Pel-Air Westwind Ditched off Norfolk Island

[Mark Grima]

http://blogs.crikey.com.au/planetalk...over-ditching/

A follow up Blog from Ben Sandilands posted this morning.

Cheers

M

[Philip Argy]

The weather forecast was fine when they left, so no extra fuel carried, but after four missed approaches and zero visibility at Norfolk Island aerodrome:

http://www.atsb.gov.au/media/1345477...072-prelim.pdf

Hmmm ... Does seem to be a case where filling the wingtip tanks might have been good insurance but it may not be that simple.

[S.Greaves]

If fuel had been carried in the wingtip tanks, would a diversion to AKL or Noumea been possible?

[Adrian B]

According to Google Earth, Norfolk Island - Noumea is about 410 Nautical Miles. Norfolk - Kaitaia is about 500 nm. If he fdiverted mid flight, nearest alternate would have been Suva - Fiji at about 300 nm

[Kelvin R]

Another post from Crikey; http://blogs.crikey.com.au/planetalk...el-air-fiasco/ which includes some pictures from the ATSB of the aircraft on the ocean floor.

[Michael Cleary]

BUMP - 4 Corners has just aired a program on this.

Said to be available on I-view.

[Jim M]

Originally Posted by Michael Cleary

BUMP - 4 Corners has just aired a program on this.

Said to be available on I-view.

Michael,
For your info,4 Corners replays on ABC1 late on a Tuesday night,so that means it will air again tomorrow night,I think about 2330.

Just check guide to be sure of the time. Will watch myself,thanks for posting.

Cheers
Jim

[Radi K]

It was a good program but I was disappointed to not hear the pilot at any point admit any fault on his behalf. Like poor flight planning, poor pre-flight weather briefing, fatigue etc. Why didn't he advise NLK there intended ditching point?

They were all very very lucky. I note the first officer wasn't part of the program either.

[A McLaughlin]

Radi - he may well have. 4 Corners probably shoots several hours of footage to squeeze into a 45 minute program, so it may have been cut out.

[David N]

Originally Posted by Michael Cleary

4 Corners has just aired a program on this.

Said to be available on I-view.

And will be for the next 24 Days

http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/search/four corners