A Tragic Loss
 

Yesterday at 17:00 hours PST a Cessna 152 went down near San Diego, California.

Both pilots on board were killed (flight instructor and student)

I knew both these guys, they will both be sadly missed.

My heartfelt sympathies go out to their families.

Rest In Peace.

The instructor was Sebastian Farrow from Sussex.

A sad day for their families.

RIP.



[This message has been edited by STP (edited 26 October 2000).]

I've just come back from California, do you know they name of the student also on board.

Many thanks

GPS Approach,

My upmost condolences to their families. When I heard the news I was shocked.

What happened??

Rest in Peace

AMS

Small-plane crash kills 2 from U.K. on reservation


By Pauline Repard and Norberto Santana Jr.
STAFF WRITERS

October 25, 2000


VIEJAS INDIAN RESERVATION -- A 22-year-old flight instructor and his student, both British citizens, died yesterday when their small plane crashed in a field here.

The crash occurred about 4:30 p.m. near Viejas Grade Road and Browns Road, not far from the Viejas Casino. The victims' names were not immediately released.

The instructor worked for Anglo American Aviation Inc., based at Gillespie Field, for about six months, said company owner Christopher Watson.

"He was very experienced -- he had over 1,000 hours in the air," Watson said of the instructor. "He flew recreationally as well, and he's been here (San Diego) about five times before.

Watson said the student, in his late 20s, came from England for flying lessons about two weeks ago, and had put in 22 hours in the air.

The pair took off from Gillespie Field at 4 p.m., expecting to complete a one-hour routine training flight. Watson said he had no idea what might have gone wrong.

Sheriff's Deputy Kathryn Wayne was driving in the area and saw the plane circling before it crashed.

"She thought at first it was doing some acrobatics, but then noticed that the nose was pointed down," said Sheriff's Sgt. Steve Maxin.

Deputies found the plane, confirmed that the two on board were dead, and notified the Federal Aviation Administration and the county Medical Examiner's Office.

The single-engine plane, described by an FAA spokeswoman as a Cessna 152, appeared to have crashed nose first into the vacant field about a half-mile east of the casino. No one on the ground was injured.

Investigators from the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are expected to examine the wreckage in the morning, an FAA spokeswoman said.

The Cessna 152 is a high-winged craft made in the 1970s and popularly used for training, said Bill Owen, treasurer at Plus One Flyers Inc., a flying school at Montgomery Field.

"It's a low-performance craft, very easy to fly, very responsive, very forgiving," Owen said. "But I wouldn't want to be flying one of those today under the wind conditions, with the turbulence over the mountains."

Owen said his service had operated the plane that crashed until last month. Plane owner Robert Hogan, who runs Sea Breeze Aeronautics leasing service, then leased the plane to Anglo American. Watson said his company specializes in training flying enthusiasts from all over the world, who can't afford lessons at home because of higher aviation fuel costs.

Viejas residents said they frequently see small planes flying low overhead. They said flight instructors often use the area to practice maneuvers.

"This is the third crash that we've had, but the first fatality," said Sandra Barrett, 36, a tribal member who lives near the field. "Usually they land safely because it is so open. But this time, I don't think they had a chance."

Copyright 2000 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.

My sympathies go to friends and families of the victims.
Does anyone have a clue as to the cause?

I understand the student's name has been released. Mike Frost.
A terrible accident, I believe it spun in, and have to wonder whether it was a problem with the aircraft or a "low and slow" situation.
My condelences to everyone involved.

Seb and Mike will be sorely missed. Two great guys, full of the love of life.

My thoughts are with all concerned.

------------------
PigsCanFly

[This message has been edited by PigsCanFly (edited 28 October 2000).]

[This message has been edited by PigsCanFly (edited 28 October 2000).]

Just got back from a long haul and heard the news. Unbeleivable. Seb was a great guy who knew how to enjoy himself. He probably did more in his time than most of us do in a lifetime.

Deepest sympathies to his friends and to his family. Also to that of his student, another tragic loss.

Rest in peace guys.

Hi Guys,

Anyone what happened yet??

Thanks

AMS

Here's the prliminary NTSB report
http://www.ntsb.gov/aviation/LAX/01A024.htm

That recollection is quite sad, but nevertheless can anyone explain what all that actually means??

Thanks

AMS

I'm not an aircraft accident investigator, so treat my interpretation with a very large pinch of salt. My interpretations follow each quoted extract from the accident report.

From the report :
"Witnesses observed the airplane flying at an
estimated altitude of 400 feet, then spiral to the ground."
My interpretation : Witnesses are very unreliable, especially when estimating the altitude of an aircraft. Spiral to the ground : the aircraft might have entered either a spiral dive or a spin.

From the report :
"The operator said airplanes used this area to practice stalls and simulated engine-out emergency landings."
My interpretation : There was a history of aircraft flying at very low airspeed in that area.

From the report :
"Both wings exhibited similar leading edge crush damage."
My interpretation : The aircraft hit the approximately ground wings-level, and so wasn't in a spin or spiral dive at impact.

From the report :
"Control continuity was traced from the control surfaces to the deformed cabin area."
My interpretation No pre-existing problems with the controls has been found. However, accidents have been caused by foreign objects getting caught up in the controls, the linkages, etc. and these might not be found in the wreckage.

From the report :
"The fuel selector valve was in the horizontal (on) position. Firemen who responded to the accident estimated 12 gallons of fuel spilled onto the ground. The airframe manufacturer's representative estimated another 5 gallons remained in
the two fuel tanks."
My interpretation : At the point of impact, fuel could be delivered to the engine.

"This representative noted no threads were exposed on the flap actuator, which he equated to the flaps up position. He also measured the elevator trim actuator at 1.6 inches, which he equated to less than 5 degrees tab up (nose down)."
My interpretation : Flaps were up, trim was set for the cruise.

"The engine was separated to facilitate inspection. It was slung from a hoist and the propeller rotated by hand. All cylinders' valves and pistons moved in firing order, the accessory gears rotated freely, and thumb compression was obtained on all cylinders. Spark was obtained on all leads for both magnetos when they were manually rotated. Fuel was observed in the carburetor bowl; the metal floats were intact and moved freely. "
In other words, no engine defect has yet been found.

One thing I thought would have been in the report (but isn't) is the condition of the propeller. It is one of the main ways of determining if the engine was producing power at impact.

The readings from the various instruments isn't given either. Often at impact, the needle of for example the ASI will leave an impact mark on the instrument.

I prefer the AAIBs reports, which might take quite some time to produce, but they are very complete, especially in a fatal accident. A LOT can be learnt from reading them.

May the two pilots involved Rest In Peace.

Mik

[This message has been edited by mik (edited 03 November 2000).]

This is the sort of accident which COULD occur when practicing simulated engine out when an aircraft would be in slow flight close to the ground. If the airspeed was allowed to reduce below cruise, the aircraft could enter a stall, and, at 400ft agl, there would be little time for recovery. This is just my guess but the NTSB are very thorough and we may have to wait anything up to a year for the final report.