As the lone controller in the tower at St. Thomas V.I. in 1973 I cleared a Twin beech like the one shown here for takeoff on runway 28. The tower at that time was located south of the runway on top of a 200 foot cliff over looking the airport, a real stunning view. On takeoff the pilot lost the left engine and declared an emergency. I cleared him to land on any runway but got no reply. Do to the terrain on his right the pilot made a shallow left climbing turn over the water. I was expecting him to climb to a safe altitude and return to land on runway 8 but the pilot elected to continue the left circle and return landing on 28. The issue, 28 was never used for landing because of the high terrain at the end of the runway. The aircraft continued in a left shallow circle level with the tower cab back toward for runway 28 staying inside the terrain at the east end of the airport and passed over Lindbergh Bay beach where several hundred people were swiming and sunbathing. The pilot made no communication with me after his inital declaration . The aircraft passed within 200 feet of the cab. I could see the pilot clearly and knew he had his hands full gave him wind information and watched as he banked into a tight decending left base toward the runway his gear still down. The aircraft's left wing stalled causing it to drop rapidly and continue it's turn back toward the Bay and beach. People on the beach ran in every direction. The aircraft flew into a telephone poll then hit the trees between the airport and beach crashing just before the beach and exploded. I learned later that all of the passengers were newly weds headed for a short trip to St. Barts. Hind sight. If he had flown to a safe altitude then made a right turn back to land on 28 he could have made it back. He lost control when he turned left base into the dead engine. It is no fun when as a controller you cannot help a pilot and all you can do is watch. It was not the first time I had been in control of an aircraft that crashed but it was the most personal because I had worked with this pilot for years and watching him as he flew so close to the tower on his return.
Great advice. My wife got me to do a scenic flight on the morning that we were to leave Vegas. The captain looked extremely young. Thankfully everything went smoothly. We chose to take the plane over the cheaper helicopters. Two weeks after we returned home. That same company has a fatal helicopter crash.
Agree and would add especially if you're outside the US controls. Even if you're on a cruise line and they port in a foreign country, usually all those tours and adventures are by local run people. You have NO idea of the regulations or rules IF ANY they operate by!
Small but important point. Cloud tops of 8000 feet does not under any circumstances indicate thunderstorm activity on which your reconstruction heavily relies. Nor is it mentioned in the accident report.
Thank you, Flighpath Aviation. I like your presentations. You provide viewers a good sense of the locations & geography and you're very respectful in telling these stories. The visuals are so very realistic.
Thank you for your kind words! I strive to provide a respectful and accurate portrayal of these events, so it's encouraging to receive such positive feedback. Thank you for watching my videos!
We had the FAA talk to our shop because the pilot on his resume said he was the chief pilot for our company. The problem was we don't have a flight department. It took a lot of talking to convince the FAA that this pilot was a liar.
I’ve had helicopter tour rides many times on the Hawaiian islands. Never a plane, I’ve done that over the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam. I love flying, as a passenger I’ve logged a few million miles of business travel, so I’m not the slightest bit afraid of flight tho I won’t do hot air balloons. My heart breaks every time I hear of any crash and I find out as much as I can as to its cause. I’ve taught my kids and grandkids to send up “be safe” every time we see any plane fly over.
I've been to Hawaii many times, but you couldn't pay me to fly in a helicoper there. I used to swim in the surf and watch low-flying tour helicopters fly over, one after another, and I'd watch them dip or lift and wobble and draft in the unpredictable winds there. That was on the coast, not in the mountains where these things usually crash. My wife always wanted to fly in one but I said no feaking way
Took a helicopter tour in Maui many years ago and decided to learn how to fly helicopters after I was impressed with the flight. Once I took my helicopter training I realized how dangerous the tour flight was. I was just a dumb tourist.
Love your channel which is why I've been subbed for a while. You bring to light flights that I would have never heard of. And thank you for switching to YOUR voice over the A.I. and for not using your own CC text on screen. So many channels are doing it now and the CC they apply is just as bad as the CC UA-cam uses.
Back in 1992 things were very different in flying. As I call it The Wild West Show of the 70’s and 80’s was coming to a close. Information was not verified because businesses were coming and going. We did not have the permanent record of the internet. Most of the time people were taken at their word. Many pilots were not meticulous in day to day operations. Safety has advanced 10,000% since then.
@@bill2066 Yes, exactly! It's like pulling teeth when engaging w/some of these podcasters, one-on-one in the comments as to whether they're using an AI-generated voice or not. If they want to use one, that's their prerogative but if they do and they don't think there's anything wrong w/it, they should have no problems in informing their viewers when specifically asked and not asking me back: "If I were to use an AI voice do you think I'd choose to have an accent?!" What the heck kind of answer is that?! This isn't rocket science! Geesh!
That Beech 18 has to be close to 100 yrs old. Just kidding but it’s real fvckin old. I lived on Oahu back in the late 1970’s. Those Beech 18’s were then and they were old. I was a full time pilot working at HNL airport and flew all around the islands. I’m now a 71yo Veteran and retired Corporate Pilot. I can’t believe these aircraft are still around and flying.🎉
Stories like this is why I would never get on any kind of scenic tour flight either by helicopter or plane. For that matter if it's not a commercial jet I'll find alternate transportation.
These videos would be more interesting if we knew something about the pilot and passengers. Need to humanize these. Don’t even know the number of people on the plane.
The annoyingly cheery music, robot narrator, and appalling mangling of the Hawai'ian place names made this video a hard no for me after the first few minutes.
Thank you for your feedback. Since this video, I've made several changes, including using my own voice for narration and refining other aspects of the production. I hope you'll consider giving my more recent videos another chance. Your input is valuable in helping me improve.
There’s a Better Chance Of Jesus Coming To My House For Dinner On Easter Sunday Bringing Red Wine And Tomato Sauce VS Me Stepping Foot On ANY Type Of Sight Seeing Air Craft
These videos would be more interesting if we knew something about the pilot and passengers. Need to humanize these. Don’t even know the number of people on the plane.
As the lone controller in the tower at St. Thomas V.I. in 1973 I cleared a Twin beech like the one shown here for takeoff on runway 28. The tower at that time was located south of the runway on top of a 200 foot cliff over looking the airport, a real stunning view. On takeoff the pilot lost the left engine and declared an emergency. I cleared him to land on any runway but got no reply. Do to the terrain on his right the pilot made a shallow left climbing turn over the water. I was expecting him to climb to a safe altitude and return to land on runway 8 but the pilot elected to continue the left circle and return landing on 28. The issue, 28 was never used for landing because of the high terrain at the end of the runway. The aircraft continued in a left shallow circle level with the tower cab back toward for runway 28 staying inside the terrain at the east end of the airport and passed over Lindbergh Bay beach where several hundred people were swiming and sunbathing. The pilot made no communication with me after his inital declaration . The aircraft passed within 200 feet of the cab. I could see the pilot clearly and knew he had his hands full gave him wind information and watched as he banked into a tight decending left base toward the runway his gear still down. The aircraft's left wing stalled causing it to drop rapidly and continue it's turn back toward the Bay and beach. People on the beach ran in every direction. The aircraft flew into a telephone poll then hit the trees between the airport and beach crashing just before the beach and exploded. I learned later that all of the passengers were newly weds headed for a short trip to St. Barts. Hind sight. If he had flown to a safe altitude then made a right turn back to land on 28 he could have made it back. He lost control when he turned left base into the dead engine. It is no fun when as a controller you cannot help a pilot and all you can do is watch. It was not the first time I had been in control of an aircraft that crashed but it was the most personal because I had worked with this pilot for years and watching him as he flew so close to the tower on his return.
Gotta be a most helpless feeling... Reminds me of a line from a very famous memoir: "...come on, son; DO something!!"
Damn that’s rough. Thank you for the detailed post
The old "approach turn stall". Got a friend of mines uncle flying out of Mammoth.
Anyone survive crash?
Never turn into a dead engine and that type of plane will not climb dirty (wheels flaps down) on one engine
My advice is don't bother with scenic flights. They are often run on a shoestring with inexperienced crews and questionable maintenance.
Thanks for the advice 😢
Name ONE thing you people have invented. Arturo.
@@skjoe1115😂what is wrong, Joe?
Great advice. My wife got me to do a scenic flight on the morning that we were to leave Vegas. The captain looked extremely young. Thankfully everything went smoothly. We chose to take the plane over the cheaper helicopters. Two weeks after we returned home. That same company has a fatal helicopter crash.
Agree and would add especially if you're outside the US controls. Even if you're on a cruise line and they port in a foreign country, usually all those tours and adventures are by local run people. You have NO idea of the regulations or rules IF ANY they operate by!
Just wondered as the actual aircraft was a Model E18S and not a Model D18S as depicted in your video.
Small but important point.
Cloud tops of 8000 feet does not under any circumstances indicate thunderstorm activity on which your reconstruction heavily relies.
Nor is it mentioned in the accident report.
Thank you, Flighpath Aviation. I like your presentations. You provide viewers a good sense of the locations & geography and you're very respectful in telling these stories. The visuals are so very realistic.
Thank you for your kind words! I strive to provide a respectful and accurate portrayal of these events, so it's encouraging to receive such positive feedback. Thank you for watching my videos!
We had the FAA talk to our shop because the pilot on his resume said he was the chief pilot for our company. The problem was we don't have a flight department. It took a lot of talking to convince the FAA that this pilot was a liar.
I’ve had helicopter tour rides many times on the Hawaiian islands. Never a plane, I’ve done that over the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam. I love flying, as a passenger I’ve logged a few million miles of business travel, so I’m not the slightest bit afraid of flight tho I won’t do hot air balloons. My heart breaks every time I hear of any crash and I find out as much as I can as to its cause. I’ve taught my kids and grandkids to send up “be safe” every time we see any plane fly over.
I've been to Hawaii many times, but you couldn't pay me to fly in a helicoper there. I used to swim in the surf and watch low-flying tour helicopters fly over, one after another, and I'd watch them dip or lift and wobble and draft in the unpredictable winds there. That was on the coast, not in the mountains where these things usually crash. My wife always wanted to fly in one but I said no feaking way
I can't imagine what it must be like to suddenly realize ur about to get a bunch of innocent people killed including yourself 😢
There's a school of thought that says whatever you work to imagine, you bring upon yourself. - Just to be safe, let it go.
Took a helicopter tour in Maui many years ago and decided to learn how to fly helicopters after I was impressed with the flight. Once I took my helicopter training I realized how dangerous the tour flight was. I was just a dumb tourist.
Sad tale but very well presented
Love your channel which is why I've been subbed for a while. You bring to light flights that I would have never heard of. And thank you for switching to YOUR voice over the A.I. and for not using your own CC text on screen. So many channels are doing it now and the CC they apply is just as bad as the CC UA-cam uses.
I have about a thousand hours in B 18’s. They are tricky aircraft to fly and unforgiving.
Let's call it what it is. The pilot didn't "misrepresent" his qualifications, he LIED about it.
Totally avoidable tragedy
One could say that for just about everything....
Every Accident is avoidable.
Back in 1992 things were very different in flying. As I call it The Wild West Show of the 70’s and 80’s was coming to a close. Information was not verified because businesses were coming and going. We did not have the permanent record of the internet. Most of the time people were taken at their word.
Many pilots were not meticulous in day to day operations.
Safety has advanced 10,000% since then.
Hey Flightpath! Could you people DITCH the annoying computer voice and just hire a real person? Thankyou!!
I've transitioned to using my own voice for all content from 2024 onwards.
@@flightpathaviation1 Hallelujah.
@@bill2066 Yes, exactly! It's like pulling teeth when engaging w/some of these podcasters, one-on-one in the comments as to whether they're using an AI-generated voice or not.
If they want to use one, that's their prerogative but if they do and they don't think there's anything wrong w/it, they should have no problems in informing their viewers when specifically asked and not asking me back: "If I were to use an AI voice do you think I'd choose to have an accent?!"
What the heck kind of answer is that?! This isn't rocket science! Geesh!
Crazy that the USCG was still flying C-47’s in the 1990’s. 😅
C47 s The DC3?
@@bill2066 Yes they're the same thing and I was thinking the same thing.
So this pilot was given a captain title without thorough background checks?
That Beech 18 has to be close to 100 yrs old. Just kidding but it’s real fvckin old. I lived on Oahu back in the late 1970’s. Those Beech 18’s were then and they were old. I was a full time pilot working at HNL airport and flew all around the islands. I’m now a 71yo Veteran and retired Corporate Pilot. I can’t believe these aircraft are still around and flying.🎉
Didn't they make Beech 18s from the late '30s up to 1969 ?
@@None-zc5vg Yes, from 1937 thru 1969/ About 9,000 of them in many models.
It's called tombstone mentality.
What flight simulator are you using to make this video???
Lived in St. Thomas '82 '83. Flew 18s for Paul Wikander's Virgin Air. Did you know Paul? He's 83 now.
The ambulance chasers were no doubt a circling kettle of slobbering vultures after this disorder.
Agree with the comment that computer voice is bad. It is so boring. No emotion.
Stories like this is why I would never get on any kind of scenic tour flight either by helicopter or plane. For that matter if it's not a commercial jet I'll find alternate transportation.
Ok, so commercial jets never crash! Got it...
@@sarge6870compare the stats
These videos would be more interesting if we knew something about the pilot and passengers. Need to humanize these. Don’t even know the number of people on the plane.
Spatial disorientation
The annoyingly cheery music, robot narrator, and appalling mangling of the Hawai'ian place names made this video a hard no for me after the first few minutes.
Thank you for your feedback. Since this video, I've made several changes, including using my own voice for narration and refining other aspects of the production. I hope you'll consider giving my more recent videos another chance. Your input is valuable in helping me improve.
@@flightpathaviation1 Thanks for your reply! Apologies for being so harsh ;)
No problem at all! Honest feedback like yours motivates me to keep improving. All the best!
I would be very wary of a 26 year old pilot.
Miss flying a *HOWARD*
I know, I miss my VIRGINIA
This is why god made cheap drones. Also, retirement. Nothing is too urgent to take a car or a boat.
Old old story. Nice video, but this was ove 30 years ago....
All small planes 🛩️ should be banned 🚫 💥🔥💀
There’s a Better Chance Of Jesus Coming To My House For Dinner On Easter Sunday Bringing Red Wine And Tomato Sauce VS Me Stepping Foot On ANY Type Of Sight Seeing Air Craft
These videos would be more interesting if we knew something about the pilot and passengers. Need to humanize these. Don’t even know the number of people on the plane.