Post by corsair67 on Mar 8, 2006 13:49:31 GMT 12
From today's 'stuff.co.nz'. Sorry about the length of the article; I was going to cut and paste the link, but they never work! ;D
Pilot in fatal crash 'breached civil aviation rules'
08 March 2006
By HANNAH LAWRENCE
The pilot of a jet which crashed in 2004 while preparing for an air show, killing both occupants, had little experience in aerobatics and breached numerous civil aviation rules, an accident report released today says.
The vintage plane, a Potez Air Fouga CM 170 Magister jet, crashed into the Firth of Thames near Kaiaua on March 19, 2004, killing pilot Chris Timms, 56, and crewmember Kerry Campbell, 57, chief executive of Aucklande's Ardmore Airport.
It was reported at the time the two men had been practising manoeuvres for the Wings and Wine Lake Taupo Airshow.
The aircraft was owned by a syndicate, including Mr Timms and Warbirds Association president Trevor Bland.
An accident report released by the Civil Aviation Authority today made a number of conclusions on the crash, including that the pilot had little or no experience performing aerobatic manoeuvres at low level in jet aircraft.
It said the manoeuvres were not authorised by the New Zealand Warbirds Association, and were performed in an area that had the potential to impact on public safety.
Both men were members of the New Zealand Warbirds Association (inc).
The report said they were conducting a flight in preparation for an air display routine when the plane was seen by witnesses to climb and enter cloud.
"A short time later, the aircraft was observed to exit cloud in a steep spiralling dive that continued until the aircraft struck the sea. Both occupants were killed on impact." it said.
The plane crashed about 200m from shore.
The objective of the flight was to be "a critique of the pilot's suitability to perform an air display" in the plane at the Taupo show scheduled for the next day.
After a 48 minute test flight the previous night the pilot, Mr Timms, declared it was the first time he had carried out low level aerobatics in the aircraft, the report said.
His most recent low level flying authorisation stipulated no aerobatics below 1500 feet and low level flypasts not below 200 feet.
The aircraft was airworthy and operating normally until the accident, the report said.
Mr Timms was appropriately licensed, rated and medically fit to fly the plane.
Crewmember Mr Campbell had not been in the aircraft before the fatal flight.
His role was to assess the flight and report to Warbirds that Mr Timms had performed as briefed.
Under Warbirds rules a prerequisite for that role was that it be carried out by a qualified flight instructor. Mr Campbell was not an instructor and was not type rated on the aircraft, but the association considered his background – including flying Skyhawks for the RNZAF– made him suited for the exercise.
"Given the speed of events, it is unlikely that the crewmember would have been able to take over and effect a recovery, regardless of flying ability or qualifications," the report said.
The report said the location of the accident exposed the general public of the Kaiaua township to unnecessary risk.
It said Mr Timms breached numerous civil aviation rules including that he was not authorised to operate below 1500 feet and perform low level aerobatics, did not ensure the safe operation of the aircraft and safety of its occupants, was not authorised by Warbirds to be at a low level in the area, violated minimum heights, did not maintain the aircraft clear of cloud and performed aerobatics too close to a town.
He was currently rated for the aircraft type, "however, 48-minutes flying in a jet aircraft after a period of five months' absence is not considered suitable preparation for a pilot intent on performing a low-level air display at an airshow," the report said.
One of the safety actions listed in the report was that the Civil Aviation Authority will review its advisory to include "flight recency requirements" and guidelines for aerobatic flight.
The Warbirds association will also review advisories and accepted a recommendation it should strengthen its control and influence over private owners of warbirds aircraft who intend to use them in air displays.
The RNZAF has launched a display flight training programme for military and civilian pilots, which will run annually over a weekend.
After the crash Mr Timms' wife, Susanne, said her husband gave all to his interests – be it yachting, flying or growing rhododendrons.
An industrial chemist by trade, he won gold for New Zealand at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics with Rex Sellars in the Tornado class of yachting. The pair then won a silver medal four years later in Seoul.
Mr Campbell, from Pakuranga, flew Skyhawks in the RNZAF before working as airport manager at Hamilton Airport and becoming chief executive at Ardmore.
He was operations manager at Hamilton Airport for four years until 1997.
Pilot in fatal crash 'breached civil aviation rules'
08 March 2006
By HANNAH LAWRENCE
The pilot of a jet which crashed in 2004 while preparing for an air show, killing both occupants, had little experience in aerobatics and breached numerous civil aviation rules, an accident report released today says.
The vintage plane, a Potez Air Fouga CM 170 Magister jet, crashed into the Firth of Thames near Kaiaua on March 19, 2004, killing pilot Chris Timms, 56, and crewmember Kerry Campbell, 57, chief executive of Aucklande's Ardmore Airport.
It was reported at the time the two men had been practising manoeuvres for the Wings and Wine Lake Taupo Airshow.
The aircraft was owned by a syndicate, including Mr Timms and Warbirds Association president Trevor Bland.
An accident report released by the Civil Aviation Authority today made a number of conclusions on the crash, including that the pilot had little or no experience performing aerobatic manoeuvres at low level in jet aircraft.
It said the manoeuvres were not authorised by the New Zealand Warbirds Association, and were performed in an area that had the potential to impact on public safety.
Both men were members of the New Zealand Warbirds Association (inc).
The report said they were conducting a flight in preparation for an air display routine when the plane was seen by witnesses to climb and enter cloud.
"A short time later, the aircraft was observed to exit cloud in a steep spiralling dive that continued until the aircraft struck the sea. Both occupants were killed on impact." it said.
The plane crashed about 200m from shore.
The objective of the flight was to be "a critique of the pilot's suitability to perform an air display" in the plane at the Taupo show scheduled for the next day.
After a 48 minute test flight the previous night the pilot, Mr Timms, declared it was the first time he had carried out low level aerobatics in the aircraft, the report said.
His most recent low level flying authorisation stipulated no aerobatics below 1500 feet and low level flypasts not below 200 feet.
The aircraft was airworthy and operating normally until the accident, the report said.
Mr Timms was appropriately licensed, rated and medically fit to fly the plane.
Crewmember Mr Campbell had not been in the aircraft before the fatal flight.
His role was to assess the flight and report to Warbirds that Mr Timms had performed as briefed.
Under Warbirds rules a prerequisite for that role was that it be carried out by a qualified flight instructor. Mr Campbell was not an instructor and was not type rated on the aircraft, but the association considered his background – including flying Skyhawks for the RNZAF– made him suited for the exercise.
"Given the speed of events, it is unlikely that the crewmember would have been able to take over and effect a recovery, regardless of flying ability or qualifications," the report said.
The report said the location of the accident exposed the general public of the Kaiaua township to unnecessary risk.
It said Mr Timms breached numerous civil aviation rules including that he was not authorised to operate below 1500 feet and perform low level aerobatics, did not ensure the safe operation of the aircraft and safety of its occupants, was not authorised by Warbirds to be at a low level in the area, violated minimum heights, did not maintain the aircraft clear of cloud and performed aerobatics too close to a town.
He was currently rated for the aircraft type, "however, 48-minutes flying in a jet aircraft after a period of five months' absence is not considered suitable preparation for a pilot intent on performing a low-level air display at an airshow," the report said.
One of the safety actions listed in the report was that the Civil Aviation Authority will review its advisory to include "flight recency requirements" and guidelines for aerobatic flight.
The Warbirds association will also review advisories and accepted a recommendation it should strengthen its control and influence over private owners of warbirds aircraft who intend to use them in air displays.
The RNZAF has launched a display flight training programme for military and civilian pilots, which will run annually over a weekend.
After the crash Mr Timms' wife, Susanne, said her husband gave all to his interests – be it yachting, flying or growing rhododendrons.
An industrial chemist by trade, he won gold for New Zealand at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics with Rex Sellars in the Tornado class of yachting. The pair then won a silver medal four years later in Seoul.
Mr Campbell, from Pakuranga, flew Skyhawks in the RNZAF before working as airport manager at Hamilton Airport and becoming chief executive at Ardmore.
He was operations manager at Hamilton Airport for four years until 1997.
