Plane crash in Puerto Plata

[Dolores]

The Civil Aviation Board (JAC) says the Cessna T210L single engine airplane that crash-landed four nautical miles off from Puerto Plata International Airport (POP) had not reported any emergency. The Cessna is a six-seater aircraft (up to five passengers and the pilot). The two US citizens occupants of the airplane were reported dead in the crash on Saturday, 23 July 2022 at 5:15pm. The flight had been authorized for landing at the Gregorio Luperon Puerto Plata International Airport.

The Cessna had departed from Opalocka (KOPF), Florida, USA. Its final destination was the Puerto Plata international airport, but it crashed nearby in Sabaneta de Cangrejos, according to the authorities.

The Dominican authorities indicated that the deceased were identified as the pilot 57-year old José Nilton Da Silva Vasconcelos, an American of Brazilian origin, and Offinis Hernández...

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[Yourmaninvegas]

Does not make any sense...

 

[william webster]

No report of emergency...... then crash

 

[Yourmaninvegas]

You a pilot @william webster?

 

[william webster]

If I was..... I would end up like the photo !!

hahahahaha

No - I'm not

 

[william webster]

doesn't even look like he attempted to land .... just crashed nose first

 

[Yourmaninvegas]

Ok Bro, I was just asking because neither am I. But I took lessons.

I can't tell from the picture because the field of view is not wide enough. I am trying to make sense of the damage that I see on the plane. The amount of damage in the nose of the plane indicates a hard impact at a nose down attitude. Basic engine out that should not have happened unless he stalled right before impact. Engine out should have given the pilot an opportunity to sit down and for him and his passenger to walk away. So, he hit the ground under power. That would have indicate some sort of failure in the flight control surfaces. But not to the point that he could not control roll. Only loss of pitch control.

It would not surprise me that no flight emergency was declared. First rule in an emergency situation is to fly the plane. If you have the opportunity to report it. You do it in a very succinct manner and get back to handling the problem at hand.

 

[beeza]

Shame he didn't make it with the field in sight. That area of land on finals to RWY08 isn't particularly flat, lots of bumps and dips. Tough for a small plane to survive a forced landing there.

I really hope he wasn't stretching his fuel. Direct OPK-POP in a 210 is pushing it.

How many times have we heard light planes / helos running out of fuel lately?

Both on board perished. RIP.

 

[beeza]

I've just done some napkin maths:
Fuel capacity - 65 USG
Fuel burn - 14.2 GPH
Equals 4.6 hours endurance
Flying at cruise speed of 150kts = 686 nautical miles (no wind)
OPK direct POP = 643 nautical miles.

That's using the standard data I've found for a 50 year old T210.

Apparently many FBOs don't top off the 210's tanks properly. Even an inch of ullage can short change you a lot of fuel.

That's my guess anyway. I'll let the experts say their conclusion.

 

[Yourmaninvegas]

Ok @beeza but a fuel emergency should have resulted in a basic engine out drill.
You can't get a pilots license if you can't handle engine out.

This man is a true aviator ‼️

 

[tee]

Ok @beeza but a fuel emergency should have resulted in a basic engine out drill.
You can't get a pilots license if you can't handle engine out.

This man is a true aviator ‼️

I would go with Beeza's analysis too....why? Firstly, he owns his own Cessna here in Puerto Plata and has been a pilot for years. Secondly, he is one of the most qualified commercial airline engineers in the country and holds licenses for most commercial planes that fly into the DR. Thirdly, being an airline engineer he is responsible for the amount of fuel that is put into the planes that he services, most of which were European flights. That is a pretty huge responsibility and not a calculation you want to mess up! Fourthly, he was an airline engineer in the British Royal Air Force and served in the middle East, again, being responsible for many different planes. Beeza also made a comment to myself and some friends that it looked like the plane ran out of fuel as there was no fire, hence no fuel to burn. It looks like he ran out of fuel and chose a field that is very uneven. I saw a couple of images on a news site and there were a couple of trenches along the field, possibly irrigation trenches and if he touched the ground before one of these trenches there was no way he would have made a safe landing.
I have not heard in any of the news reports that the pilot had radioed the tower reporting an emergency which is a bit baffling, one would expect that would be the first thing he would have done. Anyway, no matter how it happened, it is sad to hear that two people lost their lives like that. My condolences to the friends and family of the deceased.

 

[nothing to ad]

in the army we alwasys traind in a helicopter to land with out engine power we could land if we knew what the heck we were doing that said some kind of failure in flight controls dont have to many hours in fixed wing but lots hours in rotor wing

 

[JD Jones]

in the army we alwasys traind in a helicopter to land with out engine power we could land if we knew what the heck we were doing that said some kind of failure in flight controls dont have to many hours in fixed wing but lots hours in rotor wing

Are you referring to an autorotation?

 

[tee]

In the news it now says that the pilot failed to stop in the Provo to refuel, the pilot decided to fly straight on to POP...the worst and last decision he made. It also reports that no mechanical failure or emergency was reported to the tower....a sad end to what was almost a successful flight. The fact that he was literally minutes from the airport makes it so much sadder.

Piloto de avioneta que se estrelló en Puerto Plata no repuso combustible para cubrir ruta - InfoEnn

PUERTO PLATA.- El piloto de la avioneta que se estrelló Leer más [...]

noticiasenn.net

 

[ctrob]

In that pic it looks like the prop wasn't damaged. So for whatever reason the engine wasn't running when it hit. He also had wing strikes, either clipping trees or the ground when he hit.

 

[nothing to ad]

Are you referring to an autorotation?

yeah i couldnt spell that word haha

 

[playacaribe2]

Shame he didn't make it with the field in sight. That area of land on finals to RWY08 isn't particularly flat, lots of bumps and dips. Tough for a small plane to survive a forced landing there.

I really hope he wasn't stretching his fuel. Direct OPK-POP in a 210 is pushing it.

How many times have we heard light planes / helos running out of fuel lately?

Both on board perished. RIP.

As we both know, pilot error and its sub-categories are an all too common problem with recreational pilots.

Looks as if he may have tried to set it down and caught one of those dips in the terrain you mention...............forcing the right wing and engine into the ground.........a view of the position/condition of the right wheel may provide more clues.

He might have had better luck if he had a retractable gear and just tried to belly in. We can only speculate at this point.

Either way the NTSB may be brought in to investigate and render an opinion.

Condolences to the families.

Edited to add there are two threads on this issue......perhaps a mod can consolidate them into one


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[Yourmaninvegas]

Can someone tell me what happens to the engine when it runs out of fuel?
Stipulation is made to @beeza that he is an expert.

"The pilot-in-command shall declare a situation of fuel emergency ”MAYDAY FUEL”, when the calculated usable fuel predicted to be available upon landing at the nearest aerodrome where a safe landing can be made is less than the planned final reserve fuel. Declaration of a fuel emergency is an explicit statement that priority handling by ATC is both required and expected."

Fuel Emergencies: Guidance for Controllers | SKYbrary Aviation Safety

When dealing with a fuel emergency, the controller should focus on the provision of efficient flight and avoidance of unnecessary delays.

skybrary.aero

No one else find it strange that if was a simple fuel emergency no call to ATC would be made?
The pilot would see that coming like a hanging curve ball.

 

[JD Jones]

As we both know, pilot error and its sub-categories are an all too common problem with recreational pilots.

Looks as if he may have tried to set it down and caught one of those dips in the terrain you mention...............forcing the right wing and engine into the ground.........a view of the position/condition of the right wheel may provide more clues.

He might have had better luck if he had a retractable gear and just tried to belly in. We can only speculate at this point.

Either way the NTSB may be brought in to investigate and render an opinion.

Condolences to the families.

Edited to add there are two threads on this issue......perhaps a mod can consolidate them into one


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

I think that's what happened as well. Front wheel hit a hole and it nosedived hard into the ground.

 

[playacaribe2]

I think that's what happened as well. Front wheel hit a hole and it nosedived hard into the ground.

Another photo does show the right wheel and it does not show any signs of hard ground contact..............so perhaps both wheels hit a rut just enough above the tire area to trip the plane into a nose in crash. That however still does not explain the damaged right wing.

Given the location identified, Beeza may know if he had lined up for a straight in approach. I thought I read somewhere he was a few kilometers out.........so likely had the runway in sight and was at a lower altitude.

Certainly not enough gliding ability to get to the runway if he was in fact out of fuel.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2