It describes that he way 76 year old, and only started flying 12 years ago. His wife says (of course…) that he was a very careful flyer who would have “never taken off into bad weather” (…) …. that he flew a C172S together with her around the Mediterranean and that he had just bought the airplane.
The airplane was found six Miles from the Coast (first without the pilot) and when the Coast Guard discovered the first parts of the wreck visibility was 400 Meters … Wednesday when the weather was better they found bigger parts of the plane and the pilot …
So, it looks like he impacted the water high speed. …. 6 more miles and he could have survived by CAPS. But he guess that was not his mindset …
Six Miles. Should at least have proceeded straight through to the coast and pulled the chute over land. … Would have been a frustrating day, but he’d live.
… should
… could
… would
What use are empty words?
Flyer59 wrote:
It takes a long time to become a proficient
Nonsense. And the name calling doesn’t help your contention.
The transition training for the Cirrus is a mere 2-days with no prior experience with glass avionics. The G1000 is little more than a six pack with flight planning, EFB, autopilot and engine management display. Granted the G1000 is full of buttons and softkeys versus a touch interface like the G3x or Dynon Skyview has, but the layout and functionality is the same.
For those curious check this video out:
You don’t have to show Garmin instructional videos. You could have read here – from people with a lot of experience in G1000 equipped planes – that it is not as simple as you want to make it.
If you have no experience with glass cockpits you have no (zero) chance to fly a G1000/Perspective equipped Cirrus safely. Let alone in instrument conditions, for which it takes many weeks.
No name calling intended but you do not seem to have much practical experience with it. The other possibility: We are all idiots and you are a genius ;-)
The issue is the relative old age of the pilot which suggests to me that he most likely (thus in general) will not be very proficient with modern computer/IT stuff like smart phones and glass cockpits. Then, in a stressful situation, people in general reside to what they are comfortable with and habits. Now, if he was flying the 172s with G1000 glass cockpit before as the German article suggests (no mention of the G1000 but only of the 172s), then the transition to the Cirrus would indeed not be the biggest thing to do. I am not sure if the Skyhawk always comes with a G1000 …
AeroPlus wrote:
I am not sure if the Skyhawk always comes with a G1000?
Hm. When was the Skyhawk introduced? When the G1000? There must be some tongue-in-cheek in this question. (as perhaps suggested by the ominous … added later on … ;)
We are talking about the 172 S . Many of those have the G1000 cockpit.
Jan_Olieslagers wrote:
Hm. When was the Skyhawk introduced? When the G1000? There must be some tongue-in-cheek in this question. (as perhaps suggested by the ominous … added later on … ;)
Not came, comes. He was talking about new deliveries. And no, they don’t necessarily come with a G1000. I don’t know the ratio.
On December 3rd 2015 a scaringly similar fatal accident occurred to the one you are discussing here to a low hours VFR pilot who I knew quite well.
He left the Isle of Man solo for Blackpool in his newly purchased Guernsey registered Rockwell Commander 114B. The aircraft was a nice example with fresh paint job, standard avionics apart from a GTN750 and a near TBO engine. The pilot had gained his PPL in a 114B the previous year and at the time of the accident had approximately 150 hours total and VFR only. He learnt to fly at the age of 72, he was 73 at the time of the accident.
He was under some pressure to get the aircraft to Blackpool before he left for an extended holiday. On the morning of the accident the weather was not good (I did not see the actual data) but apparently marginal VFR (whatever that means). He took off at around 08:00 and flew low level (1500ft) towards Blackpool. The weather forcast for lunchtime onwards was for a deep Low Pressure area to move in which turned into the storm that flooded Northern England so badly that night so you can guess the weather situation in the morning.
3 miles from Blackpool the aircraft was lost to radar, no distress calls made, nothing. After a very large search some bits of the aircraft were found but that’s all. By the time of the search the weather had deteriorated so badly it had to be abandoned. Neither the plane or the pilot have been found to this day.
My opinion is:
1).The pilot was under pressure to get the plane to Blackpool before the bad weather and before he left on holiday
2).The pilot was inexperienced and in his 70’s. Albeit a very fit man.
3).He let the pressure override his weather judgement
4).A Rockwell Commander is a handful at the best of time (so I’m told). To learn in a complex aircraft must be difficult especially at age 72. At least he bought a 114B similar to the one he was taught in. He was taught to fly by a very well known and eminent instructor so I have no doubt he was well trained.
5).my guess is the cloud ceiling started to come down and down as he approached the coast at Blackpool as it does. He ended up scud running and found himself eventually with nowhere to go, in IMC with a turn around to perform. He probably stalled and crashed from low level.
Seems very similar to the Cirrus accident discussed on this thread.
The G1000 became an option in 2004 and since the end of 2005 (more than ten years now!) Cessna 172s are available only with the G1000.
