Potomac Accident for OT Only

[Cajundaddy]

Latest NTSB report suggest the helo was indeed doing a night training with NVGs and due to a momentary mic key they missed a critical piece of a transmission from the ATC. There was also discussion between helo pilot and trainer regarding altitude as their instruments did not agree and they knew they needed get below the 200' ceiling.

The regional jet never knew they were there until the last few seconds.

[KNS]

Flying while under goggles you're constantly scanning because of the limited field of view (I've got about 1200 hours of night time with a little under 300 hours of that with NVGs). It just becomes second nature. If one of the Black Hawk pilots had his eyes inside the other one should have had his eyes outside - scanning.

The latest info I had read was that the regional jet crew saw nothing until the very last moment. CVR recording indicated a verbal reaction accompanied by a control input for pitch. The sound of impact was one second later.

[greglepore]

Yes, NTSB briefing said full up pitch and full aileron deflection one second before impact.

[greglepore]

3 ex military pilots (and current commercial pilots) discuss. Very rational and worth the half hour.

[greglepore]

One more, an interview with a pilot from the 12th. Its long, but bullet points are that anytime he flew the route and there was traffic landing 33 he was held at Hains Point and b) the radar altimeter really can't be used on the route due to bridges etc. Lots of other tidbits about why he thinks they probably didn't see the accident aircraft and were likely observing an a/c landing on runway 1.