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If visibility is closing in what is the legal position for a pilot if he just descends and lands, or even crash lands on uneven ground in preference to flying into a mountain?
Husky and DerAdler both replied for the military side. The civil side is less forgiving. The official position is "Pilot Error", you shouldn't have been there in the first place. Likely results in a violation and a penalty.If visibility is closing in what is the legal position for a pilot if he just descends and lands, or even crash lands on uneven ground in preference to flying into a mountain?
I was once given a meeting schedule that resulted in me leaving a meeting in Genoa and having to be at Lecco in Como up in the Alps the next morning. The car hire company helpfully upgraded me to a BMW 318 (all front wheel drive cars taken). It was snowing when we first arrived in Milan, by the time we got to Genoa it was starting to lay, passing Milan on the way back to the Alps we were in heavy snow. I of course crashed the car into the central reservation and smashed every light and panel but the car was drivable, so I continued. Eventually we got all done but I tore my boss off a strip and told him I would never ever accept any such schedule again. I did learn one thing, Japanese engineers turn a sickly grey/white in a car going backwards on snow in Italy, poor Mr Hiroe hadnt ever been in a car in snow and had never been further than 20 miles in a car before.Husky and DerAdler both replied for the military side. The civil side is less forgiving. The official position is "Pilot Error", you shouldn't have been there in the first place. Likely results in a violation and a penalty.
Husky and DerAdler both replied for the military side. The civil side is less forgiving. The official position is "Pilot Error", you shouldn't have been there in the first place. Likely results in a violation and a penalty.
I was once given a meeting schedule that resulted in me leaving a meeting in Genoa and having to be at Lecco in Como up in the Alps the next morning. The car hire company helpfully upgraded me to a BMW 318 (all front wheel drive cars taken). It was snowing when we first arrived in Milan, by the time we got to Genoa it was starting to lay, passing Milan on the way back to the Alps we were in heavy snow. I of course crashed the car into the central reservation and smashed every light and panel but the car was drivable, so I continued. Eventually we got all done but I tore my boss off a strip and told him I would never ever accept any such schedule again. I did learn one thing, Japanese engineers turn a sickly grey/white in a car going backwards on snow in Italy, poor Mr Hiroe hadnt ever been in a car in snow and had never been further than 20 miles in a car before.
I originally put "authority" as a driver to accidents. I wonder what would have happened to Leigh-Mallory's pilot if he had said, "No, Mr Air Chief Marshall Sir, it is too dangerous for me to fly you and your wife". Maybe he would have been drummed out of the service, but he would still be alive as would the dippy Air Chief Marshall and his wife.That's a hoot.
I was flying this full bird colonel in Honduras who wished to inspect from the air this new road he was responsible for building in a pretty rugged mountainous area. We'll the clouds and mist started creeping in over tops and flowing into the valleys to the point I continue slowing and getting lower and the full bird is in back bitching about he cannot see 'his' road very well. There were a couple points I would be scraping my chin bubbles off trees limbs climbing up a ridge to try and peek into the next valley. He continues bitching to the point I end the mission, turn my bird parallel to the ridge, confirm instrument set ups of my and my co-pilots shit, confirm my location and hazards and heights, then pop into the clouds away from the higher stuff...the pop out the clouds at around 4500 ft all clear and sunny. He ordered my to get back down there...I responded with a polite No sir, the weather is too poor and you've just witness. Then I had to provide him a lesson on a few passages out of the Army regulation that states the Pilot-in-Command is the final authority for operation of the aircraft. He didn't much care for that...and it reinforced my opinion most Full Bird Colonels are complete assholes.
Just a thought/question for the actual pilots here. Perhaps I'm looking at this too simplisticly but it seems if you get into heavy fog and you know the highest mountain in the immediate area is say 2500 feet wouldn't the safest thing to do be get up abouve that altitude and fly in the direction of the nearest airport reporting clear skies?
Of course if it turns out to be mechanical trouble that wouldn't apply to this incident but I keep hearing reporters speculate on what the pilot may have been trying to do, set it down, go back to where they took off from etc. but given the abouve non of it makes much sense to me.
I can imagine so. After flying Alfa, Charlie and Enhanced Hawks for 20 years I did a few years civil flying Bell 412's, Bell 222's, Bell 206's and Bell 407's....if I was doing a long distance flight...I filed IFR, even if clear blue and 22. All the aircraft were IFR equipped, and the 222 had a almost take you to the ground auto-pilot.
Who did you fly 412's, 222's, 206's and 407's for?
Air Methods out of Centennial, CO back in the early 2000's
Air Methods out of Centennial, CO back in the early 2000's
I work at Air Methods today! Started one month ago. Also worked for them in 2003-2004.
I was there from 2001 to 2002.