It’s the afternoon of February 29, 2012, and a pilot and two passengers are returning to Melbourne International Airport in Florida, after a local flight in a Cirrus SR22. At 4:58 p.m. the weather is good, traffic at the towered field is flowing smoothly, and the airplane is in perfect condition. At 5:01 p.m. the same airplane is a wreckage just off the approach end of the runway.
The mistakes that put it there are the focus of this Air Safety Institute Accident Case Study. How could things have gone so wrong under such benign circumstances? Using audio of the pilot’s interactions with Melbourne Tower and factual information from the National Transportation Safety Board, the video reconnects the links of the accident chain and seeks out lessons in the tragedy.
‘Flying the Weather’
First videos focus on icing
Pilots are constantlyevaluating the weather when flying, including before takeoff, en route, and before landing. But unless you’re a seasoned meteorologist and well trained in interpreting and applying practical weather theory, weather is one of the more difficult elements to grasp.
Whether you face a checkride or would like help in assessing the big weather picture before a long cross-country flight, you might enjoy some help from ASI’s Flying the Weather video series, aimed at deciphering weather phenomena and their impact on flight. In the first two installments, “Airframe Icing” and “Picking Up Ice,” AOPA Pilot Editor at Large Tom Horne discusses how airframe ice affects the aircraft’s handling, what to look for, and why early detection of ice accumulation is critical to your safety.
Stay tuned for upcoming installments in this new series that will teach you the all important aspects of flying the weather.
New ASI Winter/Spring seminar
Accident Case Study: Live
Visit the website for dates and locations near you.
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