alphaone
Well-Known Member
Turns out the Captain made some bad decisions resulting in the death of the first officer, I think it is a good chance to learn something. To the pro's- as a young IFR training pilot, what can I learn from this?
Improper actions caused crash
NTSB: Pilot's choices made plane hit golf course
BY MIKE BOYER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER
The pilot's decision not to follow proper procedures led to the 2004 Air Tahoma cargo plane crash on a Florence golf course that took the life of the co-pilot, the National Transportation Safety Board decided Tuesday.
The twin-engine Convair 580, carrying cargo for DHL, crashed at the World of Sports golf course early Aug. 13, 2004, as it approached Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport from Memphis, Tenn.
The crash killed co-pilot Michael R. Gelwicks, 36, of Southaven, Miss., who was at the controls.
The final NTSB report said the pilot, Bruno Pichelli of Welland, Ontario, who was injured, spent most of the 80-minute flight doing a fuel-weight calculation that should have been completed before take-off.
Contributing to the accident were "the captain's inadequate preflight planning, his subsequent distraction during the flight, and his late initiation of the in-range checklist," the safety board said.
Further, the board said, was "the flight crew's failure to monitor the fuel gauges and to recognize that the airplane's changing handling characteristics were caused by fuel imbalance."
Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any pre-crash problems with the airplane's engines, systems or structures, the board said.
There were no indications the airplane's cargo had shifted.
Investigators also determined there was sufficient fuel on board.
Air Tahoma is a small Columbus-based air cargo carrier that carries freight for DHL.
Cockpit voice recorder information indicated the captain began fuel crossfeed operations about 50 minutes into the flight and that he allowed it to continue unmonitored for almost 30 minutes. Investigation of the wreckage revealed that, contrary to approved procedures, the fuel tank shutoff valve was left open during the crossfeed operations, which allowed fuel transfer from the left tank to the right tank.
The board concluded that, during the airplane's descent to landing, the fuel in the left tank, which was providing fuel to both engines, was exhausted because both engine-driven fuel pumps drew air from the left tank into the fuel system instead of fuel from the right tank, which led to a dual engine flameout caused by fuel starvation.
"Here again we see the tragedy that can result when time-tested procedures are not respected," acting board Chairman Mark V. Rosenker said. "The accident also points up the severe consequences that can follow when the operator of an aircraft, or any other vehicle, becomes distracted."
The NTSB recommended the Federal Aviation Administration issue a flight standards information bulletin to familiarize Convair 580 operators with the circumstances of the Air Tahoma accident, including the importance of closing the fuel tank shutoff valve for the tank not being used.
After the crash, Air Tahoma installed warning lights to indicate a cross-feed in progress.
E-mail mboyer@enquirer.com
Improper actions caused crash
NTSB: Pilot's choices made plane hit golf course
BY MIKE BOYER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER
The pilot's decision not to follow proper procedures led to the 2004 Air Tahoma cargo plane crash on a Florence golf course that took the life of the co-pilot, the National Transportation Safety Board decided Tuesday.
The twin-engine Convair 580, carrying cargo for DHL, crashed at the World of Sports golf course early Aug. 13, 2004, as it approached Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport from Memphis, Tenn.
The crash killed co-pilot Michael R. Gelwicks, 36, of Southaven, Miss., who was at the controls.
The final NTSB report said the pilot, Bruno Pichelli of Welland, Ontario, who was injured, spent most of the 80-minute flight doing a fuel-weight calculation that should have been completed before take-off.
Contributing to the accident were "the captain's inadequate preflight planning, his subsequent distraction during the flight, and his late initiation of the in-range checklist," the safety board said.
Further, the board said, was "the flight crew's failure to monitor the fuel gauges and to recognize that the airplane's changing handling characteristics were caused by fuel imbalance."
Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any pre-crash problems with the airplane's engines, systems or structures, the board said.
There were no indications the airplane's cargo had shifted.
Investigators also determined there was sufficient fuel on board.
Air Tahoma is a small Columbus-based air cargo carrier that carries freight for DHL.
Cockpit voice recorder information indicated the captain began fuel crossfeed operations about 50 minutes into the flight and that he allowed it to continue unmonitored for almost 30 minutes. Investigation of the wreckage revealed that, contrary to approved procedures, the fuel tank shutoff valve was left open during the crossfeed operations, which allowed fuel transfer from the left tank to the right tank.
The board concluded that, during the airplane's descent to landing, the fuel in the left tank, which was providing fuel to both engines, was exhausted because both engine-driven fuel pumps drew air from the left tank into the fuel system instead of fuel from the right tank, which led to a dual engine flameout caused by fuel starvation.
"Here again we see the tragedy that can result when time-tested procedures are not respected," acting board Chairman Mark V. Rosenker said. "The accident also points up the severe consequences that can follow when the operator of an aircraft, or any other vehicle, becomes distracted."
The NTSB recommended the Federal Aviation Administration issue a flight standards information bulletin to familiarize Convair 580 operators with the circumstances of the Air Tahoma accident, including the importance of closing the fuel tank shutoff valve for the tank not being used.
After the crash, Air Tahoma installed warning lights to indicate a cross-feed in progress.
E-mail mboyer@enquirer.com
