Plane crash pilot 'blinded by sun'
09.02.07
An investigation found that a light aircraft crashed into fields near Liverpool Airport after the pilot was blinded by the winter sun. The 71-year-old pilot and his passenger were seriously injured when the Cessna came down in a field on 24 October 2006.
The elderly pilot, who had 534 hours flying experience, attempted to abandon the approach, but the single-engine plane hit a 30ft (9.1m) high wooden post and ripped its wing off. Both men suffered serious injuries and were lucky to survive the crash.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) report on the incident said the aircraft was extensively damaged in the collision, which happened about half a mile from Liverpool Airport's runway 27. The pilot was blinded by the sun as he considered going around but decided to continue using the 'piano keys' - markings which indicate the runway threshold - as a reference point.
The pilot told the AAIB that he did not appreciate how poor the visibility was. According to the report the pilot said he should have waited for the sun to settle beneath the horizon before trying to land.
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