> It would surprise me that such an experienced pilot would make such a basic
> mistake
but then we have all done stupid things when our concentration has been
disturbed.
Having flown into the Oshkosh convention many times, it is indeed a unique and
exhilirating experience. However, things can happen which divert your
attention.
What people in front of you are doing. What tower may tell you, but you don't
quite understand. But the rule at AirVenture is you just listen, and never
key the mike, so there's no colloquy.
I violated that rule once, while following some WWI-era biplane or replica, I
swear
in slow flight. My plane on the verge of stall-warning horn with full flaps
down is a real turtle. But I still had to break it off the right downwind
for 27, going north over the City.
Gotta love the ATC people who work Oshkosh AirVenture, because they spotted my
plight. I was turning west, to go back down to the City of Ripon per the NOTAM
procedure and start all over (but parking may fill up), when Tower said..."Low
wing over the City...suggest you bring your plane back NOW, for mid-field entry
to the downwind. Traffic behind you will be a Cessna 337, but he's still
over the railroad tracks not ready to turn right downwind for 27. Please keep
your speed up...he's a 337...and please make short approach. Land on the green
dot! [midway down the long ryw, temporarily painted in iridescent paint].
Seemingly knife-edge bank, 100% power mashed in to comply, I spotted that 337
traffic,
and picked up the mike and said. "Low wing over the city THANKS YOU!"
Very occasionally at KOSH, we violate an advisory thing in the Oshkosh arrival
NOTAM to compliment an FAA employee who did something he/she was not required
to do.
Upon hitting that green dot (how I don't know; I'm not that good!). Tower says,
"Nice job Grumman!....337 [instructed to land short on the other color dot at
the rwy threshold] follow that Grumman ahead of you to parking." Thence, quickly
on to ATC instructions to other folks streaming in, couple thousand feet
apart.
The point of this is that flying into OSH is a very unique thing and such
accidents
are extremely rare. Most tend to arrive a little hot -- the rush of the
arrival drill, so they'll never stall-spin, and it actually helps ATC. We have
to be honest with ourselves, and maybe even 95% of us would be little served
with a hand-written panel placard for OSH which says, "ALWAYS FLY THE AIRPLANE."
We may never learn what happened here, because our NTSB does not investigate
amateur-built
accidents with anywhere near the thoroughness of the AAIB in the
UK. It probably will be chalked up in probable cause (AAIB avoids probable
cause
determinations -- our NTSB has considered same approach) to failure to maintain
flying speed. I'm as saddened by this accident as anybody here, but it
happened...and it can happen in any aircraft.
Fred F.
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=50435#50435
|