Posted on 04/11/2018 10:35:10 PM PDT by BenLurkin
FULL HEADLINE: "PICTURED: Instagram stars and models on their private plane to Las Vegas moments before it crashed onto golf course killing all six on board"
Four of the six people who died when their private plane crashed during a flight from Arizona to Las Vegas on Monday have been identified as Instagram stars, models and nightclub promoters.
Models Mariah Coogan, 23, and Helena Lagos, 22, nightlife promoter Anand 'Happy' Patel, 26, and nightclub host and aspiring pilot James Pedroza, 28, were all on board the Piper PA-24 Comanche when it crashed into a golf course moments after taking off at around 9pm.
They spent the weekend at the Phoenix Lights Festival and were on their way back to Las Vegas.
Before they took off from Scottsdale Airport, Coogan shared videos from the plane on her Instagram story. She excitedly filmed herself in her seat and spun the camera round to show Patel who she affectionately called by his nickname Happy.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Yup, that’s exactly what I was thinking of... you can almost see them in that old Piper holding bags and suitcases.
If I wanted a Piper I’d want a Piper 700.
300mph cruise!
Per the N number in the photo, it matches the NTSB of the crash as a P-24-260(C, 1970). Not certain if it had 337 or other mods, but using what we do know, I’m surmising the aircraft was over gross and that they got distracted while sightseeing and they were climbing out and lost airspeed. Perhaps even had a student pilot with an instructor and paxs.
Had a very seasoned and high hours CFII tell me that “keeping your airspeed up will override allot of sins, but doesn’t forgive them”. That tidbit was taken as a licence 20+ years ago, but I have become wise enough to know now that he meant it to be received as warning. I suppose that the nice thing about surviving our youth, if we are smart we learn from the”lessons”. Old vs. bold. There is not both.
RIP. I am so SICK of that “pouty” lips pose I could spit...
Empty weight of 1728 pounds and gross weight of 3,100 pounds.
Six people easily weigh close to 1000lbs. At roughly 6lbs/gallon for Avgas they could only have about 62 gallons in the 90 gallon tanks. Flying at roughly 150 Kts their burn rate for that aircraft would be 12GPH so they could fly 775 miles if they used up every drop of fuel. Accounting for reserve and the actual distance they were supposed to travel I wonder if the pilot tried to put the entire 90 gallons in the tanks.
I bet anything they took off overloaded.
Gravity always wins.
I worked as a re-fueler at a rural airport. Lots of single engine and twin props. Very seldom did I get told anything but, “Top ‘em off”. Nothing smaller than a Swearingin commuter ever said anythng else.
I agree. The Scottsdale Airport is so close to where the plane crashed.
“keeping your airspeed up will override allot of sins, but doesn’t forgive them”.
I understood the “old pilot” saying to be “airspeed and altitude...don’t run out of both at the same time.”
On another factor, I understood the temperatures recently spiked around 100 degrees in the Valley. Is air density a potential issue here?
Situational awareness
If you haven’t got your van off the ground yet, you’re not doing it right.
This is a sad story. As with most crashes, it was likely human error. That’s why I’m more inclined to stay on the ground these days. That and TSA.
JSF...
People, Stay Away From Golf!
That and this. Falls into the realm of this famous movie quote:
“Son, your ego is writing checks your body can’t cash...”
Check the map. Airport and golf course crash site are within a couple miles of each other. Certainly not 15 minutes of flying away from the airport.
It doesn’t look like a pose, in this case: the young women had already had atrocities performed upon their faces.
Very sad news of this crash, for all of them and their families. Aviation is unforgiving.
They died doing what they self-love.
Sure, they’re hot. Any idea how they all voted? (Before I invest any emotions.)
If it was a warm day, they may have been overweight.
“what, around 1400lbs?”
How many pairs of women’s shoes is that?
My first thought was this pilot, a guy with pretty women as passengers, just got aggressive on takeoff, wanted to climb out a bit steep and fast and stalled.
After thinking about it, I kind of agree with other posters on here that they had a full compliment of passengers, a boatload of luggage all jammed in, and ended up with a CG issue, something an inexperienced pilot might overlook or misjudge.
Might have managed to get into the air, but may have been struggling with control until it went south.
Terrible. I can only imagine the stall alarms, the silent struggle by the pilot to control it, the frightened passengers all asking questions about what is wrong as the plane spirals down.
Just terrible.
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.