Plane Crash in KY

[Rubiks06]

Runway Lights

Im going to default to my question earlier. Putting it out to the guys with waaaay more hours than me. How often do commercial jets take off from unlighted runways???? When its still dark out? Is this normal...i would think that would be a big red flag...

 

[plc67]

I won't speculate on the causes of the accident, but to answer the runway lights question our OPSPECS don't allow for flight ops on unlight runways. I would imagine other carriers have similar restrictions.

 

[metrogirl]

It's just awful. My condolences to the families and friends of everyone onboard.
Unfortunately this is not the only incident that has occurred at Bluegrass Regional Airport. I lived in Lexington for a few years. In 2002 an air ambulance ran off the runway, clipped a tower and caught on fire as it skidded into one of the main roads by the airport (Versailles). The man that was being transported by the air ambulance died and the crew lived.

There apparently were other incidents that have happened here:
http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/15376154.htm

Is this a common problem for smaller airports?

 

[Fly Navy]

Is this a common problem for smaller airports?

Going into an unfamiliar airport is a challenge (not saying the pilots were unfamiliar)... going into a smaller airport with less facilities, less lighting, less aides, etc, makes it a little tougher. Sh!t happens. People make mistakes. There was an airliner that crashed into the Everglades killing everyone on board because all 3 crew members in the cockpit were wrapped around the axle about an erroneous gear light, didn't notice they were in a decent.... training, skill, and breaking the chain of events. Most mishaps dont' have to happen... it takes one little break in the chain and it'd never happen.

 

[scoober78]

it takes one little break in the chain and it'd never happen.

Yeah Navy Crew Resource Management!

Seriously though...this is a very good point. I was taxiing ince at Charleston Int/AFB and saw another student pilot (civilian) doing a runup on a taxiway. Called tower and sure enough...Guy was a new solo and was lined up and ready to firewall the throttle on a taxiway. Maybe he makes it but maybe he doesn't. Point is that I bet 10 people saw something that could have broken the accident chain on this one. A real tragedy.

Look out for each other out there.

 

[HighDimension]

Yeah Navy Crew Resource Management!

Seriously though...this is a very good point. I was taxiing ince at Charleston Int/AFB and saw another student pilot (civilian) doing a runup on a taxiway.

I may just be a silly civilian pilot, but if there isn't a designated run-up area, we normally do our run-ups on a taxiway. I am curious, why that was any indication that something was amiss.

 

[Carno]

In all my civ flight training we do run ups on the taxiway also.

 

[gregsivers]

In all my civ flight training we do run ups on the taxiway also.

Yeah I did my runups in IFS on the taxiway at PNS, albeit turned into the wind, but on the taxiway nonetheless.

 

[Schnugg]

Yeah Navy Crew Resource Management!

Seriously though...this is a very good point. I was taxiing ince at Charleston Int/AFB and saw another student pilot (civilian) doing a runup on a taxiway. Called tower and sure enough...Guy was a new solo and was lined up and ready to firewall the throttle on a taxiway. Maybe he makes it but maybe he doesn't. Point is that I bet 10 people saw something that could have broken the accident chain on this one. A real tragedy.

Look out for each other out there.

Have the courage to speak up.

 

[Fly Navy]

Yeah Navy Crew Resource Management!

A long and proven fact before the Navy put a label on it.

 

[wink]

Always check the Compass/DG when you line up. That isn't just to see if your headings are accurate. It is so you can determine if you are on the correct runway. All together class, if you are supposed to be on runway 26, what is the proper heading you should see in the DG? Also helps at tricky airports with lots of taxiways to simply look at the DG for the correct taxiway heading based on a guesstimation from the airport diagram. DR yourself around the airport surface.

 

[PU Grad]

I could see how some people might use the reverse of that. Use the "known" runway heading to adjust their DG. Could provide some interesting results.

 

[Schnugg]

From the SD Union Tribune...

A short row of orange and white barriers can be seen Monday, Aug. 28, 2006, at Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Ky., at far right center, and in the background center, that mark a portion taxiway that was altered during a repaving project just a week before a Comair jet tried to take off on the wrong runway and crashed, killing 49 people. The aircraft, when turning left because of the barriers, would have the option of making another immediate left onto runway 26, or continuing on to runway 22 at top. Runway 26 is only half the length of runway 22. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)

Interesting....

 

[gregsivers]

The article I read today said that the runway is lighted, contradicting all the previous ones that said RWY 26 is unlighted.

Regardless, Wink's advice is right on, thats what I was taught to do in HTs.

 

[Steve Wilkins]

From the SD Union Tribune...


Interesting....

Maybe the resolution of the photos is to small, but I don't see the taxiway signs indicating which way to go for RWY 22 and RWY 26. All in all, I sure would hate to be that First Officer. Assuming he comes out of critical condition and lives, the rest of his life is going to royally suck. It wasn't like he lost all hydraulic control and did everything he could to control the plane to its demise. No, he was part of the TEAM that lined up on the wrong runway. Of the infintesimal number of things that can go wrong when piloting an aircraft, lining up on the wrong runway is something a 40 hour private pilot does. I think I would rather be dead than have to deal with what he will for the rest of his life.