Unresponsive plane crashes in Jamiacan waters

[franksterr]

MIAMI (CNN/AP) – Jamaican officials say the unresponsive US plane has crashed on the island, apparently having run out of fuel.
F-15 pilots that were tracking the unresponsive plane could see, before the small plane’s windows frosted over, a pilot slumped over, a NORAD official said. The official said one or two other people are believed to be on board, though the number has not been officially confirmed.
A Cuban fighter jet trailed the small aircraft over Cuban airspace, NORAD said.
The U.S. military launched a pair of jet fighters to trail the aircraft, but the U.S. planes broke off before reaching Cuban airspace 12 miles off the island’s coast, NORAD said. The plane was cruising at about 25,000 feet.
The Socata TBM-700 light business and utility aircraft departed from Rochester, New York, with a flight plan to land in Naples, NORAD said. But the plane’s occupants did not respond to communication attempts.

[LinSkinny]

Probably Hypoxia from depressurization based on

"before the small plane’s windows frosted over, a pilot slumped over,"

The temps at 25k FT is pretty cold. "George" was probably flying at that altitude.

For those who don't know who "George" is...he is the autopilot and can fly pretty damn good in mostly smooth air. On the new model planes, can also fly an approach to minimums in bad weather.


Any pilots on the forum?

[My Looh]

Any pilots on the forum?

There use to be one here but I don't think he has posted for some time now.

Don't these planes come with a warning alarm that lets the pilot know that the plane's interior is being depressurized and wouldn't the pilots have access to an oxygen mask they could wear until they were able to lower their altitude to a place where they could breathe properly?

[LinSkinny]

Depressurization can happen quickly. Depending on the altitude, you have 5-60 seconds to react and immediately descend. Based on other news reports and the aviation forums, it seems the pilot did attempt to descend but not low enough or fast enough before he was unconscious from lack of oxygen. He delayed the descent thinking his indicators were incorrect or faulty. I'm trying to find the recording on liveatc.


Also intriguing reading how some outfits sensationalize the story. About F-15 'chasing' the plane.

[My Looh]

PORT ANTONIO, Jamaica — The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) at 4:00 pm yesterday suspended its search and recovery operation for the missing passengers of the Daher - Socata TBM-900 light business and utility aircraft which crashed in waters 24 nautical miles north of Portland on Friday.

The US Coast Guard which was assisting the JDF - the main agency conducting the operation - had earlier ended its partcipation in the search.

"The decision was made based on continual re-assessment of the situation, noting the reduced probability of finding the passengers or aircraft which crashed in an area with depths of 1,500 to 2,000 metres," civil/military co-operation officer of the JDF Captain Basil Jarrett said in a press statement.

Confirming that the United States Coast Guard Cutter Bernard Webber had called off its participation in the search for the TBM-900 aircraft and three passengers, Jarrett quoted a spokesman as saying: "It is unlikely we will find any survivors at this time, so we are moving out."

The JDF and US authorities tracked the TBM-900 aircraft into Jamaican airspace before it went off radar and crashed approximately 24 NM North of Port Antonio. Since then, a joint search and rescue effort has been underway in an area where an oil slick and small debris consistent with an aircraft crash had been spotted.

Since Friday, until yesterday, the operation continued without any success for three passengers said to include real estate developer Laurence Glazer and his wife Jane who departed from Rochester, New York, en route to Naples, Florida, but encountered problems and veered off course.

Yesterday evening before the Observer's news team left the Errol Flynn Marina, where the Command Centre for what was officially called Operation Socata is located, it was obvious that things were cooling down as JCF vessels with both police and soldiers aboard could be seen returning to base signalling that the operation was being downscaled. Official confirmation that search activities had been suspended came shortly after.

With the search and rescue operation now officially suspended any discovery of passengers or the wreckage of the aircraft might well fall within the purview of local fisherfolk.

The JCF's ground commander Senior Superintendent Terrence Bent said at a press conference on Saturday that the police had made contact with the fishing community operating in Portland and the neighbouring parish of St Mary and had briefed several of them about the search. They urged them to pay attention and report any debris they found during their routine.

[My Looh]

Jamaica does not have the ways and means to conduct a proper search so they have to rely on the fishing community. Oh well, maybe just as well.

[Tuff Gong]

Jamaica does not have the ways and means to conduct a proper search so they have to rely on the fishing community. Oh well, maybe just as well.

Even the USA and other developed nations rely on local fisher-folks to help in S&R. See Missing flight MH370 and countless other Air/Sea Disasters.
It would be a good time for Jamaica to act on this and give the Fisher-folks more training and equipment to help in S&R and Law Enforcement.