1994 DPE and 3 others killed during checkride

[bryancobb]

Hi folks,
As I was posting something in another thread in another group, I was reminded me of something that may be of some value to someone reading this.

The important idea to be remembered is this: In clear VFR weather...IT IS ALWAYS THE PILOT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO AVOID HITTING OTHER AIRCRAFT. NO-ONE ELSE'S.

Here's what happened. At FTY Fulton Co. Charlie Brown Airport in Atlanta (TOWERED AIRPORT), An instructor and his student were in a C-152, practicing right hand traffic paterns to RWY 27. The controler had cleared them for right closed trafic which meant they could do repeated traffic patterns as long as they stayed in right hand patterns to 27.

A DPE was giving a helicopter pilot an IFR checkride and the pilot had a HOOD on. The DPE was the safety pilot (EYES OUTSIDE). The helicopter had been cleared by the tower controller for the ILS aproach to RWY 26. At some point the DPE told the pilot that they were pretending the runway was in the fog so he Called out MISSED APPROACH.

The pilot under the hood did exactly as he was suppose to and initiated a climbing right turn.

The problem was...the C-152 pilot and his instructor had their wing raised doing a turn during their traffic patern.

The helicopter climbed right into the belley of the C-152 and the 2 aircraft fell almost straight down onto the numbers on RWY 27. All 4 people died.

WHOSE FAULT? NO NOT THE CONTROLLER AT THE TOWERED FIELD! NOT THE PILOT UNDER THE HOOD IN THE HELI! IT WAS 33% DPE IN THE HELI, 33% CFI IN THE 152, 33% STUDENT PILOT IN THE 152.

Those were the 3 sets of eyes that should have been in compliane with the see-and-avoid rule that is CENTRAL to VFR flying.

IT IS NOT A CONTROLLER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP 2 AIRCRAFT FROM RUNNING INTO EACH OTHER WHEN THE WEATHER IS VFR.

It IS their job to keep all IFR aircraft from hitting. It IS also their job to keep a VFR aircraft from hitting or posing a hazard to an IFR aircraft IF the IFR aircraft is NOT in VFR weather.

[Jim Stewart]

I agree with your conclusions. Having trained at an uncontrolled field with helicopter training going on constantly at 500', I'd add that keeping a visual image of the other traffic based on radio calls is essential.

[bryancobb]

Thanks Jim,

Just be aware ... this was at a tower controlled field in crystal clear skies.