Caravan Down in Central Texas (merged)

[bigD]

I don't know squat about Caravans, but if its PT-6 is anything like the ones on mine, I don't see how a bird could get through the wire mesh that surrounds the region in front of the compressor section. Perhaps little chunks of bird could get through, but would that be enough to take down the whole engine?

 

[FN FAL]

I think that's just a rumor.

I just went to one of those Caravan icing seminars awhile back and nothing was mentioned about pulling the known ice certification. Of course, they might not be too keen on sharing that information as it would affect sales. If the FAA pulled the known icing certification, that would be devastating to a LOT of operators. I can't see that happening.

New Caravans have some different equipment now- an ice detector light, an annunciator for airspeed in icing conditions, and a larger plate for the windshield.

My icing training wasn't really a seminar it was more like a company safety meeting. It wasn't a while back, it was Monday. And it was my director of operations that said the feds had talked about yanking the "known ice" cert off the van, quite possibly in light of the alleged icing related crash of a FedEx Feeder Caravan up in Canada last week.

 

[General Lee]

What happened to the one in Winnepeg, Canada a few weeks ago?


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[EatSleepFly]

My icing training wasn't really a seminar it was more like a company safety meeting. It wasn't a while back, it was Monday. And it was my director of operations that said the feds had talked about yanking the "known ice" cert off the van, quite possibly in light of the alleged icing related crash of a FedEx Feeder Caravan up in Canada last week.

Relax FN, I wasn't saying I didn't believe you.

It's just that we've been hearing this same thing for quite awhile now, but it's always from somebody who heard it from somebody else.

 

[FN FAL]

What happened to the one in Winnepeg, Canada a few weeks ago?

Bye Bye--General Lee

It's all speculation at this point in time, but according to my management, the Canadian TSB are attempting to say that it's tail plane icing. Our management has also told us that the plane, "according to eye-witnesses" came out of the sky on it's back.

Cargo plane crashes in Winnipeg, killing pilot
CTV.ca News Staff

Although a Federal Express plane that crashed in Winnipeg Thursday was carrying potentially dangerous viruses, including herpes and influenza, the risk appears to be minimal as investigators sift through the site.

The Cessna 208, beginning a regular delivery route between Winnipeg and Thunder Bay, crashed minutes after take-off at about 6 a.m. Thursday morning.

It came down on the CN mainline railway tracks in Osborne Village, a busy part of the city centre, and subsequently burst into flames. The only casualty was the pilot, Nancy Chase-Allen, 49, of New Brunswick. She had been with Morningstar Air Express, a FedEx contractor, for about five years.

An investigator from the Transportation Safety Board, Ross Peden, said the viruses were destroyed in the blaze, and the site was not considered dangerous.

"There is no danger to the public or workers at this time," he said.

Police said it was almost a miracle that the plane avoided contact with the many buildings and vehicles in the area, just as rush hour began.

"It has crashed on railway tracks and does not appear to have collided with any other objects, houses or cars," police Sgt. Shelly Glover told the Canadian Press. "There are some taller buildings so it is quite incredible that nothing was struck."

Onlookers agreed.

"I think she was trying to avoid casualties on the ground," one eye-witness told CTV.

It's not unusual for FedEx couriers to transport potentially dangerous viruses by vehicle or by plane. It happens every day in Canada, and as long as the drivers or pilots are properly qualified, licensed and trained to handle the material it is within Transport Canada safety requirements.

But this is the second accident involving potentially dangerous viruses in less than a year in Winnipeg. In March, a FedEx van carrying anthrax and other biological agents was side-swiped in traffic.

NDP MP Pat Martin says something has to change.

"There are weak links here. We won't tolerate it in our community," he said. "We want an inquiry and we want better security measures."

A Toronto spokeswoman for FedEx, Karen Cooper, said the vials were to be sent to Thunder Bay for research purposes.

Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the crash. Winnipeg has experienced a cold-snap recently, with light snow and temperatures hovering around 0* Celcius, and police believe weather may have played a factor.

The Cessna was built in the 1990s, and had just over 6,000 hours of flight time logged, well within acceptable standards, according to Dan Boettcher, a spokesman for Morningstar Air Express, of Edmonton

 

[FN FAL]

Relax FN, I wasn't saying I didn't believe you.

It's just that we've been hearing this same thing for quite awhile now, but it's always from somebody who heard it from somebody else.

I am relaxed

Believe me, this communication by means of tele-type leaves something to be desired.

 

[EatSleepFly]

I hear ya... no worries. :beer:

 

[FN FAL]

I hear ya... no worries. :beer:

I just strapped on my second Pilsner Urquell myself. What a beautiful day...you have to stop and look around and be thankful on a day as pretty as today! :beer:

Cheers!

 

[blingair]

Have you ever thought about a job in journalism?

WANKER!

 

[starchkr]

I know many of you read about this but, we had a 208 lose an engine at night after t/o out of OMA not too long ago. Pilot put it down on a small highway/road with only minor damage to a wing from a small highway sign. We sent mechanics out and they swapped the engine right there on the side of te highway and flew it off the highway a couple days later. Quite the feat considering it was at night.