Plane Crashes in Lexington

WTVQ 36 Lexington ^ | August 27, 2006 | Jon Sasser

[BigBlueJon]

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.

[Jo Nuvark]

Good morning then. And may the Lord pour His favor upon you today.

Jo

[BigBlueJon]

General description

The Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft is designed to hold 50 passengers in a 4-abreast configuration with a lavatory and galley as standard equipment. There are two versions of the CRJ200: the CRJ200 ER and the CRJ200 LR. The Extended Range (ER) variant has a maximum take-off weight of 51,000 pounds (23,134 kg) and range of 1,345 nm (1,548 sm / 2,491 km). The Long Range (LR) model has a maximum take-off weight of 53,000 pounds (24,041 kg) and a range of 1,700 nm (1,956 sm / 3,148 km). The CRJ200 has outstanding performance, capable of max cruise speeds of Mach 0.81 (464 kts / 534 mph / 860 kph), and cruise altitudes up to 41,000 feet.

The Bombardier CRJ200 is powered by two General Electric CF34-3B1 turbofan engines that are flat rated to produce 9,220 pounds (41.01 kN) of take-off thrust. Originally developed for the United States Air Force, the CF34 family has over 20 million flight hours and is highly regarded as one of the most reliable and efficient powerplants built. The Bombardier CRJ200 Series' powerplant delivers a performance envelope comparable to that of a mainline jet. The aircraft is available with an engine option that provides exceptional high-altitude, hot-weather airfield performance for increased payload and profitability.

The CRJ200 is 87 feet, 10 inches (26.7 m) long with a wing span of 69 feet, 7 inches (21.2 m). The aircraft requires a radius of only 75 feet (22.86 m) to negotiate a 180-degree turn; a valuable asset at increasingly congested airports.

[RebelTex]

"The tower is partially responsible for the mistake (if that is what happened)."

Question:  If the Flight/Voice Recorders reveal that the Controller either instructed the pilot to use the wrong runway or confirmed to the pilot that the plane was on the correct runway (assuming the plane did use the wrong one), then would Pilot Error still be cited as the cause of the crash?  (I know, silly question - the pilot is Captain of his ship and always 100% responsible for what happens.)

Controllers have to be very good at what they do - no margin for error.  Same with pilots.  The pilot may have forgotten "Reagan's Rule" - 'Trust, but verify!'

This is a terrible tragedy which, apparently, should not have happened.  Prayers for all victims and their families.

[BP2]

> Looks like the wrong runway.

Oh hell.

I think every pilot's made that mistake, but normally in a small Cessna as a student -- not in commercial aviation. There's normally enough safeguards to prevent it.

My guess is fatigue, last minute runway change, or "just in a hurry" and misheard 35R instead of 35L (or something like that). The tower probably saw it, but only once it was too late.

[Perdogg]

I doubt terrorism had anything to do with it.

[BigBlueJon]

General

Flight Crew 2
Cabin Crew 1
Passengers 50

Engines

Number Two General Electric CF34-3B1 turbofans
Thrust 8,729 pounds (38.83 kN) thrust at take-off
Flat rating
- standard
- optional 9,220 pounds (41.01 kN) thrust APR*
73° F (ISA+8°C)
86° F (ISA+15°C)
* Uninstalled



Avionics

Collins Pro Line 4 six-tube EFIS
Two-screen EICAS
Dual attitude heading reference systems (AHRS)
Traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS)
Collins digital weather radar

Dimensions


External:

Length overall 87 ft 10 in 26.77 m
Wingspan 69 ft 7 in 21.21 m
Wing area (net) 520.4 ft2 48.35 m2
Height overall 20 ft 5 in 6.22 m
Fuselage maximum diameter 8 ft 10 in 2.69 m
Turning Circle 75 ft 22.86 m

Internal:

Cabin length (excluding cockpit) 40 ft 6 in 12.34 m
Cabin maximum width (centreline) 8 ft 4 in 2.53 m
Cabin width (floor level) 7 ft 2 in 2.18 m
Maximum height 6 ft 1 in 1.85 m
Cabin floor area (excluding cockpit) 290.25 ft2 26.97 m2
Cabin volume 1,687 ft3 47.80 m3
Baggage volume (checked and on-board) 473 ft3 13.39 m3

Doors and exits:

Passenger door (LH, fwd)
Height 5 ft 10 in 1.78 m
Width 3 ft 0.91 m
Height to sill 5 ft 4 in 1.61 m
Baggage door (LH, aft)
Height 2 ft 9 in 0.84 m
Width 3 ft 7 in 1.09 m
Height to sill 5 ft 4 in 1.61 m
Service door (RH, fwd)
Height 4 ft 1.22 m
Width 2 ft 0.61 m
Height to sill 5 ft 4 in 1.61 m

Weights
Maximum ramp weight (CRJ200 ER) 51,250 lb 23,247 kg
Maximum ramp weight (CRJ200 LR) 53,250 lb 24,154 kg
Maximum take-off weight (CRJ200 ER) 51,000 lb 23,134 kg
Maximum take-off weight (CRJ200 LR) 53,000 lb 24,041 kg
Maximum landing weight 47,000 lb 21,319 kg
Maximum zero fuel weight 44,000 lb 19,958 kg
Operating weight empty 30,900 lb 13,835 kg
Maximum fuel load 14,305 lb 6,489 kg
Maximum payload 13,100 lb 5,942 kg


Performance

Range:
Maximum range at LRC, 220 lb. pax (100 kg. pax) NM SM KM
CRJ200 ER FAA 121 (50 pax) 1,345 1,548 2,491
CRJ200 LR FAA 121 (50 pax) 1,700 1,956 3,148

Speeds:
Mach kts. mph km/h
High cruise speed 0.81 464 534 860
Normal cruise speed 0.74 424 488 786

Airfield Performance:


CRJ200 ER
FAR take-off field length (SL, ISA) at MTOW 5,800 ft 1,768 m
FAR 121 landing field length (SL) at MLW 4,850 ft 1,479 m

CRJ200 LR
FAR take-off field length (SL, ISA) at MTOW 6,290 ft 1,918 m
FAR landing field length (SL) at MLW 4,850 ft 1,479 m


Fuel consumption per hour (cruise average) 325 U.S. gal/
271 Imp. gal 1,230 L

Ceiling:
Maximum operating altitude 41,000 ft 12,496 m

Noise Level:



Take-off
EPNdB
77.6 FAR 36
EPNdB
89
Approach 92.1 98
Sideline 82.4 94

[don-o]

Excellent! Are we seeing two and only two runways? Help me out. Just got back from church. Did it take off from that little short runway?

[Daus]

Yes, there are only two runways in the debate here. Nothing is confirmed as to what runway was used, but I would think it would be pretty obvious once you know where the wreckage is located.

[don-o]

But that is troublesome. Do they not have a line of sight? When they began takeoff roll, could they not have noticed the lights were a bit closer than they should be?

Pilots?

[pillut48]

Maybe not. BUT doesn't it strike anyone else suspicious that we are have a bunch of plane incidents in the past few weeks since the Israeli front in the War on Terror and the British preventing the air massacres began?

Could it be diversionary tactics by the islamofascists?
Putting out 'feelers' to see how far they can push airlines around the world?

Some people say these planes are too small of a target for terrorists to waste their time on--I disagree. What could be more insidious than attacking freedom loving peoples from the inside out, rather than the outside in?

[don-o]

Great post...you scooped the MSM.

Bears repeating as I reread the thread.

Freepers absolutely rock!!

[El Gato]

A full flight is not overloaded. All aircraft have very generous safety margins built-in.

That must be why I was pulled off a regional flight. Turboprop in that case. I'd been scheduled for a later flight, but could make that one. They cleared me on, and then decided that they were *overweight*. That plane had several empty seats, and it only has about 30. Another time, this time on a regional jet, they asked for volunteers to take a later flight, because they thought they were *overweight*.

It all depends on how much they have in the baggage compartment, how much fuel, and what the temperature is. (DFW can get kind of warm in the summer, although not compared to Phoenix Skyharbor)

[Perdogg]

I am open to any possibility. Maybe will we receive some indications from the NTSB.

[BigBlueJon]

Thanks....I only wish that it was a happier story that we had scooped.

[NittanyLion]

Maybe not. BUT doesn't it strike anyone else suspicious that we are have a bunch of plane incidents in the past few weeks since the Israeli front in the War on Terror and the British preventing the air massacres began?

The plane incidents are most likely the result of passengers very alert to anything the least bit suspicious (and rightly so).

As far as this case goes, we've already established with near certainty that the jet used the wrong runway. So the pilot would have to be the terrorist. So let's see...Al Qaeda operative Jeff Clay waited 7 years to get his big opportunity - a 50 person jet in Kentucky. He was within minutes of controlling this missile and flying it to Atlanta, where he could crash it into the airport terminal or even the downtown. Yet instead he decided on a more insidious plot - crash it into an unoccupied field next to the airport.

Not likely.

[don-o]

Unless they banked really hard after takeoff, it does not seem like they took the wrong runway.

That's what I was looking for. Thanks!!

I was attempting to check out a report that was put up about wrong runway. That is why I asked "impaired?"

[brothers4thID]

unlit runway.

[BigBlueJon]

New news briefing on Fox.

[CindyDawg]

It isn't looking like it, but that is always a possibility. I see no difference in your posts , thinking it might have been terrorism than posters talking about pilot or controller error. All aspects must be investigated IMO.

[don-o]

unlit runway.

No way!