Posted on 08/27/2006 4:38:10 AM PDT by BigBlueJon
Edited on 08/27/2006 5:02:21 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Possible plane crash in Lexington, KY. My brother works security for Lexington UK Hospital and was just called in. No news locally or on major news outlets yet. I didn't want to post anything for fear of being wrong, but he's still waiting for an official call while on stand-by.
Update from WTVQ 36 Lexington:
A plane has crashed near the Blue Grass Airport this morning. No word on details at this time. We are told it was a commercial aircraft. Versailles Road is blocked as emergency vehicles circle around the site. We have live coverage beginning at 7:20am. Stay with Action News 36 for more details.
I believe you have the scenario correct.
I am also curious with regard to the passengers being able to escape.
I can only imagine a scenario where the impact jammed all four doors on the plane, trapping everyone.
Yep. Basically the same airframe as the CV-240/340/440 series, but either converted to or built as turboprop. The company I used to work for had (probably still has) one for conducting flight tests of various electronic systems. I participated in a series of data collection flights to prove some new (to us anyway) radar signal processing technologies. I started out as the "navigator". I had written a program to calculate an IP and "fly to point" given our altitude, airspeed and wind speed and direction, that would result in our pointing the fixed radar at the desired target area. Originally they were going to implement the algorithm on the test equipments computer, but instead I ended up running it on a laptop sitting in a passenger type seat just behind the cockpit. The nav system operator would read me the winds from the last pass, I'd run the program (which I'd pre loaded with other parameters, and I'd read off the IP and fly-to for the flight crew to input into their separate (but FAA certified) nav system.
Due to other folks getting pulled off for higher priority tasks, I ended up as the flight test engineer on the later flights. Didn't mean anything, the techs knew what they were doing without me telling them. This was all about 10 or 12 years ago.
I have no doubt they were rested.
However, I have personally witnessed (and chastised) flight crews rushing to depart from a particular airport.
FoxNews is too focused on the engines. They are ignoring the short runway senario.
The problem with 24/hr news channels is they have to fill air time and they usually do that by just blathering on and on. The airhead newsreaders come up with their own "brilliant" hypothesis.
It's maddening to watch so I don't.
The flight crew aren't going to be the only ones with things to answer for here. If the tower was manned, and since the weather was clear (6 mile visibility), I'm going to be interested to find out what the tower controller(s) were doing. I know the final responsibility is always with the captain and flight crew, but I do wonder if an observant tower controller (especially at a low-traffic time like 0600) could have seen Comair 191 turning onto the wrong runway and advised them of the mistake.
}:-)4
You make a great point! The tower is partially responsible for the mistake (if that is what happened).
Unfortunately, the final report will blame pilot error.
I've heard the visibility mentioned at 8 miles several times--doesn't sound like the weather caused this to happen!
Pilot error or 'pile o' terror'?
YEP, RJ's "give more options to the traveller," OR so the airline exec will tell you. You can offer 3 departure times, versus just one, if you're operating a 737 out of a smaller airport. RJs also cheaper to fly and maintain -- you can keep the seats full and you PAY the pilots a LOT less. I HATE travelling as a PASSENGER in an RJ -- too cramped, bumpy and hot.
Second question: If it was overloaded would it go in tail first and leave the pilot as the survivor?
As a pilot, this sounds like a crash you'd prefer -- if any. Tail hits first, then nose, then breakup and with any luck, the hardened cockpit area and 5-point seat harness will help protect you in a roll. There's plenty of front crewmembers who have survived throughout aviation history, when passengers did not. Survivor's Guilt is a problem later, but at least they're alive.
Aviation's a risky business, but then again, so is driving on the road.
Looks like the wrong runway.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N27272288.htm
I thought the NTSB forms all had "pilot error" already filled in. :)
Seriously, I'm not a pilot, but I'm having trouble understanding how this mistake could be made, assuming there's proper signs at the taxiway/runway intersections, that they looked at the airport diagram during taxi, that the pilots actually looked at their gyro/compass, any number of other things. But we're humans, and we're fallible...and we'll have to wait for the NTSB to get to work to get to the bottom of it.
}:-)4
If this was a case of taking off on the wrong runway, the next question is how long was this crew's layover last night? Were they rested? Did they do a standing overnight with 3 or 4 hours in the hotel before being run back out to the jet?
Using Google earth, the crash site is .24 miles off the end of runway 8/26 (shorter one). Local news is starting to get some unofficial
I was. Woke up early, and flipped on the radio.
Drudge is SO yesterday. (Gargle)
Everytime I attend an FAA Safety Seminar, the speaker (usually a controller) always mentions the fact that "If I screw up..., I feel bad but, at least I GO HOME..., YOU MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY!"
VERY TRUE!!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.