Authorities said California's heat wave might have contributed to the crashes of two small planes within hours of each other as they were taking off from the same airport.

Two people were killed and two others critically injured in the second crash Thursday in Cameron Park, in the Sierra foothills east of Sacramento. In the earlier crash, two people sustained moderate injuries.

The warmer air might not have provided enough lift for the planes, said Bob Petersen, air squadron commander for the El Dorado County Sheriff's Department.

"As temperature goes up, the air gets thinner," he said.

Authorities said the
two crashes were not connected and both remain under investigation.

"It's just a strange coincidence," sheriff's spokesman Lt. Kevin House said. "We never had two crashes in the same day."

Killed in the second crash were Patricia French, 60, and Robert French, 62, who died at the scene.

He also said he did not know the identities of the two people injured in the crash, nor the extent of their injuries.

Their Beechcraft went down 200 yards from the runway about 12:35 p.m. Thursday. They had been headed for Ensenada, Mexico.



http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=a06_1188732892

Dam!

People get complacent and fail to re-calculate density altitude after filling up with a few extra gallons or taking on a couple more passengers. Just because it has 4 seats and holds 80 gallons doesn't mean it can do it all any day of the week...

In the video you can see the plane couldn't fly out of ground effect.

__________________
-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

Actually - It also looks like he may have been a bit tail heavy.
(I don’t think he’d have all that cross-control going on with just a DA issue.)

Also, Evan – I agree, and would venture to say that most people get complaisant and don’t calculate it (DA) to begin with.

DA and runway requirements are probably the most neglected of all necessary preflight calculations. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve seen folks sit down and go through weight and balance, fuel requirements, precision fuel consumption, CG movement, you name it. And then jump in never giving the hot day issue a thought.
On more than one account, I’ve seen some folks get pretty lucky with the lack of trees and terrain off runway end here.

Sad to see that loss of life and aircraft. RIP

Mistress - I hope you were paying attention.

__________________
1980 300D - Veggie Burner !

Not exactly the best of terrain for the end of a runway

The plane was not lifting up enough when it got to the end of the runway. Was it a mistake in the pilot's judgement of the length of the runway? It didn't seem to have the power or lift to go 45 degrees to clear the trees. Was it flying downwind?

I forwarded this to a pilot buddy of mine, and here's his response:

"An A36 Bonanza like mine. Too heavy on a hot day. If the pilot had taken less weight, or taken off in the cool morning or evening, or selected one notch of flaps they might have made it out. Had there not been a big mound of dirt at the end of the runway they likely would have all lived. He took off in ground effect and when the plane was more than the wingspan's distance from the ground, it started to settle back down to the ground but he kept pulling and it stalled.

Of course, the plane's manual would have let you know that was going to happen."

A pilot's take.

__________________
- Brian


1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600

Once again - The bottom line:

Aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous. But to an even greater degree than the sea, it is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity or neglect.
— Captain A. G. Lamplugh

__________________
1980 300D - Veggie Burner !