Posted on 12/08/2005 5:37:35 PM PST by sharkhawk
A plane has apparently crashed through a fence at Midway airport in Chicago. Southwest airline 737 plane now sitting in intersection of 55th and Central. Channel 7 has confirmed, fire and ambulances on way. Details still sketchy.
Yowsers!! I guess it's amazing MORE planes haven't ended up in that intersection!
Just jumping in here, but don't thrust reversers do most of the braking when a large plane, so equipped lands? I've watched many planes land in the snow and always was amazed at the thrust reversers. Wheel brakes do very little at touch down. I keep hearing Greta mention ice and slipping, etc. Thrust reversers stick the aircraft hard to the ground. Must have landed way, way long.
For what it's worth, an eye-witness said they looked pretty high on the approach over the aforementioned 63rd and Cicero intersection.
I used to live in an apartment on 4th right next to the approach for Lindbergh. It used to be real interesting when the onshore winds had them taking off in the other direction.
*ding* "You are now free to slide off the runway" (c)Southwest
33 years ago today, on December 8, 1972, a United Airlines Boeing 737-222 crashed while on approach to Chicago Midway Airport. 43 of the 61 passengers and crew aboard were killed.
Beat me by 12 seconds.
Plus two people in the house that the plane plowed into...
Roger that, thanks for the info. If they got off the thrust reversers too early, the wheel brakes would be useless on ice/deep snow (as it looks from the video)....
I hope all are safe.
cue twilight zone music....
Wow, ironic. I'm making a mental note to never fly into or out of Midway on 12/8/XXXX
what airport is that asia someplace?
St Maarten (island) in the Caribbean.
now that is creepy!
1972, December 8: Crash of United Airlines Flight 533
"This was probably the most investigated airplane crash in history" said Deputy Cook County Coroner John Haigh when he announced the findings of the coroner's jury looking into the crash at Midway Airport. The findings coincided with those of the National Transportation Safety Board: pilot error.
Flight 533 left Washington D.C. for Omaha, Nebraska stopping in Chicago. Approaching Midway the pilot was instructed by the control tower to execute a "missed approach" pattern. The pilot applied full power to go around for another landing attempt. At 2:27 p.m., 1.5 miles from the airport, Flight 533 hit the branches of trees on the south side of 71st Street. It then hit the roofs of a number of neighborhood bungalows before plowing into the home of Mrs. Veronica Kuculich at 3722 70th Place, demolishing the home and killing her and a daughter, Theresa. The plane burst into flames killing a total of 45 persons, 43 of them on the plane, including the pilot and first and second officers. Eighteen passengers survived.
Among the passengers killed were U.S. Representative George Collins (7th), a former 24th Ward Alderman, and Mrs. Dorothy Hunt. Her husband, E. Howard Hunt, had been indicted on charges of conspiring to break into the Democratic National Committee Headquarters in the Watergate Hotel. Found in the debris was a purse belonging to Mrs. Hunt containing $10,585 in cash. There was immediate concern that the money might be linked to the financial dealings surrounding the Nixon "slush fund" to which defendants in the Watergate case had access and that the crash therefore might be linked to sabotage. In the end sabotage was ruled out, but the mystery surrounding the money and the deaths of such prominent, politically connected individuals insured a very thorough investigation.
The NTSB issued its report after recreating the last minutes of the flight based on the flight and voice recording instruments, interviews with survivors and eyewitnesses on the ground, and physical evidence. According to the report, when Midway's control tower directed the crew to abort the landing and try again, they became distracted and failed to prepare a proper landing. As they attempted to pull the jet from the landing descent, the crew forgot to deactivate the wing spoilers. The plane stalled. And then it crashed.
http://www.chipublib.org/004chicago/disasters/flight533_crash.html
Today, we would be saying "nothing to see here, move along":') Interesting passenger list though.
That doesn't make much sense since it was snowing here.
Yes, it was a horrible ice storm followed by 12+ inches of snow in some areas. Some towns have been without power for 10 days and counting. No small thing for the farmers and ranchers affected by this!
How wierd, just a couple of weeks ago there was an episode on ER about a plane crash in Chicago.
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