Plane crash at Essendon DFO

[JessicaTam]

The ABC news has just reported that the flight recorder has been recovered. I can't find a link, sorry.

I am surprised that an aircraft of that size would have one. I associate them with larger RPT.

 

[Quickstatus]

The ABC news has just reported that the flight recorder has been recovered. I can't find a link, sorry.

I am surprised that an aircraft of that size would have one. I associate them with larger RPT.

I recall the "larger" refers to aircraft with MTOW of at least approx 5000-6000kg (unable to be exact without searching for document) which are turbine powered. Exception is aircraft used for farm operations?

I think the super king airs are in this range for MTOW and are also turbine powered

 

[AviatorInsight]

The ABC news has just reported that the flight recorder has been recovered. I can't find a link, sorry.

I am surprised that an aircraft of that size would have one. I associate them with larger RPT.

An aircraft of maximum take-off weight:

1. (a) In excess of 5 700 kg and which is:
   1. (i) turbine powered; or
   2. (ii) of a type first certificated in its country of manufacture on or after1 July 1965;
   shall not be flown (except in agricultural operations) unless it is equipped with anapproved flight data recorder and an approved coughpit voice recorder system;
2. (b) Less than or equal to 5 700 kg and which is:
   1. (i) pressurised; and
   2. (ii) turbine powered by more than 1 engine; and
   3. (iii) of a type certificated in its country of manufacture for operation with morethan eleven places; and
   4. (iv) issued with its initial Australian Certificate of airworthiness after1 January 1988;

shall not be flown unless it is equipped with an approved coughpit voice recordersystem.

From what I can gather the B200 King Air has a MTOW of 5,670kg so only a CVR is all that is required. If it did indeed have an FDR on board then all the more information for investigators, which is a great thing for any investigation.

 

[jb747]

I wouldn't have thought there was a great deal of point to a CVR in a single pilot aircraft.

 

[turtlemichael]

I wouldn't have thought there was a great deal of point to a CVR in a single pilot aircraft.

To capture passenger intervention on the flight deck maybe?

 

[AviatorInsight]

Is there any requirement for "boutique commercial" pilots to spend time in a simulator?

For the pilot? No. For the aircraft? That depends. So if a commercial pilot is flying a single engine Cessna, then no they do not need to spend time in the simulator. If they're a commercial pilot flying a Saab/Dash 8 then yes. However, in a B200 King Air? This is a tricky one. From what I can gather in the legislation, there was an amendment in 2013 that stated that if there was a simulator for that aircraft type in Australia, for new endorsements that required emergency procedures, that these must be done in the simulator. If I remember correctly, it was after a Brasilia that crashed in DRW (?) during simulated engine failures on take off.

The thing is that in the regulations:

Mandate simulator use for licence endorsement training regardless of the class ofoperation in which the pilot will be engaged:

• multi-engine aircraft with 10 to 19 passenger seats if a simulator is availablein Australia (Option 1);
• aircraft with 20 passenger seats or more if a simulator is available withinAustralia or a country recognised by Australia (Option 2); and
• any other aeroplane not captured by the above passenger criteria, with amaximum take-off weight above 8,618kg if a simulator is available withinAustralia or a country recognised by Australia (Option 3)

So, if the King Air has 10 or more seats (this one had 9), or a MTOW of greater than 8,618kg (this is 5,670kg) then checks must be in the simulator. Happy to be corrected though!

 

[straitman]

Some initial reports was the plane turning left and presumably back to only empty place to crash (the airport). Other reports describe it as veering left.

Essendon air crash: Investigators scour plane wreckage, find 'interesting facets'

I am now down to shaking my head with where you are going with this and this photo is totally out of context with how it was originally published.

If not the pilot, then who? The King Air is a designed to be flown single pilot, hence the one pilot and 4 passengers. ATC are able to hit the crash button to initiate emergency services if they can see an aircraft in distress, but I've never known them to put out a mayday call.

Remaining OT for just a moment. I have seen (heard) the tower put out a mayday call.

About 1972 an RAAF F4E did a touch and go on its drop tanks at Amberley. The crew were unaware and were streaming fuel from the tanks and the tower called a mayday on their behalf. Still unaware it was them they even offered to go and assist the mayday aircraft.

 

[Skyring]

This thread is about not just the circumstances of an aircraft crash but of the sudden and horrifying deaths of five of our fellow human beings. Please, a little respect.

 

[fairbasa]

Preliminary findings have been released regarding the incident by the ATSB.

A summary of findings so far:

• The aircraft was configured with 10° of flap
• The landing gear was in the extended and locked position
• On-site examination of the wreckage did not identify any pre-existing faults with the aircraft that could have contributed to the accident
• The cores of both engines were rotating and that there was no evidence of pre-impact failure of either engine’s internal components
• Both propellers exhibited evidence of rotation
• The CVR was successfully downloaded however, no audio from the accident flight was recorded
• The pilot made a mayday call, repeating the word ‘MAYDAY’ seven times within that transmission

 

[serfty]

Pilot error blamed for Essendon DFO plane crash that left five people dead - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

---

Pilot error was responsible for a small plane crash that killed five people in Melbourne last year, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has found.

Key points:

• The report found the aircraft's rudder trim was left in the wrong position causing the plane to turn sharply to the left
• ATSB boss Greg Hood said the crash could have been prevented if the pilot had used a checklist prior to take-off
• The pilot and four American tourists died when the Beechcraft B200 Super King crashed shortly after take-off in February 2017

Today, the ATSB ruled the aircraft's rudder trim was left in the wrong position, causing the aircraft to turn — or "yaw" — sharply to the left after take off.

It also prevented the aircraft from climbing.

The report said the pilot had five opportunities to pick up the error and the crash highlighted the importance of following a coughpit checklist.

 

[Quickstatus]

ATSB report:
Investigation: AO-2017-024 - Loss of control and collision with terrain involving B200 King Air, VH-ZCR at Essendon Airport, Victoria on 21 February 2017

 

[jb747]

• The report found the aircraft's rudder trim was left in the wrong position causing the plane to turn sharply to the left
• ATSB boss Greg Hood said the crash could have been prevented if the pilot had used a checklist prior to take-off

I don't know that I get this. Yes, the rudder trim would have caused a very nasty yaw....not dissimilar to an engine failure. But, the first reaction to the yaw in after an engine failure is to STOP the yaw, and point the aircraft where you want. Then you trim it out.....at which point we should have been back to normal.

So, I guess I see this as an error that should have been readily fixed, and should never have had the outcome that it did.

 

[flyer89]

So, I guess I see this as an error that should have been readily fixed, and should never have had the outcome that it did.

Perhaps a case of experience not necessarily equaling competence? Although given that he had recently undergone some CASA checks one wonders...

 

[Quickstatus]

I don't know that I get this. Yes, the rudder trim would have caused a very nasty yaw....not dissimilar to an engine failure. But, the first reaction to the yaw in after an engine failure is to STOP the yaw, and point the aircraft where you want. Then you trim it out.....at which point we should have been back to normal.

So the question is whether the pilot managed to stop the yaw?. Sounds he was battling the yaw until the end and didn’t touch the trim