Airplanes hitting bridges.

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 1:33 pm

The ongoing argument about airplanes flying under bridges got me to thinking about how many airplanes have hit bridges.

Can't think of any at the moment except the one in Florida and that was not a float plane, it was an airline 737.

ehbuddy · Post by **ehbuddy** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 1:58 pm

If my memory serves me correct, I believe a Cessna Twin (402?) flew under the Dunvegan Bridge up near Peace River Alberta and ended up hitting the old ferry cables on the other side slicing the tail off.

C-FABH · Post by **C-FABH** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 2:13 pm

I found two.

N6316T: August 13, 1996. Pilot's toxicology tested positive for cocaine
N84380: September 10, 1978.. VFR flight that continued into fog.

pdw · Post by **pdw** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 2:15 pm

Flight 90 hit the bridge over the Potomac before going into the river ... Jan 13 1982.

Old fella · Post by **Old fella** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 4:11 pm

pdw wrote:Flight 90 hit the bridge over the Potomac before going into the river ... Jan 13 1982.

Yup, remember that one for sure. If memory serves me correctly an American Investigative show called NOVA(I think it was) did a episode on this very crash with the actual CVR voice recordings from taxi, dep to time of impact.........

AirFrame · Post by **AirFrame** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 5:09 pm

Find any where a pilot making a perfectly normal takeoff hit one while flying under it?

No? How odd.

pdw · Post by **pdw** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 5:33 pm

So then yeah, other than these airliners, it's rare; although surely there will be something found somewhere ... older archives ... we'll see.

timel · Post by **timel** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 5:47 pm

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0px9HFIVYjY

CID · Post by **CID** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 6:36 pm

What's the point? I think most pilots understand it's dumb to take off under a bridge so the incidence is low. If it was due to an equipment failure or navigational error how is it relevant?

DonutHole · Post by **DonutHole** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 7:50 pm

Every year some yahoo hits either the bridge, the marker buoy, another boat or just the rocky shore going excessively fast in their high performance boat. .. With a license you get out of a cracker jack box.

Rowers, not looking where they are going, and the modern scourge of paddle boarders makes a day on the lake a little bit more than stressful.

A day on the lake scares me a lot more than a day in the air... but there is something I've noticed with some people.

Some people no matter how smart or awesome turn into complete effing idiots around boats and airplanes... I don't know why, but there is a correlation... same with high performance cars, and it's not necessarily the people who actually own them, most of the time it is one of their stupid associates.

I've seen it a few times over the years and it's always a "huh" kind of thing and the hippies come out and have naked marches and all the 'happy' people sit around in circles 'being happy' bitching about other people and how other people just don't 'understand' them and their needs.

I don't really believe taking off under a bridge is smart, is it legal? Probably depends on the day... but..

I really don't want to be the guy going out of my way to bitch about it, because maybe next time I want to do something others might not understand I don't really want to be the focus of a drum circle with bad intentions.

What happened to live and let live? No harm no foul? If he screwed up, negligence charges, but I think it's time we stop legislating to the lowest common denominator, and as a whole start moving to more freedom instead of less.

rigpiggy · Post by **rigpiggy** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 6:43 am

[quote="DonutHole"]

I don't really want to be the focus of a drum circle with bad intentions.

What happened to live and let live? No harm no foul? If he screwed up, negligence charges, but I think it's time we stop legislating to the lowest common denominator, and as a whole start moving to more freedom instead of less.[/quote]

This

iflyforpie · Post by **iflyforpie** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 7:31 am

Not all bridges are created equal. If someone took off under the Dinsmore bridge, they should have their head examined. Under the Lions Gate? Please.

Im sure that there's been at least one coast dog that's flown under the Lions Gate and not even realized it.

Driving Rain · Post by **Driving Rain** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 8:42 am

I never heard of a skimmer hitting a bridge, sure they make up the smallest percentage of the world wide fleet but undoubtedly operate the most in built up areas. Operating low level, scooping loads out of reservoirs, river segments and small lakes all within what the aerial firefighting community calls " inter-urban environment". They've hit mountains, hills, power lines and even the sea but no bridges.
Don't believe me just go search on YouTube.
Cat I seem to recall a photo of a PBY in Holland and a bridge. It was a spectacular photo!

Shiny Side Up · Post by **Shiny Side Up** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 8:51 am

iflyforpie wrote:Not all bridges are created equal. If someone took off under the Dinsmore bridge, they should have their head examined. Under the Lions Gate? Please.

Pie, you are wise beyond your years.

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 9:00 am

Cat I seem to recall a photo of a PBY in Holland and a bridge. It was a spectacular photo!

Yes it did look rather spectacular didn't it?

The news media claimed there were 400,000 people at that event on the Rotterdam river and no one complained.

Good thing the Avcanada lynch mob did not get a chance to hang me.

Fortunately it was done under the JAR airdisplay regulator and it was deemed that I did not in fact put anyone in danger because the airplane went where I wanted it to.

Hows retirement?

iflyforpie · Post by **iflyforpie** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 9:25 am

Here... how about this one? I wish I would have been on the other side of the bridge when he was flying over.... Note that the tail is partially hidden behind the tower, so it isn't forced perspective.

Rowdy · Post by **Rowdy** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 9:38 am

Didn't a certain Twin Otter fly under the lions gate at one point?

iflyforpie · Post by **iflyforpie** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 9:39 am

I knew a CF-18 driver who claimed to have flown under it as well....

Rockie · Post by **Rockie** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 10:10 am

Very interesting study on floatplane accidents. There seem to be enough challenges without throwing unnecessarily ducking under bridges into the mix.

http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-repor ... sa9301.asp

BTW Iflyforpie, the operative word here is "claim". Back in the 80's a young CF-18 pilot flew by his parents house on the north shore slightly below 5000 feet, but some locals there thought he was doing supersonic passes at 50 feet resulting in much media frenzy. He was later exonerated but nevertheless received the "don't do stupid stuff" lecture while standing at attention in front of his CO.

DonutHole · Post by **DonutHole** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 10:20 am

GODDAMNIT THATS TWICE TODAY

I WANT SOME BUTTS

grimey · Post by **grimey** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 10:51 am

ehbuddy wrote:If my memory serves me correct, I believe a Cessna Twin (402?) flew under the Dunvegan Bridge up near Peace River Alberta and ended up hitting the old ferry cables on the other side slicing the tail off.

Yes, and the pilot was hailed as a hero for limping it back to YPE after his idiocy. They still have the press clippings in the FSS if you're ever there. The picture of the damage to the tail is pretty impressive/scary.

Driving Rain · Post by **Driving Rain** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 10:58 am

Those are interesting stats Rookie. Thanks

grimey · Post by **grimey** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 11:22 am

T-33 hit the Bay Bridge after flying into fog in '68 http://www.check-six.com/Crash_Sites/BayBridgeT33.htm
Vampire crashed doing a roll after passing under a bridge, but missed the bridge itself: http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=137052
707 struck lampposts on a bridge after a low pass and crashed: http://aviation-safety.net/database/rec ... 19951130-0
AN-12 deviated from an approach and hit a bridge: http://aviation-safety.net/database/rec ... 19881212-0

Using google's "inurl" tool helps narrow stuff down a lot.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=bridge+inurl%3Aaviation-safety.net

co-joe · Post by **co-joe** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 4:12 pm

Old fella wrote:
pdw wrote:Flight 90 hit the bridge over the Potomac before going into the river ... Jan 13 1982.

Yup, remember that one for sure. If memory serves me correctly an American Investigative show called NOVA(I think it was) did a episode on this very crash with the actual CVR voice recordings from taxi, dep to time of impact.........

Was that the "ma I love ya" one?

AirFrame · Post by **AirFrame** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 10:10 pm

iflyforpie wrote:I knew a CF-18 driver who claimed to have flown under it as well....

Wasn't this the same day as some sea/air fest that was being held downtown? There was an airshow over the water immediately north of the convention center, and the CF-18 came in low, did a pass low, and departed around the point of Stanley Park low, out of sight... Presumably too fast to pull up before the bridge, so he just went under and then up. Vague recollections here too, and heard second- or third-hand as I remember the sea/air fair event happening but wasn't there when it did.

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