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...

[Trust but Verify]

Oh, I know. But after the troubles with the ATR turbo's, he's sworn off of them. I get nervous when icing can be a factor.

[Beenliedto]

Comm/Inst S/MEL 200 hrs. and .8 left seat in the Goodyear blimp America!

I'll tell you what... you've packed a lot of flying into those 200 hours!!

ASEL, Instrument airplane, 1500 hrs.

[MindBender26]

No, actually 48 minutes of trying to fly a whale. I was WAY behind the thing the whole time! Best plan was simply to point in the general direction and see which way IT wanted to go, them make corrections!

[MindBender26]

oops 2000 hrs.

[MindBender26]

PS, It was in Oklahoma City, in April, about 3:00 PM, so you know what the winds were like!

[Beenliedto]

oops 2000 hrs.

That looks better! At 200, you'd be something of a whiz kid!!

[Trust but Verify]

So what you're saying is, .8 was enough?

[nicmarlo]

The Feds have to suspect terrorism until they know differently.

No, they'll say if you suspect terroris, until they know differently, you're wearing a tinfoil hat. /sarcasm.

[Guenevere]

US Airways has a phone number onscreen for those who are trying to find answers.

1-800-679-8215

[pitinkie]

Stupid Schiavo on Fox just said it could be a combination of factors like the AA 587...wake turbulence and mechanical. Yeah right.

[expatpat]

Yeah, mindbender, your analysis is the most probable until we learn more.

Some people say a twin is safer than single-engine because you've got a back-up engine, but in many cases the single is safer because an engine-out doesn't put you in an unusual attitiude close to the ground. I guess the twin is safer if you lose an engine at night at altitude, a single safer if you lose the engine on take-off.

[pabianice]

Sounds like a classic engine out, below Vmc accident.

[Texas Mom]

I would really appreciate any updates to this story. My parents were flying out of Charlotte this morning at 8:00 eastern and I can't get in touch with them.

If you know what airline and their flight# you can go to TRIP.com and check on their flight.You do need to know their flight # and airline though. Great website for tracking flights.

[mbynack]

Thanks. I've been on line looking for a number to call. My parents were supposed to take off at 8:00 a.m., and I really doubt that it was their plane. It would be really nice to know for sure, though.

[sweetliberty]

This crash occurred earlier than that but of course they were saying that there were delays. Let us know when you hear something from them though!

[Babsig]

Local news station here in Greenville,SC stating that the 8am Temp in Charlotte was 37 and west winds of 9 mph. There was no frost on the ground outside at 7am when I walked outside.

Also, news station is reporting that a Clemson student was on that flight.

[Texas Mom]

It would be really nice to know for sure, though.

Of course you are concerned.. It would be frightening to hear news like this when someone you know is flying. It happens here all the time my son is a pilot.

[pabianice]

Go here for explanation of Vmc. Vmc (Velocity -- minimum controllable airspeed) is, basically, the speed below which controlled flight is no longer possible with one engine failed and the prop windmilling, the other engine running at full power. Go below this speed and the airplane rolls over on its back and goes down.

http://pages.prodigy.net/jedinein/mel/vmcdemo.html

[crystalk]

You could tell whether they might have been on this by where they were GOING, if they were headed to Texas from Charlotte I wouldn't worry...that would be a major jet flight.

Those on this had probably come in already to Charlotte from major cities elsewhere, and were going on this little plane to Greenville-Spartanburg as their final destination.

Looks like they didn't get there, and their destination was a bit more final than planned.