Luscombe 8E Silvaire crashes near mach loop...

[Craig.]

I believe its not rotty. However it also borders the military low flying areas, the place he crashed is just down the road from where myself and Steve take our low flying pictures. So Like Charlie said, any slow moving traffic going through there is a disastor waiting to happen.

Steve, he's not so anonymous now is he?

[Hagar]

Charlie will confirm this but I was once told that the whole of the UK is designated as a military low-flying area. I believe this comes under LFA 07. http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/WhatWeDo/AirSafetyandAviation/LowFlying/LFAs/

[61_OTU]

Steve, he's not so anonymous now is he?

[C]

Question: is that airspace restricted (down to the surface)?

Not as such. In fact its class G airspace IIRC.

However, it is one of the busiest military low flying areas in the UK - and particularly "the loop", which people will go down hoping for the likes of Steve and Craig to be on the hillside, which is marked as such on charts. It is used regularly by fast jet aircraft and C-130s for training, and is also within about 5 minutes flying time of RAF Valley, the home of the RAF's fast jet school...

Flying around at 500ft in a "puddle jumper" isn't illegal in any shape or form, but doesn't leave you with many options should things go wrong, and in an area of high terrain which is also very heavily used by high speed and heavy low flying traffic cannot be seen as sensible.

Charlie will confirm this but I was once told that the whole of the UK is designated as a military low-flying area. I believe this comes under LFA 07. http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/About ... iation/Low Flying/LFAs/

Indeed it is, normally down to 250ft, but in two or three places 100ft. Military aircraft (all but those light aircraft conducting Elementary training - who only ever go below 500ft when flying PFLs) have to book into the Low Flying System (LFS), and in doing so will be informed of any military traffic which is also operating in that area. Civilian aircraft operating below 2000ft for prolonged periods (such as aerial photography and crop-spray helicopters) are advised to inform the relevant authorites, so military crews can be informed of their likely whereabouts by the CANP system (similar to a NOTAM, but more poo-poo involved should you the crew infringe it). That offers them the best protection. This was introduced after accidents such as the mid 80s Jetranger/Jag(or Tornado) crash in the Lake District, and the late 90s collision between a house-photograping C152 and a low level Tornado, in which both Cessna and Tornado crew were killed. There are also several one-way flow systems (such as the mach loop), which were introduced in certain "choke points" after a Tornado and Jag had a head-on... I can't remember whether they are marked on civvy charts...

[beaky]

So it's remotely possible it was related to an RAF flight?

It's happened here, in the non-restricted MOAs... near misses and occasionally collisions. Might have been  a poorly-executed evasive maneuver, wake turbulence, or a collision.
There are ways to find out what might be going on in these areas at any given time, but a better policy is to avoid them (which I do). Even something as big as a Herc can get in your face before you see it, especially in poor visibilty. And they're not always exactly where they're expected to be.

[61_OTU]

it is one of the busiest military low flying areas in the UK - and particularly "the loop", which people will go down hoping for the likes of Steve and Craig to be on the hillside

Still waiting to catch a VC10 low-level mate

[61_OTU]

[quote]So it's remotely possible it was related to an RAF flight?

It's happened here, in the non-restricted MOAs... near misses and occasionally collisions. Might have been

[Boss_BlueAngels]

If the pilot walked away from it was this a crash or a forced landing?

Neither... looks more like a catch to me.

[C]

So it's remotely possible it was related to an RAF flight?

It's happened here, in the non-restricted MOAs... near misses and occasionally collisions. Might have been  a poorly-executed evasive maneuver, wake turbulence, or a collision.

Basically, no.

If the weather is as bad as the news reports made out then no one would be flying there. AFAIK the only aircraft capable of IMC low level in the RAF is the Tornado GR4 (using terrain following radar), which has its own area in the far north of Scotland for the purpose.

the pilot was on a test flight in a Luscombe 8E Silvaire when he came down in the tree

What? A test flight over some of the most inhospitable terrain in the country. Darwin award on the way?

And what do you mean by "the likes of"........what exactly is wrong with me and Cra.......oh, hang on......yeah I see your point  embarrassed

Lol! I'm still hurting from the fact that the only time I've been round (in the most brightly coloured aircraft available) there was no one taking photos!

[61_OTU]

You'll have to give us advance warning next time Charlie, and make it worth our while  ;)

Some more info on the crash, a video of the wreckage

And a more detailed article, sounds like engine trouble

A real shame, it was a beautiful and no doubt very expensive aircraft, just lucky no one was seriously hurt

[C]

You'll have to give us advance warning next time Charlie, and make it worth our while  ;)

Sadly we only go low level about a mile from touchdown!