That report seems to have dealt with the incredible rumours which were going around (basically, the police were suggesting the guy faked his disappearance) but it doesn’t say very much useful – not least because they didn’t bother to retrieve the wreckage. I don’t believe the earlier story that the wreckage disappeared after the diver “accidentally” found it, or indeed that the found it accidentally.
The pre-accident track was obviously on autopilot so this looks like an autopilot failure, probably in IMC or poor vis. The pilot incapacitation theory would surely mean the aircraft would fly on until it ran out of fuel.
Post 1500 is meaningless – no doubt because the mods are desperately deleting postings on that thread.
I am fine with this in Hangar Talk but can we please start any discussion on the Malaysian airliner under a new heading, still in Hangar Talk?
This thread is about the SR22.
Correction: I suspect you mean this bit of text, which appears a bit further back:
I thought the chances of amateur divers locating the wreckage by accident were incredibly small. It seemed obvious that they were given the coordinates.
Post 1500 on the missing Malaysian airliner in ppxxxx is said to be from a friend of the pilot and says what hapened .
Any news on this accident?
It has gone very quiet. There have been reports in various places that scuba divers “accidentally” discovered the wreckage.
There are several possibilities:
As you suggest, the impact could have torn the risers out when the fuselage shattered. I don't think this has been seen before.
The rocket could have fired on impact and the parachute then dragged under as the plane sank. There have been a number of rockets that have fired on impact.
An intentional deployment within design parameters. This is very unlikely as the impact speed was obviously far higher than would have been the case.
An intentional deployment done to late with the chute being dragged under. This is a possibility and is something that has happened in a number of Cirrus fatal accidents.
Is it possible to be certain about that? Presumably any impact sufficient to tear the airframe apart may also pull the parachute cords and cables out.
An interesting picture in that report, the small piece of wreckage shows clearly that there had been a CAPS deployment on this aircraft!
It was for some time based at Shoreham EGKA, as a "zero equity" group, hence the "KA".
I flew in it once or twice, years ago. The eventual rental was in the region of £300/hr so not a cheap way to fly to Le Touquet, which seemed to be its primary mission. The scheme collapsed recently and somebody bought it.
It was one of several; another being N147KB which was based at EGKB, etc.
A rather curious angle here and here and here
Sgt Andy Thomas, from Hampshire Police, said the force was conducting a missing person investigation and working with international police as part of its inquiries.
"I'm keeping an open mind as to what has happened to Mr Schornstein.
"We're releasing a picture of him in case he has been spotted since, or if anyone else has important information that can assist us," he said.
I have never read anything like that before.
