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Pilot M
ichael Ralph’s graphic retelling of an all-too-common VFR occurrence.
On 29 July 2007, a Piper W
arrior fl own by a VFR pilot, with three people on
board, entered cloud – without an autopilot. Against the odds they survived.
Michael (C182 pilot): I organised a weekend flyaway for our aero club
from Moorabbin to Echuca for the Winter Blues Festival. Our party
included my wife Merryn and I, and two friends – John and Sandra, in a
Cessna 182; and Dave, his wife Molly, and Kate (revalidating a lapsed VFR
licence), in the Piper. Sunday’s weather for our departure from Echuca
was low cloud and drizzle. I was one of the last to depart, after thanking
our hosts and performing thorough pre-flight checks on the C182.
Dave (Warrior pilot): Molly sat in the back and Kate sat beside me to
get some experience. We took off after lunch, intending to return to
Moorabbin via the Kilmore Gap, and found scattered, scrappy clouds
at 900’ AMSL. We pressed on but conditions worsened, even though S
others had made it through. I didn’t like the conditions and returned to others had made
Echuca, landing at 2:00pm. I decided to put some more fuel into my
tanks, having used about half an hour’s worth in the aborted attempt to
fly home and in case we had to divert on our next attempt. fly home
Moorabbin
Bendigo
Echuca
Shepparton
Kilmore
Ballarat
Melbourne
Mangalore
0 50km
30m
Waranga
Basin
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Michael: Seeing Dave taxi over to the bowser
prompted me to do the same. As it turned out,
I didn’t need to, but Dave’s precaution was a
major factor in their survival.
Dave: Michael and I decided we would stay
overnight in Echuca. We began tying the
aircraft down for the night. A local pilot said
that it was OK at Ballarat and Bendigo, and
after my first attempt to fly towards Mangalore
with a 600’ AGL cloud-base, 1,200’ at Bendigo
seemed attractive.
Michael: It was clear at Moorabbin, with scattered clouds at 5,000’.
Dave wanted to fly via Bendigo and approach Melbourne from the
west. Since there was a stratus layer over Victoria north of the Great
Dividing Range I thought that the cloud-base would be the same
height AMSL at Bendigo as at the Kilmore Gap, but the ground would
be higher to the west; we should fly through the Gap. We agreed that
we would fly in company and assess the situation in the air. Plan
A would see us head south for the Kilmore Gap, Plan B would see
us head for Bendigo, and Plan C would see us land back at Echuca
and stay overnight after all. The C182 is faster than the Warrior, so I
would have to slow down.
: John: I thought we had agreed to try for
go first. Bendig
el: Michae No! I’m convinced that we were
going to try for the Gap. However, since we going to
didn’t state which frequency we would have didn’t st
our conference on – CTAF, area or company our confe
– and Dave took off before we were ready, I nd Dav
concede that we did not plan very well. Dave ede th
started up and taxied away while we were still started up an
loading and pre- flighting our plane. ing and p
We lifted off at 4:00pm and climbed to 850’ o
AMSL. Ten minutes into the flight I heard Dave MSL. Ten m
faintly calling me on the radio. I responded tly calling
twice but he didn’t call again. Presuming he was did
ahead of us on the same track, I didn’t see an
urgent need to establish radio contact. Entering
the Kilmore Gap I called Melbourne Radar to Radar to
request flight-following. Although the overcast ough the overcast
made the scene rather gloomy, we tran ed transited
the Gap safely through to Kilmore and flew more and flew e fl to Kilmore and g
back to Moorabbin. bb b r b
We taxied to our parking bay and shut down. We taxied to our to
climbed out another pilot, Ken, emerged As we climbe As b ut b tt o d s we climbed out
from Ops and called me over. ‘Have you heard from om Ops and called m
from Dave?’ he asked. ‘John rang Kate ten minutes ago, from ?’ he asked. ‘Jo
!
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why?’ I replied. ‘We’ve just heard from Melbourne Radar that they
have flown into cloud and requested assistance,’ Ken said. ‘No more
has been heard from them so Melbourne Radar called Ops to ask
about the plane’s equipment and the pilot’s qualifications.’
We knew the implications: researchers at the University of Illinois
tested 20 non-instrument-rated pilots in simulators to see how long
they could fly on instruments after losing visual references outside
of the cockpit. Time intervals ranged from 20 to 480 seconds. The
average time interval before they lost control was 178 seconds … not
quite three minutes.
I rang Dave’s mobile: it went to voicemail. I rang Kate’s mobile: it
went to voicemail. For the next thirty minutes, I thought Dave had
confirmed these statistics.
Merryn: I’ve never seen Michael look like that … ‘haunted’ is how I’d
describe it.
Michael: Sick with worry, I helped the others secure the C182, and
then we entered the Ops building. The instructors on duty were
subdued. The club president asked me for any information. People
were clustered around the radio. Then we heard Melbourne Centre
talking with Dave, who was now on top of the cloud at 10,500’ AMSL.
He was alive, but still in trouble. I couldn’t stand; I sat on the carpet
beside the radio and prayed silently.
Dave: We left without Michael because his aircraft was 30 knots faster,
so he should have been able to catch up. Molly was anxious about
flying in this weather and I was concerned that last light was a few
minutes prior to 6:00pm. Also, the weather at Bendigo might worsen
if we delayed, so I planned a track to the west of Bendigo and Ballarat.
There were patches of low cloud and we cruised between 1,100’ and
1,300’ AMSL from Echuca to the west of Bendigo.
Kate: I guess we were about 20 minutes into the flight when I started
feeling uneasy.
Dave: I called Michael, but did not receive a response. The conditions
were worsening, but it seemed to be brighter further west. About
ten miles south of Bendigo I could see showers rolling through so
I turned north, asking Kate to set the ADF to track to the Bendigo
B. As we progressed, the cloud base seemed to be lowering. In NDB. As we progres
ndsight, I can see that the ground was rising beneath us and as I hindsight, I can see that the g d was rising ben
tried to maintain my ground clearance I was
inadvertently climbing towards the cloud. I
decided to try to land at Bendigo.
Kate: The GPS suddenly began warning us of
terrain ahead. There were no obstacles - we
must be really low. My chest started to feel
tight. As I pored over the map I noted a large
hill to the south of Bendigo; it was at least
1,000ft above our current altitude! Where
was Bendigo? I couldn’t see it on the GPS.
Dave: As we approached Bendigo again
there were showers passing through, but we
could see the town. I couldn’t reverse course
without entering cloud. I began circling, only
a few hundred feet above hilly, tree-covered
ground, looking for a break to duck through.
We were in trouble.
I contacted Melbourne Centre and advised
them that I needed help as cloud was
beginning to surround us. With visibility
worsening, I made the decision to level my
wings and climb away from the terrain,
knowing that this would take us into cloud.
It was the hardest decision of my life, but I
believed that staying where we were, with
showers obscuring our visibility in such close
proximity to the ground, was perilous.
Mike (ATC): A call came from a VFR pilot
requesting assistance. I asked him to stand
by while I dealt with another flight. When I
returned to him he was already in cloud. My
heart pounded as I turned to my supervisor,
‘I’ve got an emergency’.
Kate: The disorientation as we entered the
cloud was overwhelming, and I felt the
aircraft lurching as Dave fought to o keep
control. I thought of my two young ng
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MLB CTR: Are you instrument-rated?
Dave: Negative.
MLB CTR: Keep your wings level and trust your instruments. Are you
night-rated?
Dave: Negative.
MLB CTR: Do you have an auto-pilot?
Dave: Negative.
MLB CTR: How many POB?
Dave: Three people.
MLB CTR: What is your fuel status?
Dave: Fuel is OK. About four hours’ endurance.
Thank God I had taken on more fuel in Echuca. Prior to refuelling we
had only enough for the 75-minute flight plus 45 minutes in reserve.
Our flight was to last two and a half hours.
Mike: We have a checklist for handling a VFR into IMC emergency. I
enlisted Dennis to take over all other traffic in my sector to another
frequency and my supervisor contacted AusSAR who scrambled an
emergency helicopter. I called Susie over to assist because she has a
private pilot’s licence. She began to examine the WAC chart to check
the lowest safe altitude.
Dennis (ATC): That day was one of the worst I’ve had in my 15 years as
an ATC. I thought I was going to witness a crash. It was a classic nightmare
situation for a VFR pilot, one which has ended more than a few lives. n for a VFR pilot, one which has e
boys, blissfully ignorant of my predicament.
My heart ached at the thought that I would
never see them again.
Molly: I knew we were in trouble when I heard
Dave swear: he never swears! I didn’t want
to see the end coming, but I didn’t scream
or cry because I knew that Dave needed to
concentrate. I thought of the new will which I
had neglected to sign the previous day.
Dave: When we entered the clouds I became
immediately disoriented as I ‘chased the
needles’. For a moment I thought we’d had
it. I knew the statistics, but was grimly
determined not to validate them. Everything
they tell you about flying into cloud is true.
My senses were totally confused. The nose
is too high. Put the stick forward. Turn the
carby heat off. Retract the flaps – in stages.
I began monitoring the ASI, AH, VSI and
DG. Once I stabilised the climb I radioed
the controller again. As I recall, the ensuing
conversation with Melbourne Centre went
something like this:
MLB CTR: Are you in cloud?
DDave: ti Affirmative.
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!"#$ &'()*'++$* ,-. /01*$../2$3 .' &-+0
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Flying into cloud without instruments (or without knowing how to
use them) is incredibly dangerous. It’s almost inevitable you’ll lose
control of the aircraft within a few minutes and crash, as without
visual reference to the horizon you can’t tell if the aircraft is turning
or flying with level wings. If movements are gentle they don’t register
with your senses - a wing could be gradually dropping and you don’t
realise until it’s too late. Or you do realise, over-correct and lose
control that way.
Kate: I gazed out of the window at the whiteness. It hurt my eyes.
Whilst our deaths no longer appeared to be imminent, we were a long
way from safety. As we climbed through the clouds, we had periodic
contact with the ATC who was confirming our position and trying to
establish when we broke through. I wished that he would talk more
often. His calm voice made me feel less alone. Finally, we emerged
into clear air at about 5,000’. Whilst we could now see, it was of little
comfort. There was solid cloud above and below our little aircraft.
Michael (C182): Climbing from 1,000’ to 5,000’ at 500 feet per minute
would take eight minutes … considerably more than 178 seconds.
Mike (ATC): Another controller entered a flight data record into the
Eurocat system with a discrete code so I could maintain the correct
identification of the aircraft’s radar paint even if he temporarily
dropped off and returned to radar. Eventually the pilot, sounding
surprisingly calm, reported that he was on top of the cloud. calm, r
ve: Dave: ‘We’re into clear air.’ ‘We
Mike: M ‘Good. Can you see any holes?’ Andy had found out that the
rcraft was a Warrior and part of a fly-away. He contacted the aero rcraft was a aircraft
ather more information about the plane, the people on board club to gather
and their flying experience. He had also obtained reports that there aaand their flying exp
were breaks in the cloud at Bridgewater which is 15nm NW of ere wwere breaks in the clo
Bendigo. I discussed this with the pilot and he decided to BBendigo. I discussed th s with the pilot and
track that w track that way. at way.
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Dave: I asked whether we could be vectored towards the coast and
descend over Port Phillip Bay.
Mike: He reported that he couldn’t find any breaks in the cloud. I
suggested that I provide radar vectors to Ballarat, and then further
south toward the coast where we hoped the cloud would clear. We
then planned to turn him east across the bay to Moorabbin.
Dave: Melbourne Centre asked how I felt about descending through
cloud, but I really didn’t have a choice. They suggested getting us
overhead the airfield at Mangalore and making descending orbits,
turning through the cloud. I rejected the option: ‘No - no turns!’ I felt
that I would have a much more controllable descent with my wings
level and descending at 500 feet per minute. The controller agreed
and suggested Shepparton. That was better because I am familiar
with that airfield and getting there wouldn’t involve turns in cloud.
We couldn’t take up the heading we were given for Shepparton at
the level we were at without entering cloud again, so we found a hole
and climbed above the next layer of cloud. We were on top by 9,500’
AMSL, although as we tracked towards Shepparton the cloud tops
rose and we had to climb to 10,500’ to stay clear. The little Warrior
didn’t climb as well at that altitude as it does at sea level; the climb
took ages.
Kate: The enormity of what was happening hit me when I heard that
passenger jets were being asked to look for holes in the cloud for us,
anywhere between Sydney and Melbourne. Dave pointed our aircraft
into the opening in the cloud and we climbed steadily. At one point
we re-entered the cloud and he had to descend and reverse course
to get us out. We passed 7,500’, 8,000’, 9,000’ … I was screaming
inside: ‘How much longer?’ We were finally clear at 9,500’.
Dave: The controller calculated that we should commence our
descent immediately. We re-entered the cloud (the second-hardest
decision of my life) and I tried to keep the wings level, monitoring
the air speed and rate of descent. A couple of times I was asked to
turn to the right as we had started a slight left-hand turn. ATC again
reminded us of the fast-disappearing daylight. I would have loved to s of the fas
increase RPM and descend more quickly, but I didn’t want to risk ncrease RPM and
getting out of control. getting out of contro
Mike: i The pilot wanted to descend straight ahead at 500
m, which meant he was now top of descent. Next fpm, which me f descent. Next
call he was on descent and back in cloud.
Within a few seconds the radar paint began
a slow left turn. I let him know, and he
straightened up but he was now tracking to
the west of Shepparton. I decided not to say
too much and just let him keep it level.
Michael (C182): They were just about to
commence their descent when Ops patched
into the frequency and discovered that
Dave, Molly and Kate were still alive … so
far. We listened to the conversation as they
descended. Whilst the controller couldn’t
see Dave’s instruments, he could see their
projected track changing 40
o
~ 50
o
to the
left and warn them: ‘You’re turning. Lift your
left wing’.
The controller was impressive: so calm, so
reassuring. It seemed like he was guiding
Dave on a walk in the park. At last we heard
Dave call the controller: ‘We’re clear! We
can see the ground!’
I felt like crying with relief.
Dave: We broke through the cloud near
Waranga Basin at about 2,800’ AMSL. I
descended to about 2,000’, but there were
still cloud patches, so I continued the descent
to 1,500’. We had about ten minutes to run
to Shepparton, and it was already quite dark
with all that cloud above us. Melbourne
Centre advised that the wind was 050
o
magnetic, so I replied I would fly a straight-in
approach to runway 36. I’d only get one go
and then it would be pitch-black.
Mike (ATC): The pilot reported: ‘I can
see the ground! ’ The relief for us was
overwhelming. He was flying through the
scud at the base of the cloud. I looked at the he c
map to assist him identify his surroundings, map e dentify his surroundings
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and then gave him the distance and direction
to the aerodrome.
Dave: We approached the airfield, and I
advised Melbourne Centre that I was lined up
on final. The controller asked me to advise
when we were safely on the ground, and
the emergency helicopter would relay the
message. It was so dark I could hardly see the
instrument panel. I didn’t know how to turn
on the panel lights.
Michael (C182 pilot): We were listening: ‘He’s
in the circuit … on final … they’ve landed.’ We
began clapping softly and exhaling long sighs.
We were too drained to cheer.
Mike (ATC): Within a few moments, I heard
the happiest SAR cancellation of my career.
Dave: We landed safely and taxied off the
runway at about 5:50pm local time. End of
ylight was five minutes later, officially, daylight was five minutes
ut with the heavy overcast it was but with the heavy overcast
already pretty dark. dy pretty dark.
Kate: I don’t know how, but Dave managed a textbook landing, and
we taxied gratefully to the club house. My legs almost collapsed as
we alighted, and I wanted to kiss the ground. The relief as we entered
the building was too much to contain for Molly and me. We cried and
hugged as Dave moved the aircraft to the visitor parking area.
Dave: ATC had been in touch with the Shepparton Aero Club. They
asked me to call ATC who admitted: ‘We were very worried about
you!’ They weren’t the only ones!
Dennis: Huge sighs of relief all around, believe me. Airservices
provided counselling for all of us the next day. I needed a bit of a break
myself as once I’d ‘wound down’; I was quite emotional when I’d had
time to think about it. I was pretty close to tears - it’s not every day
you fear for someone’s life for an extended period and can’t do a whole
lot about it.
Michael: (C182): Any inconsistencies between my version, Dave’s version,
Kate’s version and those of Dennis and Mike are as a result of what happens
when people recount their personal memories of a shared event. After two
and a half hours of nightmare flying, I’m just glad that Dave is here to
argue the finer points. I’d like to express my heartfelt thanks to Mike, Susie
and Dennis for their guardianship of my friends.
Dave: By asking for help, I had ATC looking out for me. All I had to do
was fly the plane and go where I was told. Their alerting me to the start
of my graveyard spirals before I lost control was incredibly valuable.
Michael: Back at home, I felt very unsettled when I uploaded the
weekend’s photographs from my camera and looked at the picture of
the three of them smiling at me on Saturday. That photo could have
been on the front pages that week.
Dennis: I’ve been involved in other emergencies, but this one has
affected me most. I guess because it took an hour and a half; there
was danger the whole time; and we had input. Something we said or
did could have influenced whether the pilot lived or died.
In situations like this the final call belongs to the pilot - we can’t fly the
plane for them, even if we are pilots, which I’m not. Even if it has a . Even
successful outcome it doesn’t stop me feeling very responsible for what esponsible for
happened. Could I have done more or better? The point is to learn from o point is to learn from
the experience.
Reprinted with permission from rinted with permission from Australian Flying g ying ng who first published ub u s rs fi ho who first published
the story in Jan/Feb 20 t story in Jan/Feb 2008.
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