Scared of mid-airs

On Tue, 1 Aug 2006 07:18:09 -0600, "Jeff Crowell"
wrote in :

[...]
You have been claiming that the speed of the USAF flight
was "480 knots (550 mph) at impact" (your post, 7/14),
when actual recorded speed at impact was 356 KCAS
per the accident report.

[That would be Message-ID:
]


AIB Report mentions the 480 knot closure speed twice:

AIB Report:

"The closure rate of Cessna 829 and Ninja 1 based on
radar-measured conflict alert data just prior to the collision was
approximately 480 KTAS."

"Based on their closure rate of approximately 480 knots," ...

With regard to your 356 KCAS airspeed at the time of impact, that is
not given as Ninja 2's speed in the AIB nor NTSB reports. Here's the
only reference to that number I was able to find in either document:

AIB Report:

"Ninja 1’s displayed airspeed at the time of the midair was
356 KCAS" ...

You'll recall that Ninja 1 was not the aircraft that impacted the
Cessna. (I find the fact that the AIB report equates 'displayed
airspeed' with calibrated air speed a bit puzzling. Do F-16 airspeed
indicators actually display calibrated airspeed?)

So, lacking evidence to the contrary, I used the closing speed as the
speed at the time of impact. That may be incorrect, but lacking
better information, it seems reasonable to me, and not an exaggeration
nor hyperbole.

[...]

The USAF Accident Investigation Board's report:

"Ninja flight's mistake was in transitioning to the tactical
portion of their flight too early, unaware that they were in
controlled airspace."

That was President, Accident Investigation Board Robin E. Scott's
opinion. It is not fact.

Despite the fact that Parker failed to brief terminal airspace prior
to the flight as regulations require, I personally find it difficult,
if not impossible, to believe Parker was unaware, that the 60 mile
diameter Tampa Class B terminal airspace lay below him at the time he
chose to descend below 10,000' into it.

That's opinion, too, annit?

I suppose it is my reasoned opinion.

If you disagree, perhaps you could explain how Parker could have been
unaware of a chunk of terminal airspace 60 miles in diameter and
10,000' feet high on a clear day; I can't. He surely must have been
able to see the large international airport beneath him. Every pilot
knows there is controlled terminal airspace around such airports.
Additionally, Parker was attempting to contact ATC to obtain a
clearance to enter the Class B airspace immediately before he chose to
descend with out the required ATC clearance. Given those facts, how
could Parker possibly have been unaware of what he was doing? Lacking
an answer to that question, in light of the circumstances, logic and
reason demand, that I conclude, that Parker deliberately chose to
violate regulations prohibiting his descent into congested terminal
airspace without the required ATC clearance.


Per the F-16 Dash 1 he was allowed to be at 350 knots at
that altitude, and was traveling only slightly faster at the time
of the collision. What about that statement (from the
accident investigation) do you not understand?

Jeff, I understand that 450 knots within congested terminal airspace
is about one third faster than the 350 knot speed limit you state
above. One third is not 'slightly faster'. It is _significantly_
faster. (The 450 knot figure is quoted from the AIB report at the
beginning of this follow up article.) Perhaps you can provide the
reasoning you used in arriving at your conclusion.

Speed of the F-16 at impact was 356 KCAS.

Limiting the discussion to your 356 KCAS speed at the time of impact
figure disregards this fact:

Final NTSB Report MIA01FA028A:


http://www.ntsb.gov/NTSB/brief2.asp?...A028A &akey=1
"Speeds of up to 450 knots were noted during the descent."

Why would you overlook that 450 knot speed? Does the F-16 Dash 1 only
pertain to the speed at time of impact? :-)