Wings-level landing might have saved C-5 crash survivors

Air Force Link ^ | 4/4/2006 | Louis A. Arana-Barradas

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Colonel McGregor, a command pilot with more than 10,600 flying hours -- more than 7,000 of those in the Galaxy

Holy crap, this guy has more flight hours than I do sleep hours.

[jazusamo]

Congratulations to Colonel McGregor, he did an excellent job.

[jazusamo]

Congratulations to Colonel McGregor, he did an excellent job.

[Billthedrill]

I've been aboard them and I still don't believe the dang things fly. I've seen them fly and I still don't believe it.

[SkyPilot]

He was a source for the reporter writing the article, he wasn't the pilot of the C-5 that crashed.

[Doe Eyes]

14 of the 17 aboard were covered with fuel and had to be decontaminated.

That landing saved their lives.

[manwiththehands]

Our Air Force ROCKS. (not that I'm biased or anything ...)

[joesnuffy]

If that's true little mister it's way past your bedtime...

[jazusamo]

My mistake and thanks for correction. The pilot did an outstanding job whoever it was.

[Aeronaut]

[Mr Ramsbotham]

That headline makes absolutely no sense. That's like "if a plane crashes on the border between the U.S. and Canada, where will they bury the survivors?"

[Jaxter]

I was at Dover a little over 11 years ago to pick up my daughter, her husband and my granddaughter. My granddaughter was about 6 months old and I hadn't seen her yet. They were coming in from Ramstein AB, Germany on a C-5. About 20 minutes before their flight was due in, I noticed that the fire trucks were starting show up with lights flashing. Having had some experience on a flight line I knew that this meant there was an in-flight emergency. I also knew that their flight was the next one due in. I tried not to show my nervousness so I wouldn't upset my (then) wife and told her it was routine. The plane landed with an engine out without any problems. I've been leery of flying in planes with less than 4 engines since that happened though.

[KeepUSfree]

"Colonel McGregor, a command pilot with more than 10,600 flying hours -- more than 7,000 of those in the Galaxy"

Wow, 3600 hours of extra-galactic flight. I think that beats Piccard and Kirk together!!!

[OkeyDokeyOkie]

I was informed today by a friend who is in the Air Force that fuel (more than 50,000 gallons when fully loaded) for the C-5 Galaxy aircraft is located in 12 internal wing tanks...thus, a "wings-level landing" was likely the reason the C-5 didn't burst into flames on impact. That pilot was trained well by the best Air Force on earth.

[bill1952]

Or, as an instructor told me; "Son, your wife's legs have more time in the air than you do".

[maica]

Wow, 3600 hours of extra-galactic flight.


#####

That's worth a trip to the White House and a commendation or two!!!!

[sit-rep]

Hey DD...

I am no pilot, but common sense would tell me that a wings level landing in a crash would be a more or less a natural response, that is, if you're able to control the plane??

If, this is the case, why do you suppose they make such a deal out of it?

[68skylark]

It had a quarter million pounds of fuel, but miraculously did not catch fire.

Wow - that's 125 tons of fuel.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

If, this is the case, why do you suppose they make such a deal out of it?

Probably to make things look a bit nicer than they actually were.

[Zeppo]

I'm no pilot either, but I would guess that in this case the C5 was carrying a full load of fuel and a full load of cargo, and one engine was out, which may have required action by the pilot to keep the plane level in the face of off-center/unbalanced thrust. By manipulating the flaps? By shifting in his seat? By throttling back one of the remaining engines? Maybe someone who knows what they're talking about will chime in (I sure don't)...