MD-11 crash

[Dieterly]

http://streaming.scmp.com/aircrash/CAL_Plane_crash1f.avi

 

[fLYbUDDY]

do you know when that was taken?

 

[Tim47SIP]

Just a guess

Aug 99, but dont take my word on it.

 

[Dieterly]

Date: 22 AUG 1999,
China Airlines flight 642 departed Bangkok for a flight to Taipei via Hong Kong. Weather in the Hong Kong area was very poor with a severe tropical storm ('Sam') 50km NE of the airport and gale force winds and thunderstorms. Extra fuel was carried, because the crew intended to continue to Taipei, depending on weather at Hong Kong on arrival. Before the arrival of flight 642 four flights carried out missed approaches, five planes diverted and 12 planes landed successfully. Weather information obtained by the crew at 18.06 reported a 300deg wind at 35 kts and an RVR of 650m in heavy rain. The flight crew then prepared for a runway 25L ILS approach. Landing reference speed was calculated to be 152kts and the captain (pilot-in-command) would fly the approach at 170kts and would continue to land depending on a wind check on finals. At 18.41h, while flying the runway 25L ILS approach, weather was reported to the crew being 1600m visibility in the touchdown zone, wind 320deg/25kts gusting to 33kts. The aircraft was then cleared to land. At an altitude of 700ft prior to touchdown a further wind check was passed to the crew: 320deg/28kts gusting to 36kts. Maximum crosswind limit for the aircraft was 24kts. The pilot-in-command continued with the approach, disconnected the autopilot but left auto throttle engaged. The MD-11, with a weight very close to the maximum landing weight permitted, stabilized slightly low on the glide slope. At 50ft above the runway, upon power reduction to flight idle, the airspeed decreased from 170 to 152kts. An attempt was made to flare in a slightly right wing down (less than 4 deg) attitude. The aircraft landed hard on its right main gear and the no.3 engine touched the runway. The right main gear separated and the right wing separated. The MD-11 then rolled inverted as it skidded off the runway in flames. It came to rest on a grass area next to the runway, 1100m from the runway threshold. The right wing was found on a taxiway 90m from the nose of the plane. The crash sequence in this case bears similarities to the Fedex MD-11 which also flipped upside down on landing at Newark.

 

[bigsky]

I just about yelled into the kitchen " honey come in and see this."
On second thought I beleve it better she doesnt! I cant remember where I saw the photo of Mandarin Airways Md-11 laying in the grass still smoking, upside down and in about 10 peices. Aircraft were still taxing around - business as usual although that may have made a few pax's nervous!

 

[Beechnut]

Anyone killed?

S.

 

[airgator]

This is a nice relaxing site to see as you taxi for takeoff:

http://carcino.gen.nz/images/index.php/00b9a680/6ef41d1b

 

[Citationkid]

If I remeber right, 3 people were killed.

 

[Av8trxx]

WOW...what a flick.

Crew: 0 fatalities / 15 on board
Passengers: 3 fatalities / 300 on board
Total: 3 fatalities / 315 on board

The synopsis above and a few photos can be found at:http://aviation-safety.net/database/1999/990822-0.htm

This one has quite a few pix:
http://www.airdisaster.com/photos/ci642/5.shtml

 

[TonyC]

Crosswinds....

The video was shot by a Cathay Pacific pilot and his Cathay Pacific pilot buddy, who were out shooting amateur video during a typhoon with a new camera, and impressing their 2 girlfriends. Just prior to this airplane landing, they had repositioned from a different vantage point from which they had observed many airplanes land, and several go around. Immediately before this landing, the cameraman/narrator commented how boring this must be to someone watching who might not be interested in airplanes. The entire video, complete with previous landings and go-arounds, and several slo-mo repeats of the crash sequence, can be viewed at the Hong Kong Pilots Association office by airline crewmembers with ID.

At an altitude of 700ft prior to touchdown a further wind check was passed to the crew: 320deg/28kts gusting to 36kts. Maximum crosswind limit for the aircraft was 24kts.

320@36knots on RWY 25L works out to be a crosswind of 31 knots - the "demonstrated" limit for the MD-11 is 35 knots --- challenging, but within the limits of the aircraft. (Perhaps the airline imposed a more restrictive limit???) The captions on the AirDisaster.com photos indicate they landed in a 24 knot crosswind, so perhaps that wasn't even a factor.

The pilot-in-command continued with the approach, disconnected the autopilot but left auto throttle engaged.

Normal procedure. The choice of the word "but" instead of "and" might lead the uninformed reader to assume otherwise. Consider how you might have interpreted this differently had the writer said "The PIC disconnected the autopilot and left the auto throttle engaged." Of course it would have been totally irresponsible to add "per normal procedure" to remove any doubt.

By the way, the original video is of much higher quality than the streaming video provided on the South China Morning Post website (the one linked in the first post of this thread.)