Fatal Crash - Gabriola Island - Dec 10, 2019

[rookiepilot]

Referencing commentary that has been posted, perhaps( in my view) this could be considered as a “task saturated” single pilot operation towards the end of a long flight, evening time approach in less than stellar wx. Sadly it ended in tragic consequences for what was regarded as well respected and experienced aviator and his companions.

Fatigue is sadly a real factor in accidents.

[cncpc]

https://globalnews.ca/news/6291197/pilo ... scue-work/

This article is saying he reported an instrument failure.

There was talk of some "instrument" problem within hours of the accident. They went along the lines of "the family says there was some problem with the ILS". The Global story is unattributed, unless someone knows somebody in Nanaimo FSS or whatever they have, someone who heard the distress call that was was certainly made. Now it has morphed into a problem with the aircraft's instruments, rather than the navaid.

I see the CBC has gotten a story out with info from the CADORS and a super expert I steered them to. That may be coming on the evening news. But the distress call was about instrument problems.

This is still all very hard to believe. Some instruments failed? Sure. That that caused this accident with a man of this experience and I expect character at the controls, raises a lot of questions.

I agree with all those posters here who point to fatigue as possibly being the last hole in the cheese.

[cncpc]

I thought I posted a link to a Global story with someone mumbling about instrument failure. Bill Yearwood appeared and says there was a distress call, but he didn't mention instrument failure.

Ah, interesting, I hadn't heard about the mayday yet. Well, if things were happening fast, it's possible he became task saturated quickly and didn't give a complete picture of the situation in his call.

I'd say that from the time of the call to the impact was less than one minute. I think the trouble part comes in that tight 180 reversal right at the end of the flightradar 24 track video. Which I suppose is stating the obvious, but in order to say that it was very normal up to that point.

People saw the aircraft lights from the ground, that should mean the lights on the ground were visible. I do know that there is an expert opinion that he may have recovered and then lost it finally.

Icing may well have come into play as well. static vent, pitot tube, or both.

[Jean-Pierre]

Attitude indicator failure is insidious. It is not like at the flying school where someone sticks a cover on it while you are straight and level VMC. It can degrade slowly and still show sort of correct indication. If it happen as you are maneuvering for an approach and trying to manage a descent as well in night IMC you will be very confused. Why the airspeed is rising rapidly and altitude is falling though you think you are level. You maybe realize you are descending and pull back on the yoke and that just tighten your spiral into the ground. The weather is below minimum when you break out with only second to impact in a near vertical attitude.

[cncpc]

This is the latest CBC report. It talks of an "equipment issue" which has been presumed to be instrument failure. There is a CADOR. More on the television news coming up.

Yvette Brend is a national award winning journalist.

[RatherBeFlying]

Aviation Consumer some decades ago ran one or more articles on the foibles of the Aerostar fuel system. I recall a mockup was made of the fuel system to investigate. Unporting may have added to the difficulties.

[Big Pistons Forever]

The Aerostar has a very simple fuel system. The 2 wet wing tanks gravity drain into a fuselage center tank which feeds both engines. The only way to get into trouble in this airplane is double cross feed the wing tanks which is prohibited and really dumb.

[CpnCrunch]

Icing may well have come into play as well. static vent, pitot tube, or both.

I don't think icing was an issue. Freezing level was up at 5000ft, with no forecast icing even above that:

http://gfaarchive.info/gfaDisplay.php?r ... Offset=000

(2 hours after this GFA).

[iflyforpie]

An instrument failure might not be an instrument failure, either. Your flying could be off and you don’t recognize the instrument is giving you the correct reading of the wrong control or performance.

To me this sounds like task saturation and fatigue. Single pilot. End of the day. Night. Bad weather. Pressure. Lots of strikes against and even if it was within the capability of plane and pilot... a failure occurs and you’re already so loaded up that you’ve got nothing left to deal with it.

[corethatthermal]

I would imagine a back-up electrical AI would be the norm nowadays ! ( maybe even a light to inform its functionality too? ) Looking at my newly acquired project c-150 , I looked around and couldn't find the low oil pressure warning light !! Damn, twins and larger A/C have "dummy" lights for everything including smoking on the pot, so WHY has no one come up with a low oil press. light STC so the pilot can immediately look at the gauge to confirm and maybe save a life or 2? HMM, I am installing a light from the hobbs txdcr, to hell with the regs !!!

[cncpc]

I would imagine a back-up electrical AI would be the norm nowadays ! ( maybe even a light to inform its functionality too? ) Looking at my newly acquired project c-150 , I looked around and couldn't find the low oil pressure warning light !! Damn, twins and larger A/C have "dummy" lights for everything including smoking on the pot, so WHY has no one come up with a low oil press. light STC so the pilot can immediately look at the gauge to confirm and maybe save a life or 2? HMM, I am installing a light from the hobbs txdcr, to hell with the regs !!!

It's all about you, isn't it? Three people are dead and you"re gibbering on about smoking on the pot.

[cncpc]

An instrument failure might not be an instrument failure, either. Your flying could be off and you don’t recognize the instrument is giving you the correct reading of the wrong control or performance.

To me this sounds like task saturation and fatigue. Single pilot. End of the day. Night. Bad weather. Pressure. Lots of strikes against and even if it was within the capability of plane and pilot... a failure occurs and you’re already so loaded up that you’ve got nothing left to deal with it.

It's possible they came all the way from Cabo that day. US Customs in Calexico or Yuma, stop in Bishop, then three hours or more on that final leg.

I think its worse to act on a mistaken belief that an instrument is broken, that for it to actually be broken. At least the things you do for partial panel do save you if you really have partial panel.

[cncpc]

Icing may well have come into play as well. static vent, pitot tube, or both.

I don't think icing was an issue. Freezing level was up at 5000ft, with no forecast icing even above that:

http://gfaarchive.info/gfaDisplay.php?r ... Offset=000

(2 hours after this GFA).

Yes, but you have an airplane coming down cold from 25,000, even a static port iced up is going to manifest an an equipment issue if the heat wasn't on, or wasn't working.

Airframe icing, yes, that should have been resolved. But subtler stuff like a blocked port maybe not.

[pelmet]

Icing may well have come into play as well. static vent, pitot tube, or both.

I don't think icing was an issue. Freezing level was up at 5000ft, with no forecast icing even above that:

http://gfaarchive.info/gfaDisplay.php?r ... Offset=000

(2 hours after this GFA).

Yes, but you have an airplane coming down cold from 25,000, even a static port iced up is going to manifest an an equipment issue if the heat wasn't on, or wasn't working.

Airframe icing, yes, that should have been resolved. But subtler stuff like a blocked port maybe not.

I’m not sure. Do many light aircraft certified for known ice have heated static ports.

[cncpc]

I can't say for sure. Now. I always thought they did. I thought it was boots, electric or alcohol on the props, windshield, fuel vent, pitot, and static vent. I suppose alternate static air may suffice,but that is a setup that you have to activate when the trouble has already started.

[goldeneagle]

I’m not sure. Do many light aircraft certified for known ice have heated static ports.

It's one of the required items to be certified for flight into known ice.

[Jean-Pierre]

Guys a pitot static instrument failure or blockage is not going to bring down an airplane like this because the pilot can just switch to attitude+power. A gyro instrument failure is much harder to deal with.

[corethatthermal]

and maybe save a life or 2

My post was about equipment additions that could save lives ! An electric horizon has already saved lives, a warning light for impending engine failure will do likewise !
In any accident, we all look for ways to improve and prevent, both in our own careers and the whole !

[corethatthermal]

My simple old Garmin 296 has a page with the 6 pack on it,,,, can get you on the ground with a pitot-static failure , however there are slight delays! Who is practicing imc with a simple instrument like this? Why hasn't there been a simple and inexpensive solution for a more advanced GPS based full ( back-up ) panel for smaller A/C ? Oh I know and you know too!

[boeingboy]

My post was about equipment additions that could save lives ! An electric horizon has already saved lives, a warning light for impending engine failure will do likewise !
In any accident, we all look for ways to improve and prevent, both in our own careers and the whole !