Man Allegedly Throws Wheel Block Into Running Engine of Plane

AP / Fox News ^ | 1.3.03

[mhking]

DENVER

[xm177e2]

Why do all the airplane experts on FR wait for people to criticize them before they reveal their credentials? Could somebody explain the rationale of this to me?

[Jhoffa_]

Hey, I know this guy is probably a fruitcake.. but I kind of have to respect this level of commitment.

If he's wrong, he should go find a new line of work.. He shouldn't be at the airport.

If he's right, he deserves a medal for sticking his own neck out like this.

[Jhoffa_]

It was a wheel block; now it's an engine block.

That's funny.

[babygene]

"Why do all the airplane experts on FR wait for people to criticize them before they reveal their credentials? Could somebody explain the rationale of this to me?"

Don't Know... You notice I didn't say I was a jet engine machanic. Just that I have one (for a boat), and know something about them. As it turns out, the kenitic energy in the blades goes up with the square of the RPM. At the gate, they are about 4 times as dangerous as througing a rod in an car engine.

Not a lot of dammage...

[mfulstone]

Being a former USMC aviation type, (Ugly Angels) I applaud the guy's action. A dead engine is a helluva lot better than a planeload of dead people.

[buffyt]

Is he nuts or was the airline refusing to ground the plane. Was he afraid the log entry wouldn't be enough to prevent the flight of that plane?

[buffyt]

I saw that on the news when it happened. It was unreal!

[Tennessee_Bob]

they are about 4 times as dangerous as througing a rod in an car engine.

We had one "throw a rod" on us at the test cell. The stator spacer on the inlet fan module cracked, then fell apart and proceded down the gaspath. The first stage of fan began to whiplash, and came apart. When those blades started going down the gaspath, they damaged the stages of compression behind them. Those began to exit the fan case at high rates of speed. That group that went out behind the oil tank punctured it, and set it on fire. Further down stream, more damage was occuring and more pieces of compressor blades were busy exiting through the engine case. About then was when the fuel supply line was severed, and the jet fuel ignited.

I've had a car throw a rod before. The engine seized, and that was the end of it. After the jet engine came apart, we found pieces of fan blade embedded in the reinforced concrete that the test cell was made of. The problem with what this guy did is that he didn't think. There are passengers sitting in the plane of rotation on an airliner engine. Between those passengers and the rotating assemblies are (depending on which stage of compression) aircraft cabin walls, wings, and fuel cells.

I agree that the aircraft should have been stopped, but not by throwing a chock down the inlet.

[Momma Lou]

I have a feeling this plane was taking off after this particular mechanic was leaving the area. When he saw the plane was taking off over his objections, the only option he had was to throw a chock at it. He wouldn't have had access to the cockpit once the plane had been released for flight, loaded w/pax and cleared for flight.

[Republic of Texas]

I think you're half right. Why do this UNLESS the log book is being ignored.

[Tennessee_Bob]

Well, the article says that he had been telling other workers that it needed an inspection prior to operations. Another article (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/816205/posts) stated that he had noticed a wingtip light was burned out. There were several other steps that he could have taken, short of doing what he did. He didn't take them.

[Tennessee_Bob]

Whoops - shouldn't have put that ) so close to the link -

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/816205/posts

[Xenalyte]

I was just about to post that same thing - if it was destroyed, how did it take off later?

[AdA$tra]

Could you imagine sitting on that plane and watching this moron toss the block into the engine?

I was thinking it might be fun to try throwing different things into a jet intake. Of course, I am a bit twisted lately.

[Xenalyte]

Yo, TB, wassssssup?

[Tennessee_Bob]

It's more fun to toss ziploc bags of jet fuel up into the exhaust path...biiiig fireballs.

[Tennessee_Bob]

Not much, beautiful, how about yourself???

[Xenalyte]

Lookin' for work, starting Monday. Got laid off yesterday. So right now, a BIG Bloody Mary!

[Tennessee_Bob]

sux0r!

I'm working for now, but looking for another job. Can't stand the job I'm doing, but I've got benefits and insurance, which is good - going back to court on 24 Jan for sole custody of my daughter.

[Xenalyte]

You GO, and best of luck to you! Got a good feeling about it?