Posted on 02/08/2020 6:57:41 AM PST by L.A.Justice
He should have been cautious. I don’t know the ceiling of that particular helicopter, but I do know that it isn’t wise to push the limit to the flight ceiling.
Higher than the surrounding mountains of around 3-4k feet.
Here is the 11 page preliminary report:
https://ntsb.gov/investigations/Documents/DCA20MA059-Investigative-Update.pdf
I think he went spatial disorientation; didn’t bother focusing on instruments. Secondly it’s been reported that the company wasn’t cleared for their flights into IMC.
The helicopter was just 100 feet from the cloud tops and conceivably would have broken through into clear air in a matter of seconds.
...
Missed it by that much.
Spatial Disorientation, it didn’t help that he was doing 165 knots, he could have been going 20 knots and hovered over the freeway, unfortunately getthereitis is all too often a fatal decision.
Controlled flight into terrain.
VRF pilot flying well beyond his capabilities in IFR weather.
So, am inferring that turning at high speed, low visibility is super dangerous for that reason? Centrifugal force makes you think you’re going up, not down?
Still going to be pilot error
In the back of my mind I am thinking the pilot had a sudden heart problem, or a stroke, rendering control of the aircraft impossible.
That’s what got JFK Jr.
His helicopter departed the atmosphere and impacted the planet Earth. Maybe it wanted to be an SUV.
Bm
That flight should never have been approved for take off.
I wondered that too. Do not know if it would be possible to determine based on the condition the remains must be in.
From the report:
The pilot reported to SCT that theflight was going to Camarillo at 1,500 feet. The SCT controller advised that he would not be able to maintain radar contact at that altitude and terminated services. The SCT controller was subsequently relieved by a different controller. At 0945, the pilot of N72EX again contacted SCT and advised he was climbing above cloud layers and requested advisory services. The second controller was not aware of the aircraft,as services had previously been terminated, so asked the pilot to identify the flight. The SCT controller then asked the pilot his intentions, to which he replied he was climbing to 4,000 feet.There were no further transmissions.
...
Interesting, but I doubt the change of personnel was a factor.
May I commit sacrilege here and criticize the late Mr. Bryant? Early reports stated that his pilot was not instrument rated. Which means he should NOT have taken off in VFR conditions, but was ordered to do so by his employer. Was Bryant too “frugal” to employ an instrument rated pilot? (Assuming that an IFR Rating commands more $$$$ than VFR does).
Figure 6 in the NTSB report shows a still frame from a security camera that showed the helicopter flying into the clouds as it followed HWY 101.
If true, that’s damning evidence against the pilot.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.