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RV 10 down

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- Poindexter -

Well Known Member
RV 10 down in the Marin Headlands, north of San Francisco around 2:15 PM today. Unfortunately, the (2) occupants died. The location is a couple miles from my house and it’s been dense, foggy conditions.
 
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Another strange ground track
 

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My wife drove over the GG bridge around noon that day to visit her dad. When she came home she mentioned how thick the fog was. This from a woman who grew up in SF (fog city). Floor of the Class B is 3000ft over the bridge. Hills on the North are 1000ft plus. I have flown over that area many times myself, just not when obscured by fog. I hope the NTSB can shed some good insight. Condolences to family and loved ones.
 
RV10

Kathryns Report identified the passenger. ATC transcript of communication with norcal approach. and a statement that the owner had recently purchased the airplane.
 
The pilot was identified by a friend of the passenger. He got his ticket in late 2020. No IFR ticket. I listened to ATC from that day and about 5 mins prior to the accident the pilot asked for a transition to go to half moon bay. He was approved but told to stay clear of the bravo. To make that transition you have to get under 1600 feet along the shoreline. It was really foggy that day as well. Prayers to the families. A super sad event.
 
The class B floor near the accident site is 3000’. The 1600’ floor is a bit further south.

Totally understand that. 1600 is relevant as he asked for a transition to Half moon bay. He would have had to drop to 1600 along the shore line on the way.
 
It's a pilot's dilemma: violate class B or descend into fog, what would you do?

Descend into fog without and IFR clearance and not being prepared for it is not an option, so at that point, I'd violate and ask permission when able, maybe even declare if they won't give you a clearance.

I once had ATC in a class B vectoring me into a cell, I kept asking for a heading change due to build ups and kept getting unable, I finally told em either turn me now or I'm going to declare an emergency and change course, you're not putting me into a building cell, they finally relented.

I'm not going to die to make a controllers job easier or to avoid breaking regs, my job is to stay safe and if someone isn't happy we can talk about it later, on the ground.
 
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It's a pilot's dilemma: violate class B or descend into fog, what would you do?

Without an IFR clearance? It’s not even a question.. do NOT go into the fog! Either get a Bravo clearance, insist on it, declare an emergency if not approved, violate the Bravo.. whatever it takes to maintain VFR. Avoiding the Bravo and descending into the fog without a clearance is a FAR violation, just like entering the Bravo without a clearance, but the penalty for VFR into IMC is much steeper.. often paid with your life.
 
turn around

Reaching Half Moon Bay can be a challenge, especially during summer when fog sits off shore and can roll in anytime.
The same is true for the shoreline around San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge.
An impressive sightseeing flight looks a lot like the ground track seen in an earlier post. In those locations you are under the veil of class B airspace and very close to class C airspace as well.
When sight seeing, I stay away from ATC and their airspace as permission is seldom given to enter the very busy Class B.
Quite often the top of the fog layer is around 2000 feet and you face the choices of getting permission to enter class B, fly way out (<10 miles>) or so out over the open ocean where the floor of class B is higher or turn around and go somewhere else inland where conditions are generally very good and predictable. Rounding the shoreline north of Half Moon Bay where the floor of class B is 1600 about 3 miles off shore you still face the problem of finding KHAF fogged in.
I am always prepared to turn around and go elsewhere and I did so many times, Petaluma is a nice destination.
metar-maps-san-francisco-SFO-zoom-1 (1).jpg
 
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This thread has progressed far beyond just a notice of an accident. The thread is being closed as we are veering into speculation mode. Condolences to all who suffered a tragic loss.
 
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