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at least four deaths in plane accident in punta cana
The plane is a Cherokee Six.....i.e. 6 passenger with one engine and a fixed landing gear.
Sadly, if the news is accurate, the 7th on board was likely a very small child.
Plane is owned by Air Inter Island a small private charter service that runs between PC and Samana.
Probably lost to much altitude too fast to safely clear the tree(s).
The pilot did what any good pilot would have done.....fly the plane and look for a spot to try and safely put it down. Cocotal was likely his/her destination from the beginning when he/she had lost all power.
Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
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when you say 6 passengers do you mean total seats on board or 6 plus pilot?
and the pilot was male, his identity has been established already.
Six total including pilot,
Configuration is: pilot and co-pilot seats facing forward (obviously); two seats facing the back with two more facing forward.
Maybe the pilot was male, maybe the passengers were Brits, maybe Spanish, maybe Russian. I only referred to gender as he/she because all the reports are conflicting.
Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
The pilot has been confirmed and his name and picture was on the news, Hector Soriano https://twitter.com/Bavaro_Digital/...192&utm_campaign=Bavaro_Digital&utm_medium=fb. No reports of a co-pilot anywhere.
As to the other passengers, unofficial reports state 6. Confirmed info should be out in the next little while. One thing that was confirmed is there were no Russians (Honorary Consul confirmed that).
Well, if accurate and unless one of them was a small child, the plane may have been overloaded.
No co-pilot is necessary or used on such a small aircraft...but if the plane was full someone occupied what would have been the co-pilots seat.
Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
I'm guessing that happens all the time. I myself have been in that seat twice on national flights. Companies won't miss out on selling an extra seat.
On small planes....all the time. Fuel is so expensive in the DR they have to maximize revenue whenever they can.
I took a flight from PC to Hererra several years ago. Not only did I fly right seat, the pilot let me fly the aircraft.....turns out I had more air time in that type of aircraft than he did.
Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
There were 7 including the pilot. I was there for about 40 mins since it was behind my house in cocotal. while they were collecting the dead bodies. No children mentioned either. Teenager, yes. The plane was overloaded if according to the comments above that limit is 6! But in front of me they collected four bodies and before three bodies scattered away from the crash site. No co pilot, only pilot and rest 6 were passengers, tourists. I cannot believe that they are having hard time identify passengers!!!As someone mentioned above, where is the passengers list? booking list? The plane is a complete dust a part from one wing and one part struck in the mango tree.
some more info on the accident, passengers still not identified: IDAC presenta informe preliminar de accidente a?reo; dice ten?a ruta de vuelo - listindiario.com
i looked up specs for that plane and it says 5-6 passengers plus pilot?
Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six - Specifications - Technical Data / Description
some info on the sky high, they do not mention plane with this matricula thou:
Aerol?neas | Sky High Aviation Services | --/--- | Hilo Oficial - SkyscraperCity
i looked up specs for that plane and it says 5-6 passengers plus pilot?
Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six - Specifications - Technical Data / Description
some info on the sky high, they do not mention plane with this matricula thou:
Aerol?neas | Sky High Aviation Services | --/--- | Hilo Oficial - SkyscraperCity
No PAX List
I do not think the passengers' names need to be given to the aviation authorities for a national flight.
Could be as this was a commercial flight, but with private flights only the pilot's name is put in the flight plan and the number of PAX.
Anyway, this was the usual case when I used to fly my C182 here.
donP
I do not think the passengers' names need to be given to the aviation authorities for a national flight.
Could be as this was a commercial flight, but with private flights only the pilot's name is put in the flight plan and the number of PAX.
Anyway, this was the usual case when I used to fly my C182 here.
donP
At this point to be fair to the pilot an optional 7th seat could have been configured into the cabin.
Very few Cherokee owners opted for it as it now made the plane use more runway to get airborne under normal conditions, changed the weight distribution protocols and was generally extremely crowded inside.
Passenger list? Booking list? Maybe. But this is third world charter service and lots of procedures one would expect elsewhere are often nothing more than a name on a clipboard. Remember flying internally there are no screenings/metal detectors/identification required.
Hopefully, the DR has an FAA/NTSB equivalent and the investigation reveals the Why?
From your description it sounds like those people met a horrific death...may they rest in peace.
Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
ASN Aircraft accident 20-APR-2015 Piper PA-32 HI-957
Even this data submitted to Aviation Safety lists SKY High and is inaccurate
That's because Sky High is defunct and is no longer registered with the aviation authorities. The latest iteration is/was Air Inter Island.
Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
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what i gathered from the news on TV is that 6 passengers(4 spaniards and 2 Brits) plus one dominican Pilot died in the accident.
what kept stuck in my head, mentioned on the channel 5 news, is that (according solely to the TV news moderator, i have no other source) such small plane is in restricted airspace when flying over Land here on the East, they have to stay on their path over water except the circle when coming in for landing at the PC airport.
big luck to not hit a appartment complex or house in the well occupied Cocotal Residencial Area where it came down. or a great last job of a pilot hitting the ground at one of few available empty spots, like the golf courses. i can imagine that such golfcourse surrounded by houses does not leave much space to think or move for a pilot in a plane out of control.
as for flight lists, on the excursions flights the only registered name on the papers of the aviation authorities is the Pilot's name, the guests idendity is only known to the touroperators who booked the different seats for a excursion, and "should" also be known by the company running the flight/airplane, but that's a nig caribbean "should". i experienced on such flights myself often enough that passengers been moved minutes prior to take off from one plane to an other for simple reasons.
that the right seat beside the plot is occupied by a passenger is nothing unusual.
Mike
what kept stuck in my head, mentioned on the channel 5 news, is that (according solely to the TV news moderator, i have no other source) such small plane is in restricted airspace when flying over Land here on the East, they have to stay on their path over water except the circle when coming in for landing at the PC airport.
big luck to not hit a appartment complex or house in the well occupied Cocotal Residencial Area where it came down. or a great last job of a pilot hitting the ground at one of few available empty spots, like the golf courses. i can imagine that such golfcourse surrounded by houses does not leave much space to think or move for a pilot in a plane out of control.
as for flight lists, on the excursions flights the only registered name on the papers of the aviation authorities is the Pilot's name, the guests idendity is only known to the touroperators who booked the different seats for a excursion, and "should" also be known by the company running the flight/airplane, but that's a nig caribbean "should". i experienced on such flights myself often enough that passengers been moved minutes prior to take off from one plane to an other for simple reasons.
that the right seat beside the plot is occupied by a passenger is nothing unusual.
Mike
It is not restricted airspace....but it is controlled airspace by air traffic control at PC.
The pilot did well to bring it down without killing/injuring other local people. Sadly he was likely only a Mango tree or two away from a different result.
Those who have small charter experience like you will often be shifted to a larger or smaller plane depending upon the number of passengers actually showing up.
Additionally, you might be asked your weight and told where to sit as the pilot attempts to meet the aircraft weight balance protocols.
Here is a photo of a similar Cherokee Six at PC operated by Air Inter Island. They likely leased from Sky High as Sky High was not certified to fly passengers in the DR.
https://www.facebook.com/easylinkfa...132789613737/1406536409573375/?type=3&theater
Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
He are some pictures. I deleted the videos because i didn't feel like having them on my mobile...i shouldn't have taken them in the first place.
Postimage.org / Plane crash site