Small plane crashes at Nashville airport, and no one notices

reply to post by Imagewerx


The impact data they got from marks on the runway, and where the wreckage wound up. But they could backtrace his flight, and that he circled over the airport. If they had a runway incursion radar, they probably could pick up where he hit and how far he slid.

reply to post by Zaphod58

Thanks for explaining,it's been a few years since I've known what's current with aviation safety technology.Last time I heard they were still recording air traffic control voice comms on reels of wire.

reply to post by Imagewerx


Haha. Yeah, they've moved a little beyond that. They have radars that can image the taxiway and automatically warn of potential incursions now, along with several other interesting safety features. New planes have the option of synthetic imaging in the cockpit now, with some amazing resolution, so zero visibility is no longer a problem.....

reply to post by Zaphod58

So it was most likely just a tragic accident caused by a complete electrical failure and he just couldn't be bothered to file a flight plan?

Zaphod58
reply to post by Imagewerx

 

The impact data they got from marks on the runway, and where the wreckage wound up. But they could backtrace his flight, and that he circled over the airport. If they had a runway incursion radar, they probably could pick up where he hit and how far he slid.

Yep, ASDE (ground radar) would pick it up where STARS (automation system using typical radar) filtered it out. (Sorry for the acronyms).

According to the autopsy report the pilot of the aircraft was legally drunk at the time of the crash. He died from multiple blunt force, and thermal injuries. There was no soot in his lungs or trachea, so he was killed in the impact with the ground. His blood alcohol level was .081, just over the .08 legal limit in Tennessee.

The NTSB is still gathering data to determine how long he was circling before the crash. Even odder, is that he listed Taylor Swift as his next of kin. There is no evidence of a connection between the two.

www.wbir.com...

reply to post by dashen


You dont HAVE to log a flight plan, but you do have to talk to the tower, which I am sure this pilot did.

One does not simply fly in controlled airspace without being noticed. Especially not in a single engine Cessna.

reply to post by jssaylor2007


The tower and communication logs don't show any radio contact. You DO have to file a flight plan to cross the border, which he did not di.

reply to post by Zaphod58


I thought he made one into Erie? Anyways, didnt realize it was you Zaph, changed your avatar on me!

Ill defer to higher hours on this one! I am but a humble 100 hr pilot.

reply to post by jssaylor2007


No, he made a flight plan to an island on the Canadian side of Erie. He was supposed to stop there, but apparently kept going and crossed the border, down to Nashville.

Yeah, it was supposed to be a Christmas avatar, but I really like it, so I'm sticking with it.

Thanks for the follow up story. So unless the pilot had a VERY low tolerance to alcohol,he wasn't drunk as such and knew what he was doing?

reply to post by Imagewerx


He would have been slightly impaired but not roaring drunk.