Another US Marines aircraft down

a reply to: C0bzz

Thanks for answering seasonal's question over that picture Cobzz. I took a look at it and couldn't get my head around it

a reply to: nelloh62

I haven't gotten to talk to the crews yet. I was hoping to at Fairchild, but they didn't make it. From what I've read though it's not the easiest aircraft to fly, but once you adjust to it is not a bad aircraft. It's got more to worry about, especially in formation flight with those large rotors.

I'm starting to think the three missing are still in the cabin. If they weren't found quickly with the others, then they had to get separated somehow. About the only way that would happen is if they never got out.

originally posted by: nelloh62
Anyone know what the weather was like at the time of the incident? I did google it, but I am getting conflicting reports ranging from mild weather to severe weather. Just wondering if weather was hampering with SAR

From what I am seeing on the BoM website - There's been no rain recorded nor any strong winds at the time of the accident - coastal and land. Only appears now on radar that there's a bit of a rain band passing through but mostly missing the Shoalwater Bay Training Facility/Coast.

At least the water is warm.

a reply to: thebozeian

Thats just south of the 1911 Yongala shipwreck area, maybe the Australian coast is cursed there or something.

You would think that with the sophistication of our avionics software, there would be some kind of a "panic" switch in case the aircraft got in a compromising attitude. Something the pilot or co-pilot could initiate that would put the aircraft back into a non-threatening hover while the crew figured out what was going on. Obviously, a mechanical failure may make that impossible. Hearts go out to the dead and missing.

a reply to: charlyv

There's already a lot going on during landing. And you're low and slow, so if something goes wrong there's not a lot of time. That would add one more thing to worry about when you're trying to react to a low level emergency.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Were the majority of problems encountered at real low flight levels?
Thinking that something like a rocket propelled drogue chute could at least slow an uncontrolled decent, but certainly not if the aircraft was under 1000ft. I know this had been implemented on small aircraft, but wonder if it could ever be effective for such a heavy machine.

a reply to: charlyv

Those parachutes are great for small planes. For aircraft this size they'd be so heavy they'd pretty radically affect the payload they could carry.

Just about all of the Osprey accidents have occurred at takeoff or landing. There has been at least one that was while they were cruising in formation, but they were low enough that even though they flipped and hit the ground, the crew walked away.

a reply to: charlyv

That would just make things more complex, leading to more things that can go wrong.

a reply to: Zaphod58
a reply to: JIMC5499

Just love the looks and technology of that aircraft. Too bad it probably cannot be made safer other than impeccable pilot training. Those that fly in them are as brave as they are dedicated and I certainly wish them all a trouble free tour going forward.

a reply to: Zaphod58

They haven't mentioned weather, so that may mean it's not too bad.

I live nearby and the weather has been near perfect, a bit overcast but otherwise I can't see how weather could have played a part.

I think I have a good idea where to start looking, If you google earth 'St. Lawrence QLD' and scroll east, that is probably the vicinity of the crash site. It's an unlucky incident as the local wargames just wrapped up so I don't know why the Osprey was out there to begin with.

I've read that the Osprey has had it's issues but I guess the aviation forensics will determine the cause, I'm hopeful there will be survivors since at this time of year there are no jellyfish blooms and just the odd shark, and given the clear weather it's not impossible that a few survivors are still out there, fingers crossed.

They're cool looking but

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

I was thinking more about the search and survival time for the three missing. Of the 26 on board, two were killed, an unknown number were injured, and three are missing, and at this point most likely dead, if they survived the crash.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Brownout?

EDIT: Wait, it was landing on a carrier obviously. So maybe it kicked up the sea a bit too much? Is there such a thing as a “brownout” scenario at sea?

a reply to: VigiliaProcuratio

Too many variables. We don't know the air temperature, sea state, visibility, wind speed and direction, what they were actually doing....... I can go on and on. It could be a design flaw, poor maintenance or pilot error. I got hurt when we made a rough landing when the tail rotor failed on a check flight. It turned out to be a flaw in the pitch change beam casting. The Navy handles Marine Aviation and they are pretty good about releasing information about what actually happened. It is a big part of their safety program. You might find the archives on this site interesting.

Mech

a reply to: VigiliaProcuratio

Like Jim said, too many variables right now. The only thing we know for sure right now is that they came off the Bonhomme Richard, and they ended up in the water.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: charlyv



Just about all of the Osprey accidents have occurred at takeoff or landing.

Yeah, real versatile as long as their airborne apparently...😒

originally posted by: EternalShadow

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: charlyv



Just about all of the Osprey accidents have occurred at takeoff or landing.

Yeah, real versatile as long as their airborne apparently...😒

Best you stay at home and only post on the Internet, cars, busses and trains also have accidents.

a reply to: EternalShadow

And if you'd research, instead of just having a kneejerk reaction, you would discover that of the six that have gone down (five crashes and a hard landing), prior to this one, all five of the crashes were pilot error, and took place over seventeen years.

Oh my god, you're right. It's had five crashes since 2000. What s piece of crap it is.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: EternalShadow

And if you'd research, instead of just having a kneejerk reaction, you would discover that of the six that have gone down (five crashes and a hard landing), prior to this one, all five of the crashes were pilot error, and took place over seventeen years.

Oh my god, you're right. It's had five crashes since 2000. What s piece of crap it is.

Because one crash isn't enough to prove its worthiness??? I have plenty of Marine friends who absolutely cringe at getting in that thing. Superstitions abound every time the mission involves this specific transport, and thank their lucky stars if it pans out in a positive way. Yet, they still don't trust it at all.

Compare C-130's over the same 17 years...they're versatile as well.