Investigators Find Signs Birdstrike May Have Caused Crash of Flight 587

Wall Street Journal ^ | November 13, 2001 | SCOTT MCCARTNEY

[Axion]

Investigators examining one of the separated engines from American Airlines Flight 587 found foreign debris inside, indicating that the engine may have ingested a flock of birds and then caught on fire.

The engine burned internally, people close to the investigation said. But its parts appeared intact, except for the damage from what is known in aviation as ``foreign object debris,'' or ``FOD.'' That would suggest that the engine didn't suffer a catastrophic failure from some mechanical breakdown, but from sucking in birds, these people said.

[LSJohn]

I'm serious when I ask you why don't you believe this? It's happened before.

One should always be skeptical of government pronouncements which seem to be serving government's interest.

Within 30 minutes of the crash the FAA announced "no evidence of terrorist involvement." Do you find that suggestive of anything?

[TX Bluebonnet]

"No tern shall be left unstoned"

[WomanofStandard]

Anyone else find it strange that the author of the article referred to "investigators" in the first paragraph and thereafter simply referred to "these people" repeatedly? I don't think this article is based on much at this point anyway, or he would have been more solid in naming sources of his theory. It may prove right in the end, but right now I find this a flimsy article at best.

[ScreamingFist]

"You mean to tell me a flockin' bird took the plane down? Pleeeease!

Guess you missed the photos of the F-16 that took a goose through the cockpit a couple years back in Venezuela. Birds do funny things to aircraft moving at several hundred miles an hour. In this case it killed the front seat pilot, knocked the canopy off, destroyed the front crew station and seriously injured the back seat pilot, who managed to fly the aircraft home.

[Dane]

There is an interesting article about the hazards of birds to airplanes at the following link.

Bird Watchers

[rit]

Breaking News: Wall Street Journal tells a bird brain theory

Investigators today proposed the theory that bird brains are responsible for the demise of flight 587. "We had expected that most birds had already migrated," Mr Hawk said, "but new terrorist act caused numerous birds to have their passports held, while we investigated their country of origin." The birds were sucked into the engines, causing both engines to fail and fall off of the plane. "It is so simple," he added "you don't neeed an eagle eye to see how this happened." As he flipped the bird theory out for discussion, FR readers immediately discredited the theory, resulting in Mr. Hawk not having any feathers in his cap.

[mtngrl@vrwc]

Osama's Air Force?

Oh my gosh, that's funny!

[loveliberty]

"Because the tail section fell off first"

Pictures of the upright tail section were shown repeatedly being pulled out of Jamaica Bay--which indicates clearly that it came off first, inasmuch as the crash location in Queens is further along in the flight path.

It showed no damage, by the way.

[Moonman62]

Just goes to show, it's the enviro-whackos fault for EPA and preserving all those 'birds' in the wetlands near bodies of water and, at the same time, coastal airports.

If it does turn out to be birds (a long known problem around JFK), score one for the eco-terrorists. The other group that wants to destroy America.

[gopgirl]

Within 30 minutes of the crash the FAA announced "no evidence of terrorist involvement." Do you find that suggestive of anything?

Yes.... and the NTSB said it was an accident before hearing the black box

[LSJohn]

There will always be people who don't believe the "facts" because they prefer conspiracy!

And there will always be those who believe that every proven and admitted conspiracy in the past was an anomaly and will never happen again.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

Both the GE CF56 and the GE 90 can withstand a SEA of pelicans!

Uh oh. Not again! I'm trying to be skeptical here. How can I stay blissfully ignorant when you get factual?

If it was, in fact, terrorism, I guess the government doesn't want to give the terrorists any credit.

On the other hand, we need to examine the list of passengers. [Queasy feeling.]

[Labyrinthos]

The most important issue that needs an answer is whether the birds were in the country illegally, and if so, whether this particular flock has any relationship to OBL and his Al Queda organization. Perhaps the SEC should check to see if anyone sold Tyson and/or Perdue short on on the Friday before the crash. Someone also needs to check to see if there were any PETA people on the plane and how many PETA people stayed home from work yesterday, an inquiry that might provide a link between OBL and domestic terrorists. But remember folks, we are not at war against all birds, but only those flocks that support terrorism and provide a threat to our freedom and way of life.

[ScreamingFist]

"The NTSB is not off the hook. Both the GE CF56 and the GE 90 can withstand a SEA of pelicans! I'm looking for the link showing a clip of 2 FROZEN 20 lb turkeys being let go mechanically into the mouth of one of these suckers. It just spits it out in a fog."

Uh huh. And if you believe they actually go fly those engines after the test, without re-smoothing/replacing the turbine blades, I got some land to sell you.

[brewcrew]

The engine burned internally

Isn't that what engines are supposed to do?

[EggsAckley]

"Because the tail section fell off first" Where did you read this?

It's been in too many articles to even quote, AND it was reported by most of the eyewitnesses.

[mewzilla]

They also need to examine the mechanics and other maintenance people. Though I wouldn't rule out someone sneaking in who is just NOT supposed to be there.

[LSJohn]

...but in a majority of birdstrikes the plane is destroyed.

Are you sure about that?

[ScreamingFist]

Sorry safisoft, my reply to you was meant for CAP.