Patali: Pilot of AA flight dumped fuel prior to crash, in (likely) response to mechanical failures

Gov. Pataki | 11/12/01 | WABC Radio

[Steven W.]

Gov. Pataki is reporting that the pilot of the ill-fated American Airlines flight dumped most of the airplane's fuel over Jamaica Bay, anticipating a crash landing and most likely indicating a trained response to onboard mechanical failures.

[Smogger]

How long did it take to determine what happened to the Concorde last year? Didn't it take awhile before they truly learned what the problem was? I also seem to recall another plane crash (was it J.F.K., Jr.?) took them quite awhile to say it was mechanically related (or otherwise). But in this crash, everyone is saying, almost immediately, "it's mechanical." I find that more than odd.

Very perceptive. You are correct of course. Officials "speaking on the condition of anonymity" were reporting that it appears to be a mechanical failure while the fires within a half-hour of the crash.

The whole mechanical failure thing is a red herring. Mechanical failure could be the result of a deliberate act.

[BlueHorseShoe]

"...Were the firefighters booing her in the background? .."

Yes, they were...er...maybe that was just "hey, lady you have no BOOOOOOOOOOBS...;^D. (Can't help it I'm on Hillary Hate Mode (HHM) today.)

[concerned about politics]

If you recall, the EgyptAir accident was also quickly blamed on mechanical failure, and quite detailed explanations of how it occured appeared in the press before the flight recorder was recovered and gave the lie to those reports.

100 high ranking Egytpian military personal were on that flight. They just finished terrorist training in the U.S.

But, we all know it was just a mechanical problem, don't we?

[BamaDi]

I'm watching NYC Channel 7 (ABC)and an American Airlines pilot is on the phone saying Pataki is incorrect - the Airbus 300 series plane doesn't have the capacity to dump fuel - that it's impossible to do. He said that the pilots absolutely cannot or do not have the ability to dump fuel on that type of plane.

[TheRealLobo]

You said:"If a terrorist had told the pilot he had a bomb on board, the pilot would be smart to covertly dump fuel - that would explain the action without communication to the tower about what was happening."

If a terrorist told a pilot he had a bomb on board, the pilot would likely NOT take the plane over a populated area, PARTICULARLY in light of 9/11/01. Personally, a terrorist would have to kill me and take over the controls himself to get it over a populated area. I suspect most pilots would feel the same way. Oftentimes, when you hear about a plane crash that could have killed more people on the ground, the pilot did his/her best to get it away from populated areas.

[LTCJ]

the pilot would be smart to covertly dump fuel - that would explain the action without communication to the tower about what was happening.

Not nearly enough time. If large amounts of fuel are in the bay, given the speed and distance, it had to have come from a massive breach.

[Semper Paratus]

The fuel dumping story originated from an eye witness and may not by accurate.

[ChadGore]

Re: No, the pilot was in a conspiracy to cover up a missile hit. :-)

Shhhhhh, or you'll expose what really happens to the flavor of bubblegum when left on the bedpost overnight.

jlogajan, If you persist on this course of action, I'll have to strip you of your skull and neck bone club.

P.S., Mulder was right.

[nicmarlo]

The whole mechanical failure thing is a red herring. Mechanical failure could be the result of a deliberate act.

This time I tend to agree. Any other time, say 6 months ago, I would tend to think error. But, there's too many coincidences (and I know, coincidences don't make planes crash). However, it's 11/12 (two months from attacks); occurs at 9:15 a.m. (same time as second plane hit WTC); day after Veteran's Day. I wonder if Arab mechanics are responsible. That's just what I'm thinking.

[ikka]

100 high ranking Egytpian military personal were on that flight. They just finished terrorist training in the U.S.

Can you amplify? Do you mean "anti-terrorist training"?

[Clovis_Skeptic]

"The Klintons are the turd that won't flush."

watching FoxNews awhile ago they showed GWB with Nelson Mandella. My 14 yr old daughter noticing the caption stating Former Prime Minsister (or ? he was) of South Africa, she said "he's like the Bill Clinton of their country."

Then just after that GWB says" I know many are wonderin' why I'm meetin' with a pensioner..."

[smokinleroy]

How dare he dump that nasty fuel on those helpless fish!!

[SerpentDove]

>>And...I accidentally flipped channels to CNN and can you believe Hillary has her ugly mug on the tube again! She will not go away! I'm so sick and tired and weary of her mug.<<

You and a LOT of people:

Hillary at NY Concert: “Thank you, thank you for being here tonight,

Crowd: “BOOOOOOOOOOO! BOOOOOOOOO! BOOOOOOOOO-

for supporting New York. Thank you for your generosity on behalf of

OOOOOOOOO!! BOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! BOOOOO!!! BOOOOOO-

all the people who are gonna need help for a long time to come!”

OOOO! BOOOOOOOOO!!! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! BOOOOOO-

(Shouting now to be heard over the boos), “NOW IT’S MY GREAT

OOO!!! BOOOOOOOOO!!!! BOOOOOOOOOO!! BOOOOOOOOOO!!!

PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE A VIDEO FROM SOMEONE WHO

BOOOOOOOOO!!!! BOOOOOOOOOO!! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

HAS A LOT TO SAY ABOUT NEW YORK, WHO COULDN’T BE HERE

OOOOO!!!! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! BOOOOOOO!!! BOOOOO-

TONIGHT, PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING JERRY SEINFELD!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[concerned about politics]

a terrorist would have to kill me and take over the controls himself to get it over a populated area

Which could explain why the plane took an abrupt turn.

[NY.SS-Bar9]

Has it occurred to any of you experts that maybe Pataki has a little more info than YOU do?

Has it occurred to YOU that everyone responsible for disseminating information is reading from the same playbook? And would anyone expect anything different?

Even if this was an act of terrorism, the official story would be what we are hearing now. A report of another terrorist attack would kill the airlines and cause panic.

[MindBender26]

What witness thinks was fuel dump could easilly be vapor condensation trailing off upper wing. Have serious ? if distant ground witness could see fuel dump.

[Fulbright]

I do not see a link between a mechanical failure and dumping fuel. I see a link between dumping fuel and an attempt to save lives on the ground.

[nicmarlo]

Also, what about the divers in the area, the closing off the bay, the military escort of a flight to Denver (occurring at a similar time), the evacuation of the Empire State Building (and another)? This isn't "normal" reactions to "mechanical failures."

[BlueHorseShoe]

That just makes me laugh and on a day it is hard to find a laugh. ;^D