accident in NQ

https://mypolice.qld.gov.au/blog/2019/04/09/fatal-plane-crash-herberton-range/

 

 

Bit of an odd story. I don't know how true all this is. Scuttlebutt round the local traps this morning. 

 

IFR equipped C182 and IFR capable pilot ( don't know if he was on an IFR plan or if was current) 

 

Left Charters Towers with a phone call made to a maintenance facility in Townsville about going there for an oil change ( that's the story - oil change is really not a big deal to do yourself) but also had a passenger waiting for him at Mt Garnet airstrip to be picked up and taken to Atherton. I don't know if the planned time of pickup allowed for the trip to Townsville as well or if he had double booked himself. 

 

Didn't go to Townsville but headed directly off toward Mt Garnet but at some point didn't go to Mt Garnet either and tracked further east and headed toward Atherton. Crashed about 20 km from Atherton ( way past and offtrack for Mt Garnet so must have made a plan to bypass it. ) the passenger  at Mt Garnet raised the alarm when he never appeared but by then he had already bypassed it and headed for Atherton. No contact or message about changing plan.

 

Theres radio coverage at altitude in some Of the areas areas but lower down it gets patchy. I've flown that area heaps of times and there's variable mobile phone coverage as well at altitude. 

 

I was at Atherton Airport at the time and the weather was good all afternoon mostly all blue sky though a bit windy. I didn't take much notice if there was bad weather to the south west where he crashed. Often is cloud there but as best I recall it was clear there.

 

Starts making you wonder if he was confusional at the time. Medical issue maybe??? 

 

 

The rescue chopper has been grounded and unable to access the site further, due to meteorological conditions. Read, intermittent rain and low cloud. Also, quite treacherous terrain, as with most aircraft crashes in hilly, heavily wooded regions.

 

https://www.northqueenslandregister.com.au/story/6010350/pilot-dies-in-plane-crash/

 

 

So sad to hear, but as we all grow older, we hopefully still manage to do what is close to our heart.

 

RIP, and condolences to the family and friends. 

 

Mother nature is not always kind to the decisions that we take.

 

 

RIP

 

It would be a good idea to leave any speculation to the gossipers and not bring it into this forum.

 

Another sad day for aviation not to mention friends, family and the people who have to attend these tragic incidents.

 

 

 

 

RIP

It would be a good idea to leave any speculation to the gossipers and not bring it into this forum.

 

Another sad day for aviation not to mention friends, family and the people who have to attend these tragic incidents.

 

 

This is not the ATSB, it's a forum where people can discuss scenarios that new pilots may be completely unaware of, and so save their lives.

 

The discussions on this forum often go down paths which have nothing to do with the actual crash, but provide valuable lessons which are no longer taught officially by processes like MacArthur Job's Aviation Safety Digests.

 

Just recently we saw some valuable discussion on how Density Altitude is so critical to flight performance.

 

On the other hand, in many cases, speculation on this forum has been identical to the final report, giving pilots a couple of years jump on the education process. (even though you cannot be sure of the cause in the actual case until proper inspection and analysis has been carried out by the official channels.

 

 

Thanks Turbo

 

I didn’t look at it like that but now that you have pointed it out speculation is a great asset to have in your tool kit.

 

My speculation is to make sure that facts are what you make decisions on and scenarios are what you use as a decision making tool for what you would do if you are faced with a similar situation.

 

ATSB ? really I thought that is what the forum was sorry.

 

Whatever 

 

 

I see no problem with people posting their opinions. As TP said, we are often pretty much on the money. Also if someone posts an opinion that is based on a misunderstanding of aircraft performance factors in all their various guises, then there are others capable to pointing to the right direction.

 

Just as long as differences in opinion don't lead to slinging matches. Polite, reasonable debate is always welcomed.

 

 

... speculation is a great asset to have in your tool kit.

.....

 

ATSB ? really

"Possible causes, or contributory factors, of an accident may be explored and opinion given based on the poster’s demonstrated reasons for giving such opinion."

 

 

 Conclusions based on assumptions or excessive speculations are not worth much. Some one "could have done or not done" many things but if you were not there you do not know for certain what happened unless an effective  actual data recovery facility is available..  The actual judgement needs to be held back till the facts are obtained if any justice is to be maintained for individuals involved.  Discussion over possible causal factors is often very useful IF valuable relevant knowledge is brought to light in the discussion process .  Full investigation of incidents /accidents helps prevent similar occurrences happening into the future. That's always been the way it works with aviation and one of the reasons it's as safe as it is.  Nev