NY crash site 'too hot to enter'

Newshound · 02-13-2009, 03:00 PM

Intense heat is keeping investigators from the wreckage of a plane that crashed in New York state, killing 50 people.

More...

Dantheman62 · 02-13-2009, 04:52 PM

CLARENCE, N.Y. – A commuter plane dropped out of the sky without warning and nose-dived into a suburban Buffalo house in a fiery crash that killed all 49 people aboard and one person in the home. It was the nation's first deadly crash of a commercial airliner in 2 1/2 years.

The cause of the disaster was under investigation, but other pilots were overheard around the same time complaining of ice building up on their wings — a hazard that has caused major crashes in the past.

The twin turboprop aircraft — Continental Connection Flight 3407 from Newark, N.J. — was coming in for a landing when it went down in light snow and fog around 10:20 p.m. Thursday about five miles short of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport.

Witnesses heard the plane sputtering before it plunged squarely through the roof of the house, its tail section visible through flames shooting at least 50 feet high.

"The whole sky was lit up orange," said Bob Dworak, who lives less than a mile away. "All the sudden, there was a big bang, and the house shook."

Two others in the house escaped with minor injuries. The plane was carrying a four-member crew and an off-duty pilot. Among the 44 passengers killed was a woman whose husband died in the World Trade Center attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The 74-seat Q400 Bombardier aircraft in Thursday's disaster was operated by Colgan Air, based in Manassas, Va.

Federal investigators searched through the wreckage of the plane and demolished house for the black box recorders that could shed light on what went wrong, but they said the smoldering debris was still too hot to look for bodies.

No mayday call came from the pilot before the crash, according to a recording of air traffic control's radio messages captured by the Web site LiveATC.net. Neither the controller nor the pilot showed concern that anything was out of the ordinary as the airplane was asked to fly at 2,300 feet.

A minute later, the controller tried to contact the plane but heard no response. After a pause, he tried to contact the plane again.

Eventually he told an unidentified listener to contact authorities on the ground in the Clarence area.

Erie County Emergency Coordinator David Bissonette said it appeared the plane "dove directly on top of the house."

"It was a direct hit," Bissonette said. "It's remarkable that it only took one house. As devastating as that is, it could have wiped out the entire neighborhood."

The nearly vertical drop of the plane suggests a sudden loss of control, said William Voss, a former official of the Federal Aviation Administration and current president of the Flight Safety Foundation, a nonprofit advocacy group.

Voss suggested that icing or a mechanical failure, such as wing flaps deploying asymmetrically or the two engines putting out different thrust, might have caused the crash, he said.

After the crash, at least two pilots were heard on air traffic control messages saying they had been picking up ice on their wings. "We've been getting ice since 20 miles south of the airport," one said.

While residents of the neighborhood were used to planes rumbling overhead, witnesses said it sounded louder than usual, sputtered and made odd noises.

David Luce said he and his wife were working on their computers when they heard the plane come in low. "It didn't sound normal," he said. "We heard it for a few seconds, then it stopped, then a couple of seconds later was this tremendous explosion."

Dworak drove to the site, and "all we were seeing was 50- to 100-foot flames and a pile of rubble on the ground. It looked like the house just got destroyed the instant it got hit."

One person in the home was killed, and two others inside, Karen Wielinski, 57, and her 22-year-old daughter, Jill, escaped with minor injuries.

The plane was carrying 5,000 pounds of fuel and apparently exploded on impact, Erie County Executive Chris Collins said.

Firefighters got as close to the plane as they could, he said. "They were shouting out to see if there were any survivors on the plane. Truly a very heroic effort, but there were no survivors," Collins said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090213/...lane_into_home

Steve_A · 02-13-2009, 09:52 PM

Hi Everyone,

And meanwhile in the UK a jet crash landed in London City Airport today. Everyone survived.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090213/..._crash_landing

But it leaves the question asked: If major ailines are having difficulties, what about the "third worldies"?

Best regards,

Steve

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newshound

Intense heat is keeping investigators from the wreckage of a plane that crashed in New York state, killing 50 people.

More...

Humble Janitor · 02-14-2009, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve_A

Hi Everyone,

And meanwhile in the UK a jet crash landed in London City Airport today. Everyone survived.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090213/..._crash_landing

But it leaves the question asked: If major ailines are having difficulties, what about the "third worldies"?

Best regards,

Steve

Everyone survived that crash in London. I wonder what Wilcock is going to say about that one? I liked his thoughts on the Hudson River crash though.

Dantheman62 · 02-14-2009, 05:28 AM

What did David say about the Hudson crash?

Humble Janitor · 02-14-2009, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dantheman62

What did David say about the Hudson crash?

Something to do with a miracle and the numbers (time) that the crash landing occurred, etc.

I can't remember the link but it should be on his site.

Dantheman62 · 02-14-2009, 06:01 AM

thanks!

02-13-2009, 03:00 PM	#1
Newshound News Bot Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 596	NY crash site 'too hot to enter' Intense heat is keeping investigators from the wreckage of a plane that crashed in New York state, killing 50 people. More...

02-13-2009, 04:52 PM	#2
Dantheman62 Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: So. Cal. U.S. Posts: 4,205	Re: NY crash site 'too hot to enter' CLARENCE, N.Y. – A commuter plane dropped out of the sky without warning and nose-dived into a suburban Buffalo house in a fiery crash that killed all 49 people aboard and one person in the home. It was the nation's first deadly crash of a commercial airliner in 2 1/2 years. The cause of the disaster was under investigation, but other pilots were overheard around the same time complaining of ice building up on their wings — a hazard that has caused major crashes in the past. The twin turboprop aircraft — Continental Connection Flight 3407 from Newark, N.J. — was coming in for a landing when it went down in light snow and fog around 10:20 p.m. Thursday about five miles short of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport. Witnesses heard the plane sputtering before it plunged squarely through the roof of the house, its tail section visible through flames shooting at least 50 feet high. "The whole sky was lit up orange," said Bob Dworak, who lives less than a mile away. "All the sudden, there was a big bang, and the house shook." Two others in the house escaped with minor injuries. The plane was carrying a four-member crew and an off-duty pilot. Among the 44 passengers killed was a woman whose husband died in the World Trade Center attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The 74-seat Q400 Bombardier aircraft in Thursday's disaster was operated by Colgan Air, based in Manassas, Va. Federal investigators searched through the wreckage of the plane and demolished house for the black box recorders that could shed light on what went wrong, but they said the smoldering debris was still too hot to look for bodies. No mayday call came from the pilot before the crash, according to a recording of air traffic control's radio messages captured by the Web site LiveATC.net. Neither the controller nor the pilot showed concern that anything was out of the ordinary as the airplane was asked to fly at 2,300 feet. A minute later, the controller tried to contact the plane but heard no response. After a pause, he tried to contact the plane again. Eventually he told an unidentified listener to contact authorities on the ground in the Clarence area. Erie County Emergency Coordinator David Bissonette said it appeared the plane "dove directly on top of the house." "It was a direct hit," Bissonette said. "It's remarkable that it only took one house. As devastating as that is, it could have wiped out the entire neighborhood." The nearly vertical drop of the plane suggests a sudden loss of control, said William Voss, a former official of the Federal Aviation Administration and current president of the Flight Safety Foundation, a nonprofit advocacy group. Voss suggested that icing or a mechanical failure, such as wing flaps deploying asymmetrically or the two engines putting out different thrust, might have caused the crash, he said. After the crash, at least two pilots were heard on air traffic control messages saying they had been picking up ice on their wings. "We've been getting ice since 20 miles south of the airport," one said. While residents of the neighborhood were used to planes rumbling overhead, witnesses said it sounded louder than usual, sputtered and made odd noises. David Luce said he and his wife were working on their computers when they heard the plane come in low. "It didn't sound normal," he said. "We heard it for a few seconds, then it stopped, then a couple of seconds later was this tremendous explosion." Dworak drove to the site, and "all we were seeing was 50- to 100-foot flames and a pile of rubble on the ground. It looked like the house just got destroyed the instant it got hit." One person in the home was killed, and two others inside, Karen Wielinski, 57, and her 22-year-old daughter, Jill, escaped with minor injuries. The plane was carrying 5,000 pounds of fuel and apparently exploded on impact, Erie County Executive Chris Collins said. Firefighters got as close to the plane as they could, he said. "They were shouting out to see if there were any survivors on the plane. Truly a very heroic effort, but there were no survivors," Collins said. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090213/...lane_into_home

02-14-2009, 05:28 AM	#5
Dantheman62 Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: So. Cal. U.S. Posts: 4,205	Re: NY crash site 'too hot to enter' What did David say about the Hudson crash?

02-14-2009, 06:01 AM	#7
Dantheman62 Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: So. Cal. U.S. Posts: 4,205	Re: NY crash site 'too hot to enter' thanks!