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I've noticed recently that the planes are FULL. Hardly a seat to be had.

Is this the airlines answer to increase the revenue, sell all the unsold seats three days before the flight on Orbitz, Hotwire, Travelocity etc??? That fills the plane up and does increase revenue. It doesn't cost any more to fly it with ten seats empty than it does with those ten seats full, even at a reduced fare.

Second question: If it was overloaded would it go in tail first and leave the pilot as the survivor?

Fox is saying that there was something that happened at the end of the runway. The momentum of the plane would carry it a half mile I would think.

Just talked to pilot who frequently flies out of Bluegrass Airport (non-commercial).

He says it is a bit confusing and he could see how mistake made by pilot, especially during early morning hours. However, not sure why ATC did not provide warning.

Looks to be pilot error at this point.

Prayers for all who lost loved ones.

Well, it's all speculation, but the pilots could have realized at the last second they were running out of pavement and rotated, and the plane have enough momentum to "bunny hop" into the air before stalling and dropping again. If they only made it a half mile, at takeoff speed they'd cover that distance in 15-20 seconds or less. Fully loaded, they'd have no chance to get it off the ground in 3500 feet and keep it in the air.

It probably hit something at a fairly flat angle or in a slight descent (tail low), it wouldn't have had the time or the room to drop the nose a whole lot, I'd imagine. If it crashed in a field, though, and didn't plow through a lot of trees, I'm somewhat surprised there weren't more survivors, even with a massive postcrash fire.

I've noticed recently that the planes are FULL. Hardly a seat to be had. Is this the airlines answer to increase the revenue, sell all the unsold seats three days... That fills the plane up and does increase revenue.

YEP, RJ's "give more options to the traveller," OR so the airline exec will tell you. You can offer 3 departure times, versus just one, if you're operating a 737 out of a smaller airport. RJs also cheaper to fly and maintain -- you can keep the seats full and you PAY the pilots a LOT less. I HATE travelling as a PASSENGER in an RJ -- too cramped, bumpy and hot.

Second question: If it was overloaded would it go in tail first and leave the pilot as the survivor?

As a pilot, this sounds like a crash you'd prefer -- if any. Tail hits first, then nose, then breakup and with any luck, the hardened cockpit area and 5-point seat harness will help protect you in a roll. There's plenty of front crewmembers who have survived throughout aviation history, when passengers did not. Survivor's Guilt is a problem later, but at least they're alive.

Aviation's a risky business, but then again, so is driving on the road.

Second question: If it was overloaded would it go in tail first and leave the pilot as the survivor?

The balance and the weight are separate issues. However if the plane were loaded tail heavy it would tend to fly nose high, and might be so much so that it would stall. Not likely, but theoretically possible I suppose.

It doesn't cost any more to fly it with ten seats empty than it does with those ten seats full, even at a reduced fare.

It's more correct to say that the incremental cost of filling those 10 seats is much less than than the average cost per passenger. But it does cost just a little more to fill those seats. Extra fuel burned, not much but some. Extra drinks and peanuts or whatever. Again a trivial amount, but some.