Single Engine down in Nashville - KJWN

On the live ATC I heard someone key up “keep flying the airplane”. It’s a shame the pilot didn’t have time to receive more instruction / tips. I wonder if he checked his fuel selector, boost pump, mixture, mags, throttle, etc.

Does anyone know if he was in contact with Tower when he initially overflew the field? If he was to land there, I wonder why he didn’t shift to a downwind and stay tighter. He told tower he had it in sight.

Did he have an instrument rating?
 
SebIp said:
Where was that info found?

Carful with the badly written news. The airport it’s based at is owned and operated by the Brampton flight center. There are many private planes based out of there. And I think some news outlet has said he’s part of the flying club. Again the club field host private planes.

The registration is to a number company and address is out of an ups store so likely mail box. Suggest it’s not a plane belonging to the flying club. Although could be a private partnership.
Click to expand...
Per a news article

"The plane was based at the Brampton Flight Centre, owned and operated by the Brampton Flying Club, said its general manager, Allan Paige."

So I perhaps misinterpreted that quote?
 
Newish pilot, relatively unfamiliar complex aircraft, dark cockpit, sometimes finicky fuel selector switch, engine stoppage at a flight phase where switching tanks would be expected.

Not looking good for the home team.
 
RyanB said:
I guess I’m missing it, but where are you finding his flight experience?
Click to expand...

Sorry, I meant in the air. If he was higher and had more time, maybe another pilot could radio a suggestion like mixture adjustment.
 
Plane observed on a couple different cams…they don’t reveal much if anything:



 
What is the saying, "Night, IMC, Weather, pick one?" Have I got that right?
 
Ed Haywood said:
Could be he intended to leave earlier. A lot of my XCs are planned as day trips and the last half hour winds up being at night.
Click to expand...
In my examination of aircraft mishaps over the years, I can recall instances where a planned departure time was missed, and as a result of darkness or enroute deterioration of weather after the expected arrival, it contributed to a fatal outcome.

We all have experienced a meeting that ran past its expected end, a passenger that didn't arrive at the airport at an agreed upon hour, traffic impediments, a slow fuel truck, and a myriad of other delays that impinge on our plans to be airborne at a certain time.

When this might occur in my trips, I have made it a requirement of flight planning to establish a hard departure time. Leaving an hour or two later than expected and being rushed could result in a failure to recheck the forecast or to properly consider how nighttime conditions might make an approach to a new and challenging airport much more demanding.

My heart aches when a tragedy of this magnitude occurs. The unspeakable terror experienced by those lost and the never ending pain forced upon the survivors cause me to reflect on my actions and question the decision processes I use. I don't mean to be overly dramatic. It's such a sad event.
 
Last edited:
It's a really good point. I have a personal three strikes rule but a hard departure time would also catch things that don't qualify as "strikes" but are lining up lemons. I'm going to add that to my bag of borrowed wisdom. Thank you.

Also it's pretty hard to be more dramatic than the actual event. It's soul-crushing.

3393RP said:
When this might occur in my trips, I have made it a requirement of flight planning to establish a hard departure time. Leaving an hour or two later than expected and being rushed could result in a failure to recheck the forecast or properly consider how nighttime conditions might make an approach to a new and challenging airport much more demanding.

My heart aches when a tragedy of this magnitude occurs. The unspeakable terror experienced by those lost and the never ending pain forced upon the survivors cause me to reflect on my actions and question the decision processes I use. I don't mean to be overly dramatic. It's such a sad event.
Click to expand...
 
Ed Haywood said:
dark cockpit, sometimes finicky fuel selector switch
Click to expand...
Never been happy with the poor visibility of the fuel selector valve in my plane for night flying. Even if this turns out not to be the case here, I might still look into having a red light installed under the panel in a way that it illuminates that valve without impacting night vision.
 
AV8R_87 said:
Never been happy with the poor visibility of the fuel selector valve in my plane for night flying. Even if this turns out not to be the case here, I might still look into having a red light installed under the panel in a way that it illuminates that valve without impacting night vision.
Click to expand...
Wear a red headlamp. Problem solved.
 
RyanB said:
Wear a red headlamp. Problem solved.
Click to expand...
I always, always have a red head lamp handy (hanging from my center stick). Spare batteries for lamp and headsets within reach. Especially if carrying passengers, I want to be prepared. When flying at night, I almost always have Nearest in the lower corner of the G1000 PFD so I can immediately turn for the closest airport in an emergency. One can never be too prepared for the unexpected, and night flying quickly reduces your options.
 
Jamie Kirk said:
I change tanks when I start my descent and don’t touch it again until I’ve landed in my PA32. I never understood why people do this minutes from landing.
Click to expand...
We still aren’t sure what happened but the airplane had fuel given the explosion. I typically change tanks if I have a landing spot in mind, usually near an airport. I even visualize making left turns so I can keep visual of my landing spot if needed.
 
Peter Anderson said:
Red does not negativity affect your night vision. White most certainly does. I’ll pass on Canada’s recommendation.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Click to expand...
What color is your instrument light?

The recommendation is based on being able to see colors.

For me it works. I have a headlamp that’s extremely dimmable and I find it a better solution then red where you can’t see colors.
 
Peter Anderson said:
Red does not negativity affect your night vision. White most certainly does. I’ll pass on Canada’s recommendation.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Click to expand...
Not just Canada's recommendation. Also the US Air Force. Their study showed dimmable white lights are superior to red. Unless you're making a ground attack run or dogfighting on a moonless night.
 
donjohnston said:
Not just Canada's recommendation. Also the US Air Force. Their study showed dimmable white lights are superior to red. Unless you're making a ground attack run or dogfighting on a moonless night.
Click to expand...
Or better yet just use the force lol.

Anyhow each to their own. What I read was the white light has advantages for faster processing of information, better focus.

My head lamp has both and both colors are dimmable.
 
donjohnston said:
Not just Canada's recommendation. Also the US Air Force. Their study showed dimmable white lights are superior to red. Unless you're making a ground attack run or dogfighting on a moonless night.
Click to expand...
I did a fair amount of helicopter night flight before goggles came out. Constructed a cardboard cover for the govt issue lanyard penlight. Wound up with extremely dim white light which worked perfectly. Much easier to read maps with.
 
Talking today with a friend at the airport - he had one interesting theory. Long day, fatigue, long, slow descent - what if he forgot to enrich the mixture? Engine still makes some power at low power settings, but as he advances the throttle to level off it quits on him.
 
Racerx said:
Per a news article

"The plane was based at the Brampton Flight Centre, owned and operated by the Brampton Flying Club, said its general manager, Allan Paige."

So I perhaps misinterpreted that quote?
Click to expand...
Leaseback probably. It doesn't say the plane was owned by the club, just that the flight centre was owned by the flying club. Brampton is somewhat of an oddity, the flying club owns the airport.
 
AV8R_87 said:
Talking today with a friend at the airport - he had one interesting theory. Long day, fatigue, long, slow descent - what if he forgot to enrich the mixture? Engine still makes some power at low power settings, but as he advances the throttle to level off it quits on him.
Click to expand...
I mentioned that in an earlier response....first thing I thought of as I have been stupid enough myself to realize why things were running rough in the descent. The thing is, if your engine starts to run rough you generally go straight to the mixture and power, but if he was low and could not restart... who knows.
 
That would be a hard cause to identify if that’s the case.

And if that’s the case he would have to have forgotten the cause check flow on engine out.
 
Peter Anderson said:
Red does not negativity affect your night vision. White most certainly does. I’ll pass on Canada’s recommendation.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Click to expand...
Actually, there was a study by the U.S. Navy showing that it was the intensity of the light, and not color, that affected pupillary response to light in a dark helm. Red light did cause issues with color perception on colored nautical charts. Transport Canada's recommendation has merit. If I can find the study I will post it.
 
Wasn't it a turbo though? You wouldn't lean that enough in cruise to kill it during descent.
 
Peter Anderson said:
Red does not negativity affect your night vision. White most certainly does. I’ll pass on Canada’s recommendation.
Click to expand...

Same here. I carried a blue light for years which worked well for me.

Back in the day of paper charts red light could cover up some of the colors on the map.
 
Jim K said:
Wasn't it a turbo though? You wouldn't lean that enough in cruise to kill it during descent.
Click to expand...


Most of my turbo experience has been in twins, and that has never been a problem. With the gradual reduction in the throttles I would usually leave the mixtures at cruise until short final then full rich in case of a possible and unexpected go around.

Also I would leave the props at cruise until short final (if able) as well for noise abatement.
 
I do not have turbo experience... makes sense though that it would be tough to kill the engine with the turbo engine leaned out.
 
robin ardoin said:
Actually, there was a study by the U.S. Navy showing that it was the intensity of the light, and not color, that affected pupillary response to light in a dark helm. Red light did cause issues with color perception on colored nautical charts. Transport Canada's recommendation has merit. If I can find the study I will post it.
Click to expand...
I can verify that, in the late 80s to early 90s, on certain non-aviation USN platforms the night operation lighting for certain watchstanders was changed from red to low-level white. No idea what is currently used.
 
Zeldman said:
Most of my turbo experience has been in twins, and that has never been a problem. With the gradual reduction in the throttles I would usually leave the mixtures at cruise until short final then full rich in case of a possible and unexpected go around.
Click to expand...
Even if coming down from 10k+ a lean mixture wouldn't pose a problem?
 
robin ardoin said:
Actually, there was a study by the U.S. Navy showing that it was the intensity of the light, and not color, that affected pupillary response to light in a dark helm. Red light did cause issues with color perception on colored nautical charts. Transport Canada's recommendation has merit. If I can find the study I will post it.
Click to expand...

And the navy being the navy still uses paper charts? Because I certainly don’t lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
AV8R_87 said:
Even if coming down from 10k+ a lean mixture wouldn't pose a problem?
Click to expand...

I usually came down from the lower flight levels. Just watch the temps.

I started reducing power 3-5 minutes before starting the descent, then one inch a minute, or one inch per 1000 feet from there. If ATC stopped my descent then I would adjust as needed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top