Falcon lands on belly at Aruba

[domyalex]

http://www.goalert24.com/readnews.aspx?id=402810&eid=12999944&sid=17&rid=18475&tid=12945

Aruba: Private jet crash lands at Beatrix international, forcing temporary closure of airport and delaying some flights

ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP) _ A private jet carrying three people crash landed on its belly at Aruba's airport Sunday after the pilots apparently failed to engage the landing gear, airport officials said. There were no injuries.

The 12-seat Falcon II en route from the Venezuelan island of Margarita was making its final approach to Aruba's Beatrix international airport around 1 p.m. EST when the pilots' gauge indicated they were flying too low, airport spokesman Ronny Brete said.

With its wheels still up, the plane tried to pull out of the landing at the last minute before touching down on the runway, skidding some 100 yards (91 meters) until coming to a rest, Brete said.

The plane's pilot, co-pilot and owner walked away from the plane unhurt, Brete said. Officials didn't give their identities. No one on the ground was injured.

It wasn't immediately clear why the plane was flying too low.

Witnesses said the aircraft left a trail of sparks on the runway, but that the fuselage and fuel tank remained intact.

The plane destroyed four approach lights and about a dozen landing lights, forcing the temporary closure of the airport, Brete said. Workers removed the plane and debris and were rushing to repair the lights.

American Airlines had to divert three flights to nearby Curacao and another to Puerto Rico, airline representative Ineke Lampe said.

Airport tower officials engaged a recently installed emergency alarm system to alert fire and rescue crew, who arrived on the scene less than a minute later.

Aruba, a Dutch Caribbean territory, lies about 15 miles (24 kilometers) north of Venezuela.

Pics:
http://tradewind.org/TCA/website/graphics/falcon5.jpg
http://tradewind.org/TCA/website/graphics/falcon3.jpg
http://tradewind.org/TCA/website/graphics/falcon.jpg



From another source it says "After the pilot noticed technical problems with the landing gear, he decided to go around and raised the gear. His go around attempt failed though as the aircraft crashed on the runway since it was already too low. "

Can you have 3 green on final and then suddenly one or more of them goes off?...
http://www.goalert24.com/readnews.aspx?id=402810&eid=12999944&sid=17&rid=18475&tid=12945

 

[FN FAL]

goes off? You mean like explode?

 

[domyalex]

goes off? You mean like explode?

Huuu... no, more like turns off indicating some problem....

 

[TransMach]

Mate,


Possible to lose a down lock, but really unlikely. The DA-20 landing gear system is normally, that is naturally down. It takes a significant series of events to retract them.

As for extending them, once retracted, there are two engine driven hydraulic pumps, a #1 system accumulator that moves #2 system fluid called the "Transfer Jack", an electric pump, and if all that fails, you can free fall them in the absence of hydraulic pressure by physically releasing the mechanical up locks.

My guess is that this was a big suprise to the crew.

Sad to see her on her belly. The DA-20 is one of the most strikingly pretty airplanes ever built.

TransMach

 

[Frmr Avro Drvr]

The 12-seat Falcon II en route from the Venezuelan island of Margarita was making its final approach to Aruba's Beatrix international airport around 1 p.m. EST when the pilots' gauge indicated they were flying too low, airport spokesman Ronny Brete said.

It wasn't immediately clear why the plane was flying too low.

How about: "They were trying to Land". Is that clear enough?

 

[TrafficInSight]

Check, always engage the landing gear and never let the pilot's gauge tell you you're flying too low.

I hope they were able to clean the trail of sparks off the runway in time, those things can be dangerous.

 

[Metro752]

Noticed last minute? How about forgot entirely and went splat.

 

[Fury220]

2 dudes in the cockpit, and neither notices the gear isn't down...


WHOOPS.

 

[Malcolm]

Reminds me once when I went in belly up... no wait... belly down... no wait....

 

[Fury220]

Is belly-up the same as "tits-up?"



EDIT: wow, I had no idea that "tits" was going to make it through the censorship board

 

[User546]

Well the good thing for all your Falcon drivers out there is that there'll probably be an opening for a new flight crew soon!

 

[Flying Illini]

EDIT: wow, I had no idea that "tits" was going to make it through the censorship board

Thanks to you, TITS won't make it through anymore...TITS. (gotta say it, or at least type it, while I still can!)

 

[User546]

What's worse then landing gear up is having the owner of the plane in the back when you do it.

I'd love to have been there when they delicately described that situation to him!

 

[GravityHater]

Is there no btchin betty on these a/c, as in "Landing Gear"....."Landing Gear"?

 

[Frmr Avro Drvr]

Is there no btchin betty on these a/c, as in "Landing Gear"....."Landing Gear"?

That was probably the "Too low" warning they were talking about in the article.

It may have gone something like this.

Betty: "Too Low, Gear. Too Low, Gear."

FO: What was that?

Capt: What was what?

Betty: Too Low, Gear. Too Low, Gear.

FO: There it was again.

Capt: What? Shut Up! Your job is to work the gear and the radios. I don't want you thinking.

Betty: Too Low, Gear. Too Low, Gear.

FO: I think is was saying something about Deer.

Capt: Deer? What the he!! are you talking about. Shut up I am concentrating.

[Flare Begins]

Capt: (To himself) Man, we should have touched down by now.

[Gut wreching BANG, CRASH and sparks exiting the aircraft]

Aircraft comes to rest

FO: What was that?

Capt: You didn't do your job. You're fired!

FO: You can't fire me. I was paying YOU!

 

[LJDRVR]

Nothing like getting stuck behind an aircraft that closes a single-runway island airport without limited alternates. If the probable cause turns out to be failure of the nut that holds the wheel, then some moron owes those diverted crews an apology and a beer or two. Innocent until proven otherwise, however.

Thank goodness nobody got hurt.

 

[88_MALIBU]

So what are the repair facilities like at Aruba? I witnessed a Cherokee 235 collapse a nose wheel at Makinac Island Michigan, I knew that there was no easy way to fix it without $$