皇冠体育app

Summary:

皇冠体育app accident was reported to the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) Civil Aviation Department (CAD) on the evening of 6 February 2007. 皇冠体育app same evening, a request for assistance was made to the United Kingdom Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), under the terms of a pre-existing Memorandum of Understanding; AAIB Inspectors arrived in the TCI on 8 February 2007. 皇冠体育app TCI CAD appointed a TCI national as Investigator-in-Charge, tasked with conducting an investigation in accordance with the provisions of Annex 13 to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Convention. 皇冠体育app investigation was conducted by: Mr P Forbes (Investigator-in-Charge), Mr K Fairbank (AAIB Operations), Mr P Thomas (Operations), Mr A Robinson (AAIB Engineering) and Mr K Malcolm (Engineering). 皇冠体育app manufacturers of the aircraft, the engines and the propellers assisted during the later stages of the investigation.

VQ-TIU crashed soon after takeoff from North Caicos Airport, at the start of a flight bound for Grand Turk, TCI. On board were one pilot and five passengers. 皇冠体育app pilot received fatal injuries in the accident; the passengers mostly suffered serious injuries, but all survived the accident. Weather conditions at the time were good, but it was after nightfall; the moon had not risen and there was little cultural lighting in the area.

皇冠体育app aircraft crashed into a shallow lagoon approximately one nautical mile south-east of North Caicos Airport. Wreckage was spread along a trail that extended in excess of 370 m along a track of 220掳(M). 皇冠体育app aircraft鈥檚 fuselage had come to rest comparatively intact, although lying in an inverted attitude. Evidence from the accident site indicated that the aircraft had struck the water in a nominally upright attitude, with only a moderate rate of descent but at relatively high forward speed.

From a detailed examination of the wreckage and the circumstances of the accident, it was concluded that the aircraft was structurally intact and probably under control when it struck the surface. 皇冠体育app evidence indicated that each engine was producing power throughout the short flight and at the time of impact. Although anomalies were found which suggested that a possible power asymmetry may have existed, this should not have been sufficient to cause the pilot serious control difficulties.

None of the passengers described an obvious problem with the aircraft during the flight, and most remained unaware of the impending crash. 皇冠体育app circumstances of the accident suggested that the pilot became spatially disorientated, to the extent that the aircraft diverged from its intended flight path and reached an irrecoverable situation. 皇冠体育app environmental conditions were conducive to a disorientation event, and a postmortem toxicological examination showed that the pilot had a level of blood alcohol which, although below the prescribed limit, was significant in terms of piloting an aircraft and would have made him more prone to disorientation.

皇冠体育app evidence indicated that the pilot had probably started a recovery to normal flight, but too late to prevent the accident. However, his actions had the effect of reducing the descent rate and placing the aircraft in a nearly level attitude at impact. This lessened the impact damage and helped preserve the fuselage structure relatively intact, increasing the passengers鈥� chance of survival.

皇冠体育app investigation identified the following causal factors:

1. 皇冠体育app aircraft adopted an excessive degree of right bank soon after takeoff. This led to a descending, turning flight path which persisted until the aircraft was too low to make a safe recovery.

2. 皇冠体育app pilot probably became spatially disorientated and was unable to recognise or correct the situation in time to prevent the accident.

皇冠体育app investigation identified the following contributory factors:

1. 皇冠体育app environmental conditions were conducive to a spatial disorientation event.

2. 皇冠体育app pilot had probably consumed alcohol prior to the flight, which made him more prone to becoming disorientated.

3. 皇冠体育app flight was operated single-pilot when two pilots were required under applicable regulations. 皇冠体育app presence of a second pilot would have provided a significant measure of protection against the effects of the flying pilot becoming disorientated.

No Safety Recommendations are made.

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