Not certified for instrument flight

[Phil Perry]

A similar fate took Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, the Big Bopper. . . Flew with a pilot who was 'rusty' on instruments, and with the blind flying kit electrically disabled, and took off into darkening skies and VISIBLY worsening weather at dusk. . .

 

There is a late night TV show named 'How do they do it' . . .I reckon there ought to be another one aimed at Aviators, entitled 'WHY DO THEY DO IT ?'

[onetrack]

Phil - Just a correction there - the pilot carrying Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Richie Valens took off at 1:55AM, into a cold front and increasing snowfall, that he wasn't advised correctly about.

The pilot also failed to file a flight plan, although he stated he would lodge it whilst in flight. As the flight lasted only a period of 5 to 8 minutes, I guess the pilot didn't have time to lodge the flight plan.

The company that owned the Beech Bonanza was not certified for instrument flight with any of their aircraft.

 

But the simple fact remains the pilot was young (21), relatively inexperienced, not adequately trained for IFR, and had failed his last instrument flight check, 9 mths prior to the crash that took his and his pax lives.

And the over-riding feature of the crash report is that the Beech Bonanza he flew into the ground, was equipped with a Sperry Attitude Gyro, which he was not familiar with.

The pilot was familiar with a conventional Artificial Horizon, but the Sperry Attitude Gyro presents pitch information directly opposite to that of a conventional AH.

 

The pilot took off imprudently on VFR into virtually complete darkness, with light snow falling, with no horizon reference, and no ground lighting for reference.

Gusty wind turbulence, and unfamiliarity with the Sperry F3 Gyro, coupled with no attitude reference outside the cabin, and the result was entirely predictable.

 

Interestingly, I have never found any lawsuit or payout records as regards the deaths of the 3 singers. I read where the Mason City airport manager was sued over the crash, but successfully defended his position.

 

http://data.desmoinesregister.com/holly/documents/CABreport.pdf

[onetrack]

Sorry, forgot to proof-read, and ran out of editing time. Takeoff time was 12:55AM, not 1:55AM.

[Guest Machtuk]

Phil - Just a correction there - the pilot carrying Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Richie Valens took off at 1:55AM, into a cold front and increasing snowfall, that he wasn't advised correctly about.

The pilot also failed to file a flight plan, although he stated he would lodge it whilst in flight. As the flight lasted only a period of 5 to 8 minutes, I guess the pilot didn't have time to lodge the flight plan.

The company that owned the Beech Bonanza was not certified for instrument flight with any of their aircraft.

 

But the simple fact remains the pilot was young (21), relatively inexperienced, not adequately trained for IFR, and had failed his last instrument flight check, 9 mths prior to the crash that took his and his pax lives.

And the over-riding feature of the crash report is that the Beech Bonanza he flew into the ground, was equipped with a Sperry Attitude Gyro, which he was not familiar with.

The pilot was familiar with a conventional Artificial Horizon, but the Sperry Attitude Gyro presents pitch information directly opposite to that of a conventional AH.

 

The pilot took off imprudently on VFR into virtually complete darkness, with light snow falling, with no horizon reference, and no ground lighting for reference.

Gusty wind turbulence, and unfamiliarity with the Sperry F3 Gyro, coupled with no attitude reference outside the cabin, and the result was entirely predictable.

 

Interestingly, I have never found any lawsuit or payout records as regards the deaths of the 3 singers. I read where the Mason City airport manager was sued over the crash, but successfully defended his position.

 

http://data.desmoinesregister.com/holly/documents/CABreport.pdf

 

Funny you should mention all that as I only watched the La Bamba movie last night? Nasty outcome, the driver had no business being there much like the Kobe crash driver he too should not have been there!

[Phil Perry]

Sorry, forgot to proof-read, and ran out of editing time. Takeoff time was 12:55AM, not 1:55AM.

[/quote

 

Thanks Gents,. . I do vaguely remember the story now,. . . read about it a very long time back in 'Pilot' magazine an American publication that I used to buy in OZ in the 1970s. . .

[red750]

At the risk of thread drift, the Buddy Holly accident was referred to in Don McLean's song "American Pie", when he sang "The day the music died".

[Jase T]

Having actually gone "Inadvertent IMC" in a helicopter at low level / speed (its called dust and heavy aircraft) its bloody hard work even when you have briefed what you are going to do if it happens, you are very current at it, have a full set of instruments and a co-pilot to help you out.. I can only imagine how hard it is when it happens unplanned / un-briefed you are on your own in the cockpit and you have to transition to instruments instantly!

[Guest Machtuk]

Having actually gone "Inadvertent IMC" in a helicopter at low level / speed (its called dust and heavy aircraft) its bloody hard work even when you have briefed what you are going to do if it happens, you are very current at it, have a full set of instruments and a co-pilot to help you out.. I can only imagine how hard it is when it happens unplanned / un-briefed you are on your own in the cockpit and you have to transition to instruments instantly!

 

That's too true, it would be very difficult, sadly though for its optional most of the times?

[dsam]

Having actually gone "Inadvertent IMC" in a helicopter at low level / speed (its called dust and heavy aircraft) its bloody hard work even when you have briefed what you are going to do if it happens, you are very current at it, have a full set of instruments and a co-pilot to help you out.. I can only imagine how hard it is when it happens unplanned / un-briefed you are on your own in the cockpit and you have to transition to instruments instantly!

Agreed. I’ve experienced blinding dusty conditions as a passenger in a heavy helicopter departing from Karratha some years ago. I’ve also driven through the USA crash area, and that sort of dust obliteration doesn’t really happen there, particularly on rapid decent from cruise altitudes (aka CFIT). The decision to stay on the ground IMHO should have been made at the outset.

[APenNameAndThatA]

The chopper pilot was simply a complete idiot. Fancy flying around blind in California mountains, in a California fog! I cannot understand the stupidity of the mindset of some people.

It's the same dumb mindset as people driving along roads in thick fog at 100kmh with visibility at 10 to 20 metres.

The same dumb mindset that caused the $30M cost of the Lismore truck-train crash in 2006, when the Kenworth driver drove his loaded rig into the side of 3 locos at 90kmh in thick fog.

 

Yeah, but he actually wasn't a complete idiot. And he still did something idiotic.