Plane crash Aspen

[Sparse]

So do those that circle to 33 make a right - hand pattern? I can't imagine a left downwind/base - it seems you would be snagging skiers off of the lift.

I think I saw a dash do it
Once and if I recall it was a right downwind to 33.

 

[chqflyer]

When I lived in PHX I airlined to ASE on Sky West. I woke up to a radical dive through a broken layer to circle to 33. Oh what fun, and I would never do that in a jet.

Republic tried to operate 190's into ASE before the FAA said ******************** no!

 

[hammer2]

I think I saw a dash do it
Once and if I recall it was a right downwind to 33.

You're correct, it was right. I saw a Dash do it too.

 

[FRACTRASH]

I circled many times in the Bravo about 8 years ago. Right traffic and a non event. Looks intimidating, but you have more room then you would expect. I watched a BA146 circle a few time as well.

 

[LJ45]

I've landed on 33 also in a Lear 45. Not something for the faint of heart, new to type or with poor stick and rudder skills...etc

 

[gunfyter]

See told ya ... a Lear and a Citation

 

[Semore Butts]

Yeah, I've done it in the Lear 60 at ASE. (In 2001-2002)

Sure seemed safer then bucking a hefty tailwind. (Used to be fairly common I thought? I just figured the locals complained about the noise and they quit?)
(And yes, it was circle East for a right downwind)

Also, I have never encountered a fixed wing aircraft that had other than a 10 knot tail wind limit? (Uh-60 Blackhawk, different story!)

 

[SENECAII]

Never did it in the actual aircraft but I remember doing the circle to 33 in the ce680 initial and recurrent for the stick and rudder.May have been the instructors favorite demo or something.

 

[Sparse]

I circled many times in the Bravo about 8 years ago. Right traffic and a non event. Looks intimidating, but you have more room then you would expect. I watched a BA146 circle a few time as well.

I am pretty sure I saw a 146 do it also.

 

[hammer2]

I saw a B-52 do it...with just 7 engines!

 

[Dgpr]

Circle to 33

I did my CE500 Bravo type at ICT FSI in '04. My sim partner was a retired training captain from Air Wisconsin there for his type too. He had flown the BAE146 in that circle many times, and he talked me through it in the sim once. After that, every time I went in there, I was checking out the terrain and thinking "possible, but I'd really rather not".
If I remember right, it was an approved procedure for the airline but the crew had to have specific training for the circle, otherwise they couldn't do it.

 

[hawkerflyer]

Circled to 33 once in a Hawker, GPWS barking the whole time. I wouldn't venture it in our 605. That was a perfect scenario to divert.

 

[jetwash]

Circling to 33 was not the issue in this situation, the problem is the fact that they landed with gusting tailwinds that exceed the aircraft limits just as others did preceding them.

 

[FR8DOG777]

Which is precisely why another poster should have maybe thought twice about posting tail numbers and giving the faa some fodder to go after those crews. Not condoning violating tailwind limitations, just a bad idea throwing a colleague to the wolves. I have seen circling in Aspen since early 90's and probably went on long before that.

 

[lear31pilot]

I'm sure the FAA could have figured it out by the atc tapes. Doubt they rely on this website for their info

 

[FR8DOG777]

I doubt it either, but why put it out there? A very good friend of mine received a violation because the feds tracked him on flight aware. Just sayin....

 

[billybob]

If you landed with and exceeded a limitation and the next plane that lands crashes your going to be made an example of! End of story!


Limits are limits for a reason

RIP for those that are gone

 

[cldsfr79]

Which is precisely why another poster should have maybe thought twice about posting tail numbers and giving the faa some fodder to go after those crews. Not condoning violating tailwind limitations, just a bad idea throwing a colleague to the wolves. I have seen circling in Aspen since early 90's and probably went on long before that.

I don't think the FAA gets their investigative information from aviation blogs.

Their going to pull the tower records. Anybody who landed and took off around that time will most likey get a call from the NTSB first for an interview on conditions. Then the FAA will call looking for info on their parallel investigation. NTSB doesn't prosecute, and if i remember right, they don't share info with the FAA. The NTSB is just their to find out the whys of the situation. The FAA is their to determine discipline.

If u feel like you have broken rules that day, then don't speak to the FAA or NTSB, plead your 5th amendment rights and seek your union or personal council.

 

[imacdog]

I doubt it either, but why put it out there? A very good friend of mine received a violation because the feds tracked him on flight aware. Just sayin....

I have a feeling that there just could be a chance that the FAA will be listening to the ATC tapes during the time of the accident anyway. Just a hunch.

 

[gutshotdraw]

Two friends of mine were sitting in their cockpit and witnessed the entire event from the front row of the Atlantic ramp.

They haven't been interviewed by the NTSB or even contacted.

I don't expect much in the way of much-needed operational changes at that stupid airport. I think the Fed wants this to go away because they'll catch too much heat if they make it more difficult for the beautiful people to reach their ski chalet.