Posted on 12/31/2004 1:03:27 AM PST by Straight Vermonter
RUSSIAN-built cargo plane brought the airport in Afghanistan's capital Kabul to a standstill today after it failed to lower its landing gear and bellyflopped onto the runway, airport officials told AFP.
The Antonov aircraft from a company called Golf mistakenly failed to deploy its wheels and skidded to a halt on the tarmac, Ghulam Ali Timor, director of Kabul airport, told AFP.
"Thank God, none of the six crew members was hurt but the plane has been damaged and airport workers are working to take it off the runway. The airport is closed temporarily," he said.
NATO-led peacekeeping troops were helping to remove the beached red and white Antonov aircraft, which was lying on the runway surrounded by a dozen trucks with their hazard lights blinking, an AFP reporter on the scene said.
"Just after 9.30 am (4pm AEDT) the aircraft came in without its landing gear down.
"The firefighters saw the landing gear wasn't down, even though the aircraft did not radio to tell the tower, and rushed onto the runway," Lieutenant Commander Ken MacKillop of the International Security Assistance Force told AFP.
Troops and airport officials were currently trying to move the plane, MacKillop said.
Igor... you know your supposed to put the landing gear down... what were you thinking??
Doh!
I'm not even going to speculate on the use of checklists.
ping
Isn't this type landing called a Yeltsin? ;)
never mind.
Two kinds of pilots:
Those who have had gear-up landings, and . . .
Those who are going to have gear-up landings.
These pilots just switched from one group to the other.
The Antonov aircraft from a company called Golf
Any idea what model Antonov this was? The big one is larger than a C5A, that was surely an impressive belly landing if it was
But the AN-225 is the biggest of them all
Antonov 12 - 4-engine turboprop.
http://aviation-safety.net/index.shtml
The pilot was French.
well, okay... now it all makes sense.
The pilot was probably trying to save rubber on his tires.
No kidding, they run those aircraft with cords showing all over the tires. "hey good for four more months"
Any pilots out there have a take on the actual need for running one bald tire on each pair on the leanding gear?
I've been told it is for better grip on emergency landings, but I still think they're just being cheap with the tires.
Don't know which is worse, the tires or the smell of vodka on the Antonov's crews. Really, it is not just urban legend.
Boink.
My God. This is what we need is for our guys to get TK'd by liquored up Russians flying a cargo plane.
IMO though, that's pretty impressive that they didn't wreck it.
Igor,"*hiccup*Wut? we forget nothing! Here you *hiccup* Amerikans go again with your arrogance! You think cuz we are Russians we are incompetant *hiccup*
airport,"Sir, were just asking if your going to put your gear down?!"
Igor, "Oh S*%t!"
24 DEC 2004 A flight attendant for Pinnacle Airlines was accused of damaging the safety and emergency equipment of 14 flights, causing them to be delayed or canceled. The complaint filed said he tampered with equipment, including fire extinguishers, oxygen tanks and breathing apparatus used by pilots in emergencies. (AP)Do we have a terrorist flight attendant?
someone posted that the pilot was French, definitely a drunk... =o)
Hey, does FR have a 2005 prediction thread going??
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