BC Plane Crash - Nakusp

[cptn2016]

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/dead+ ... story.html

One dead and one taken to hospital. Condolences to the families.

[kevind]

Kakusp? Did they mean Nakusp? Did the media get it wrong again?

[kevind]

At least the local paper knows where they are

http://www.bclocalnews.com/kootenay_roc ... 32123.html

[crazy_aviator]

Unfortunately, it looks like a glassy water landing. With a lake that large, you need to basically do an instrument approach from 200 feet, 250-300 fpm down, perfect attitude and adjust power to maintain descent rate, at touchdown , power off and controls back a known amount for the A/C. Its an easy procedure once learned.

[Cat Driver]

I wonder how many float plane pilots there are out there who never saw glassy water doing their sea plane rating?

[WileyCoyote]

I was lucky I guess, the only thing I wasn't able to do was sailing during my 7 hour...

[MUSICMAAN]

Unfortunately, it looks like a glassy water landing. With a lake that large, you need to basically do an instrument approach from 200 feet, 250-300 fpm down, perfect attitude and adjust power to maintain descent rate, at touchdown , power off and controls back a known amount for the A/C. Its an easy procedure once learned.

If I may speak up only for the purpose ofconstructive criticizim, you really don't want any more than 150 fpm descent rate for a glassy water approach

MM

[Nordo]

I wonder how many float plane pilots there are out there who never saw glassy water doing their sea plane rating?

I would imagine there are a ton of guys out there who have not seen glass. I would even bet there are a few who have maybe even seen a season without seeing it. I did mine in two days and never saw glass once. The first time I saw glass was working. I had a lake the size of Detroit and I followed the shore as long as I could then set up and waited. It was tense, I remember that. I dropped off my cargo and when my boss flew in after me in the second plane, I told him I was going out to do circuits, and I did four or five more. Thats how I learned......not ideal. But I have to dissagree with crazy; 300 fpm is way too fast for glass. 150 is ideal and 200 is max.

My condolences to the family and the friends for the sudden loss.

[robertsailor1]

If you have an engine failure at lower altitude I can understand how a pilot could lose it. With no engine its not so easy to set up 150-200 fpm decent when your low. I've done many glassy water landings and its not that hard with power but I never tried one with a simulated engine failure from low altitude...don't think that bit of practice would be that high on my to do list.

[PanEuropean]

Is a radar altimeter (in good working order) a dependable source of height above the water for the purpose of making a glassy water landing?

Michael

[snoopy]

Unless you have lots of altitude when the engine quits, the last thing you will be worried about is glassy water. When it happened to me in a C-185 I was in a base turn setting up for a long shallow glassy final approach. "Oh shit - I guess we're landing" is what I said to my passenger, after that you fly it down. Thankfully I got lucky and surprised myself with a smooth landing - I've often thought about the potential consequences if things hadn't turned out so well.

Does anyone know if this was a commercial flight?

Kirsten B.

[robertsailor1]

Simple VSI works fine

[cncpc]

Unless you have lots of altitude when the engine quits, the last thing you will be worried about is glassy water. When it happened to me in a C-185 I was in a base turn setting up for a long shallow glassy final approach. "Oh shit - I guess we're landing" is what I said to my passenger, after that you fly it down. Thankfully I got lucky and surprised myself with a smooth landing - I've often thought about the potential consequences if things hadn't turned out so well.

Does anyone know if this was a commercial flight?

Kirsten B.

No it wasn't, Kirsten. Something with square wingtips, square tail.

[crazy_aviator]

Perhaps its been too long since i taught glassy water landings ! Sorry if i have led anyone astray. The descent rate that is picked should allow the plane to land within the confines of the lake while also providing a FIRM touchdown. Since ground effect will cushion the descent rate, you wont see 150 FPM as the plane enters ground effect, if you maintained 150 fpm on the approach.

[cncpc]

http://www.bclocalnews.com/kootenay_roc ... 32123.html

Scroll to bottom for updates.

[Indanao]

I see he never mentioned engine failure. ( If it were, best glide range speed for flap setting - no flaps if high enough to remove them - giving minimum descent rate, wings level, try to touch slightly nose up, doors open, fly the dials, and take what you get? )

[Indanao]

I wonder how many float plane pilots there are out there who never saw glassy water doing their sea plane rating?

I would imagine there are a ton of guys out there who have not seen glass. I would even bet there are a few who have maybe even seen a season without seeing it. ..........
My condolences to the family and the friends for the sudden loss.

I doubt there is a float plane pilot in Canada who has never seen glassy water. If they have minimum time they may never have landed on it. All were taught during training, but conditions may not have been glassy.

This fellow had been doing it for forty years.

[cncpc]

It wasn't engine failure. He was landing at Nakusp Marina to get his buddy a fishing license.

[Cat Driver]

What do the front section of the floats in that picture tell you about the attitude at touch down?

[Hornblower]

I guess I'll beat the TSB to the punch ... must have been the external load that caused it ... no way it was : pilot experience, pilot skill, water conditions, wind conditions, mechanical problems. Of course I could be wrong, they (the TSB) may also decide to cite as causal factors ... wait for it ... UNAPPROVED FLOAT BALLS.

[robertsailor1]

This quote was in the local paper by an eye witness.

Nakusp resident Ray Lythgoe was taking a stroll along the Nakusp waterfront shortly after 8 a.m. He heard a plane engine sputter and die, and looked up to see the descending plane.

"I heard the motor go dead," Lythgoe said, "then a big splash." Conditions were sunny and calm at the time.

[robertsailor1]

Take it back, earlier quote. Later quote from the pilot confirms pilot error.

[pilotidentity]

To all you glassy water experts out there you should read the news update - the 79 year old pilot had been flying for 40 years - he knew how to land on glassy water - he admitted he just f'd it up.

[Redneck_pilot86]

Why is it that the First Air thread is full of people complaining about using an accident the speculate on the cause, but in this thread the third poster has all the answers and noone has any problem with this?

[180]

Why is it that the First Air thread is full of people complaining about using an accident the speculate on the cause, but in this thread the third poster has all the answers and noone has any problem with this?

He was repeating what he read in the news report from the previous poster. The pilot was interviewed and said he was tricked by the glassy water. It's not speculation when it comes from the horse's...