Commuter Plane Crash @ Charlotte NC Airport (BREAKING)

www.msnbc.com ^ | 8 Jan 03 | MSNBC

[TankerKC]

Breaking news. Charlotte to Greenville flight--19 on board. Crashed on takeoff into a US Airways hangar.

More to follow...

[F16Fighter]

When we hear of any aircraft crash, how many of us till our dying days will first ask ourselves," Hmmm...Muslim terrorists??

Without adjusting my tinfoil Captain's hat, airport hangars and security are not exactly drum-tight, while real Islam bogeymen still freely walk the streets (or airports) of America biding their time...

[Starrgaizr]

Control lock left in place? Would not account for failed engine though.

Nice having so many pilots here. I am but meek 130-hour SEL.

[truth_seeker]

"Greenville-Spartanburg is a booming important city in NW South Carolina, about 75 miles WSW of Charlotte; it is in the running for the "biggest city you never heard of." Population nearing 1 million."

I used to work for Fluor-Daniel, which has a major office in Greenville (Greenville was HQ of Daniel, before being bought out by Fluor--HQ in Aliso Viejo, CA). Flew into Spartanburg, once--nice place.

The airport is Spartanburg, I believe. I recall reference to a tri-city area, comprised of Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson.

My bet would be Fluor-Daniel casualties? If so, sad.

[nfldgirl]

Learned from our son last night that there were two Clemson graduate students from India on the flight, as well as an 18 year old freshman (daughter of a missionary family) returning to Bob Jones University. Also a family (Mom, Dad, and 13 y.o. daughter) returning from the Bahamas.

Very sad, very tragic indeed for all involved.

[TechJunkYard]

The following is an updated list of names of passengers and crew for Air Midwest Flight 5481. One additional name will be released as permission is granted.

Albury, Caitlin -- West Palm Beach, Fla.

Albury, Nicholas -- West Palm Beach, Fla.

Albury, Robin -- West Palm Beach, Fla.

Badam, Sreenivasa -- India

Congdon, Mark -- Baltimore, Md.

Coyner, Keith -- Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Demartino, Forrest -- Dayton, Ohio

Dubois, Sylvain -- Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Fonte, Richard E. -- Jacksonville, N.C.

Gezzer, Gary -- Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Gibbs, Jonathan (First Officer) -- Charlotte

Krassas, Steven J. -- Richmond, Va.

Leslie, Katie (Captain) -- Charlotte

Lyons, Richard R.-- Lynnfield, Mass.

Pearson, Ima -- Las Vegas

Shepherd, Christiana -- Boston

Spiak, Joseph M. -- Boston

Sreenivasan, Ganeshram -- India

Sullivan, Michael Otto -- Philadelphia

Sylvia, Ralph -- Richmond, Va.

[crystalk]

The airport used commercially is GSP, Greenville-Spartanburg, was quite pretty with a grove of trees to park in --until recent disasters made all airports ugly and purgatorial.

Anderson is further south, has its own airport, and is not as large or progressive.

Still a nice part of the world.

[nfldgirl]

I'm sure every name on that plane's list will show someone dearly loved and tragically lost.

Yes, we learned from our son who is at Bob Jones University that there was a female BJU freshman on the flight...daughter of a missionary family, as well as a Mom, Dad and 13 y.o. daughter returning from the Bahamas.

[TechJunkYard]

NTSB Briefing at ~14:00... I joined it in progress so I missed some details.

recent routine maint in WV facility... elevator tab replaced... other flt controls adjusted...

"Not a wake turbulence event" per ATC.

flt data recorder shows "elevator was all over the place"... might be real, might be a sensor.

Next briefing (I think) at 18:00

[SuziQ]

And what have I said, in your opinion, that is not true?

You stated that because HLL said your remarks were bigoted that she must be some kind of commie loving pinko. You haven't been around long enough to make that judgement about ANYONE on these threads. You certainly shouldn't make stupid statements about someone with whom many of us have been corresponding for several years and know to be exactly the opposite of your judgement.

Your original statement was vile, harsh, and unnecessary. I'm glad she called you on it!

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Thank you for your defense.

I will not stand for bigotry or racism. Not here, not anywhere.

I will not give the left the ammunition to call republicans racists, yet some posters think that their vile words are 'diversity in language'.

Our Secretary of Engery is a 'raghead' and a very good friend of mine. How about Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice? What terms do you use for them? Heck, I am a dirty Irishwoman. I am sure you have some real butes for the Italians, Greek, Chinese, Japenese.... The list goes on and on.

Needless to say if we don't stick up for what's right, the morons and bullies will win. It's not PC police, it's common courtesy and respect.

[TinkersDam]

Its looking like this crash was indeed a weight and balance issue; the Center of Gravity had to be beyond the limits or the stabilizer had to be totally out of whack.

If the CG was slightly abaft of the allowable range, I would not expect this incident to have begun quite so promptly after climbing out of ground effect. Either the CG was well beyond its aftmost limit or it is a stabilizer that was set incorrectly and not caught during the checklists. Still, an improperly set stabilizer should have been detected when the nose kept climbing and control column inputs being transmitted to the control surfaces proved insufficient.

But on a passenger plane what could make this CG be so far to the rear of the allowable range? Somebody carrying lead in a carry-on bag? Weight Watchers decided to hold a meeting at the rear of the aircraft and all passengers there exceeded the 'average' weight used in calculations?
Too much fuel added by the fuel truck?

[TinkersDam]

It seems this was not the plane's "most dangerous flight", ie, the one just after maintenance work having been performed, but it was the very first flight after recent maintenance work that had been at or near the Maximum Gross Weight.

Also, apparently an airworthiness directive would shortly have taken effect concerning the screws that hold the counterbalance weight to the stabilizer's trip tab.
I don't know if the AD was complied with while the plane was already in the shop, but usually that would not be the procedure.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Yes, I did look up racist and bigot before I posted to your ignorant 'raghead' post.

You fit a bigot to a T. You insult people who aren't the same as your narrowminded world. You make assumptions with no information. You blamed 21 deaths on a group of people. You are a moron, oh, a moron with a dictionary who still doesn't understand the words on the pages.

[TechJunkYard]

NTSB Briefing 21:30

Now they're told the elevator tab was NOT replaced, but there was elevator work done Monday, and cable tensions were adjusted. NTSB will wait until they get all of the maint. records and draw their own conclusions.

31 bags aboard... two were "very heavy"... which is not defined further. FBI will weigh all of the bags tomorrow. Distribution of bags in the tail is an issue.

95 hours of data on the flt data recorder spanning 84 flights.

CVR to be examined tomorrow.

Next briefing Friday between noon and 14:00.

[habs4ever]

Hey, if the shoe fits, pal...you inflame to be provocative and cry when called on your bigotry and accuse another of being overly PC."Rag head" is best used in a bar when you have the excuse of liquor, not on an open forum where you are attempting to demonstrate your intelligence and good sense.You flunked out, bubba.

It's also cheap to say that those who find your down home charms revolting "leftists".Disruptors, Birchers and fringe dwellers use that tactic all too often as a way to let their prejudices slide on by.Perhaps you'd like a more conducive website to visit, like....Stormfront?