Wed Jan 09, 2019 1:38 pm
#1664041
I just read the Flyer email newsletter.
The CTSW did not hit the cables before it entered the turn. It had already passed the cables on approach to 05 at Bang Phra.
It was high over the threshold according to witnesses.
The aeroplane continued to turn through 180 degrees and then it did hit cables removing power to the flying club and its radio transmitter.
This suggests the aeroplane did not stall with a wing drop as it wouldn’t have gone as far in the opposite direction.
My own thoughts on this are of three possibilities:
1. Fuel imbalance.
The aeroplane was topped up at an airfield near Chiang Mai.
It would have used around four and a half hours fuel to fly to Bang Phra.
I am told the aircraft had extra long range tanks in the wings.
If the fuel failed to flow from the left wing tank then perhaps the imbalance would be impossible to control as the aeroplane slowed down.
There have been a few accidents here when a bug has made a cosy home in the fuel tank vent. The partial vacuum allowing a takeoff, but then preventing sufficient fuel flow for a climb.
2. Asymmetric flap deployment, failure.
This could cause the roll.
3. Pilot incapacitation?
He got so far, why would this happen now?
A friend of mine inspected the wreckage.
It was consumed by fire leaving melted aluminium in the ditch beside the road where it crashed.
The rudder was largely intact, it had be blown off the rear of the aeroplane with evidence of fire inside it.
There were a couple of metal components including one flap hinge that survived.
Some carbon fibre survived the crash, otherwise the whole airframe was totally consumed by the fire.
I am told five GoPro cameras were fitted to this aircraft and one survived, but we were told it had no useful information on it.
A headset survived, as did a note pad, and a few other cockpit items.
I will spare you the gory details of the pilot.
We are left to speculate on this crash, there will be no valid investigation of this accident.
In Thailand they look for a quick answer.
The above is my own speculation, and you can argue the validity of it as several have argued or agreed here in Thailand.
The Swiss pilot of the second CTSW and the crew of the Comanche support aircraft have returned to Switzerland.
I am told another couple of pilots will come to Thailand and continue the flight as far as Perth Australia.
Everyone spooked at Bang Phra and so I am told nobody was flying there last weekend.
Last weekend I was at Pattaya Eastern, not far away.
I have landed on 05 at Bang Phra many times and the wires are a reasonable distance away from the runway.
I have however worried the owner of an Extra 300L by being closer to the wires than he usually is.
The accident aircraft was observed to have come in high, and perhaps a little too fast.
I am not sure what the flap limit speed is for a CTSW.
I flew a straight ‘CT’ in and out of Bang Phra a few years ago.
Accident investigation examples:
There was a crash involving a Jabiru flying with four adults on board. 120hp Jabiru 3300 engine.
The pilot was ex Thai Airways, 747 captain and so beyond error. He and the front seat passenger died, I can’t remember whether the two rear seat passengers died.
The aeroplane stalled.
The investigation found that the shifting winds were the cause.
So nobody expects a proper report on this accident.
The famous MD 82 (3) accident at Phuket, One 2 Go, Orient Thai, where that Thai authority finding was very different to the UK AAIB investigation later.
The CTSW did not hit the cables before it entered the turn. It had already passed the cables on approach to 05 at Bang Phra.
It was high over the threshold according to witnesses.
The aeroplane continued to turn through 180 degrees and then it did hit cables removing power to the flying club and its radio transmitter.
This suggests the aeroplane did not stall with a wing drop as it wouldn’t have gone as far in the opposite direction.
My own thoughts on this are of three possibilities:
1. Fuel imbalance.
The aeroplane was topped up at an airfield near Chiang Mai.
It would have used around four and a half hours fuel to fly to Bang Phra.
I am told the aircraft had extra long range tanks in the wings.
If the fuel failed to flow from the left wing tank then perhaps the imbalance would be impossible to control as the aeroplane slowed down.
There have been a few accidents here when a bug has made a cosy home in the fuel tank vent. The partial vacuum allowing a takeoff, but then preventing sufficient fuel flow for a climb.
2. Asymmetric flap deployment, failure.
This could cause the roll.
3. Pilot incapacitation?
He got so far, why would this happen now?
A friend of mine inspected the wreckage.
It was consumed by fire leaving melted aluminium in the ditch beside the road where it crashed.
The rudder was largely intact, it had be blown off the rear of the aeroplane with evidence of fire inside it.
There were a couple of metal components including one flap hinge that survived.
Some carbon fibre survived the crash, otherwise the whole airframe was totally consumed by the fire.
I am told five GoPro cameras were fitted to this aircraft and one survived, but we were told it had no useful information on it.
A headset survived, as did a note pad, and a few other cockpit items.
I will spare you the gory details of the pilot.
We are left to speculate on this crash, there will be no valid investigation of this accident.
In Thailand they look for a quick answer.
The above is my own speculation, and you can argue the validity of it as several have argued or agreed here in Thailand.
The Swiss pilot of the second CTSW and the crew of the Comanche support aircraft have returned to Switzerland.
I am told another couple of pilots will come to Thailand and continue the flight as far as Perth Australia.
Everyone spooked at Bang Phra and so I am told nobody was flying there last weekend.
Last weekend I was at Pattaya Eastern, not far away.
I have landed on 05 at Bang Phra many times and the wires are a reasonable distance away from the runway.
I have however worried the owner of an Extra 300L by being closer to the wires than he usually is.
The accident aircraft was observed to have come in high, and perhaps a little too fast.
I am not sure what the flap limit speed is for a CTSW.
I flew a straight ‘CT’ in and out of Bang Phra a few years ago.
Accident investigation examples:
There was a crash involving a Jabiru flying with four adults on board. 120hp Jabiru 3300 engine.
The pilot was ex Thai Airways, 747 captain and so beyond error. He and the front seat passenger died, I can’t remember whether the two rear seat passengers died.
The aeroplane stalled.
The investigation found that the shifting winds were the cause.
So nobody expects a proper report on this accident.
The famous MD 82 (3) accident at Phuket, One 2 Go, Orient Thai, where that Thai authority finding was very different to the UK AAIB investigation later.
Tropical John2 liked this
MichaelP
Wandering the World
Wandering the World