Seaplane accident at South Straddie

[Spin]

Been watching the news, a seaplane flipped at South Stradbroke, apparently after "tripping" over a crab pot. Five on board, one airlifted to hospital with suspected back injuries.

 

Of course our friends in the media are already speculating over "lack of experience" as a factor due to the pilot's youth. Grrrr!

 

Sad to see the Cessna lying on its back, glad it wasn't worse.

 

 

[HEON]

It is being unfair having a go at the media for publishing the photo and writing the article on this as you have to admit with the two floats in the air it makes a much better photo than the that of a car with four wheels in the air..."thats just so COMMON darling"

 

 

[Spin]

It is being unfair having a go at the media for publishing the photo and writing the article on this as you have to admit with the two floats in the air it makes a much better photo than the that of a car with four wheels in the air..."thats just so COMMON darling"

I don't have any drama with the photo being published, my gripe was about the immediate jumping on the fact of the pilot being young and the statement that; "a possible lack of experience is being investigated..." What's the bet the interview went; "So Mr Policeman, will you be investigating whether the pilot was sufficiently experienced?" Reply; "Yes we will be investigating all factors" QED, they are investigating a possible lack of experience.

 

 

[Barefootpilot]

Crab pot making an aircraft crash.... hmmm thats a good story.... I would say more likely misjudged the takeoff and ran it up on the sand bank. Glad everyone got out Ok... crab pot I'll have to remeber that one!

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

Crab pot making an aircraft crash.... hmmm thats a good story.... I would say more likely misjudged the takeoff and ran it up on the sand bank. Glad everyone got out Ok... crab pot I'll have to remeber that one!

On Youtube there is a video of a seaplan elanding with wheels extended under the floats. Now these arent huge wheels and dont stick out miles under the floats. On contact with the water the plane immediately flips. So, to my mind, if 2 wheels (seemed smaller than usual land undercarriage wheels) could do that then a crab pot and rope etc would create as much if not more drag...asssuming that the rope wasnt the usual sun affected nylon that has 10% of its optomistically rated breaking weight.... Not saying it was or wasnt related to the problem, just that I think I'll wait and see what comes out of the investigation...After all if there was a crabpot involved it surely hasnt dissapeared....if it has then I can only imagine the "sure there was a crab pot" look that the pilot is likely to get from the investigators

 

Andy

 

 

[Barefootpilot]

Gday Andy,

 

A gear down landing is very different to a crab pot. On landing in a 185 or 206 which is the video you have seen the aircraft is touching down at about 60kts. The main wheels grab first and pitch you forward which is possibly surviveable (ie it won't flip) but when the nose wheels touch thats when the aircraft goes over.

 

Now the aircraft that crashed was a straight float aircraft ie no wheels, so basically there is not alot for the crab pot to get caught on (except the water rudders but i will get to them shortly) Also I'm not sure how much crabbing you've done but I have never seen a crab pot that is more than a couple of kgs! Unless the thing is made on concrete it wouldn't not effect the controlability that much! Look at what they do in Canada and Alaska with canoes on the side of the floats! And if the aircraft was doing any sort of speed (as it must have to go right over)

 

Now back to the water rudders. For all operations other than taxiing the aircraft the water rudders should be up. As you can see in the photo's they are not although that could be have happened as the aircraft went over.

 

I think its a great media spin and I'm glad everyone got out alright but sometimes people XXXX up! and I think this could be one of them!

 

Adam.