5 dead after skydiving tour plane crashes in Hawaii

Engine failure on takeoff. With five guys, their gear, and fuel onboard, I’m assuming he was pretty close to MTOW. Probably ran out of options fairly quickly.


I don’t know how high he got, but I probably would have went for the water.
 
FlyingAccountant said:
Engine failure on takeoff. With five guys, their gear, and fuel onboard, I’m assuming he was pretty close to MTOW. Probably ran out of options fairly quickly.


I don’t know how high he got, but I probably would have went for the water.
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When I flew meat missiles in a 182, we never had more that 1/4 full tanks for that reason. Since we were climbing over the field, it was no big deal.
 
Cptnchia said:
When I flew meat missiles in a 182, we never had more that 1/4 full tanks for that reason. Since we were climbing over the field, it was no big deal.
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A constant conversation with myself is wondering where I go when the engine decides its not going to 10 that day, the worst of points being below 1,500. For that reason I have my climb out points, exit on the upwind if able, and descend close to the field (jump run, hard left turn and wide to enter a crosswind in the pattern - plus keeps the canopy's out my left). I've heard you can get air in the fuel lines getting close to reserves coming out of a bank....
 
One day, as the sun was going down, me and and the other guy were on our last runs. The owner radioed and wanted to know who had enough to get to 3500 for one more run. He said he did, so he landed first, loaded up, and took off. when he came around to land, the owner looked at me, and said, "Sounds kinda quiet." As soon as the nose wheel was down, the engine started up, and he taxied over to the pump. When the owner asked him why he dead sticked it back if he said he had enough to go up, the reply was, "You only asked me if I had enough to get to 3500, you never asked me if I had enough to get back."

Jump pilots.
 
Flew jumpers in both 182 and 'Van. My biggest worry was a low level E/G failure at Vx. For that reason I always used conservative climb angles and higher speeds during initial climb.
 
gliderboy said:
Flew jumpers in both 182 and 'Van. My biggest worry was a low level E/G failure at Vx. For that reason I always used conservative climb angles and higher speeds during initial climb.
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That would result in less altitude and a lower chance of recovery to the airport. I flew jumpers to and it was Vy all the way up with considerations for CHTs. You don't need airspeed in an engine failure, you're already flying. You need altitude. I don't know why you'd climb at Vx unless rising terrain was a factor.
 
A buddy of mine flies there and is very shaken up. From a trip to the airport pub with him a few years back, it was very clear that the aviation community in Kuai is a tight nit and fun-loving bunch. Everyone from the helicopter pilots to the line guys to the mainline airline pilots who lived on the islands was out there having a great time. I hope they all find comfort in each other, I'd imagine the majority are just as shattered as the Skydive Kaui pilots themselves.
 
ChasenSFO said:
A buddy of mine flies there and is very shaken up. From a trip to the airport pub with him a few years back, it was very clear that the aviation community in Kuai is a tight nit and fun-loving bunch. Everyone from the helicopter pilots to the line guys to the mainline airline pilots who lived on the islands was out there having a great time. I hope they all find comfort in each other, I'd imagine the majority are just as shattered as the Skydive Kaui pilots themselves.
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I've been to Kauai a few times. I'm always envious of those guys. Doing something they love in one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
 
I don't think skydivers care about safety. There are 2 skydiving OP's in my airspace and both are smack dab in the middle of busy arrival routes. They don't even bother to call us til they're above them. Meanwhile I have to vector guys all over the place to avoid them during their climb. Seen some really close calls that I honestly don't know how they didn't hit. I can't believe I jumped at that place before I was working here. Wouldn't have done it if I knew what I know now.
 
NovemberEcho said:
No because rather than talking to me knowing there is an extremely busy arrival route literally directly above their airport and in the middle of their jump zone they just climb and hope for the best.
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As it seems complaining about it on JC won't get you very far, you can't move the arrival route, and you can'take remove the DZ - have you tried the amicable approach of talking to the DZ about a compromising procedure for operating the area?
 
We have several times. The last time was after a Brickyard had to take evasive action (pilots words) to miss the jump plane and called us. We didn't even have a target on the jumper so we had no idea he was even there.
 
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