US Airways Express Plane Crashes Into Water Off Cape Cod

[undergroundrailroad]

Plane Carrying Two Crashes Off Cape Cod


The Associated Press
Tuesday, August 26, 2003; 4:44 PM


YARMOUTH, Mass. - A plane carrying two crew members crashed Tuesday off Cape Cod, a spokeswoman for Colgan airline said.

The conditions of the two pilots was not immediately known. It was on its way from Hyannis to Albany, N.Y., said Mary Finnegan, a Colgan spokeswoman.

She said initial reports that the plane was carrying as many as 21 passengers were not accurate.

The plane is operated by Colgan Air, which is a carrier for U.S. Airways Express serving Cape Cod. It was in the middle of a "repositioning" flight, not a scheduled flight, Finnegan said.

[Rose Siding]

1. A commuter.

In the water off Cape Cod. It's the kind of plane that can carry 27 but they don't know how many on board. The reporter interupted Bush to give this detail.

[Kelvin Mace]

2. Lovely,

what famous liberal has snuffed it this time?

<g>

David Allen
www.thoughtcrimes.org
Distrusting the Government Since 1984

[Rose Siding]

4. Dean's flying

But he's in the air, south of there.

[LosinIt]

14. that was my first thought, oh no, Where is Howard???

I have to go crinkle some new tinfoil, my hat is slipping.

[AP]

18. Dean wouldn't be flying a US Air commuter plane.

He'd be flying a private jet.

[Rose Siding]

34. That's true of course

But there are frequently errors in initial reports. A little chill went down my spine. Too horrid to imagine.....

And tragic, none-the-less.

[Samuraimad]

3. 2 commmuter crash in less than a year.

The first one was operated by Mesa Airlines for US air.
Brankruptcy....crashes....when it rains its pouring.

[Rose Siding]

5. Two people on board

tried an emergency landing. Beechcraft 1600

[Tinfoil]

7. There's no such thing

as a Beech 1600.

[MercutioATC]

11. USAir commuters = Beech 1900's

.

[CO Liberal]

15. I've Flown in a Beech 1900

Mesa Airlines - Albuquerque to Pueblo, September of 1995.

19 passengers - eight rows of single seats on wither side of teh aisle, and three seats across the tail. About four feet of headroom. It was the only time I ever came close to getting airsick - during takeoff from Albuquerque......

[Tinfoil]

20. The B1900

is one of the toughest airplanes out there. It's extremely durable and a good performer.

The military flies theirs at heavier weights than the airlines do. It's got quite a bit of extra power and is a very easy plane to fly. Of course, not having an autopilot will wear your ass out after a long day.

It's also a pretty safe airplane with a fairly decent accident record.

[Tinfoil]

16. I know

Don't forget continental connection, as well.. Commutair flies 1900s for them.

Also Gulfstream.

I was pointing out that there's no such thing as a Beech 1600. Someone reported incorrectly.

[damnraddem]

19. The 1900 is a commuter plane.

I've never heard of a 1600.

I hate the 1900.

[KDLarsen]

6. 21 on board...

According to my source (not confirmed yet), it was a USAirways Express (op. by Colgan) Beech 1900D from Hyannis to Albany.

[ewagner]

8. Survivors? n/t

[FlashHarry]

9. Hyannis? Was it a Kennedy?

:tinfoilhat:

[Tinfoil]

10. Was it a Kennedy?

YEP.


Remember, tragedy only befalls famous, important people.

[Kellanved]

12. I'm hearing 2; 19 or 21

Each channel has a different number.

[dflprincess]

13. CBS' website

is saying 21 on board no word about who. I'm having flashbacks to last October.

[karlschneider]

17. No, just pilots It apparently just came out of maintenance. It could be

a mechanic's error...like forgetting to safety wire a bolt. Or maybe bad or no fuel...I doubt both engines could fail at the same time...

[Tinfoil]

21. That's why...

I try to force the mechanic who did the work to go with me!! :)



j/k

[karlschneider]

32. Our chief mechanic is always willing to ride along! In fact he insists.

:D

[Tinfoil]

33. Yeah we had a mechanic fix our

hydraulic problem once. We told him his ass was coming with us because if the hydraulic system crapped out on us, he's going to be the one to do the 250 pumps it took to get the damn gear down!


In all seriousness, I have faith in mechanics. Take pride in their work and believe me, if a plane goes down after having their signature in the log book, their world is coming to an end.


But alas, we're all human.

[hang a left]

22. hmmmmmmmm just came out of maintenance

WHO'S ON THAT PLANE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Parche]

23. Beech 1900

Carries 19 passengers and 1captain and 1first officer in the cockpit
no flight attendents
It was the same airplane that crashed in Charlotte not long ago
weight seems to be a factor.

[Tinfoil]

24. Not quite sure I agree with part of that....

Carries 19 passengers and 1captain and 1first officer in the cockpit
no flight attendents
It was the same airplane that crashed in Charlotte not long ago
weight seems to be a factor.


I doubt weight is a factor in this. This airplane only had a crew on board, so that rules out weight.

As for the AirMidwest crash, weight *may* have been a factor (actually the CG more than the weight, but even that is questionable), but the REAL reason it went it was due to faulty maintenance in rigging the elevator controls. They didn't have full authority in the nose down direction and that, in conjunction with the plane being tail heavy, caused the plane to stall after takeoff and crash into the hanger wall.

[Parche]

25. Charlotte crash

Weight was a factor with the Charlotte crash, the pilot had to use
too much elevator to lift off, causing the plane to swerve and
rise and fall abrubtly.

This article said that there were 21 aboard, that is a full flight
on a Beech 1900 so weight could also be a factor here too.

[Cooley Hurd]

26. FAA says only two people on board...

...as per CNN.

[Parche]

27. Revised

Now they are saying it was a repositioning flight with just the pilots on board, so anything is possible, I am glad I didnt have
any passengers on it then.

[Tinfoil]

31. Not entirely correct...

If a Beech is fully loaded, it will be tail heavy (like many aircraft, especially in the turboprop category). The pilot will not have use "too much elevator". It will rotate nearly on it's own as Vr is reached and if it's *too* tail heavy, the pilot flying will actually need to push forward on the control yoke somewhat to keep the nose from coming up too high and causing the aircraft to stall.

The actual reason the CLT plane crashed was NOT because it was too heavy, but moreso because it was TOO TAIL HEAVY and the pilot did NOT HAVE FULL CONTROL AUTHORITY. It's center of gravity was farther aft than anticipated. The elevator was also rigged incorrectly, not allowing the pilots full nose down authority. The combination of the two is what caused the plane to go down. If either one had not happened, the plane would have taken off and continued to GSO (I believe that's where it was heading), just like it had been doing for several days.

[KDLarsen]

28. A few updates..

.. again, this coming from a different board, so no confirmations YET:
On board: 1 Captain & 1 F/O - NO passengers (since 21 is a full load on the B190, the TV stations may be mixing the numbers up).
The aircraft: US Airways Express (operated by Colgan Air) Beech 1900, reg no. N240CJ, built in 1993 - picture available here: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/371742/L/

This info is coming from a Flighttracker, a few pieces of interesting info there:
Airline Colgan Air
Flight Number 9446 <- This could indicate a ferry flight,
Departure City (Airport) Hyannis, MA (HYA)
Departure Time 08/26/2003 03:39 PM
Arrival City (Airport) Albany, NY (ALB)
Arrival Time 08/26/2003 04:17 PM
Remaining Flight Time 00:32
Aircraft Type Beech 1900
Current Altitude 1,100 feet <- It crashed just off HYA, so it would be on approach or final approach at the time of the crash.
Current Groundspeed 241 mph
Flight Status In Flight

[CO Liberal]

29. Here's Another Link

Small plane crashes of Massachusetts coast

BOSTON – A small airplane with two pilots on board crashed off the coast of Massachusetts Tuesday afternoon after the pilot tried to make an emergency landing, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The pilot radioed a small airport on Cape Cod to report problems on board and said he was turning around. The plane crashed three miles short of the runway, the FAA said. The Coast Guard is searching for survivors.

(more)

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20030826-1337-crash-massachusetts.html

[CO Liberal]

30. And Another Link

Plane crashes in Mass. harbor; 2 pilots, no passengers aboard

YARMOUTH, Mass. (AP) — A commuter plane carrying only two pilots crashed Tuesday in Hyannis Harbor off Cape Cod, an airline spokeswoman said. The fate of the pilots was not immediately known.
The Colgan Air Beechcraft 1900 went down three miles short of the runway at Hyannis Airport, airline spokeswoman Mary Finnegan said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the pilot declared an emergency shortly after takeoff and was returning to land at Hyannis when the crash occurred. The plane was on its way from Hyannis to Albany, N.Y., Finnegan said.

<more>

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-08-26-plane-crash_x.htm