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Another MD-11 down

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hawkerflyer

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 20, 2003
Posts
485
RIP guys.

SHANGHAI – A cargo plane crashed as it took off from Shanghai's main airport Saturday, killing three American crew members and injuring four other employees after it veered off the runway and burst into flames.
Three Americans on the seven-member crew died and a fourth American was injured, U.S. Embassy spokesman Richard Buangan told The Associated Press. He did not know the injured person's condition.
Shanghai television showed what it called a 61-year-old American co-pilot in a hospital bed, conscious and saying "Thank you" to staff and officials.
The TV report said the other crew were from Indonesia, Belgium and Zimbabwe.
The aircraft's tail struck the ground on takeoff, China Central Television reported. Footage showed black smoke billowing from the wreckage.
The crash at Shanghai Pudong International Airport occurred just after 8 a.m. (0000 GMT), the official Xinhua News Agency said. The plane was headed to Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan.
Xinhua said the three people died at the People's Hospital of Pudong New Area. A propaganda official there had no comment Saturday night.
The aircraft was operated by Zimbabwe-based Avient Aviation. An Avient Harare official said the flight was operated out the United Kingdom and could not say what cargo was on board. The official was not authorized to speak to the media and spoke on condition of anonymity.
State media said the plane was an MD-11. In March, another MD-11 cargo plane crashed and exploded while landing at Japan's largest international airport, killing its two American pilots. Xinhua said another MD-11 with Korean Air crashed shortly after takeoff 10 years ago at Shanghai's Hongqiao Airport.
More than 30 international flights from the Shanghai airport were delayed Saturday morning, leaving about 4,000 travelers stranded on planes or in airport lounges, Xinhua said. CCTV said two runways at the airport were shut down.
Shanghai is China's largest city and its economic capital. The Pudong airport is located on the eastern edge of the city, by the East China Sea.
Recent crashes in China include two Chinese air force jets colliding in June 2008 in Inner Mongolia, with both pilots parachuting to safety. In June 2006, a Chinese military plane crashed in eastern Anhui province, killing all 40 people aboard.
 
I used to work for Gemini. No finer pilots did I fly with. My prayers with the 3 and the families. Sad day today for me. I knew some of those guys and they were all decent men.
 
Best wishes to all those affected. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Grew up with one of the pilots; he was a good guy from a good family and will be missed by many. Rest in Peace.
 
I used to work for Gemini as well and spend numerous hours aloft with the guys who vanished in the crash. My prayers go to loved ones left behind.
 
How do you guys know the names when they werent released? Also, is Aient Aviation aka Gemini? Just a little confused.

My prayers go out the the families and friends to those involved. Always horrible to hear.
 
How do you guys know the names when they werent released? Also, is Aient Aviation aka Gemini? Just a little confused.

My prayers go out the the families and friends to those involved. Always horrible to hear.

we have our own internal Gemini message board, it's private. Once the family was notified, the names were released.

Too early to tell, but judging by their experience in the MD11, and the fact that it was apparently a tail strike, my #1 suspect is cargo shift. But again, too early to tell.
 
we have our own internal Gemini message board, it's private. Once the family was notified, the names were released.

Too early to tell, but judging by their experience in the MD11, and the fact that it was apparently a tail strike, my #1 suspect is cargo shift. But again, too early to tell.


Gotcha, sad news guys. Sorry for you lose.

I agree to early, but that was my first impression.
 
Avient is a British / Zimbabwean company. They hired a bunch of ex-Gemini pilots (because of their experience with MD11's) to operate the first Avient MD11.
 
How many takeoffs have we done in our careers, thousands. Obviously something catastrophic happened. It had to be either cargo shift or loss of #2 engine. Poor guys...
I'll be sure to "walk the cargo" tonight and from now on.

The MD-11 may go down in history as worst commercial airplane ever built.
 
I don't think anyone that ever flew the MD-11 would say it is a "bad" airplane. I flew it for six years (2,500 hours) at Gemini and loved the airplane. It is like all "heavy" aircraft, you must be five minutes ahead of it or it will bite your ass.

This accident sounds like a cargo incident or the plane had some bugs from sitting in Miami for a couple of years (this was its first revenue flight).

Only time will tell!
 
I was slated to test flight that bird for the company I work for but two Airbus A321's came up so a friend of mine went.. they did have a #2 engine tail pipe fire apparently and the airplane was subsequently worked on and lots of parts changed on #2.. but a #2 going out on TO would cause very light controls and a possible trail strike for sure.. I assume this will all be shortly found out via the FDR/CVR.. MD11 is a good plane, but it's safety record is hard to argue with... what role MX and design play into it, who knows?
 
In a 25+ kt x-wind landing, I'll take the MD-11 over the Airbus anyday...
MD-11 is all about the training...and Gemini had the best training department I've
ever experienced in my career. I knew one of the FO's...great drinking buddy...
he once told me he always wanted to be a freight dog and that's what he was meant to be...
 
Hey, could someone PM me with the names of lost airmen? I flew for the MD11 for GAC for a while...
 
I flew for Gemini from 1999 to 2003 and have never met a better group of people in the industry.

I also received the best training there I've ever had.

Very sad to hear the news.
 
Could someone PM me some names please. I drove the 10 for them. I have a good friend who is an ex-gemini md11 driver who is working for Avient Aviation now and I cannot get ahold of him. Thx any help would be good.
 
Add my condolences to all those lost and their families and friends.

The relatively few accidents like this speaks well of the quality of the freight dog community. Some of my friends were at Focus--VERY challenging flying.

Take care.

TC
 
AA717 wrote: VERY challenging flying.

I agree with that. I flew for Gemini on the -10, and a little bit at Avient on the -10. I did fly one of my very last trips with the pilot who has been hospitalized, and flew with the LM and one of the mechanics. If you look at where this plane has been it gives you an idea of what the challenges are. It started in Miami, went somewhere in S. America, Africa, China and was destined to go to Kyrgystan. It might even have been to Europe or the middle eastNot places where this airline does the bulk of its business. Same was at Gemini. Quite often the question was raised: have you been here before? And the answer would be 3 times "No!" No idea where to park, who the handler is, what to expect. If lucky someone would have been there 10 years earlier, once.
 
RIP TO ALL THREE, Can the Gemini guys confirm that the Captain was SP, if it was we just lost one of the good guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
uba727
 
I flew the 10 there, I miss the flying and the crews for sure. It was hands down some of the best training I ever had. The DC-10, and MD-11 is a very capable airplane in capable hands. I think if someone gets behind the airplane it WILL eat you up.
How many guys went over to Avient after Gemini closed and was it all out of Challons?
 
Between 10 and 15 MD11 guys. They had 8 DC10 guys for almost a year but the last ones got laid off in August when they parked an aircraft. They moved to Liege since then
 
All I can say is what a tragady. Has enyone heard what may have caused the accident? In the days after the accident I heard a few rumors, thought some news would have come to light.

RIP
 
Just found out by another ex-Gemini pilot. The Gemini crews were very experienced on the MD11 as BJ was a Check Airman that typed me on the MD11 in 2001. I cannot tell you enough how much trust you have to instill on the loadmasters that the cargo is at the proper CG and properly secured.
Glad to hear that Bill made it but sorry to hear the fate of the other great fellows.
RM you will be missed with your crazy Hawaiian personality. RIP
 

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