Official Serious Thread

[bowtie_dude]

I'm sure you all know of the deadly plane crash here in Lexington yesterday morning. When something like this happens so close to home, it really touches you personally. When a newly married couple and a couple flying out to get married both die in a fatal plane crash, it really made me thankful that I have my wife with me today and that I still have a life to live with her.

I know we bicker and pick at each other and disagree and sometimes get a little too rowdy, but I think we all need to take a minute to remember how lucky those of us who haven't lost someone tragically are today and to make sure we keep those who aren't so lucky in our hearts and thoughts over the next few weeks.

[Camino LS6]

[FAPTurbo]

[NOS2006]

I officially (and seriously) hadn't heard about this.. what happened?

[Drew Dowdell]

I officially (and seriously) hadn't heard about this.. what happened?

186129[/snapback]

a bombardier jet was routed onto a runway too short for it to take off from. it clipped some trees during take off and crashed. only the co-pilot survived

[NOS2006]

How many were onboard?

[Farkas]

50 people were onboard, 49 died. The last person is still reported to be incritical condition.

It is such a sad thing to happen. All those families have my condolances.

[Guest YellowJacket894]

I live in the Lexington area. Thankfully, I didn't know anyone who died aboard that plane.

It was on the news all day Sunday.

Odd enough, a plane carring seven crashed today in Eastern Kentucky.

Sad news.

[ZL-1]

I'm sure you all know of the deadly plane crash here in Lexington yesterday morning.  When something like this happens so close to home, it really touches you personally.  When a newly married couple and a couple flying out to get married both die in a fatal plane crash, it really made me thankful that I have my wife with me today and that I still have a life to live with her.

I know we bicker and pick at each other and disagree and sometimes get a little too rowdy, but I think we all need to take a minute to remember how lucky those of us who haven't lost someone tragically are today and to make sure we keep those who aren't so lucky in our hearts and thoughts over the next few weeks.

186113[/snapback]

Edited August 29, 2006 by ZL-1

[trinacriabob]

I was watching that on the news. I like to travel and fly a lot. It really makes you think that you never know when it's time to go...so every moment you have is valuable.

This is analogous to the Singapore Airlines 747 taking off several years ago. It took off down a runway that was closed / under construction and struck a crane or other construction object. Many lived, but a lot died. Very sad.

Also, my older brother went to high school with a guy who was coming home for the holidays from a trip to Europe and was aboard Pan Am 103. One of my friends called me up and said to look at the L.A. Times at the passenger list under a certain letter for last names. I couldn't believe it.

Never take anything for granted.

[bowtie_dude]

a bombardier jet was routed onto a runway too short for it to take off from. it clipped some trees during take off and crashed.  only the co-pilot survived

186131[/snapback]

Actually from the recorded conversations between the flight tower and crew, they were told to take the longer runway and acknowledged that instruction. But for some reason, they took the shorter runway by mistake.

Comair has stated that in take-off, the co-pilot is responsible for guiding the plane to the runway and getting it off the ground, so if/when the co-pilot is able to answer questions about what happened, we may actually get an answer.

From the coverage I've seen, apparently due to recent repavement of the longer runway and the way which planes are routed TO that runway, the pilot/co-pilot of any plane taxi right BY the shorter runway. It may be decided that there wasn't enough differentiation between the two runway entrances and so the co-pilot went down the shorter runway by mistake.

[razoredge]

Thats sad. Geeze, it was avoidable too, oh boy.

[Robert Hall]

It was sad and hit close to home for me as it was a Delta Comair flight...I used to take the small Delta Comair jets on connecting flights from Cincinatti to Akron several times a year..and my mom still does at least once a year..

I love flying and travel and usually fly at least once every two months or so, but over the last 5 years I've made it a point to try and only take direct flights in the US (I hate layovers) and avoid smaller planes..

Edited August 29, 2006 by moltar

[Robert Hall]

Actually from the recorded conversations between the flight tower and crew, they were told to take the longer runway and acknowledged that instruction.  But for some reason, they took the shorter runway by mistake.

Comair has stated that in take-off, the co-pilot is responsible for guiding the plane to the runway and getting it off the ground, so if/when the co-pilot is able to answer questions about what happened, we may actually get an answer.

From the coverage I've seen, apparently due to recent repavement of the longer runway and the way which planes are routed TO that runway, the pilot/co-pilot of any plane taxi right BY the shorter runway.  It may be decided that there wasn't enough differentiation between the two runway entrances and so the co-pilot went down the shorter runway by mistake.

186525[/snapback]

I read also that it was dark out and the runways were not lighted (which seems surprising to me).

Edited August 29, 2006 by moltar

[bowtie_dude]

I read also that i twas dark out and the runways were not lighted (which seems surprising to me).

186530[/snapback]

The longer runway that they were instructed to take is lit, the shorter runway that they actually attempted take-off from was not.

[bowtie_dude]

I'd imagine that on the black box with the digital recorder you will here minutes of the crew preparing for take-off and starting the plane down the runway. And then, seconds too late, the terrifying realization that they are on a shorter runway than they thought.

Its been SAID, and I don't know whether its true, that the jet that crashed would be capable of taking off fully loaded within 3500 ft IF THE PILOT IS AWARE that 3500ft is all the distance he has. However, if the pilot is preparing for a 7000 ft runway, he's going to slowly ease onto the throttle instead of hammering it.

[Guest YellowJacket894]

I heard from a teacher that two other planes (I'm assuming they were similar to the crashed craft) took off from the runway sucessfully before the ComAir flight crashed.

Any truth to that? I doubt it.