Private Plane Crash in San Diego

[xnvyflyer]

I didn't see another thread on this. A Sheriff's helicopter discovered the wreckage of a small aircraft near Three Sisters Falls in vincinity of El Capitan Reservoir. Upon reaching the crash site authorities discovered two bodies of active duty Navy personnel. Names have yet to be released.

Anybody from the San Diego area have any additional information? A couple of my coworkers just happened to be in the very remote area and noticed it.

 

[WVUBetaHornet]

Anybody from the San Diego area have any additional information?

Calling H20man..

 

[H20man]

Calling H20man..

Although I am in the area, I don't have any information on this unfortunate crash.

 

[Squid]

same here, haven't heard anything.

 

[02Navy05VT]

same here, haven't heard anything.

Article about the incident

Very sad news.

 

[llnick2001]

The one guy was HSC-3 like the article said. The other was soon to check in to HS-10 but hadn't yet.

 

[xnvyflyer]

I checked out the wreckage yesterday. All in one piece and it looked like the prop was turning at impact. The general feeling so far was not much forward speed at impact. The area of the crash is a canyon with very high walls. I'll go ahead and speculate they were in the canyon and got suprised by the tight turn near where the plane lay. Stall, crash. I have seen pictures of the crash, much better than what the media has but I don't think it would be appropriate to post them here just yet out of respect for the families. Major bummer.

 

[bunk22]

GA is such a dangerous business. VRC-30 lost a good pilot in a private plane crash back in 05. Good pilot with 1000+ hours but didn't understand what he got himself into with a small, underpowered airplane.

 

[floridaseabee]

GA is such a dangerous business. VRC-30 lost a good pilot in a private plane crash back in 05. Good pilot with 1000+ hours but didn't understand what he got himself into with a small, underpowered airplane.

GA CAN be a dangerous buisness, but I dont think its any more dangerous than Military flying. Small, yes, they are. Underpowered, yes, they can be. It all comes down to getting a proper checkout in any aircraft, knowing your EPs, and understanding the capabilities of that aircraft. I'm sure the military is no different. You dont stand a P-3 on its tail and expect it to climb to 80,000 feet becuase it got 4 fans on it (you understand your plane). I imagine that you all have your EP's memorized backwards (knowing what to do if something bad happens). You also don't checkout a plane that has 50 gallons of hydraulic fluid beneath it (proper checkout). GA does this as well.

People can get themselves into trouble if they get into a plane and not understand it, cut corners on maintenance, or build errors in their homebuilt/experiemental. But there are a lot of things in place that keep GA as safe as it can be. Pilots make mistakes in any arena, and I think its wrong to harp on GA and think of them as the crazy farmer in his Air Tractor zipping through Class B without a radio and doing loops over runways.

 

[kmac]

GA CAN be a dangerous buisness, but I dont think its any more dangerous than Military flying....

People can get themselves into trouble if they get into a plane and not understand it, cut corners on maintenance, or build errors in their homebuilt/experiemental. But there are a lot of things in place that keep GA as safe as it can be. Pilots make mistakes in any arena, and I think its wrong to harp on GA and think of them as the crazy farmer in his Air Tractor zipping through Class B without a radio and doing loops over runways.

Most military aircraft are not underpowered, whereas several GA aircraft are. Regardless of the known capabilities of the aircraft, sometimes the pilot encounters forces of which a smaller plane is not capable of recovering. All other items being equal (training, proper pre-flight, mechanically sound, etc.), a more forgiving aircraft with redundant systems will help in some cases where a light civil will not. That's all.

I'm not saying it was the case in this... http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12372&highlight=becker

 

[bunk22]

GA CAN be a dangerous buisness, but I dont think its any more dangerous than Military flying. Small, yes, they are. Underpowered, yes, they can be. It all comes down to getting a proper checkout in any aircraft, knowing your EPs, and understanding the capabilities of that aircraft. I'm sure the military is no different. You dont stand a P-3 on its tail and expect it to climb to 80,000 feet becuase it got 4 fans on it (you understand your plane). I imagine that you all have your EP's memorized backwards (knowing what to do if something bad happens). You also don't checkout a plane that has 50 gallons of hydraulic fluid beneath it (proper checkout). GA does this as well.

You just answered why GA is very dangerous and what separates military flying from that type of flying. Flying is inherently dangerous but the military takes a formalized, higly developed training, standardized and preparded approach to flying. Certain aspects of civilian aviation might do so as well but the majority of all aviation mishaps, specifically amongst pilot with low flight hours, are GA and for a reason.

People can get themselves into trouble if they get into a plane and not understand it, cut corners on maintenance, or build errors in their homebuilt/experiemental. But there are a lot of things in place that keep GA as safe as it can be. Pilots make mistakes in any arena, and I think its wrong to harp on GA and think of them as the crazy farmer in his Air Tractor zipping through Class B without a radio and doing loops over runways.

Who was harping? Who made the absurd scenario you just came up with? If you are refering to me junior, you might want to cut and paste to back your little claim. Otherwise, I suggest you just ease off and pull your skirt up. It is what it is, not a harp but fact. Maybe you've read it but if not, it's a good read.......The Killing Zone. Another good one, Flight Discipline.

 

[bert]

Most military aircraft are not underpowered

And barring extenuating circumstances (system failures, etc.), a healthy application of power will solve a lot of the predicaments that a pilot can get himself into (especially true in the helo world).

 

[bunk22]

And barring extenuating circumstances (system failures, etc.), a healthy application of power will solve a lot of the predicaments that a pilot can get himself into (especially true in the helo world).

Yep. Even the COD, as ugly as it is, is a high performance aircraft with powerful engines.

 

[MasterBates]

As much as I ragged on the 60B as being a 300# girl in a size 10 dress when I flew it.. It's actually got a decent amount of power.. With both engines online.

VERY had to get into a power required exceeds power available situation compared to most civilian helos I have flown..

Single engine is a whole 'nother ballgame, but a single engine failure in the the civ helos I flew = you are now a glider with a really shitty glide ratio.

 

[dodge]

Single engine is a whole 'nother ballgame, but a single engine failure in the the civ helos I flew = you are now a glider with a really shitty glide ratio.

Despite the impressive safety record of the single engine bell 206, that's how i passed the time in the backseat of the -57, looking out the window, searching for open spaces, and thinking "i wonder if we'd make it".

That, and hoping everything else that keeps the helo from succeeding in crashing itself works properly.