Timing, and I'm lucky and glad to be alive

[Stuey]

Ok, so me and the wife started catching up on our emails and readings and what not. She's two feet away from me reading yahoo news while I'm reading some emails. She starts going "oh my god" and so I navigated to the same article that she was reading.

A small plane crashed during its flight from Moorea to Tahiti, killing all aboard.

CNN link

I was on one of those planes!!

They're dual propeller Otter planes which go back and forth between Tahiti and Moorea. I'm not sure how many of those planes are in service, but since it's an 8 minute flight, the same plane makes many consequtive round trips. I doubt that they use too many of those planes, so there's a good chance that I was on the same plane only 10 days ago. I took photos and video and will upload them when I can.

Although we're not talking about it much right now (although she's googling for more updated articles), my wife and I are both a bit freaked out about this. My thoughts go out to all the families of the unfortunate passengers that were on that flight. Given the details of the crash that she just read (it hit the water and then exploded) and my fresh memories of how low the plane flew, there is some comfort in knowing that the passengers barely had time to realize what was happening before it was all over.

I am both saddened by the death of those passengers and relieved that it could have been us and wasn't. As of now there are no details as to what caused the plane to crash.

[hitchface]

One of the big causes of crashes for those kinds of planes (or rather planes in that business) is basically "get-there-itis". Fuel starvation due to pilot negligence. It is easy to get more concerned about getting to your destination than how much gas you have in your tanks, especially when you are on a schedule. I don't know if that is the case, but we'll see. I get aviation news like recent crashes every 2 months or so. If I happen upon a detailed report, I'll post it.

Did your twin otter have floats?

[Stuey]

If floats are what I think they are, then no, there were no floats.

The exact plane we were on is shown in a general Air Moorea photo here. I'm saying exact because I uploaded one card worth of images today and the serial numbers on the side of the plane match.

I'll upload photos to flickr or imageshack later - too tired to do it right now.

But yea, no floats just wheels.

[hitchface]

That actually makes more sense then, with the explosion. I am also starting to suspect improper loading too. That could be a good reason why a plane would crash at 50 feet, especially a small time air transport like that.

[Stuey]

I examined the takeoff video clip that I took and it seemed to be a lot higher than 50 feet so I edited that part out of my post.

Is there anyway that we can find out the serial number of the downed plane to see if it matches the one we were on?

Supposedly there was clear weather and the engines were completely overhauled or replaced in 2006.

[hitchface]

Well, if you were to be in on Air Moorea's flight schedule and could have access to the fleet list, you'd be able to figure it out. I can't see anything in the photos, so we'll probably have to wait until an official release.

[mbossman2]

old proverb:

There, but for the grace of God, go I.

[hitchface]

Couldn't be more aptly put.

[edfair]

You'll get over it. Three that I was scheduled on but missed ended up in accidents. None fatal. It wasn't my time, and not yours.

Loading issues generally don't cause sudden veers in direction. They generally cause stalls from loss of elevator control. A veer would more likely be an engine failure. Possibly the same stall, but from pilot error as they have single engine capability.

But this is speculation for now.

[hitchface]

Well, the report said that it crashed moments after takeoff, making me believe that it was a either a spin induced by too high an angle of attack during a turn (or similar incident), which could have been caused by over-grossing, or he ran out of fuel and tried to turn back. Right now I'd stick with the spin angle, just because accidental spins are most common on takeoff and landing, with slow speeds and high angles of attack. Like you say, it is all speculation, but an accident like that screams pilot error.

[Stuey]

The thing is, it's an 8 minute ride and the pilot was probably very well seasoned with the flight plan.

Witnesses said that it appeared that the plane had trouble gaining altitude. I wonder if that fits in with your conclusions.

[Stuey]

According to an Air Moorea press release, the pilot was 53 years old and experienced with 3500 flight hours.

Is it still likely that pilot error was the cause of the crash?

Well, a bit of digging about online led me to see that the crashed plane did indeed have the call signs F-OIQI, meaning it was the plane I was on.

I can't find any further details about possible crash causes but a few articles mention that local airport mechanics suggested sudden failure of both engines.

Although by now there are already photos online, I posted a few of the ones I took before, during, and after the flight.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sir_stu...7601407888277/

[blue60007]

Wow...that sure makes you appereciate your lives a bit more...imagine if your honeymoon was 10 days later...

What I was thinking, and I know this has happened before is...since the plane makes many landings and takeoffs it undergoes a lot of stress. I've heard about a shuttle plane in the Hawaiian islands that lost part of it's skin during flight. All the takeoffs and landings put the plane under a lot of stress and it just broke. Now, it doesn't sound like your plane broke apart in mid flight but I suppose flight controls or an engine failed shortly after takeoff.

[Stuey]

I now read about how it could have been contaminated fuel since it's highly unlikely that both engines would have randomly failed at the same time.

Oh well, I don't need to obsess over this.