Two thougths.
First. According to the change in engine sound (reducing RPM) and the distance involved it looks like there was power reduced right before the wing stalled (sound comes slower than the video of course, so it’s only a guess because one would have to know the distance in between to sort that out). No thrust, no lift. However, the situation was already barely recoverable right at the beginning of the video. Would have necessitated experienced inputs. However there were no inputs.
As there were no inputs visible on the flight controls, could it be that the pilot somehow was incapacitated? Most accidents that I have witnessed had to do with some form of incapacitation or access to flight controls blocked.
What hits me hardest on that video is the voice, the comments of the spectators. It’s just so hard to see that they do not seem to bother or even understand that if one goes directly to the accident site and with just a tiny glimpse of idea you can make the difference in between someone surviving this or not. Someone dies and the only question is if he’s got that on tape. That is really hard to accept. Of course one can put arguments in between, say there was a small fence, and that’s a restricted area. But that’s only to excuse something that is to my eyes without excuse.
Peter wrote:
An SR22 stalls quite suddenly
No need to stress that here. With the high bank angle and low speed involved and no visible steering input any plane would have stalled at some time, also an Extra 400.
UdoR wrote:
It’s just so hard to see that they do not seem to bother
A few thoughts: their laughter is a normal reaction of human beings when exposed to unexpected events. This is a well-researched phenomenon. It’s basically a coping mechanism.
Also, unless you are wired for what to do, your brain will take time to assess what to do – usually, an untrained brain will say, “Stay away” and will freeze you.
All I’m trying to say is that I can understand the reaction.
I’m based in Duxford, and I know the pilot. Dux has a really good emergency team on the ground, so it took them less than a minute to get to the plane.
Yes the video sound track is not exactly inspiring but it was probably just some spotters who sit there all day in the hope of spotting something unusual so they can post it on spotter websites (not all of which are public, btw) and frankly the dialogue is as expected… Most spotters’ other interest is collecting airframe serial numbers!
I think he lifted off too early, below flying speed, and while he got airborne in ground effect, he stalled as soon as he was out of ground effect.
I can’t see what the rudder was doing but maybe someone can. A certified plane is supposed to have enough aileron+rudder authority to counteract engine torque at Vs but AFAIK not aileron-only.
I have heard that he bounced twice and this happened on the go around attempt. It makes sense given what we saw on the video…
The reaction from the spectators seems inappropriate, yes, but before criticising them have you ever witnessed a fatal aircraft accident? I have seen two and no one did anything, they all just stood there not sure what they just saw/how to react. Especially as a non pilot you’re really not going to be sure what you just witnessed, let alone how to react.
Long ago I stood with other pilots watching a tri-pacer or similar landing on a grass strip. The aeroplane went out of control and I, and others, stood rooted to the spot aghast. I turned to my friend standing beside me and only then realised that he was already half way across the field running toward the plane, which in the event recovered safely. Individual reactions may vary …
Looks to me like a power on stall. It definitely looks like in the go around phase. Full power can be heard. Did he retrim nose down too late and couldn’t keep the nose down or forgot to push? Was he skidding with too little right rudder? Did he panick when the wing started to go and tried to pick it up instead of lowering AoA and pushing the nose down first. Also power on stall is much more sudden so likely surprised and shocked him.
Damn, shame it has to cost a life to provide a cautionary video material.
Is the video online somewhere or just circulating on social media?
It’s attached to the dublinpilot wrote:
Is the video online somewhere or just circulating on social media?
It’s on this website – https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/372326
ASN says 0 fatalaties – is this an error? (It doesn’t look survivable)
Fernando wrote:
Dux has a really good emergency team on the ground, so it took them less than a minute to get to the plane.
OK that is good to hear.
IO390 wrote:
have you ever witnessed a fatal aircraft accident?
My first one aged 5. My second one aged 8, both times aircraft (military ones) hit the ground too close to me (both on air shows, the second one was Ramstein 1988). I still remember the heat wave from the latter accident and the total confusion around, the trucks carrying totally burnt people. And sadly enough I’ve witnessed quite some more later. In the air and on ground, being the one who spotted the wreck (or the paraglider spiralling down unable to recover, that was the begin of what made me stop flying paragliders) or the one to run to the crater. I’ve seen too much of that. And I’ve seen pilots climbing out of total wrecks, with just a scratch in the face and a shock.
