SBA Flight 518
Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 4:21 pm
Santa Barbara Flight 518. Merida Airport in the Andes of Venezuela. Febuary 21 2008. An ATR42.
The pilots are drinking coffee in the terminal; the passengers are on board already, including important politicians. The captain looks at his watch and then the two rush to the plane. Seven minutes to ETOT.
They don't do the checklist. Battery on, call for engine start to the Tower, and immediately start the engines without waiting for a reply. Alerted of inbound Avior flight ten minutes away. They don't do the checklists. They start to move... 28 seconds before the IRS is aligned. No EFIS.
They expediate taxi to the runway. The captai comments on the blank screens -- says that it is normal to take off like that.
The F/O takes off. They begin the OBSERVATORIO route... an unofficial, risky route out of the airport nestled in a valley below mountains reaching up to 14000 feet.
They rely on the standard compass, hoping to reset the gyros in flight.
They turn too far north. They hit the mountain.
Lesson? Don't rush, no matter how delayed you are.
The pilots are drinking coffee in the terminal; the passengers are on board already, including important politicians. The captain looks at his watch and then the two rush to the plane. Seven minutes to ETOT.
They don't do the checklist. Battery on, call for engine start to the Tower, and immediately start the engines without waiting for a reply. Alerted of inbound Avior flight ten minutes away. They don't do the checklists. They start to move... 28 seconds before the IRS is aligned. No EFIS.
They expediate taxi to the runway. The captai comments on the blank screens -- says that it is normal to take off like that.
The F/O takes off. They begin the OBSERVATORIO route... an unofficial, risky route out of the airport nestled in a valley below mountains reaching up to 14000 feet.
They rely on the standard compass, hoping to reset the gyros in flight.
They turn too far north. They hit the mountain.
Lesson? Don't rush, no matter how delayed you are.