SUS Aero Commander Accident

DropTank said:
I actually have no problem with the airplane, but when you're flying busted up airplanes with inexperienced pilots who get overworked, it's a bad combo.
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This was down to a seat removal not in compliance with an STC. (Docket shows a hand drawn worksheet IIRC)

<The airplane was not equipped with a terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS). Six years earlier, the accident airplane seating configuration was changed to reduce passenger seat provisions from six to five by removing a seat belt from the aft divan, which was originally configured with seat belts for three people. This modification rendered the airplane exempt from the TAWS requirement; however, this modification was not approved by the FAA or documented via a supplemental type certificate or FAA Form 337 (Major Repair and Modification). Per the requirements of 14 Code of Federal Regulations 91.223, TAWS is not required for airplanes with fewer than six passenger seats. In this accident, onboard TAWS equipment could have provided a timely alert to help the pilot avoid the mountain.>
 
DE727UPS said:
I also flew them doing UPS subcontracts in 86, I think it was. I got hired there with 100 hours multi. They flew like big Cessna's then, too. What was your point again? Maybe I missed it.
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Yeah, I guess that could be misinterpreted.

Their flying is generally night time cargo all weather including storms and icing in mountainous areas.
Self load, self moving, self fueling, uncontrolled airport, single pilot, no support, while exhausted.
Low time pilots means higher chance of bad judgement, as does limited training and high pressure environment.

That's my opinion of the operation overall.

One article states the pilot was 65 years old. I'm guessing inexperience is less likely but that's a WAG

Most of the pilots I've talked to were young and new.
 
Boris Badenov said:
FLX has been gone for what, 15 years? At least. Probably closer to 20.

When they weren't out of business and I was working for them we saw CASW guys all the time. Back then they were more like 25 than 65, wonder how this guy wound up there.

Stronk "remember when" vibes, and of course condolences.
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FLX as in Flight Express? I was still working them daily into ECP in 2014.
 

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DropTank said:
Yeah, I guess that could be misinterpreted.

Their flying is generally night time cargo all weather including storms and icing in mountainous areas.
Self load, self moving, self fueling, uncontrolled airport, single pilot, no support, while exhausted.
Low time pilots means higher chance of bad judgement, as does limited training and high pressure environment.

That's my opinion of the operation overall.

One article states the pilot was 65 years old. I'm guessing inexperience is less likely but that's a WAG

Most of the pilots I've talked to were young and new.
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I think the issue might be with this:

DropTank said:
They tend to lose about one a year or so...
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CASW has had 3 accidents ever, and they've been around a long time.

But generally speaking, I flew night cargo for a bit, it can be a bastard, so the point you make above stands.
 
NovemberEcho said:
FLX as in Flight Express? I was still working them daily into ECP in 2014.
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I remember the guy that flew that route would pick up his clearance from the tower before landing. I would watch him at PFN, he would make the turn off, taxi straight into the ramp, quickly unload and reload, then taxi straight back out for an intersection departure. His turn time was always under 10 minutes. Pretty impressive, even though I had to preach to my student to not be like him.
 
guywhoflies said:
I remember the guy that flew that route would pick up his clearance from the tower before landing. I would watch him at PFN, he would make the turn off, taxi straight into the ramp, quickly unload and reload, then taxi straight back out for an intersection departure. His turn time was always under 10 minutes. Pretty impressive, even though I had to preach to my student to not be like him.
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This (if there was a tower or FSS that could issue the clearance) or getting cleared through was standard bush faire for a long time.

I remember going into Nikolai,
"cleared to the MRI airport via direct TAGER, direct through the FSP airport, on departure maintain 8000, expect FL200 10 minutes after departure, void if not off by 1750Z, time now 1734Z."

Drop in, offload 8 people, pick up 8 people, and pretty routinely make it with 5 minutes to spare. But you have to have a decent village agent, the people need to know what they're doing to load and unload the airplane, and you need to be really proficient flying the airplane. If it takes you 5 minutes to get ready and started up, you're probably not going to make it? We had one guy that wouldn't get a clearance with a void time? I understand his rationale, but I never really thought it was too big of a deal?
 
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