Fatal S-3 Mishap last year

[firstthird]

There have been at least 2 near misses with P-3s and terrain in the last 10 years, even after the mosa procedures. Both were cases of the NAV using the wrong chart (1 to 2,000,000 vs. a 1 to 500,000 or 1 to 1,000,000). The smaller two show ALL terrain whereas the 1 to 2,000,000 scale omits some of the 'smaller' islands. Which aren't so small if you hit them, of course.

If I remember correctly, one of the recent near misses the crew did a run in to mark on top (versus an offset run in that would be preferred, hindsight and all) of a 'ship' at 1000 feet, well, the ship was around 850 feet tall (an island which wasn't on the chart the Nav was using) they figured it out as their radalt went from 1000 feet to 150 feet and back in a few seconds, making low RAWS go off (low raws being the 170 feet and below warning, whereas high raws is 380 feet)

Pilots and radar operators are also repsonsible for the navigation/islands/charts at low alts, but generally it was the NAV that had the chart out the most. Not sure how that would work in an S-3 with less guys and not as much table space.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

Sounds like both cases the NAV was in direct violation of NATOPS by not having a 1:1,000,000 chart or better. Violating rules written in blood is never a very good idea.

 

[rhinodriver]

charts

As crazy as it sounds most of the time nobody in the jet had any chart at all. The ship moves around so much that we never had the charts on board. There was usually a large chart of the whole area on the ready room wall but that was more to just see generally where we were. If there was something significant about the airspace it was usually briefed on the CVIC brief by the intel folks. Chances of something like this being briefed... slim to none... Until after it happened anyway.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

Any bets that there will be new terrain avoidance procedures for the tacair bubbas?