FDX DC-10 Caught Fire in MEM

[Ligeirinho]

Hey VaB the resulta of NTSB investigation will be the ones acording to the money FEDEX directory will put in their hands to lie, in order to receive the insurance. Also MD10 conversion is not a passenger to cargo conversion MD 10 conversion is a MD11 panel and systems conversion waht eliminate the use of flight engineer and FEDEX started to convert them but stopped due incompatibility problems DC10's don't have exactly the same systems of MD11's so the software showed to be incompatible and the few MD10's have some new troubleshooting.
And what is this about FAR 121 supplemental, where even a FAR135 operator has a lot better working conditions and rest??? Hummm I think FAA just invented that for FEDEX, UPS and somebody else who gave them some money on congress making lobby.
And what about United 814 flight who NTSB lied about the causes of the opened cargo door in flight even after Boieng sent a Alert Buletim???
Hummmm maybe you VaB are one of the NTSB boards who is waiting to see how much FEDEX will deposit on your account to put your investigation conclusions after.
I can tell you right now for sure whtever happenned there FAA caused with this FAR 121 supplemental idiotic rules. Or is FAR121 or is not FAR121. FAR121 supplemental is ridiculous.
END

 

[VaB]

Ligeirinho,

I read your post at least 10 times, and I can't make much sense of it. The only things I could get out of it were:

1) You think I don't know the difference between an MD10/MD11/DC10. I do (or at least the FAA examiner that signed off my MD11 type rating on my ATP thought so). From what you said, it sounds like you don't really know much about the Fedex MD10 program, because they are still making MD10s.

2) You think I'm working for the NTSB. I don't. Not even sure why you would think that.

The rest sounds like some sort of conjured up conspiracy theory, dipped in some sort of resentment, about how Fedex buys there way out of troubles. Maybe they do (but I highly doubt it), but I sure don't know about it.

Have a nice day.

 

[AlbieF15]

Lingerinho,

Your rambling conspiriacy theories will make more sense if you improve your syntax and grammer.

I have no idea what the FAA and NTSB will say or recommend, but I do know I had 3 line checks in 9 months this year. I expect more scrutiny to follow, regardless of the cause of this mishap.

FDX management pushes us hard so they can make money. I expect that, and I appreciate the fact our company is profitable and I still have a job while so many don't. ALPA and our local MEC do everything they can to mitigate tough schedules and do their best to keep us from being "over pushed", and I certainly appreciate their efforts to keep us safe and have reasonable working conditions. There will also be friction between those demands. However, I don't think ANYONE in the company or union wants broken airplanes or hurt aviators, and I think there are plenty of smart people on all sides that would not accept a perceived dangerous airplane or procedure. Our transportation system is a national asset, and FDX and UPS are a huge part of that infrastructure. I am convinced the goverment, company, and our union can work together to make the operations happen safely. I also think there are enough men and women of integrity in the process to absolutely NAIL anyone who would attempt to compromise safety for a short term financial gain.

 

[SLOTH]

General,

Weather was clearing up with windshear reported right around the time of the incident... we arrived shortly after. Winds at the time that we landed 36L were WNW at 25kts gusting to 35.

One thing for sure is that MEM needs to review their procedures for addressing this type of scenario... it was quite a cluster for a while after the incident.

 

[FoxHunter]

Ligeirinho

"Also MD10 conversion is not a passenger to cargo conversion MD 10 conversion is a MD11 panel and systems conversion waht eliminate the use of flight engineer and FEDEX started to convert them but stopped due incompatibility problems DC10's don't have exactly the same systems of MD11's so the software showed to be incompatible and the few MD10's have some new troubleshooting."



Not sure where you get the information about the MD10 conversions stopped. FYI there are 15 or 16 MD10s scheduled to be delivered between the begining of December 03 and the end of December 04. Total MD10s on the property at the end of 04 will be around 42 or 43.

 

[USNFDX]

Ramifications: Who knows, maybe we'll have to take out a "Liability" only insurance policy....I'm guessing full coverage is going to get a little too exspensive.

 

[zonker]

I don't see the video link on the site anymore. Was it removed?

 

[Dieterly]

USNFDX,

That's funny, I heard a similar story and I don't even work there.

 

[Gearup727]

Second hand information:

The fire was caused by the wing tank rupturing after it contacted the runway and the engine braking off. Not a cargo fire.

All seven people, 2 pilots and 5 jumpers got their hands cut to the bone sliding down the nylon tapes(not quite a rope). Get some leather gloves for your flight bag if your airplane has these.
They tried to go out the crew entry door on the left side but it did not open.

The whole thing was witnessed by a Northwest Captain holding short of 36R. He said the aircraft looked like it made a normal touch down with no undue crab. It was not a hard landing. Whether or not there was a side load on the RMLG is not clear.

The limits for crosswind are 31knots and all pilots are trained and checked on crosswind landings each year.

 

[AlbieF15]

FDX bros,

Talked to some smart folks recently about some issues and thought I'd pass on some thoughts:

First, insurability has more to do more with where you fly and they type of operations you do vice your accident rate. Flying into Bogota, or three legs into China using QFE, or Subic during typhoons season, or flying night hubturns into all airports in early am when fog is always at its greatest all contribute quite a bit to your insurability costs.

I don't know what happened in MEM and I won't speculate, but we operate in a more time critical environment that most carriers...121 or supplemental. Pax may miss connections if they land late, but our company loses money if the freight doesn't make it in the guaranteed time. This has created a cuture of speed and a climate that creates its own artificial pressures, and is something that you deal with as you balance conflicting demands as a FDX crewmember.

Another point...while I would love to be in an MD10/11 upgrade tomorrow, and I am confident my fighter pilot prowess would have me sail through the upgrade and do much better than my peers ...I would recommend everyone be VERY careful about slinging accusations or publicly being critical of any FDX pilot. It is very easy to assume you wouldn't make a mistake, but none of us know what actually happened or how you would have reacted in a similar situation. As far as I am concerned, until proven otherwise the cause was the gear snapped off due to metal fatigue and the pilots did a fantastic job of keeping the jet on the runway as long as they did. You are paying 2% of your salary every month (at least most of you) to support each other and try to use that support to increase our safety, quality of life, and compensation. Potshots at the crew involved only weaken us as a pilot force. If pilot error was contributory, we will know in good time and rest assured the company will have their pound of flesh. Until then...we need to hang together.

 

[dixieflyer]

Albie,

I could not agree more. We need to stick together instead of speculating without having all the facts. The last thing we need to be doing is throwing our fellow crewmembers under the bus.

Dixie

 

[USNFDX]

I agree, I was wrong!

I have edited my previous speculative post.

ps: See if you can get a fighter guy to admit that he is wrong!

 

[Dieterly]

or three legs into China using QFE

Albie, why do you guys use QFE, since all larger airports in China also uses QNH?

 

[USMCFDX]

We use QFE at Almaty, Kazakhstan. Where we go in China we do use QNH.

 

[profile]

Actually, only a few of the airports in China use Qnh these days, the vast majority of them use Qfe still.

Also, wrt the notion that "NTSB lied" on the UAL accident on the door, no, I think not. Typical line pilot nonesense, I'd wager that you won't hear any of the ALPA members who were on that investigation saying such nonesense....