Ferry flight down near Makkovik

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pelmet
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Ferry flight down near Makkovik

Post by pelmet »

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Heliian
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Re: Ferry flight down near Makkovik

Post by Heliian »

"helicopter couldn't reach the site due to weather"

Sounds like they tried to push the weather, which in that part of the country can be quite bad.
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linecrew
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Re: Ferry flight down near Makkovik

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pelmet
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Re: Ferry flight down near Makkovik

Post by pelmet »

Heliian wrote: Thu May 02, 2019 5:59 am "helicopter couldn't reach the site due to weather"

Sounds like they tried to push the weather, which in that part of the country can be quite bad.
Meaningless statement. Ground weather frequently has nothing to do with the weather encountered in flight.
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pelmet
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Re: Ferry flight down near Makkovik

Post by pelmet »

N757NY, a privately operated Piper PA 46-350P aircraft, had departed from Goose Bay (CYYR),
NL on a VFR flight plan to Narsarsuaq (BGBW), Greenland with 2 pilots on board. At
approximately 0824 ADT, the Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) detected an Emergency
Locator Transmitter (ELT) signal from the aircraft. It was determined that the aircraft had crashed
into a snow-covered hillside, approximately 31 nm north northeast of Rigolet, NL. Deteriorating
weather conditions at the time were less than adequate for air search and rescue resources. Both
occupants survived the initial impact, however, one individual later succumbed to their injuries. The
survivor was transported to Makkovik, NL via snowmobile until the weather became suitable for an
air transport to a hospital in Goose Bay. The individual sustained minor injuries, and was released
from the hospital the following day. The TSB is investigating.
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goingnowherefast
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Re: Ferry flight down near Makkovik

Post by goingnowherefast »

That area doesn't seem friendly to single engine piston airplanes, especially VFR.
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pelmet
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Re: Ferry flight down near Makkovik

Post by pelmet »

Heliian wrote: Thu May 02, 2019 5:59 am "helicopter couldn't reach the site due to weather"

Sounds like they tried to push the weather, which in that part of the country can be quite bad.
One should never assume...….And I assumed that an aircraft like a Malibu would be IFR which was wrong. I stand corrected.
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leftoftrack
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Re: Ferry flight down near Makkovik

Post by leftoftrack »

weather was to bad to go IFR
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happy_flyer
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Re: Ferry flight down near Makkovik

Post by happy_flyer »

The guy who had bought the plane was a well known experienced guy here at my local GA airfield.

https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/loc ... air-crash/

Bit sad really.
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albertdesalvo
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Re: Ferry flight down near Makkovik

Post by albertdesalvo »

There is plenty of information about this unfortunate accident on a well known British aviation forum, including a first-person account from the surviving pilot (who is an active poster on said forum). Check the "Accidents & Close Calls" subforum.

The thread is easy to find; it was started on May 3rd by someone familiar to Avcanada readers.
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pelmet
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Re: Ferry flight down near Makkovik

Post by pelmet »

https://bst-tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-repo ... 9a0025.pdf

Very poor terrain awareness. For some reason they went VFR instead of IFR in highly equipped aircraft. I could see that in a single engine Cessna but not a Malibu(which they flew IFR the previous day). The decided to fly along at 2000' asl, which is exactly what they did until they hit a hill. Marginal weather forecast in an unfamiliar area. Check your enroute terrain elevation on the map(and on the G1000 which had a TAWS installation). Things happen fast at Malibu speeds. It must have been bumpy as well with surface winds in the 30 plus knot range.
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Last edited by pelmet on Sat Jan 25, 2020 4:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Ferry flight down near Makkovik

Post by valleyboy »

Critical information missing, WX at destination BGBW and other key airports - for the un-indoctrinated many would think VFR and .. running up the fjord is a better option than an approach, I don't agree but they do hint the wx was better there. The Labrador coast (and south coast of Hudson Straight and Ungava ) is like the ugliest place in Canada for WX and terrain is vertical cliffs from the ocean up - not a part of the world meant for VFR flight. Another example of poor decisions costing lives. - Damn!!!
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pelmet
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Re: Ferry flight down near Makkovik

Post by pelmet »

I think VFR flight is fine but in good VFR conditions. People do it in the Rocky Mountains all the time. The highest terrain on this route was about 2500’.
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Re: Ferry flight down near Makkovik

Post by pelmet »

The PIC posted this info on another forum as to why he flew at the low altitude that was chosen, which gives an idea of some of the considerations made.....

"The winds aloft were strong and against (at least for the first third of the leg), with cloudbase (below freezing) between 2000 and 3000amsl. The plan was to remain VMC (thus filing VFR, and staying below cloud) until approximately that 1/3 point, and then to climb. As mentioned in the report, we planned to either maintain visual contact (fly around any obstacles) or if in any doubt, to nevertheless climb (aircraft was FIKI capable) to the MSA. I do not know why it went wrong, though I have my theories (which are partly described in the report).

It's perhaps important to realise that the ground was covered in millions of small trees providing great ground reference except for/until the hill which was the only area for miles with no features whatsoever."
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