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.
It is hard to tell, but it seems like runway 26 points towards a hillside.
A CRJ may not have been able to climb out over that.
Source?
All indications point to the fact that the pilot took off on the wrong runway. His name, I believe, is Jeff Hays. Doesn't sound like your run of the mill terrorist.
If you can understand that guys drivel, you must be one of those characters that can find the visage of the Virgin Mary on a slice of mushroom pizza.
At a normal takeoff speed and climb rate, there would be no problem making it over that hill.
I don't know if they carry only the fuel they need (plus reserves) for each leg, or they fill up at the beginning of the day and just use it as they go back and forth. A CRJ can carry well over 1,000 gallons of jet fuel...if it was fully fueled, there's not going to be much left of it after that gets through burning.
}:-)4
But they would not have achieved normal takeoff speed with the shorter runway.
hey don-o...
You're up early today. My friend just emailed me to say that her daughter wasn't on the plane. I'm so grateful. That was the first I heard of it. Wasn't even on Drudge. I tipped him though... Thank me.
Like I said, just a gut feeling! Too many 'dots not connected' with all these recent problems with planes!
Also reported that the survivor was another pilot utilitzing the jump seat to get to Atlanta.
Have the said the pilots name yet, the survivor?
Another update:
(AP) -- Comair President Don Bornhorst has told a news briefing he cannot confirm a report the plane that crashed this morning in Lexington could have been using the wrong runway.
Blue Grass Airport Executive Director Mike Gobb said earlier this morning that the airport's shorter, 3,500 foot runway, should not have been used for the loaded Comair flight. It has not been officially reported that the shorter runway was used.
Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn says it will be several hours before the bodies of the victims of this morning's plane crash near Lexington's airport are removed. At least 49 died. One survivor is reported in critical condition at the UK Hospital.
The Comair flight bound for Atlanta crashed a half-mile from the end of a runway just after departting Lexington at 6:10 eastern time this morning.
http://www.wlextv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5331173&nav=menu203_1_1
A full flight is not overloaded. All aircraft have very generous safety margins built-in.
Every seat occupied is no less safe than 1/2 full.
Just talked to pilot who frequently flies out of Bluegrass Airport (non-commercial).
He says it is a bit confusing and he could see how mistake made by pilot, especially during early morning hours. However, not sure why ATC did not provide warning.
Looks to be pilot error at this point.
Prayers for all who lost loved ones.
Well, it's all speculation, but the pilots could have realized at the last second they were running out of pavement and rotated, and the plane have enough momentum to "bunny hop" into the air before stalling and dropping again. If they only made it a half mile, at takeoff speed they'd cover that distance in 15-20 seconds or less. Fully loaded, they'd have no chance to get it off the ground in 3500 feet and keep it in the air.
It probably hit something at a fairly flat angle or in a slight descent (tail low), it wouldn't have had the time or the room to drop the nose a whole lot, I'd imagine. If it crashed in a field, though, and didn't plow through a lot of trees, I'm somewhat surprised there weren't more survivors, even with a massive postcrash fire.
Flight crews are human and they do make mistakes.
Sometimes, like all of us, flight crews rush to get through the day.
I wonder where this flight crew was based and what their schedule for the day was going to be. That may support or deny my theory of a rush-job.
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