(8 hours ago)Zaphod58 Wrote: You heard wrong.
PAT25 was at 300 feet. The PSA flight was on short final, and descending through 300 feet when they collided. It wasn’t a head on collision, it was a crossing collision. The PSA flight was almost 90 degrees to PAT25.
The PSA flight was initially cleared to land on 01, which would have had them pointing at PAT25 on approach, and kept them separated. Instead they were changed to runway 33, which required a right turn out of PAT25s direct vision (they were on night vision goggles which eliminates peripheral vision). The PSA then turned back to line up on 33, which turned their lights across the nose of PAT25, effectively turning them almost invisible until they were in front of PAT25. The crew of PAT25 would have recognized them at the last second and tried to avoid them, which would look like them turning into the PSA.
Well I appreciate you corrected me on that 1500 foot altitude error. I had heard that on another forum from someone claiming to be a flight expert.
I believed it because I heard on the radio: PAT25 was told of an approaching CRJ just south of the Woodrow bridge at 1200 feet setting up for runway 33. Then visual separation approved.
Looks like the CRJ had descended to 300 feet by the time they collided.
In any case, the reference the Woodrow bridge, pinpointed the CRJ precisely.
Did PAT25 not know where the Woodrow bridge is???
I doubt it, so there is still no excuse, if visual separation was approved, for PAT25 to not have seen the CRJ it hit, IMO.
I still think PAT25 went on a collision course, and turned into the CRJ, from an opposing angle, at the very moment the CRJ turned toward runway 33.
I have now heard 300 feet is still about 100 feet higher than PAT25 was approved to fly.
Yes they crossed paths, they weren’t heading at each other in a straight line, but looks their fronts collided, judging by the radar screen. Even if it turns out PAT25 hit them from the side, I still think PAT25 intentionally swerved and ascended to collide with the CRJ.
