Cessna 172 down in ORL, caught on tape

[fastandlow]

In the right seat, http://images.ibsys.com/2005/0111/4073035.jpg can't imagine he did not see all of that green, it's everywhere, all he had to do is kick the right rudder hard to the floor and land.

When I saw the video, there was someone right in the middle of the fairway to his right. About that time, he veered left and began contacting the wires and light pole. Also, he didn't hit *anyone* on the ground. Something to be said for this.

As for the morality (?) of discussing this type of thing, I believe there's a subtle difference between judging someone unfairly and learning from an accident. The only thing I learned from this is that the hitting trees are better than trying to weave down a street and catching a light pole right in the windscreen. Trying to save the plane may have come into this decision - maybe.

 

[RideTheWind]

Yes, it would be difficult to steer around 1 person. There is a lot of green in that picture, it is a shame he didn't look that way, could still be alive.

 

[SlamClicker]

Another question that comes to mind is who was on the controls? The pilot in the left seat? The pilot with the most hours? The pilot with the most ratings? Both pilots? I'm sure this will come out in the NTSB investigation.

If you were the non-flying pilot and an accident was imminent, a concrete power pole headed right for you, would you grab the controls? I'm thinking I would.

I once had a pilot in the right seat offer to take the controls while his hands were in motion. This was'nt an instructional flight and we were equal in flight time and ratings. We were in moderate turbulence at ~3000 ft cruise in a C172 and no immeadiate danger. Strangely, as I was turning away from the nearby thunderstorm he suggested we might try to fly thru a hole in the cells.

 

[Tinstaafl]

I live in College Park, where the golf course is. There isn't any more golf course beyond where he hit the power pole. Continuing in the direction they were going is a small-ish carpark, then a street then houses. The carpark lies between crash site road & the club house.

They didn't seem to be aligned with the fairway associated with the green next to the crash site, more like they were paralleling the road. It's difficult to judge due to the short duration of the broadcast film clip.

Many of us have lost friends & colleagues. My sympathies to his family & workmates.

 

[B6Busdriver]

Watch the video, it's not Armchair quarterbacking nothing, he passes a huge golfcourse, ever heard of a slip to get down?

Well Chuck Yeager I hope you are on your A game when the big day comes.

 

[SDF2BUF2MCO]

While both pilots had a good amount of total flight time we don't know how much time and/or recent time they had in the airplane they were flying. Stating the obvious, there is a difference in handling characteristics in a bugsmasher compared to a "full-size" plane.

While we can second guess of what they should have done, I would like to know what caused the problem in the first place that forced them to have to use their emergency skills.

On another note, I noticed tonight's FAA Wings Safety Meeting (7P at Orlando City Hall) is entitled "Emergency Operations".

 

[Tinstaafl]

I've gone to several of those meetings & am going to this one. I imagine it will be a sad & poignant one for Showalter who always have an involvement in these meetings.

 

[siucavflight]

For all you super pilots that like to sit back and make judgements about what happened, you ought to think before you type away with your brilliant insights. The flight instructor whom died was my best friend, my college roommate and fraternity brother.

I know he did what he could to save others from his fate, what we all hope to do in situations like these that ride the fine line between life and death. He will be missed. Godspeed, Dan.

Tailwinds...

Very sorry for your loss. I am sure that your friend was a great guy and will be very missed.

I know that it is hard to read of others being critical in relation to your friends mishap. It is so easy to sit here and say what we would have done better in that situation. Truth is no one knows until they are there. I would like to think that I could of as well but who knows. Again sorry for your loss, everyone in the aviation community hates to see this happen.

 

[wrxpilot]

Please excuse the intrusion by me on this topic, as I feel akward saying anything because of my inexperience. But I thought the article posted here was interesting... It mentioned that they had decreasing oil pressure and were not going to make Orlando Exec, and had picked a landing site at a high school football field. They then chose a different landing site (apparently this one?) and tragically didn't make it.

Hindsight is 20/20 and I hardly have any right to be making judgement calls, but during my PPL training my CFI told me that once I have chosen a forced landing sight, I was to treat it like a normal pattern at 1000 ft (i.e. NEVER do a long final), and NEVER start changing landing areas once I'd chosen one. Obviously you have to do something if you notice your first spot has power lines or some such thing, but the article makes it sound like they had at least a little time to find a place to ditch. I wonder if they fell into the changing landing areas trap?

It sure as hell would be hard for me to decide what to do if I was losing oil pressure but still making power. I wouldn't want to ditch immediatly if it was just oil pressure loss, but if I noticed the pressure going down and the oil temp shooting up, I would probably look immediatly for a place to land and follow through. A very sad and unfortunate circumstance, but hopefully low time guys like me can learn something from it.

 

[qmaster3]

Hindsight is 20/20 and I hardly have any right to be making judgement calls, but during my PPL training my CFI told me that once I have chosen a forced landing sight, I was to treat it like a normal pattern at 1000 ft (i.e. NEVER do a long final), and NEVER start changing landing areas once I'd chosen one. Obviously you have to do something if you notice your first spot has power lines or some such thing, but the article makes it sound like they had at least a little time to find a place to ditch. I wonder if they fell into the changing landing areas trap?
.

WRXPILOT, don't feel bad for bringing this up. I too am a low timer, and would like some feedback on this. Not suggesting that’s what these pilots did, but feel this point needs to be addressed. I was told by at least three CFI's to never change my landing spot. Maybe this tragedy will save a persons life one day.