Update on 2004 Gulfstream crash at Hobby

[CrewResearch]

The Houston Chronicle published a follow-up story this morning about the Gulfstream that crashed on approach to Houston/Hobby late last year:

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3090875

 

[UM#1]

Guess it pays to "tune and identify"!

 

[Snakum]

Man, that's really sobering stuff when you consider their experience.

Minh

 

[enigma]

I wonder if they were familiar with that exact aircraft? My carrier flys a fleet that is not as standardized as we'd like, and it can sometimes be confusing when you jump from one to the next. A steam gauge MD80 has an entirely different system for switching the HSI from VHF to RNAV than does an EFIS MD80. Truthfully, that is not a great example, because the two aircraft are so different, but it does illustrate how two aircraft that appear to be identical on the outside can be day and night different on the inside.


Someone mentioned that it "pays to tune and indent", I tend to agree, but I won't blame this accident on a breakdown in that area until I learn more about the nav management system installed on the accident aircraft. It could be entirely possible that the aircraft could have flown the approach by reference to a full functioned FMS that didn't require anything to be set other than proper programming.

We all screw up at one time or the other. So far, the good Lord has kept my foul ups from killing anyone.

enigma

 

[LR25]

Questions were raised while trying to shoot this approach, but they continued anyway.

We all have been there when something doesnt go quite right, but I bet at least one of those pilots didnt have a warm and fuzzy during the entire approach, it seems that way anyway from the transcript.

10K hrs to 1K hrs, when your being hurried or when your expected to pull something off, its the same feeling.

I not speculating that was what happened.

There is something here to learn from.

 

[LarryinTN]

This should really help the case of those who want to raise the retirement age, eh?

 

[Tired Soul]

That's a low blow LJ-ABX, apologize.....

 

[Gulfstream 200]

This should really help the case of those who want to raise the retirement age, eh?

Kids crash too....(I do recall an RJ crash recently that screamed "inexperience")

age has nothing to do with it.

Ignorance of procedures and complacency know no age.

 

[Spooky 1]

This should really help the case of those who want to raise the retirement age, eh?

Gee, it only took six post for this guy figure age was a contributing factor. Huh?

 

[flatspin7]

Guess it pays to "tune and identify"!

The Lesson for all of us is...
No one is invincible, every one makes mistakes from the 5 hour pilot to the 20,000 pilot. It could happen to any one.

Last week I was flying into an airport with a vor id XYZ and the ils was IXYZ, I did tune in the ils but I failed to swap frequencys, I listened to my Ident and didnt catch the difference. It wasnt until I checked the CAPTs ID (he was flying) when I noticed the 2 werent the same.

Stupid Mistake--- but it can happen to anyone any time -- no matter how good your are, or how good you think you are.

 

[LarryinTN]

A lack of situational awareness appears to be the primary factor. The ability to maintain situational awareness is certinaly one of the cognitive abilities that we lose with age.

Those who wish to increase the retirement age like to say that there is no decrease in safety. This crew's mistakes does nothing to support that position.

 

[User546]

That's very sobering to read. Such a simple mistake sometimes can have tragic consequences in this great profession.

 

[Flying Illini]

When in doubt, with no warm and fuzzy feelings, and your getting down there during a low approach, Go Around.
It's tough to do (basically admitting your mistakes) but it's better than the consequences.
And age had NOTHING to do with this.

 

[leardrivr]

Two words. Task saturation! Ive been in this situation with some people before. Believe me it is harder to get someone to go around than you might think. Especialy if the pressure to get the mission done is on your mind (they were picking up a former president of the united states). However the lesson here is. If either one of you have any doubts about where you are once you get inside the marker. GO AROUND!!!!!! Just recently I was flying with a guy who ignored two gpws warnings while level at mda on a loc/bc approach at minimum weather. We were very busy and at an unfamilar airport. The flying pilot was so focused on finding the runway he didn't hear the TERRIAN! TERRAIN! blairing in our ears. The f/e and I smack him up side the head when just moments later we heard terrain terrain PULL UP!!!! everything worked out fine on the second approach. Task Saturation!!!!! It can be a BIATCHHH!!!!!! Fly safe everyone.

 

[Gearmunky]

I'm not trying to start it all over again, but where the hell were you guys when we were going at it about this on the corporate page???

Don't let 400A see this!

 

[bubbers]

Worst case I have ever had was returning from Mexico landing at an international airport in southern Texas in a Jetstar in the 70's. We were using charts with the Jetstar we were demoing to some Mexican company and the secretary was doing the revisions. Well they moved the international airport to another airport about five miles away. Our final clearance was radar service terminated, cleared for the approach. Well thank God the buyer was in the jump seat and had been there before because we flew over the airport and I said there is the airport as a break in the overcast occured.

Our jumpseater said no they relocated the airport so I checked the Jep and sure enough there was another international airport behind my 11-1 chart at a different location. Totally confused I told approach control we were executing a missed approach but they said you are now about to intercept the localizer and you can continue the approach. Realizing that we were still in radar contact we quickly reset the final approach course and salvaged the worst approach in my career. Always discard out of date approach charts!