Plane down in BUF

[Capt.LongThrust]

Hopefully everyone is okay!!

 

[Eagle757shark]

CNN has broken to the scene live. They are saying Continental 3407 from EWR to BUF. Looks like a Dash 8. The FAA says they believe 48 passengers were onboard. Looks like plane hit a house.

 

[Booker]

See http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?p=1763402.

 

[scarlet]

May GOD be with them !!!!

Winds were horrible up there today!

 

[skier17]

just reported, nobody survived this crash. Very sad

 

[poydras]

Godspeed to you all

 

[Longhorn]

Godspeed.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Prayers with family and crew

 

[jonjuan]

Prayers with family and crew

and passengers.

 

[EWR_FO]

If anyone knows this guy Lucinich or the other jackass pilot that was on CNN last night, could you please call and tell them to STFU.

 

[COpilot]

The guy on CNN, is some part 135 charter pilot who has no idea how the de-ice/anti-ice system works on a modern aircraft.

 

[BLUE BAYOU]

Looks like they lost control as they were extending flaps in icing conditions. Recorded transmitions between BUF APP and pilot didn't reveal anything-- they just didn't check in with BUF TWR on the handoff.

Very similar incident happened to an American Eagle ATR in Indiana a few years back. Speculative at this time though.

Our prayers are with all crewmembers of Colgan and the friends and families on board.

 

[Dizel8]

FDR, according to NTSB prelims, shows rapid oscillations in pitch and roll once flaps was extended.

 

[B-atch]

I recently taxied out behind a Colgan Q400 in EWR and noticed how little area the deicing boots cover the leading edges. Recalling the AE ATR 72 accident in Roselawn ID. back in 1994, it was determined that the ATR's wing deicing boots were inadequate. This resulted in significant ice build-up forward of the aileron hinge line.
Now a significant difference between these two accidents is, the Roselawn accident aircraft rolled on its back whereas this accident Q400 pitched then rolled. This might point to possible tail plane icing.

 

[astroglider]

Tail-plane icing

it's only speculation at this point but I have to agree...the data points to tail-plane icing and a subsequent tail-stall. Unlike the Roselawn crash...it's very similar to the J-31 Hibbing crash back in the '90's. Anytime an aircraft crashes at the OM in a vertical or inverted matter with the longitudinal axis parallel to the final approach course suspect tail-plane icing.

When the flaps were extended more taildown force was required to counter-act the extra lift created and that stalled the ice-covered tail.

Some airlines actually tell pilots to fly faster on approach...which is wrong...it only brings the aircraft tail closer to stall. If you suspect your tail is iced over use the minimum flaps setting possible. When lowering flaps KEEP YOU HAND ON THE FLAP LEVER! If the nose pitches up bring the flaps back to were they were before the pitching moment.

My thoughts are with the families.