I disagree
 

I disagree, people who don't fly don't get into these situations. Have you really never
1. Had a flight go bad
2. Been caught out by the weather
3. etc etc

If you haven't, then it's only a matter of time until you do.

Continental 0-200 engine, temperature and dewpoint close together (it was misty) rough running engine, I won't state the obvious!

Don't you all just hate it when the long distance cause of accident speculators start posting? :ouch:

And re: Pompey Pauls post - yes, I have been caught out by the weather too. I consider myself a careful pilot. I don't know what the temperature and dewpoint was forecast at the pilot's destination airport if one was not available for his destination airport or even if the forecast at an airport close to the destination was different or even if the pilot obtained a weather forecast. It is easy to be wise sitting in front of a computer but a different matter when something startsto go wrong in the air and fog starts building - yes, divert! - but, the pilot has to make a decision to either land or divert to another airport where the conditions could be developing into something even worse. Fog can develop very very quickly!

Mist patches is one of the few times the weather looks better from the air than it does on the ground.
DO.