New Documentary on JFK Jr. Accident

[SixPapaCharlie]

I'll try to help.


The sky is overcast and the visibility poor. That reported 5-mile visibility looks more like two, and you can’t judge the height of the overcast. Your altimeter says you’re at 1500 but your map tells you there’s local terrain as high as 1200 feet. There might even be a tower nearby because you’re not sure just how far off course you are. But you’ve flown into worse weather than this, so you press on.

You find yourself unconsciously easing back just a bit on the controls to clear those non-too-imaginary towers. With no warning, you’re in the soup. You peer so hard into the milky white mist that your eyes hurt. You fight the feeling in your stomach. You swallow, only to find your mouth dry. Now you realize you should have waited for better weather. The appointment was important—but not that important. Somewhere, a voice is saying “You’ve had it—it’s all over!”.

Your aircraft feels in an even keel but your compass turns slowly. You push a little rudder and add a little pressure on the controls to stop the turn but this feels unnatural and you return the controls to their original position. This feels better but your compass in now turning a little faster and your airspeed is increasing slightly. You scan your instrument panel for help but what you see looks somewhat unfamiliar. You’re sure this is just a bad spot. You’ll break out in a few minutes. (But you don’t have several minutes left...) You glance at your altimeter and are shocked to see it unwinding. You’re already down to 1200 feet. Instinctively, you pull back on the controls but the altimeter still unwinds. The engine is into the red—and the airspeed, nearly so.

Now you’re sweating and shaking. There must be something wrong with the controls; pulling back only moves that airspeed indicator further into the red. You can hear the wind tearing at the aircraft.

Suddenly, you see the ground. The trees rush up at you. You can see the horizon if you turn your head far enough but it’s at an unusual angle—you’re almost inverted. You open your mouth to scream but...

Well done!

 

[Tantalum]

With the hood on, my guy would make me look down and then it was like a rollercoaster ride, tossing the plane (and me) all about, then having me look up and recover on instruments

Same here, he had me turn sideways and look down for 30 seconds or so to get the plane out of sorts. But to @SixPapaCharlie point recovery was always pretty easy. Level the wings then fix the attitude.

I will say that haze gives me the willies, because it sneaks up on you slowly. 10 mile vis becomes 7, then 5, then 3...

Edited to add that @eman1200 write up was chilling

 

[Palmpilot]

...But to @SixPapaCharlie point recovery was always pretty easy. Level the wings then fix the attitude....

That works if you're in a nose-low attitude, but I was taught that if you're in a nose-high attitude, you need to lower the nose before leveling the wings.

 

[Bill]

That works if you're in a nose-low attitude, but I was taught that if you're in a nose-high attitude, you need to lower the nose before leveling the wings.

Exactly what I was taught.

Nose low: pull throttle, wings level, nose up, adjust throttle.

Nose high: throttle up, nose over, wings level, adjust throttle.

Actually, in the nose up situation you can push the nose over and level the wings simultaneously. In the nose low situation, you almost always want to level the wings first begoee the pull to reduce wing loading.

 

[eman1200]

...Edited to add that @eman1200 write up was chilling

lol thanks, although eman didn't write that..........

 

[Tantalum]

but I was taught that if you're in a nose-high attitude, you need to lower the nose before leveling the wings.

You are right, since you'll be losing airspeed putting the nose down first will help avoid a stall and possible spin

 

[MikeS]

> "Seems a bit of a harsh indictment."

Of Cirrus drivers? Or of people who despite all their diligence in attempting to become proficient, never get there?

There are some people who, no matter how much instruction they undergo, just don't have the makings of being a proficient pilot. I'm like that with algebra. I couldn't remember the formulas for more than five minutes. I couldn't envision any need I would ever have in life for algebra. My life is mostly over and darned if I wasn't right. I took the basic course twice and failed both years. (Using algebra is a bad example but does illustrate that I'm capable of empathizing with people who cannot learn something no matter how hard they try.) Hopefully these folks who never develop the ability to feel at home in the sky, should they continue to pursue flying even after they realize it's never going to be something that feels natural, hopefully, they integrate this insight into their aviation activity - that is, know their limitations . . . listen to their gut feelings and not their mental constructs . . and leave any passenger seats in the plane empty. My thought is that people who love to fly, who always wanted to fly and eventually got into a position where they could afford to pursue what had been a passion since childhood - these people I think have it in them to instinctively take the right actions and/or make the right choices when the unexpected situation arises . . . without having to think about it too much (presuming good training of course). Disorientation is not an uncommon occurrence. I've experienced it many times over the years. It's common enough that I don't think I'm exaggerating in saying that it's to be expected and comes quite naturally with the territory. He had taken a lot of instruction - appears he was sincerely trying to become a proficient pilot so my comment regarding people who have more money than good sense probably is harsh in this instance.

In all that sincere effort of his to become proficient though, that he wasn't able in this grayout situation to recognize his predicament and fall back on the training he must have received in handling this common aviation hazard . . . that he didn't do this or couldn't do this . . . that he couldn't summon enough presence of mind to at least push the autopilot switch on (as someone has pointed out), prompts me to think he was one of those who just didn't have the innate ability to be doing what he was doing. So I think you're right. What I sad was harsh and judgmental. I realize in retrospect he simply had a disability.

 

[mscard88]

Smithsonian Channel tonight 7:00 CT replay of the JFK crash if anyone interested.

 

[glideher]

ive seen the documentary called "what really really REALLY happened" its a must watch.