Air Moorea Twin Otter crash - Tahiti
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Recovery
I heard yesterday over France-Info broadcasting station that a cable layer ship,Ile de Ré, just arrived on the crash zone.That vessel is equipped with a deepsub able to recover CVR's or other small parts.
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Air Moorea
ia orana
The Ile de re (a speciality Cable Laying Ship with ROV)
Has arrived late saturday in Papeete. The crew has already demonstrated their deep water work capability with the sharm El Sheik accident.
The aircraft lays by 420 meters depth on a 90 degree slope at the edge of the coral reef.( it falls then to a few thousand feet after that).
Their primary mission is to recover the voice recorder on board, and hopefully bring back some debris (engines especially). there are still 4 victims not recoverd presumably on board.
As a regular of the line (5 minute flight) I havbe all teh confidence in the airlineand the crew.They also have a few ex Patrouille de France Pilots, tons of experience there!.
Some videos of a flight aboard air Moorea can be seen at :
http://youtube.com/results?search_query=air+moorea
fbvff
The Ile de re (a speciality Cable Laying Ship with ROV)
Has arrived late saturday in Papeete. The crew has already demonstrated their deep water work capability with the sharm El Sheik accident.
The aircraft lays by 420 meters depth on a 90 degree slope at the edge of the coral reef.( it falls then to a few thousand feet after that).
Their primary mission is to recover the voice recorder on board, and hopefully bring back some debris (engines especially). there are still 4 victims not recoverd presumably on board.
As a regular of the line (5 minute flight) I havbe all teh confidence in the airlineand the crew.They also have a few ex Patrouille de France Pilots, tons of experience there!.
Some videos of a flight aboard air Moorea can be seen at :
http://youtube.com/results?search_query=air+moorea
fbvff
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Fuel lever protection cover in vid
Thanks FBVFF for the video link. Enjoyed watching the approach.
Visited Morea for a couple of weeks back in 1998 - probably the most geographical beuatiful places I have ever been - I travelled by ferry from Papetee... but would of love the Otter ride just as much.
Further to all the discussion previously about fuel lever protection cover - in the video you can clearly see that there is in fact the installed cover (on the far right on the central overhead control area). So hopefully that puts that question? (did the company modify or not modify) to bed!
hope recovery efforst go well.
Visited Morea for a couple of weeks back in 1998 - probably the most geographical beuatiful places I have ever been - I travelled by ferry from Papetee... but would of love the Otter ride just as much.
Further to all the discussion previously about fuel lever protection cover - in the video you can clearly see that there is in fact the installed cover (on the far right on the central overhead control area). So hopefully that puts that question? (did the company modify or not modify) to bed!
hope recovery efforst go well.
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air Moorea
Good evening
the Tail of the aircraft and the Cargo hold have been located at a deeper depth than initially reported
Very little information comes out though . (As seen at Sharm El Sheik by the same operator of the ship)
fbvff
the Tail of the aircraft and the Cargo hold have been located at a deeper depth than initially reported
Very little information comes out though . (As seen at Sharm El Sheik by the same operator of the ship)
fbvff
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Voice recorders
Good Morning
the Voice recorders have been recovered with great difficulties at a depth of 600 meters ( among other parts of the aircraft.
They are being sent to France for analysis.
Another greatjob for the crew of the Ile de Re.
meherio
the Voice recorders have been recovered with great difficulties at a depth of 600 meters ( among other parts of the aircraft.
They are being sent to France for analysis.
Another greatjob for the crew of the Ile de Re.
meherio
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Air Moorea
According to the Tahitipress website
the engines, cockpit , tail section of the aircraft have been recovered from the water ans dent to Paris for further studies.
The Voice recorder tapes have not yielded any major clue for the reason for the crash.
The Ship Ile De re will end it's mission there and return to new caledonia
fbvff
the engines, cockpit , tail section of the aircraft have been recovered from the water ans dent to Paris for further studies.
The Voice recorder tapes have not yielded any major clue for the reason for the crash.
The Ship Ile De re will end it's mission there and return to new caledonia
fbvff
Flying solo, no mistake will be noticed by another pilot (except from the cabin or jumpseat). But solo flying has often been necessary to make money on a "Twotter"?
If not solo, then do both pilots always observe (not just the torque ft-lbs, RPM etc) when somebody's hand is on any and all engine levers during takeoff, approach and landing?
Must the flying (handling) pilot allow the other pilot to verify in an emergency etc before an engine throttle is pulled back, the correct fuel control is touched and the correct prop lever is pulled back to the feather position, etc?
A heavily-loaded B-767 many years ago ended up with two shutdown engines after departing LAX. The fuel control switches might have one more detent than the 757? We have no 767s.
Something in an aviation magazine years ago indicated this ("Av. Week & ST" or "Flying"?).
If not solo, then do both pilots always observe (not just the torque ft-lbs, RPM etc) when somebody's hand is on any and all engine levers during takeoff, approach and landing?
Must the flying (handling) pilot allow the other pilot to verify in an emergency etc before an engine throttle is pulled back, the correct fuel control is touched and the correct prop lever is pulled back to the feather position, etc?
A heavily-loaded B-767 many years ago ended up with two shutdown engines after departing LAX. The fuel control switches might have one more detent than the 757? We have no 767s.
Something in an aviation magazine years ago indicated this ("Av. Week & ST" or "Flying"?).
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Probably doesn't apply now, but flew Otters for two different commuters in the late 60's. Captains watched co-pilots pretty close until they got to know them well. Never noticed a copilot watching Captains movemnts in that respect tho. Problem was both companies had 3 kinds of pilots: 1)copilots; 2) cirlcle of capn's that were self-designated aces; and 3) capn's that were well liked and respected.
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Twin Otter crash inquiry recommends elevator cable checks
French investigators are recommending inspection of elevator cables on De
Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters after discovering severe fraying on the
Air Moorea aircraft which crashed in French Polynesia during August.
The Bureau d’Enquetes et d’Analyses (BEA) says that examination of the
wreckage, following its retrieval from the sea off Moorea, shows that two
stainless-steel elevator control cables were heavily worn.
BEA says the cables were chafed by passage through cable guides located aft
of station 426, and adds: “This wear, which was accompanied by broken
wires, had reduced the loaded section of the cable by more than 50% in some
parts.”
Although the cables had been inspected at least twice since 17 November last
year, during routine maintenance, the investigators point out that the
frayed areas are “difficult to identify” without an in-depth
examination.
BEA says: “They were therefore not noticed during initial visual
examination.”
It is recommending that the European Aviation Safety Agency and Transport
Canada require Twin Otter operators to inspect stainless-steel elevator
control cables as soon as possible, and to consider extending this process
to carbon-steel cables that might also be installed on the type.
All 19 passengers and the single pilot on board the Air Moorea aircraft were
killed when it crashed shortly after take-off on 9 August, while on a
shuttle flight to Papeete. BEA says the inquiry is continuing and it expects
to produce an interim report on the accident within a few weeks.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
French investigators are recommending inspection of elevator cables on De
Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters after discovering severe fraying on the
Air Moorea aircraft which crashed in French Polynesia during August.
The Bureau d’Enquetes et d’Analyses (BEA) says that examination of the
wreckage, following its retrieval from the sea off Moorea, shows that two
stainless-steel elevator control cables were heavily worn.
BEA says the cables were chafed by passage through cable guides located aft
of station 426, and adds: “This wear, which was accompanied by broken
wires, had reduced the loaded section of the cable by more than 50% in some
parts.”
Although the cables had been inspected at least twice since 17 November last
year, during routine maintenance, the investigators point out that the
frayed areas are “difficult to identify” without an in-depth
examination.
BEA says: “They were therefore not noticed during initial visual
examination.”
It is recommending that the European Aviation Safety Agency and Transport
Canada require Twin Otter operators to inspect stainless-steel elevator
control cables as soon as possible, and to consider extending this process
to carbon-steel cables that might also be installed on the type.
All 19 passengers and the single pilot on board the Air Moorea aircraft were
killed when it crashed shortly after take-off on 9 August, while on a
shuttle flight to Papeete. BEA says the inquiry is continuing and it expects
to produce an interim report on the accident within a few weeks.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
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Originally Posted by Helen49
...discovered that a plastic guard had been fitted over the HP cock levers to prevent this problem occurring. "Good idea" I thought, someone else has had the same problem."
Does beg the question why de Havilland didn't take this problem and solution on board and pass the solution on to other Otter operators.....??
Does beg the question why de Havilland didn't take this problem and solution on board and pass the solution on to other Otter operators.....??
In any case, the question is not relevant to the accident aircraft, as it has a serial number higher than 475 and thus left the factory with this modification incorporated.
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Jet-blast damaged elevator cables on crashed Moorea Twin Otter
Jet-blast damaged elevator cables on crashed Moorea Twin Otter
Jet-blast damaged elevator cables on crashed Moorea Twin Otter
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knob shapes
The FAR 25 standard for control shapes was obviously written pre-jet era - is there an updated version?
SkyGod
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I forgot how elevator trim system on the Twotter works, last flight was 20 years ago, but even with a broken elevator cable, would it be possible to maintain some kind of indirect pitch control using trim only...?
Got 2000 hours in the DHC-6 on floats and wheels, one of my favorite aircraft, like others posted above, would like to fly 'em again before I retire or before I leave earth.
Got 2000 hours in the DHC-6 on floats and wheels, one of my favorite aircraft, like others posted above, would like to fly 'em again before I retire or before I leave earth.
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The FAR 25 standard for control shapes was obviously written pre-jet era - is there an updated version?
would it be possible to maintain some kind of indirect pitch control using trim only...?
Using elevator trim only.
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The SOPs I am currently using have us raising the flaps at 400 feet AGL minimum. I suppose at 400 feet you would have just enough time to put the flaps back down to 10 with a pitch control failure to get that nose pointed back up while you sorted yourself out with trim.
It's all to easy to imagine a scenario where you raise the flaps at a low height, have a sudden "Twang!" and the control column just coming back to your chest without any resistance as the nose drops, a moment of baffled incomprehension and... you are dead.
This is the same reason I like to get an airplane configured for landing at about 1000 AGL minimum. If it's going to do something weird when the flaps are set for landing, let that be at a recoverable height.
It's all to easy to imagine a scenario where you raise the flaps at a low height, have a sudden "Twang!" and the control column just coming back to your chest without any resistance as the nose drops, a moment of baffled incomprehension and... you are dead.
This is the same reason I like to get an airplane configured for landing at about 1000 AGL minimum. If it's going to do something weird when the flaps are set for landing, let that be at a recoverable height.
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communiqué from the french BEA
News
full report (in french, I'm afraid..)
http://www.bea.aero/docspa/2007/f-qi...f-qi070809.pdf
News
full report (in french, I'm afraid..)
http://www.bea.aero/docspa/2007/f-qi...f-qi070809.pdf
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Similar thing happened in the Maldives in 99
A loaded 300 series departed the Hilton Maldives, enroute to Male'. On take off the aircract pitched up stalled, and was recovered with flap, elevator trim, and an elevator direction. Can't remember if it was a push or a pull. It performed this maneuver several times recovering closer to the water each time, and eventually came to rest with all souls and aircraft safe in a lagoon straight ahead. Complete credit goes to the level headed captain, who finished up not long after. Can hardly blame him. An inspection of the aircraft found an attachment plate with elev cable up, cable down had worn through resulting in one way operation only. Cables ok, but the plate failed. Subsequent inspection of the fleet found that the majority of the aircraft had the same problem waiting to happen. To inspect this was under the floor, removing the hydraulics, and 2 mirrors to see only half, or gut the floor to inspect. An AD was then issued for the inspection of this cable union. Also, we included this in our check rides. This time only flap and trim available, to recognise the issue, deal with it, and when shown, how straight forward it is to land on power, trim and flap. It does require 2 pilots. One to operate the power levers and the captain to fly with rudders, elev trim and flap. The use of the wheel for anything else, except if you goofed it up to recover was not allowed. We all did it, and it became a thing that you just knew how to do. Into wind only, smooth water 10 knots is ideal, and well briefed prior to its instigation. Some might say its a risky thing to do, but with no access to sims for float planes, its the best we could do. Sadly thats all blown over now, and is not included in the training, but for me its a done deal that is welded in my mind. Congrats to the crew on the day, you are the true hero's, and to the pro active training department for developing a sequence for dealing with the issue. Add that to the Beta Backup system that hates salt water, fuel guages and pump problems, longeron and mount issues in rough water, crap weather ops. Its a great operation with massive experience pool passing through over the years. And the greats keep returning. 