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.

[Inge_CAV]

"I suggest you do some research on that!"

My research was done in the pilots seat. You may carp and complain to them but nothing will change. You are the pilot and if their fatal mistake kills you ... it is your error.

[CedarDave]

They shifted the "start" of main runway 22 down about 500 feet last weekend as part of the repaving project. This was to allow for an FAA mandated buffer area on runway 22 next to Versailles road. And they extended the runway on the other end by several hundred feet for the same reason. Today, they showed the new ground map the pilots have been given. It did NOT show the approach way to the main runway. So it would be easy to get confused if you had never flown out before.

Here is the map shown on the Lexington newspaper website and the Google Earth photo. Is this the map given to pilots? It shows the new safety area and a taxiway to Runway 22 that requires a 90 degree turn from the terminal taxiway. A turn to Runway 26 would require an even sharper turn.

[Sting 11]

This scenario is unfortunately very likely. Most likely, this single controller was working not only the aircraft at LEX, but all of the aircraft up to 8,000 or 10,000 feet within 30 miles of LEX, which means his attention might have been directed toward coordinating something with Louisville approach or working some Cessna into Frankfort. Not an excuse for not watching his departure, but nonetheless a potential factor.

ATC does screw up time to time...but the final go/no-go decision rests with the pilot. And in this case, the controller cleared the aircraft for takeoff on the correct runway.

The thing that still gets me with this is the lights. Departure was at 6:07, but according to airnav.com, civil twilight wasn't until 6:38 and sunrise wasn't until 7:05...so it had to be DARK. And with runway 26 being unlit...we still have a lot to learn about this. And ATC might still get in trouble over any airport lighting issues.

[umbagi]

Out of 500 hundred posts to this thread no one here even suggested a possible Muslim connection.

Various terrorist-related scenarios came up early, and were dismissed for lack of evidence. More recently on the thread, the apparently overwhelming case for an erroneous short-runway takeoff makes any causal "Muslim connection" seem pretty unlikely.

Airplanes crashed before terrorists began bringing them down. We don't help our cause or our forum by "crying 'wolf'" or giving them credit for -- and terroristic effect from -- everything bad that happens.

[RGSpincich]

Seems possible that the pilot was given clearance to take off on 22 while he was still taxiing to the runway. 26 would have been the first runway he came to. Any pilots out there ever get clearance to take off while in transit to the runway?

[LikeLight]

The definitive photo (end of runway, wheel marks in grass, and clipped fence/trees) is here...

http://www.airliners.net/uf/536918217/11567237064eAPaF.bmp

[WV Mountain Mama]

I don't think that happens. My dad flew us all the time in a Piper Aerostar. We always had to wait at the end of the taxiway, he did his final checks, received clearance for takeoff, then we I think we pulled onto the runway (can't quite remember if we pulled onto the runway before asking for clearance).

[LikeLight]

By the way, my tagline is an unfortunate coincidence - not referring to the photo at the link, which I believe is legit.

[Txsleuth]

Not questioning your expertise...or trying to argue..

But you said that we KNOW that he was cleared for takeoff on the correct runway...

How do we know that?

[usafsk]

NTSB presser this PM said he was cleared to 22, not 26.

[IFly4Him]

And, at 6 o'clock in the AM (still dark), knowing there were no inbound aircraft, the tower controller probably was not paying that much attention to the last of three departures.

He could have been on the phone with Atlanta Center, his own tracon, updating the ATIS, who knows...

[safisoft]

Looking at the first good pictures of the crash with runway 26 behind, it appears that the aircraft never even go airborne. It went through the perimeter fence, and almost hit the big tree by the farm house. Then when it hit the ravine, it burst into flames and went about 50' further.

Wrong runway. Did not fly. Fire on impact. "Threat and error management" scenario for all the airlines for the next year.

[RDTF]

wow

[Sting 11]

Any pilots out there ever get clearance to take off while in transit to the runway?

I give these clearances all the time. A lot of times pilots who are taxiing toward the runway will call and say "we'll be ready at the end", at which time, if I have no other traffic, I'll clear 'em for takeoff.

[Txsleuth]

And they got that from the voice recorder??

[RDTF]

and they may need to re-think the engineering of the new runway set up at Lexington... May be some liability there

[NittanyLion]

Oh man. Looks like the jet never got more than a few feet off the ground. What a way to go. Horrible.

[Sting 11]

And they got that from the voice recorder??

Either off of the voice recorder or off of the tower's tapes. ATC keeps tapes for 45 days, and the tapes are pulled whenever there is an incident.

[WV Mountain Mama]

I would imagine he has a tremendously heavy heart, and guilt that feels nearly insurmountable. I'll add him to my prayers of this tragedy.

[RGSpincich]

A lot of times pilots who are taxiing toward the runway will call and say "we'll be ready at the end", at which time, if I have no other traffic, I'll clear 'em for takeoff.

Thank you. Perhaps that was the case here.