WASHINGTON (AFP) - A passenger plane crashed after take-off at an airport in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49 people in the worst US air accident in nearly five years, Comair's president said.
The plane, bound for Atlanta, Georgia, was carrying 47 passengers and three crew members when it went down after take-off from Blue Grass Airport and burst into flames, Comair president Don Bornhorst said.
Local resident Ricky Brown said he was in his bathroom shaving when he heard the noise of the crash Sunday.
"I just looked around and saw over the hill side. I saw the flash of light and then the explosion and then just a big plume of smoke come up," he told Fox News television.
The lone survivor was transported to the University of Kentucky Medical Center, Gary Ginn, Fayette County Coroner, told CNN.
"It was a firey incident," he said.
The plane, a 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200 regional jet, departed at 6:10 am and crashed "approximately a half mile (one kilometer) from the end of the runway in Lexington," Comair president Don Bornhorst told a news conference in Kentucky carried live in television.
"From our officials at the scene we do have the confirmation of one surviving member of the passenger or crew group," Bornhorst said.
Witnesses reported seeing a flash of light when the crash occurred, according to local media.
Meteorolgists reported that although the flight, scheduled for 6:00 am, took off before dawn, the weather was clear at the airport at that time.
Kentucky plane crash
Kentucky plane crash
aaaaannnddd
this is why I do not fly.
this is why I do not fly.
Kentucky plane crash
OMG - that's scary! 
But for future reference - did they say which seat number the lone survivor sat in?
But for future reference - did they say which seat number the lone survivor sat in?
Kentucky plane crash
Snooze, did you hear that one young couple had just gotten married
(I thiink like the night before) and were leaving on their honeymoon?
Soooo sad.
(I thiink like the night before) and were leaving on their honeymoon?
Soooo sad.
Kentucky plane crash
One survivor. Can you imagine being him/her ? Talk about a life altering experience.
I AM AWESOME MAN
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xpressbooks
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Mon Aug 28, 2006 1:53 am
Kentucky plane crash
It will certainly be life-altering for him. He was the co-pilot of an aircraft that failed to do what it was supposed to do.
The question of the wrong runway is a red herring - at worst it would have pointed the aircraft in the wrong direction; it certainly would not have made it crash. If the a/c did take off from the wrong airport, why didn't the crew notice the difference between the runway heading and the compass bearing.
If there was a mechanical failure, then - short of both engines failing simultaneously - the crew should have been able to deal with it, get the plane up to a decent alititude and land properly.
The principle clues are the fact the crash happened twenty seconds after take-off and the survivor was sitting in the front of an aircraft. This points to the aircraft stalling through insufficient speed and falling in a tail-first attitude. If I were investiagting this crash, the first thing I would look at would be the wings to check the position of the flaps - they should have been completely retracted but I wonder if they were.
BB
The question of the wrong runway is a red herring - at worst it would have pointed the aircraft in the wrong direction; it certainly would not have made it crash. If the a/c did take off from the wrong airport, why didn't the crew notice the difference between the runway heading and the compass bearing.
If there was a mechanical failure, then - short of both engines failing simultaneously - the crew should have been able to deal with it, get the plane up to a decent alititude and land properly.
The principle clues are the fact the crash happened twenty seconds after take-off and the survivor was sitting in the front of an aircraft. This points to the aircraft stalling through insufficient speed and falling in a tail-first attitude. If I were investiagting this crash, the first thing I would look at would be the wings to check the position of the flaps - they should have been completely retracted but I wonder if they were.
BB
Kentucky plane crash
A reply ? Wow !
Dont know how he got on the wrong runway but I read it was just too short for his craft. That would do it.
Dont know how he got on the wrong runway but I read it was just too short for his craft. That would do it.
I AM AWESOME MAN
Kentucky plane crash
Nomad wrote: One survivor. Can you imagine being him/her ? Talk about a life altering experience.
Well,
Considering I wouldnt want to imagine being anyone else on that flight...
yes, yes I could imagine being that guy. :wah:
Well,
Considering I wouldnt want to imagine being anyone else on that flight...
yes, yes I could imagine being that guy. :wah:
Kentucky plane crash
What I read insinuated that the runway wasn' tlong enough for this craft to reach the speed needed for successful lift-off, and some trees were damaged just past the end of said runway.
Kentucky plane crash
Mystery wrote: What I read insinuated that the runway wasn' tlong enough for this craft to reach the speed needed for successful lift-off, and some trees were damaged just past the end of said runway.
I googled that aircraft type yesterday and it said it required 5800 ft to take off fully loaded. The runway it used something like 2400 ft.
I googled that aircraft type yesterday and it said it required 5800 ft to take off fully loaded. The runway it used something like 2400 ft.
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William Ess
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Kentucky plane crash
In that case I am surprised it even got into the air.
WE
WE
Kentucky plane crash
zinkyusa wrote: I googled that aircraft type yesterday and it said it required 5800 ft to take off fully loaded. The runway it used something like 2400 ft.
How could pilots continue with the takeoff procedures being on a runway that wasnt even half as long as what is recomended?
Wouldnt they be able to see and notice that the runway was too short, or is the concept of poor awareness not the overall cause of the crash?
How could pilots continue with the takeoff procedures being on a runway that wasnt even half as long as what is recomended?
Wouldnt they be able to see and notice that the runway was too short, or is the concept of poor awareness not the overall cause of the crash?
Kentucky plane crash
xpressbooks wrote: It will certainly be life-altering for him. He was the co-pilot of an aircraft that failed to do what it was supposed to do.
The question of the wrong runway is a red herring - at worst it would have pointed the aircraft in the wrong direction; it certainly would not have made it crash. If the a/c did take off from the wrong airport, why didn't the crew notice the difference between the runway heading and the compass bearing.
If there was a mechanical failure, then - short of both engines failing simultaneously - the crew should have been able to deal with it, get the plane up to a decent alititude and land properly.
The principle clues are the fact the crash happened twenty seconds after take-off and the survivor was sitting in the front of an aircraft. This points to the aircraft stalling through insufficient speed and falling in a tail-first attitude. If I were investiagting this crash, the first thing I would look at would be the wings to check the position of the flaps - they should have been completely retracted but I wonder if they were.
BB
It appears that the runways had been relaid and repainted in the week before the crash. SOP would have the plane guided onto the correct runway by ground crew from the airport who should have been familier with the layout. There may not have been any difference in compass bearing as some airports have parallel runways - especially if they handle commercial and private traffic.
It sounds very much as though the pilots came to the end of the runway well before they expected to and could not stop so had to do their damnedest to take off anyway.
The question of the wrong runway is a red herring - at worst it would have pointed the aircraft in the wrong direction; it certainly would not have made it crash. If the a/c did take off from the wrong airport, why didn't the crew notice the difference between the runway heading and the compass bearing.
If there was a mechanical failure, then - short of both engines failing simultaneously - the crew should have been able to deal with it, get the plane up to a decent alititude and land properly.
The principle clues are the fact the crash happened twenty seconds after take-off and the survivor was sitting in the front of an aircraft. This points to the aircraft stalling through insufficient speed and falling in a tail-first attitude. If I were investiagting this crash, the first thing I would look at would be the wings to check the position of the flaps - they should have been completely retracted but I wonder if they were.
BB
It appears that the runways had been relaid and repainted in the week before the crash. SOP would have the plane guided onto the correct runway by ground crew from the airport who should have been familier with the layout. There may not have been any difference in compass bearing as some airports have parallel runways - especially if they handle commercial and private traffic.
It sounds very much as though the pilots came to the end of the runway well before they expected to and could not stop so had to do their damnedest to take off anyway.
Kentucky plane crash
K.Snyder wrote: How could pilots continue with the takeoff procedures being on a runway that wasnt even half as long as what is recomended?
Wouldnt they be able to see and notice that the runway was too short, or is the concept of poor awareness not the overall cause of the crash?
It was pitch black and there may have been an issue with some of the runway lights..The voice recorder indicates they thought they were on the correct runway..
Wouldnt they be able to see and notice that the runway was too short, or is the concept of poor awareness not the overall cause of the crash?
It was pitch black and there may have been an issue with some of the runway lights..The voice recorder indicates they thought they were on the correct runway..
You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted, then used against you.