DHC-6 Twin Otter ditching off the coast of California.
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- Опубликовано: 3 июн 2024
- A breakdown of the May 20. 2023 ditching off the coast of California.
AOPA Air Safety Institute's Pressure Over The Atlantic • Real Pilot Story: Pres...
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I am the person who headed up the flight compartment modernization of the Series 400 Twin Otter, who did the certification flight testing, and who wrote the AFM for the Series 400. I also delivered the first (approximately) fifteen Series 400 aircraft from Victoria, Canada to customers in Asia, Australia, Africa, Europe, and the Indian Ocean.
I suspect that the pilots of this aircraft perished because all three of those large rubber bags of fuel in the cabin ruptured on impact due to the rapid deceleration of the aircraft when it ditched, drenching the pilots in jet fuel and filling the flight compartment with jet fuel. It is unlikely that the pilots anticipated that the fuel bladders would rupture when they ditched.
If you take a look at the picture of the fuel bags at the 4:00 minute mark of your video, you will see that they are only restrained by narrow tie-down straps that run fore & aft. No nets or other form of restraint. During rapid deceleration, those straps would cut through full fuel bags like a knife through butter.
There is a de Havilland design for a ferry fuel system that uses stainless steel drums set in wooden cradles that are very securely fastened to structural members of the airframe. That is the only ferry fuel system that the manufacturer has ever approved for this aircraft... and the only ferry fuel system that I have ever used.
That's a possibility. I'm not sure if a wall of jet fuel rushing into the cabin would prevent them from getting their seatbelts off and out of the cockpit but it sure wouldn't help. I still wonder if they went to full flaps. A lot of pilots forget to when they do a forced landing or ditch. How do you. like the 400 Otters? Are they the same as the 300 series but with better avionics?
@@KerryDMcCauley The 400 Series is dimensionally the same as the 300, but has significant differences. Systems have been simplified by elimination of the AC electrical system, it is an all-DC aircraft. Non-structural components such as doors are lighter and made of composites. A full avionics suite, pretty much identical to the PC-12 NG, is standard. CVR and FDR are standard. PT6-27 engines have been replaced with -34 engines, but the limitations remain the same. Flight compartment switch layout has been optimized. All interior & exterior lighting is LED, except for landing lights, which are xenon. Cabin furnishings have been upgraded & modernized. Brakes have been upgraded. Performance figures published in the AFM are identical for the 300 & 400.
I would love to get one of these for my skydiving school but I'll probably have to wait 30 years and pick up a used one. @@michaelmoore2487
If they inhaled the jet fuel, just once, that would be enough to incapacitate them. Likewise, getting it in one's eyes would be enough to disable and disorient a person who is trying to escape from an upside-down aircraft.@@KerryDMcCauley
Anyone who’s flown in a twin otter filled with 45 gallon fuel drums, knows that distinct sound when the cabin pressure drops! Sounds like a shotgun blast inside the cabin and cockpit!! Scares the crap out of pax not expecting it 😂
Thanks Kerry. Your videos are great for us passionate aviators who haven't got into flying yet. We love.your videos!
👍✅ Sad ending, good to learn to be prepared.
Details. The men took off in the Twin Otter about 8:20 a.m. Saturday from the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport on a flight path to Honolulu, Hawaii, according to preliminary flight data.
The plane flew southwest for about two hours before turning around about 10:40 a.m., according to tracking by Flightradar.
The pilots radioed that they were heading back to Santa Rosa. Eventually, they changed course and directed the plane to Half Moon Bay.
At 1:30 p.m., the Coast Guard received a report from the Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Center about the aircraft. The guard issued an urgent marine information broadcast asking for boaters southwest of the Farallon Islands to look for a potentially downed plane.
A Coast Guard helicopter crew was the first to spot the aircraft, which had gone into the water about 2:15 p.m. and had significant damage, Stuckey said.
The pilots’ names have not been released.
A Coast Guard helicopter first arrived on scene at 2:27 p.m. where a rescue swimmer found the two pilots’ bodies still strapped in their seats of the overturned airplane, said U.S. Coast Guard Lt.j.g. Jillian Stuckey.
The Coast Guard did not recover the bodies due to safety concerns for their swimmers. Fireside Partners, a worldwide emergency response specialist, was hired by the plane owner’s insurance company to recover the bodies, Stuckey said.
2 pilots killed on Santa Rosa plane on way to Hawaii reported fuel problem before crash
The plane identified in Saturday's crash off the San Mateo Coast is a Viking Air DHC-6-400 Twin Otter, tail number N153QS, shown at Atlanta Fulton County (Brown Field) on August 14, 2022. (Via planespotters.net)
The jurisdiction that takes over the death investigation “will depend on where the recovery specialists bring the wreckage after it is recovered,” Sulick told The Press Democrat in an email Tuesday.
The plane’s recovery efforts were paused as of Monday due to “high seas” and are expected to resume later this week, she said.
Wow lucky guy you... What a map ... What was the most memorable and meaningful fairy flight...
Probably my first trip to Africa ferrying a 210 to Tanzania where I lost my alternator over the Sahara and had to fly by flashlight for 8 hours. All my best flights are in my book "Ferry Pilot".
One of the best coast guard write ups was a rescue of pilots who flew from Florida to Hawaii in a new Piper Archer. The plane engine blew about 400 miles from Maui I believe. Unfortunately their life raft snagged on the plane and went down with it. They floated in the ocean all night with oceanic white tips. Damn lucky
Very lucky. Good thing the water was warm.
I clicked in because "Twin Otter" caught my eye. I grew up living 4 km from deHavilland and CFB Downsview at the northern reaches of the city of Toronto area. Schoolmates and about half a dozen friends my father's age worked there as long as I can remember. Everything from wiring looms, engine research, drafting, photography, and supervising the big old tape reels that held the data. Also when you said you like to fly at high altitudes when you can; a friend who flew big expensive 1/4 scale RC craft said he liked to fly them "Three mistakes high."
I'm totally stealing "Three mistakes high"!
great video Kerry - keep doing these 🙂 Hope to see you again someday at the DZ - take care
Loved it Kerry! it brought back refections of our Ferry Flight together around the world! Great work digging up the radar and radio! The story told from your perspective as a Ferry Pilot with all of your experience, is a one in the world opportunity to hear. I am glad you popped my cherry as a Ferry Pilot ferrying the Navajo around the world.
Checklists checklists, checklists! Read the ditching or emergency landing checklist.
Super good hearing your take on this as a highly experienced ferry pilot. That was a nail biter. Whew. Too bad they didn’t stack the odds in their favor with being as prepared as possible. The fact the pilots didn’t have flares “unless they are on the raft” meant they really didn’t think they would be ditching a brand new airplane. They thought it would be a slam dunk and not a real dunk. Sad outcome from not being thorough….especially not using shoulder harnesses. Have to treat everything like a NASA test pilot and anticipate all scenarios.
I cringed when I heard them say that they didn't have any flares. I always carry flares, signal mirror, laser pointer and a bunch of other stuff in case I go down because you just never know.
Been awhile, thanks for this
Looks like they took off from the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport, and followed the Russian river to the coast. The last bit of land they wouldve seen before heading towards Hawaii wouldve been Bodega Bay to the South and Jenner almost directly below. Both beautiful towns. Usually the domonate winds in May are blowing out of the NW except maybe during the dead of night. They got unlucky having to fight against the winds on their way back to SFO.
Tragic. May they rest in oeace.
excellent work Kerry - much thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it
Very sad.
Shoot emergency procedures for long open water flight. Pretty simple/easy
You nailed analysis
My buddy flew twin otter scenic air flying the ditch
Kerry mate great video! remember you from dangerous flights lol seen it some days ago once again ! great to have you here on youtube!
Thanks, glad you liked it! Stay tuned for more!
@@KerryDMcCauley sure will mate ! Love your stories 👍
I've watched some of your ferry flight videos before. It takes guts.
When you drew our attention to the black pressure line @ 4:30 I immediately remembered watching a video about a ferry pilot who had a crazy story about issues with one... then you mentioned having to blow into the line and it clicked that it must have been you. I was wracking my brain trying to think whose video it was until you answered it at the end for me anyway! Really glad this popped up in my recommendations as you can learn a lot from someone who can add context & insights based on personal experience, especially with incidents like this where they seemed to do a lot of things right but still got the worst outcome.
Glad you liked it! I've always read about every incident like this I could. You never know when you might learn some little nugget of information that will save your life someday.
Nice video..tragic outcome..shoulder harnesses are a livesaver..the Twin Otter is an all time favourite of mine..sure would like to fly one...greetings from Iceland
Glad you liked the video. And Iceland is an all time favorite of mine! I've stopped there dozens of times ferrying small pllanes across the pond.
I like your videos Dangerous flts Im A fellow aviator and thought of doing ferry flts When I got started But I always felt the airplane was trying to kill me Had a bird strike at night and barely made it to the runway as a student pilot just before my PPL chk ride So if you are still doing it good luck and be safe
I know a guy who was ferrying a Twin Otter from Hawaii to mainland and lost an engine half an hour out from Hawaii. He was so heavy that he had to fly in ground effect back to Hawaii and he had the coast guard follow him just in case he won't make it. He wasn't sure if he can clime up enough in altitude to make the airport.
Is it a normal thing for aviators in the US to be familiar with ground affect flight?
If he was that heavy then his weight and balance was off and he wasn’t legal to fly. Or, your story is complete BS…
@@vinceocraticits call a ferry permit.
@@abrutus1 a permit to ferry over max gross weight and over the water..! Bwahaha!
@@vinceocraticyeah mate i call bullpoop. Twin otters are powerful aircraft. Should do fine with 1 engine on the way back. The bullpoop give away was ground effecr part 😂
Some great lessons. But what prompted them to return ? And what reserve fuel provisions. Perhaps those were unknown, and could also create ditching problems due to extra weight.
It would almost seem the tail wind and head wind issues complicated life decisions..perhaps an island as a last resort for such a scenario.
Appreciate the informative breakdown, tragic loss. Is there a link to that recording?
Found it. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, really enjoying your content!
Why do they not have a Emergency Release of the Parachute? Light winds in the water or on land could pull the Airplane underwater or over a Cliff on land.
I'm surprised it's even legal to solo ferry any aircraft long-distance, if aircraft, has multi-place cockpit.
now thats a nice map! atleast of africa and iberia
Thanks, it's been one heck of a ride!
On your ferry flight across the Atlantic, if you had poked the tube out the window into the ram air, would that have provided enough pressure for the frrry tanks?
I get asked that a lot. What that video doesn't show is that the window had a metal plate bolted over it. we used that to run the HF radio antenna wire out to the wing. But that's still a good idea. It shows you're thinking like a ferry pilot! Always try and think your way out of a situation instead pf panicking.
Hi Kerry. At what altitude is it best to test the ferry tanks? I would think they’d test them early or at any point either over land or near the coast.
The altitude isn't very important. The system needs to work no matter how high you fly. And you defiantly should test the system while you still have enough fuel in the main tanks to get back to the airport you departed from. I learned that the hard way!
Yah Hawaii to SF has the tailwinds.
Nice map. Azores four times is cool.
Each line is represents a route I've flown, many of them multiple times. I've been to the Azores dozens of times, it's a beautiful place!
This a terrible situation to be in. I never liked flying over water and out of glide range of land.
Aloha Kerry. Curious if you believe just putting these Planes on Matson might be Less Expensive and of course Less dangerous. Longer in time of course, but Curious what you think.
If you're talking about taking them apart and shipping them it's usually too expensive no to mention the time involved. Plus, getting them back together is sometimes a BIG problem!
Got it. Too bad its not like shipping a Car which I've done 1/2 dozen times back and fourth from Hono. @@KerryDMcCauley
I dunno...perhaps this might be a new "thing" Matson could look into?...a New Market for Transporting planes without Disassembling them (If the Demand for that type of Service is large enough). Foreseeably, Slinging aircraft directly on top of the Containers Intact and of course tying them down with cables, etc.. But I know..probably a Pipe Dream @@KerryDMcCauley
Wonder if they considered shutting down an engine to extend their time aloft..
Might have worked. So would just slowing down.
If the people doing this were experienced, it’s inconceivable that they would make these bad decisions. And why wouldn’t a ferry fuel system be redundant, i.e., duplication of fuel lines and all other points of failure? Particularly in a case like this, where a failure means only one likely outcome.
What airplane did you ferry to Uruguay?
A-36 Bonanza. Fantastic trip with my daughter Claire!
@@KerryDMcCauley Hell yeah brother! Regards from Montevideo
How do you get 2400 miles California to Hawaii as the longest overwater flight. I flew Auckland New Zealand to Los Angeles, that's 3 times the distance.
There are islands along the way to NZ west coast Hawaii there is nothing.
It's the longest ocean leg with no alternate landing sites. You make it or you don't.
@@KerryDMcCauleymakes you wonder why they didn’t just ship it over to HI by boat?
Just curious how one becomes a long range ferry pilot?
It's a pretty tough business to break into. Best bet is to start ferrying local to get experience then start hitting up ferry companies for a job. It helps if you have time in lots of different aircraft. Good luck!
Dean, one of the pilots, a friend, knew much, much better than to make the same mistake you stupidly made in not testing the ferry fuel system soon after takeoff. Dean was very experienced. I had lunched with him often in Honolulu following one ferry flight or another and had flown with him from time to time. Many other pilots and I, all ferry experienced, cannot figure out what happened to Dean and his partner that led to the accident.
In the heat of the moment... ???? They had plenty of time to think of shoulder straps before going into the water. I seriously doubt that Dean would not have thought of it his straps getting ready to ditch
I heard he was a great guy and very experienced too. It does look like they turned on the ferry system with plenty of fuel in the main tanks to make it back so it's strange they didn't make it. It does look like they might have had a headwind but that really doesn't explain it. They should have maade it no problem. Do you have any other information on it?
Have no other info
Lucky you never had a co pilot as he would have been known as the blow pilot for the rest of his life. Rip to those pilots
No disrespect meant, but I thought this is why you carry a sat phone?
They probably did, plus they for sure had an HF radio and most likely told ATC they were heading back. I think they thought they would make it no problem until it was too late.
They had a Satellite phone and talked to the people that installed the system!
@@KerryDMcCauley I worked with Lance in Afghanistan. He was a good guy and and an experienced pilot. Trusting someone else's work without testing yourself cost him a his right seat their life.
Once again pilot error. Always the same thing it seems. These guys didn’t even know the specifics of their rescue gear. They should know if they have flares on board. Right?
Terrible a float plane had its floats taken off then crash into ocean
As rough as the ocean can get I’m thinking a life raft would be a safer bet IF you can get it deployed
@@arthurbrumagem3844 yeah one of the other comments mentioned lack of should harness so I think they suffered from blunt force trauma immediately at water contact, or it simply flipped over before they could get out. Impossible situation.
Only solution I can see is they should have had parachutes for each pilot and wait for coast guard rescue. Landing on water with exposed gear just isn’t going to work.
As a skydiver I've always wanted to figure out some way to bail out instead of ditching but unless you're flying a plane that you can jettison the door in-flight there is just no good way to squeeze out the door wearing a parachute, survival suit and life raft. @@jonasbaine3538
@@jonasbaine3538 a shoulder harness is a good idea in a plane. I very seldom wore one ( just didn’t think about it ) until I guy I knew in Florida ran out of gas trying to get to a cheaper airport ( dumb idea ) and crashed not wearing his shoulder harness. TMK he has had numerous plastic surgeries on his face. I’m not good looking and don’t want to add insult to injury 😂. And flipping a plane in water especially deep water just doesn’t turn out well
Kerry if you thought all the radio communications were clear WHO exactly was talking to us watching your vid, you would be wrong. I could barely follow any of the players. ID'ing them by numbers did NOT help. Maybe for next vid, you could distinguish all of them by names instead? The voices all sounded alike too, so even more difficulty. Thanks.
? ? Maybe you need to check your hearing mate. That was as clear as glass and i'm no longer a young man . . .
Thanks, I'll try that next time.
voices sound about normal for over-the-air comms.
So sad. Seems they shouldn't have died. There must be a ferry pilot check list?
Only if you make one yourself.
@@KerryDMcCauley Thank you for your reply. I'll be following from the UK. My very best wishes.
Tragically so unnecessary 🙁