Oh Redding Aero Enterprises Inc

[fholbert]

The aircraft impacted the waters of Arcata Bay during a landing attempt in fog conditions to Murray Field Airport, Eureka, California. The airplane came to rest inverted, sustaining substantial damage, and the sole pilot onboard was not injured.

Great pictures!!

EUREKA, Calif. — Coast Guard and partner agencies responded to a plane crash in North Humboldt Bay, Thursday morning.

At approximately 7:10 a.m., the Eureka Police Department relayed a distress call to Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay watchstanders from a commercial pilot after his plane crashed. Watchstanders dispatched a Coast Guard Station Humboldt Bay 29-foot Response Boat Small boatcrew, a Coast Guard Air Station Humboldt Bay MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew and a small boatcrew from the Coast Guard Cutter Dorado to respond.

Watchstanders also issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast requesting assistance from mariners in the area and notifying them of the hazard to navigation.

At approximately 7:50 a.m., the Dolphin helicopter crew and a Humboldt Bay Port Authority small boat arrived on scene. The small boat recovered the pilot with no reports of any injuries.

"The environment in the Humboldt Bay area can be very unforgiving and dangerous to both boats and aircraft, which is why a strong network of maritime partners is so important," said Capt. Clint Schlegel, the Sector Humboldt Bay deputy commander. "We are extremely grateful to the Humboldt Bay Port Authority for rescuing the aircraft pilot. In cases like this, every second counts and their actions prevented this incident from taking a tragic turn."

The pilot was safely transferred to emergency medical services at Woodley Island Marina.

There are no reports of pollution at this time.

 

[ASpilot2be]

Glad he is ok! And glad the Coast Guard is right there.

 

[DE727UPS]

It looks from the pics like it's floating. Didn't think a plane would float that long. He was in the water at least 40 minutes. Glad he got out.

 

[AAPalmTree]

That one of him on the plane has good meme potential

 

[fholbert]

It looks from the pics like it's floating. Didn't think a plane would float that long. He was in the water at least 40 minutes. Glad he got out.

Maybe all the freight was in bubble wrap?

 

[ILS37R]

Was just talking to a [different] Redding Aero caravan pilot the other day. Seemed pretty upbeat about the operation. Glad this pilot is alright.

It'll be interesting to see the report, and if concludes with anything other than "attempting to land in Eureka."

 

[Roger Roger]

“Minimums, continuing “

 

[Deleted member 27505]

Maybe all the freight was in bubble wrap?

Hey! Were you in the same emergency evac procedures course I was??

 

[fholbert]

Hey! Were you in the same emergency evac procedures course I was??

Was that you? The guy who farted?

 

[sweeps]

It looks from the pics like it's floating. Didn't think a plane would float that long. He was in the water at least 40 minutes. Glad he got out.

I mean is the guy even wet? Looks like some water(or other liquid found in the human body) on one leg and that’s it!

 

[scooter2525]

Flown over that bay into Murray field many of times. Not something worth trying in low visibility for sure. Transition from Eureka to Murray takes more time to taxi and run-up then fly over. Glad he got out okay.

 

[JeppUpdater]

It looks from the pics like it's floating. Didn't think a plane would float that long.

When I went through Falcon initial they told us a story of one of the old 20s that ditched off the coast of Iceland. Crew went out the overwing exit and the plane floated for a couple days before the Icelandic Coast Guard sunk it as a hazard to navigation.

This one: ASN Aircraft accident Dassault Falcon 20D EC-EFI Keflavik, Iceland

 

[Maximilian_Jenius]

“Minimums, continuing “

Flown over that bay into Murray field many of times. Not something worth trying in low visibility for sure. Transition from Eureka to Murray takes more time to taxi and run-up then fly over. Glad he got out okay.

So, did he drop below minimums, is that how he crashed? Because if he was on the ILS it would have provided altitude separation to not hit anything along the approach corridor, let alone crashing into the water. Trying to figure this one out.

 

[n156499000]

So, did he drop below minimums, is that how he crashed? Because if he was on the ILS it would have provided altitude separation to not hit anything along the approach corridor, let alone crashing into the water. Trying to figure this one out.

There is no ILS at Murray Field. There's an RNAV (GPS) to runway 12 and an RNAV-B and a VOR-A.

If you're thinking of the ILS at Humboldt County (ACV), it's only to runway 32 so it wouldn't approach over the water.

 

[scooter2525]

There is no ILS at Murray Field. There's an RNAV (GPS) to runway 12 and an RNAV-B and a VOR-A.

If you're thinking of the ILS at Humboldt County (ACV), it's only to runway 32 so it wouldn't approach over the water.

I've been told that was where the ILS was first developed at.
Considerable amount of fog in that region.

 

[NovemberEcho]

I've been told that was where the ILS was first developed at.
Considerable amount of fog in that region.

Don’t know about being developed there but the first use of ILS by a commercial aircraft was Pittsburgh in 1938. The Germans had a similar system called Lorenz in use since 1932.

 

[Maximilian_Jenius]

There is no ILS at Murray Field. There's an RNAV (GPS) to runway 12 and an RNAV-B and a VOR-A.

If you're thinking of the ILS at Humboldt County (ACV), it's only to runway 32 so it wouldn't approach over the water.

Which runway was he approaching? An RNAV approach still should have kept him out of the drink. But still, probably not a good idea to try an approach into advection fog if you're plane isn't CAT certified.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

I've been told that was where the ILS was first developed at.
Considerable amount of fog in that region.

Don’t know about being developed there but the first use of ILS by a commercial aircraft was Pittsburgh in 1938. The Germans had a similar system called Lorenz in use since 1932.

De-fogging systems, although the weather is almost predictably "RVR 18" ( ) there. The Navy did all sorts of instrument flying work at ACV.

 

[n156499000]

Which runway was he approaching? An RNAV approach still should have kept him out of the drink. But still, probably not a good idea to try an approach into advection fog if you're plane isn't CAT certified.

Admittedly it was a cursory glance but all three approaches to Murray come in over the bay or from the west so I can't say for certain which approach he was on.

And even an NDB approach would, in theory, keep anyone from landing in the drink. Or smacking into the side of a mountain. But there's ample history to suggest that, even with properly charted and functioning approach equipment, pilots are still able to make contact with cumulus granite or attempt to see if an airplane will stay above water without floats. I've watched pilots screw up ILS approaches with easy ATC vectors onto LOC intercept and intercepting the GS from below. Never assume that just because someone is certified they are competent.

What do you mean "CAT certified"? You mean like a CAT II, CAT III ILS approach? If the WX is at/above minimums it doesn't matter what approach you shoot into foggy weather. The key to that, however, is the at or above minimums part. Well, and actually following the lateral and vertical course guidance and going missed if you can't keep those or see the runway at the appropriate time.

 

[KLB]

Flown over that bay into Murray field many of times. Not something worth trying in low visibility for sure. Transition from Eureka to Murray takes more time to taxi and run-up then fly over. Glad he got out okay.

The old Ameriflight days of the ILS into ACV break off below the cloud deck, cancel IFR, and visual into Murray?

I have the t-shirt from that one.