421 into the trees on surveillance video

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goldeneagle
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421 into the trees on surveillance video

Post by goldeneagle »

http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2016/0 ... _near.html

Wow, the video is quite something.

And the pilot walked away, minor cuts and burns.
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cdnpilot77
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Re: 421 into the trees on surveillance video

Post by cdnpilot77 »

Whoa :shock:
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YBW-Kid
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Re: 421 into the trees on surveillance video

Post by YBW-Kid »

Notice the guy run out after the woman. Stops and figures that its too dangerous to go help anyone in the aircraft, so he runs over to save his car.
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MUSKEG
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Re: 421 into the trees on surveillance video

Post by MUSKEG »

So it's to dangerous to help so you flame the guy for getting his car out of harms way? Here are a few reasons why he might have done that. No insurance , still paying it off , can't afford the hassle of being without while insurance drags its heals , valuables in the car , and the list goes on. Why are so many on thus forum only to happy to ridicule anybody for any action or inaction they take.
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GyvAir
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Re: 421 into the trees on surveillance video

Post by GyvAir »

YBW-Kid wrote:Notice the guy run out after the woman. Stops and figures that its too dangerous to go help anyone in the aircraft, so he runs over to save his car.
You’re right. His actions don’t appear very gallant or heroic.

Ask any firefighting/rescue professional and I suspect very few would advise being the hero by running into a burning aircraft on your own with no experience, training, preparation, equipment or backup. Taking action to limit or prevent further damage to person or property that doesn’t put anyone at significant risk? I suspect the answer would mostly be a yes, go for it.

I hope neither of us are ever put in the position of having to make the same decisions. (And I don't mean coffee in hand, seated comfortably at the keyboard. I mean making the judgement call in whatever state of shock and adrenaline high that is present in the aftermath of such an accident.)
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MrWings
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Re: 421 into the trees on surveillance video

Post by MrWings »

Seeing where the flames quickly ended up, it was a good choice to move the car as it would have went up too. The way the ground caught fire, it looks like maybe there was a fuel trail and perhaps that's what prompted the decision to move the vehicle.
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phillyfan
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Re: 421 into the trees on surveillance video

Post by phillyfan »

Dude saved the car and was also one of the folks that disappeared into the smoke and re-appeared with the pilot. Pretty good day at the office if you ask me?
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pelmet
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Re: 421 into the trees on surveillance video

Post by pelmet »

YBW-Kid wrote:Notice the guy run out after the woman. Stops and figures that its too dangerous to go help anyone in the aircraft, so he runs over to save his car.
Actually, the other posters are right, the guy in short sleeves and shorts does go into the fire when he realizes that the pilot is alive.

Pretty brave for someone with a lot of exposed skin.
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cncpc
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Re: 421 into the trees on surveillance video

Post by cncpc »

Anyone else thinking maybe wrong fuel? That looks like spilled jet fuel flaring off there.

Whatever it was, he kept it dead straight on departure. If it was engine failure, you'd think a single guy on board could fly out on one.

Great outcome.
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Good judgment comes from experience. Experience often comes from bad judgment.
goldeneagle
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Re: 421 into the trees on surveillance video

Post by goldeneagle »

cncpc wrote:Anyone else thinking maybe wrong fuel? That looks like spilled jet fuel flaring off there.

Whatever it was, he kept it dead straight on departure. If it was engine failure, you'd think a single guy on board could fly out on one.
I dont know what model that one was, but, 421B with two people and a full jag of fuel on board will show 900 fpm climb with one feathered and a clean airplane at blue line on the single engine climb out, somewhat lower if the seats in the back are filled, around 500fpm with a full load on. The penalty for not feathering is about 600fpm, and gear down will be about 400fpm. Gear in transit is closer to 600fpm. Flaps would be a non issue, they aren't used for takeoff. Assuming the one out was indeed feathered, or the gear was up, the plane should be able to climb. Even with one windmilling and only one body on board, should be able to keep it from hitting trees if there isn't a significant upslope ahead and the gear is tucked up into the wells.

And yes, that was one of my thoughts when I saw the fire, looks a lot more like diesel burning than avgas. 421 is one of those airplanes where you should stick around and make sure the right fuel goes in, because lots of places are used to filling a conquest, same airframe, different engines and gas.

Ok, more google foo and I found the link at aviation-safety.net, it was a 421B.

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=186787

another news story:- http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nationa ... -1.2617647
Clips from that article
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Shortly after takeoff, the plane clipped a fence and lost control, and pilot Russell Smith crashed the twin-engine Cessna aircraft into a row of trees, he told ABC News.
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Smith was the sole passenger in the small plane and told ABC that he knew something was amiss when it took the plane an unusually long time to take off from the runway.
====
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GyvAir
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Re: 421 into the trees on surveillance video

Post by GyvAir »

The FAA is describing the accident rather oddly:

http://www.asias.faa.gov/pls/apex/f?p=1 ... LEY,N3372Q

"AFTER LANDING THE AIRCRAFT RAN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. FOLEY, AL"
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SheriffPatGarrett
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Re: 421 into the trees on surveillance video

Post by SheriffPatGarrett »

Golden Eagle, thanks for the imaginary performances of the 421...I have flown the 411 and
the Piper Chieftain and had single engine pucker factors on both...Yes, the 411 will meet these
performances but not the 421, being considerably heavier. The Navajo has the same numbers
as the 421...so, seizing one between Montreal and Toronto with 600pounds of freight on and IFR fuel,
all the thing would do is minus fifty feet a minute...Made it to Taranta, but never joined the
glide slope until I was at 200 feet...

Image
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Where a single engine 421 end up, same as all piston twins lesser than a DC-3...Please cut the crap, folks! Even a King Air struggle...
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