Comair Crash

[Murdoughnut]

On the live news feed they had a weatherman show doppler radar from around the airport at the time of departure. They did a minute by minute tracking and it showed a dissipating cell (about 3/4 of a mile wide) moving east along the departure path for 26. Could have affected visibility.

 

[Metro752]

On the live news feed they had a weatherman show doppler radar from around the airport at the time of departure. They did a minute by minute tracking and it showed a dissipating cell (about 3/4 of a mile wide) moving east along the departure path for 26. Could have affected visibility.

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[katanabob]

...the official verdict was 'pilot error,' but since their passengers, who were innocent of the controls, also failed to survive, it seemed that fate was the hunter. As it had been and would be...

-Ernest Gann

 

[TOOL CRIB]

This is a real shame, I am guessing they were on a CDO?

Good grief. You worked for ASA. The Comair flight was flying to Atlanta. You should know there is no comair crew base in Atlanta. No CDO. This was already discussed.

 

[Murdoughnut]

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I meant it could have affected visibility to the extent that they mistook 22 for 26.

I just heard from the live feed that airport sources have officially confirmed that the aircraft took off on 26. God bless them all.

 

[JCJ]

I agree. The Jepps haven't been updated yet with the changes at that airport. Absent specific instructions from the controller "taxi Alpha, cross 26, Alpha 5, to runway 22," I think it would be very easy for someone to accidentally takeoff from 26 in the dark of early morning since once you get on 26, you would find that Alpha straight ahead no longer takes you to 22 and you would be led to think that you are already on 22.

The helicopter footage from today shows the taxiway complex at the NE end of runways 22 and 26 to be substantially different than what is on the current NACO airport diagram (and Google earth). The runway resurfacing and expansion of the safety area (which presumably resulted in the configuration change) was just done about a week ago.

As I type this, NBC says it has confirmed from airport sources that the aircraft took off from 26 (the short runway). If that's true, the new and uncharted taxiway configuration may be a big human factors issue in this crash.

 

[JettBoii]

Heartbreaking. Condolences to families and friends of crew and the passengers on board. I know they fought it to the end. Godspeed.

 

[ReportCanoa]

Guys, check your runway alignment before blasting off and give that stby. vertical card compass a few taps cause it gets hung-up. Tragic day.

 

[m80drvr]

Sad day no matter what happened, My families prayers go out to all effected by this.

 

[TAWS]

Having the rwy heading bugged before you leave the gate is a good policy.

How many times have you bugged the runway hdg, but were given a departure hdg before you took the runway, bugged that and forgot about it!!!!!!
All of us could have done this - human factors!!
The vultures are already descending on the families, I predict lawsuits filed within 2 days!!! - Comair, Jepp, Airport Authority, you name it, the a$$holes are going to drag everyone into this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[goahead]

Guys/Gals regardless what happens to come of this we should all pray for these people and us as pilots should thank god that nothing like this has happened to us, tell your family you love them and do something nice for someone for a change. We all need to support each other no matter what the verdict is.

 

[mrnolmts]

Guys, check your runway alignment before blasting off and give that stby. vertical card compass a few taps cause it gets hung-up. Tragic day.

Show me a pilot who tells you he did everything perfect on a flight from A to B, and I'll show you a liar...

 

[FmrFreightDog]

Captain was a friend of mine he will be missed. My thoughts and prayers to his wife and family.

Was he kind of a small-framed guy who wore glasses and a little bald? That name sounds very familiar to me.

 

[John Pennekamp]

How many times have you bugged the runway hdg, but were given a departure hdg before you took the runway, bugged that and forgot about it!!!!!!
All of us could have done this - human factors!!
The vultures are already descending on the families, I predict lawsuits filed within 2 days!!! - Comair, Jepp, Airport Authority, you name it, the a$$holes are going to drag everyone into this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How many times have you been cuttin' up with a jumpseater on the taxi out and not really paying attention? I've done it.

 

[TAWS]

I see that the CEO of Comair has already released the names of the Pilots - Less than 4 hours after the crash. I find it hard to believe that all the family members were notified that quick! Why the rush to publicly identify these guys?????

 

[ArcticFlier]

Sad Day

:bawling:



AF :crying:

 

[imacdog]

I see that the CEO of Comair has already released the names of the Pilots - Less than 4 hours after the crash. I find it hard to believe that all the family members were notified that quick! Why the rush to publicly identify these guys?????

I do not believe those names would have been released if the family members had not been contacted first. Bornhorst even said the families had been contacted.

 

[greg52083]

Shame that no carrier has purchased the addon to the EGPWS (called RAAS, link below) that would have identified to the crew they have lined up with a shorter then normal runway (it would have said as they went to t/o thrust "caution rwy 26, 3,500 feet"). We should push that RAAS be manditory in the future. It always costs lives to get anything that done in this industry.

My heart goes out to the crew and their families. Any one know if there is any way to dontate to the families?


http://www.honeywell.com/sites/aero/Egpws-Home3_CB54AACBB-D557-208D-8CE0-EC44CECAAB3B_HD821C499-7201-CF0B-5533-6EFD92534345.htm

 

[veneratio]

god bless the souls that parished.

 

[blzr]

The runway should be included in the T/O briefing, somehow either both pilots missed it, it was omitted, or they intended to take off from 26<and I doubt they did>.

 

[SpoilerFault]

It's very sad to see the way the news media "reports" so much that is pure speculation. Even on this very thread...16 pages so far and much of it is boastful opinion and flaming of one another. Perhaps we should focus more of this energy on praying for the souls lost in this tragedy, their family and friends AND especially for the recovery of the surviving First Officer.

 

[John Pennekamp]

Shame that no carrier has purchased the addon to the EGPWS (called RAAS, link below) that would have identified to the crew they have lined up with a shorter then normal runway (it would have said as they went to t/o thrust "caution rwy 26, 3,500 feet"). We should push that RAAS be manditory in the future. It always costs lives to get anything that done in this industry.

I'm sure it will be mandated now. As usual, the FAA is a "Tombstone Agency".

 

[BE99chick]

Shame that no carrier has purchased the addon to the EGPWS (called RAAS, link below) that would have identified to the crew they have lined up with a shorter then normal runway (it would have said as they went to t/o thrust "caution rwy 26, 3,500 feet"). We should push that RAAS be manditory in the future. It always costs lives to get anything that done in this industry.

My heart goes out to the crew and their families. Any one know if there is any way to dontate to the families?


http://www.honeywell.com/sites/aero/Egpws-Home3_CB54AACBB-D557-208D-8CE0-EC44CECAAB3B_HD821C499-7201-CF0B-5533-6EFD92534345.htm

The airlines are always the last to get the most up-to-date avionics/equipment.

 

[MECH]

My thoughts and prayers go out to all my friends at Comair.

 

[FLB717]

Just recieved word that a AirTran F.O. was communting in to ATL on that flight and was lost as well.

 

[100-1/2]

Departing LEX, 260/270 used to be/is a common departure heading after takeoff. Could line up on the bug taking runway 26 which is very easy to do if you haven't been there in awhile/before and of first thing in the morning after a long day before (reduced rest). You have to cross the threshhold of 26 to get to 22.

CVR/FDR will tell the tale.

My prayers are with everyone including the Tower controller which should have caught any obvious mistake taking place after the clearance was read back. At 6am on a Sunday, likely one joe in the cab running atis, ground, clearance and departure at that time.

Could happen to any of us.

God bless
100-1/2

 

[iaflyer]

The helicopter footage from today shows the taxiway complex at the NE end of runways 22 and 26 to be substantially different than what is on the current NACO airport diagram (and Google earth). The runway resurfacing and expansion of the safety area (which presumably resulted in the configuration change) was just done about a week ago.

I was thinking the same thing - I looked at the Jepp chart for LEX and noticed that there was a mismatch with what the live TV (helicopter shot) was showing. Google Earth shows old satellite pictures that match the Jepp diagram. Sad.

 

[TOOL CRIB]

Just recieved word that a AirTran F.O. was communting in to ATL on that flight and was lost as well.

I was wondering who the jumpseater could have been. My condolences, not a way I'd want to go. That erases the theory that he was sitting in the cockpit though since Airtran is not CASS.

 

[Metro752]

a friend told me that it was 14 mins in between CTO from tower and crash. it is possible they took off, circled around, and tried to land?

 

[kevin_p]

Fox News reporter Trace Gallagher just said they had 13,000 lbs of bags on board....therefore please do not be too quick to take anything you hear on the news as fact.