Another accident in a twin while trying to turn back

[James Robinson]

No question, takeoff is a critical time in twins. Fatal accident just
east of Cleveland. Pilot was reported to be trying to turn back to
field following some sort of failure soon after taking off.

http://www.onnnews.com/Global/story.asp?S=1870039&nav=LQlCN9X3

[TaxSrv]

"James Robinson" wrote:
> No question, takeoff is a critical time in twins. Fatal accident
just
> east of Cleveland. Pilot was reported to be trying to turn back to
> field following some sort of failure soon after taking off.
>
> http://www.onnnews.com/Global/story.asp?S=1870039&nav=LQlCN9X3

Media reports should the last place to pick out words to take
literally. I live 3/4 from this airport and am based there. Based on
winds, crash site, and a couple other factors, he was likely well
underway before reporting a problem. One media outlet here reported,
per a witness, that the plane was on fire before impact. If that's
accurate, it further doesn't sound like a problem more peculiar to
twins.

Fred F.

[James Robinson]

TaxSrv wrote:
>
> James Robinson wrote:
> >
> > No question, takeoff is a critical time in twins. Fatal
> > accident just east of Cleveland. Pilot was reported to be
> > trying to turn back to field following some sort of failure
> > soon after taking off.
> >
> > http://www.onnnews.com/Global/story.asp?S=1870039&nav=LQlCN9X3
>
> Media reports should the last place to pick out words to take
> literally. I live 3/4 from this airport and am based there. Based on
> winds, crash site, and a couple other factors, he was likely well
> underway before reporting a problem. One media outlet here reported,
> per a witness, that the plane was on fire before impact. If that's
> accurate, it further doesn't sound like a problem more peculiar to
> twins.

Yes, initial news reports can often be very wrong when they report on
air accidents, and one should always use caution in assuming the initial
reports are accurate.

That said, here is another that quotes the FAA as saying the aircraft
was at 4000 ft, 2 miles from the airport when it disappeared from radar:

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/lake/108469983323690.xml

It also identifies the aircraft as a Cessna 310. No report of an
in-flight fire, however.

[Neil Gould]

Hi,

Recently, James Robinson > posted:
>
> TaxSrv wrote:
>> James Robinson wrote:
>>>
>>> No question, takeoff is a critical time in twins. Fatal
>>> accident just east of Cleveland. Pilot was reported to be
>>> trying to turn back to field following some sort of failure
>>> soon after taking off.
>
(snip)

>> Media reports should the last place to pick out words to take
>> literally. I live 3/4 from this airport and am based there. Based
>> on winds, crash site, and a couple other factors, he was likely well
>> underway before reporting a problem. One media outlet here reported,
>> per a witness, that the plane was on fire before impact. If that's
>> accurate, it further doesn't sound like a problem more peculiar to
>> twins.
>
> Yes, initial news reports can often be very wrong when they report on
> air accidents, and one should always use caution in assuming the
> initial reports are accurate.
>
> That said, here is another that quotes the FAA as saying the aircraft
> was at 4000 ft, 2 miles from the airport when it disappeared from
> radar:
>
(snip)

> It also identifies the aircraft as a Cessna 310. No report of an
> in-flight fire, however.
>
I fly out of LNN regularly (today, in fact), so I'm pretty familiar with
the territory. Given that Azali was a commercial pilot, if this plane was
at all controllable at 4,000' 2 miles from LNN, there are many places to
set it down besides LNN and 2 freeways that would have been well within
gliding distance. I can only think that factors other than what has been
reported contributed to this catastrophe.

My sympathy to his family and friends.

Neil Gould - PP SEL