Pilot's artificial arm 'became detached while landing plane'
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Rome
Age: 49
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We should realize that this is a extraordinary event, this guy has two 'hands' on the controls during normal operation, one on the yoke, the other on the throttle, that's why the authority declared him fit to fly, he just forgot to buckle up his prostethic arm, a mishap, I want to remember that a mishap can happen to any pilot.
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: In the boot of my car!
Posts: 5,982
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Frankice
If he failed to go around because he was unable to go around or because the FO was not briefed to take control or allowed to take control then there are issues which need to be addressed so that there cannot be a recurrence of the event.
If he landed on a wing and a prayer then he was lucky the landing completed without damage.
either way it does not appear that missing an arm at such a crucial state of the flight allowed him to be fully in control. He was lucky this time and i am sure measures have already been taken to make sure that any unlikely future occurrence will be handled in a different way.
Of course he should not be stopped from flying! All indications are that he is a competent and good pilot but procedures unique to him will have to be put in place for the future.
My Seneca pilot an able bodied pilot was literally mentally disabled by being a passenger to the well known wheel breaking Seneca porpoise. His was a sharp lesson and i am sure he will never make that mistake again and the same goes with this physically disabled pilot
If he failed to go around because he was unable to go around or because the FO was not briefed to take control or allowed to take control then there are issues which need to be addressed so that there cannot be a recurrence of the event.
If he landed on a wing and a prayer then he was lucky the landing completed without damage.
either way it does not appear that missing an arm at such a crucial state of the flight allowed him to be fully in control. He was lucky this time and i am sure measures have already been taken to make sure that any unlikely future occurrence will be handled in a different way.
Of course he should not be stopped from flying! All indications are that he is a competent and good pilot but procedures unique to him will have to be put in place for the future.
My Seneca pilot an able bodied pilot was literally mentally disabled by being a passenger to the well known wheel breaking Seneca porpoise. His was a sharp lesson and i am sure he will never make that mistake again and the same goes with this physically disabled pilot
If this pilot had been born without a lower forearm would the decision as to whether to grant him a licence or not been different? Or was the decision made because he already had a commercial pilots licence? If this was the case was his personal abilities and characteristics taken into consideration? I can see a precedent being set here.
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Rome
Age: 49
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Pace,
you're right, there are issues which need to be addressed, I'm sure that the authority has already taken measures to make sure that any unlikely future occurrence will not happen.
you're right, there are issues which need to be addressed, I'm sure that the authority has already taken measures to make sure that any unlikely future occurrence will not happen.
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: flyover country USA
Age: 82
Posts: 4,579
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sir Douglas Robert Steuart Bader of the RAF has already been mentioned here. And on this side of the pond, race pilot Benny Howard also lost a leg - and got a punctured lung - when his racer threw a prop blade. He went on to excel as a test pilot for Douglas Aircraft.
He never retired, but died of emphysema in 1970 - a heavy smoker.
He never retired, but died of emphysema in 1970 - a heavy smoker.
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
Age: 50
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If I am not mistaken I believe this guy actualy lost his arm in a crash following a collision with a yacht mast whilst flying a light twin about 15 to 20 years ago in Australia.
Sims Fly Virtually
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Used to be 3rd Sand Dune from the Left - But now I'm somewhere else somewhere else.
Posts: 704
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Collision?
A light aircraft collided with a yacht? Was he flying very low, or was the yacht airborne ??*^&!
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
Age: 50
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The incident I am referring to allegedly involved a low pass that went wrong for unknown reason......Would be interesting to read the report if anyone could point to it.
Hit the mast
Unless my memory fails me (and it does, from time to time) the incident was in Yampi Sound north of Derby WA and the pilot lost his arm while ditching.
I think the incident had something to do with opening the door prior to ditching and then his arm was guillotined by the door.
I thought that it was an Islander operated by Aerial Enterprises but would not swear to that being true.
Ironically, at the North-West tip of Yampi Sound is the community of One-Arm Point
I think the incident had something to do with opening the door prior to ditching and then his arm was guillotined by the door.
I thought that it was an Islander operated by Aerial Enterprises but would not swear to that being true.
Ironically, at the North-West tip of Yampi Sound is the community of One-Arm Point
Last edited by WingNut60; 22nd Sep 2014 at 08:27.
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Sweden
Age: 47
Posts: 443
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
@JohnFTEng
I believe this is what you are referring to? --> Red Arrows: A dramatic incident | Royal Air Force | Armed Forces | Topics | My Brighton and Hove
No mention of the nationality of this pilot but I would guess he was British, at least when the crash occurred.
The one-armed gentleman in question is probably Australian.
Or did I miss something here?
I believe this is what you are referring to? --> Red Arrows: A dramatic incident | Royal Air Force | Armed Forces | Topics | My Brighton and Hove
No mention of the nationality of this pilot but I would guess he was British, at least when the crash occurred.
The one-armed gentleman in question is probably Australian.
Or did I miss something here?
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
Age: 50
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
http://www.atsb.gov.au/media/27034/aair198900237.pdf
Link to the the Austrailian accident investigation report.
Shocking reading, particularly as the pilot declined to give any reasons for the accident. Reference is made to poor judgment and carrying out an unauthorised manouveur which saw the aircraft crash into the sea following a low pass over a boat.
So ....Question....assuming this is one and the same guy which I have reason to believe it is.
What was he doing on the flight deck of a Flybe aircraft in the first place?
Link to the the Austrailian accident investigation report.
Shocking reading, particularly as the pilot declined to give any reasons for the accident. Reference is made to poor judgment and carrying out an unauthorised manouveur which saw the aircraft crash into the sea following a low pass over a boat.
So ....Question....assuming this is one and the same guy which I have reason to believe it is.
What was he doing on the flight deck of a Flybe aircraft in the first place?
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
Age: 50
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Maybe he did but IMHO the most relevant and damning part of the report is that he apparently chose to remain silent rather than give an account of his actions.
........To err is human and in the right circumstances forgiveable....but keep zippo in case one might incriminate oneself further than the damning evidence of the simple facts does not sit well with the Chief Pilot of Flybe's pride in being an "equal opportunity employer"
As a fare paying passenger of FLYBE ...occasionaly...I am not at all impressed.
........To err is human and in the right circumstances forgiveable....but keep zippo in case one might incriminate oneself further than the damning evidence of the simple facts does not sit well with the Chief Pilot of Flybe's pride in being an "equal opportunity employer"
As a fare paying passenger of FLYBE ...occasionaly...I am not at all impressed.
