San Diego Crash?

Retired in SAN said:
For 15 years I flew for an ABC TV station in San Diego and had the very unpleasant pleasure of witnessing two mid airs covering unrelated stories. Something you never forget. The first involved a beech baron and a Dc-6 fire tanker over Ramona and the other was two single engine trainers departing SEE in El Cajon. Two months after my career ended with TV was the PHX accident. The two pilots I knew well. In fact, I was to fly along with one of them the week after the accident. All my time was in b206 and I wanted to get some 350 time to get back in the ENG businesses. After that accident, I never returned full time to flying again. It's been 8 years. Probably should consider getting back in the saddle again.
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Always sucks to know those that pass.

The Baron/DC-4 midair in the Ramona overhead pattern 20 years ago, I do remember.
 
I apologize. You're correct DC-4. I know it was 4 engines and a crapload of burning Magnesium which they couldn't extinguish with water. Pretty ugly. Seconds after the impact, someone keyed up on the radio and said, "well guys, nice knowing ya" never did find out if it was one of two planes involve or just a tanker perhaps returning to base. A lot of chatter.
 
fholbert said:
Do you think the SaberLiner was a FAA Flight Check aircraft checking the NAVID's?
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Negative. Per the article I posted:

Military contractor BAE Systems, which leased the Sabreliner jet, released a statement Monday identifying three victims as employees Carlos Palos, John Kovach and Jeff Percy. BAE Systems spokeswoman Amanda Desourdis said all three lived in the Mojave area, in Kern County. Desourdis said the name of the fourth victim aboard the mid-sized business jet was a military contractor whose name was not yet being released.
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I believe this is the 2nd accident this week in which I am familiar with the accident aircraft. I am truly sorry for their loss. :(
 
Retired in SAN said:
For 15 years I flew for an ABC TV station in San Diego and had the very unpleasant pleasure of witnessing two mid airs covering unrelated stories. Something you never forget. The first involved a beech baron and a Dc-6 fire tanker over Ramona and the other was two single engine trainers departing SEE in El Cajon. Two months after my career ended with TV was the PHX accident. The two pilots I knew well. In fact, I was to fly along with one of them the week after the accident. All my time was in b206 and I wanted to get some 350 time to get back in the ENG businesses. After that accident, I never returned full time to flying again. It's been 8 years. Probably should consider getting back in the saddle again.
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You know, if you ever want to go up, let me know. It's been....well, let's just say that right now I'd be as bad as a primary student if I did a discovery flight.
 
inigo88 said:
Negative. Per the article I posted:
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An outside contractor being hired to check NAVAIDS for the FAA does seem to be a possibly, at least to me. It's the right model of aircraft with right amount of crew members. Why was he opposite direction to the traffic flow at low altitude?

When I was an ATC'er I hated when the NAVAID's were being checked because they really scrambled the flow of traffic.
 
fholbert said:
Do you think the SaberLiner was a FAA Flight Check aircraft checking the NAVID's?
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I had thought the FAA had replaced the Saberliners with King Air's.

They had lost one of their Saberliners back in the day in a ditching in the ocean off Brazil, on a flight from Frankfurt to OKC.
 
MikeD said:
I had thought the FAA had replaced the Saberliners with King Air's.

They had lost one of their Saberliners back in the day in a ditching in the ocean off Brazil, on a flight from Frankfurt to OKC.
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They did. They purchased 19 modified versions of the BE-300 Super King Air in the late 80's. In the early 90's they also got 6 Hawker C-29s. In the mid 90's they acquired 6 new Lear 60s and 3 Challenger CL-601s. After 2005, the Hawker jets were slowly phased out and replaced by new Challenger CL-604s. In 2006, they began to upgrade the avionics and flight inspection equipment of their Beech 300s. I know for instance, that they added the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 with a lot of other new equipment to all their Beeches.
 
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I did a tour of the west coast flight check a couple of weeks ago. they had Lears and KAs. They had some interesting stories of tracking down interference. The take home story was don't bring home unlicensed electronics from China or you're gonna have a bad time.

IMG_0106.jpg
 
Hacker15e said:
I didn't know there was any question that it was on a USN training mission....

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/loc...iego-Military-Training-Mission-322046062.html
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Yeah. BAE does not check NAVAIDs, they are a defense contractor. I think someone heard Sabreliner and automatically assumed Flight Check.

That area NE of Brown field is a zoo, with traffic funneling between SDM and SEE east of the SAN class B, mixing with parachute jump planes over Otay Lake. I suspect the Sabreliner was on a base or angled final for 26R from the NE while the Cessna was on right downwind 26R and their wings clipped. Sucks that it happened in class D with the tower open. :(
 
uncreative said:
I did a tour of the west coast flight check a couple of weeks ago. they had Lears and KAs. They had some interesting stories of tracking down interference. The take home story was don't bring home unlicensed electronics from China or you're gonna have a bad time.

IMG_0106.jpg
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Story time. Sounds like someone got busted on the ground?
 
tonyw said:
You know, if you ever want to go up, let me know. It's been....well, let's just say that right now I'd be as bad as a primary student if I did a discovery flight.
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Much appreciate the offer Tony. Between the two of us perhaps we could keep each other out of trouble. Best.
 
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