Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Qantas 'scarebus' QF32 was a flying wreck
Herald Sun ^ | 12th November 2010

Posted on 11/11/2010 2:00:06 PM PST by naturalman1975

A QANTAS superjumbo was a flying wreck after an engine exploded shooting chunks of metal through fuel tanks and flight control systems.

.....

When it touched down the fuel systems were failing, the forward spar supporting the left wing had been holed and one of the jet's two hydraulic systems was knocked out and totally drained of fluid.

.....

"There was a wealth of experience in the cockpit, even the lowest ranked officer on board had thousands of hours of experience in his former role as a military flying instructor," said Capt Woodward, himself an A380 pilot on leave from Qantas.

.....

Investigators found shrapnel damage to the flaps, a huge hole in the upper surface of the left wing and a generator that was not working.

The crew could not shutdown the No. 1 engine using the fire switch.

As a result the engine's fire extinguishers could not be deployed.

Captain Richard de Crespigny, first officer Matt Hicks and Mark Johnson, the second officer, could not jettison the volume of fuel required for a safe emergency landing.

With more than 80 tonnes of highly volatile jet kerosene still in the 11 tanks -- two of which were leaking - they made an overweight and high speed approach to Changi Airport.

Without full hydraulics the spoilers - the hinged flaps on the front of the wings - could not be fully deployed to slow the jet.

The crew also had to rely on gravity for the undercarriage to drop and lock into place.

On landing they had no anti-skid brakes and could rely on only one engine for reverse thrust - needing all of the 4km runway at Changi to bring the jet to a stop.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...


TOPICS: Australia/New Zealand; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-50 next last
To: beebuster2000

Mistaken missile theory is much more plausible if this was the aircraft mistaken for a missile off of the SoCA coast.


21 posted on 11/11/2010 2:17:00 PM PST by Cvengr (Adversity in life and death is inevitable. Thru faith in Christ, stress is optional.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: naturalman1975

The only two safe modes of transportation today.Boeing and greyhound.


22 posted on 11/11/2010 2:17:02 PM PST by HANG THE EXPENSE (Life is tough.It's tougher when you're stupid.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Moonman62

Yes.
The engine might explode, but it shouldn’t transfer damage to the wing.


23 posted on 11/11/2010 2:17:53 PM PST by SJSAMPLE
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: The Magical Mischief Tour
The best safety device in any aircraft, is a well trained pilot... ?

So why are so many accidents due to "pilot error"? Is that just a way to whitewash away from the real cause of the problem?

24 posted on 11/11/2010 2:18:33 PM PST by Fractal Trader
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: naturalman1975
"Without full hydraulics the spoilers - the hinged flaps on the front of the wings - could not be fully deployed to slow the jet."

Those hinged flaps on the front of the wings are called "slats", not flaps and are activated aerodynamically, hydraulically, or mechanically. Spoilers come out of the top of the wing and look like small square posts to kill lift .... slats do not slow the jet, they help create a larger wing surface area (and work in conjunction with flaps) so the plane can fly slower when landing.

25 posted on 11/11/2010 2:22:07 PM PST by SkyDancer ("If You Don't Read The News You're Uninformed, If You Do Read The News You're Misinformed")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: naturalman1975

If it ain’t Boeing...I ain’t going!


26 posted on 11/11/2010 2:23:33 PM PST by Bobalu ( "Israel must be like a mad dog, too dangerous to bother." ..Moshe Dayan:)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Fractal Trader
So why are so many accidents due to "pilot error"? Is that just a way to whitewash away from the real cause of the problem?

I guess cause the explanation of "swamp gas" would be a bit over the top...

27 posted on 11/11/2010 2:27:47 PM PST by The Magical Mischief Tour
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: naturalman1975
"Without full hydraulics the spoilers - the hinged flaps on the front of the wings - could not be fully deployed to slow the jet."

Image Source,Photobucket Uploader Firefox Extension

28 posted on 11/11/2010 2:28:09 PM PST by SkyDancer ("If You Don't Read The News You're Uninformed, If You Do Read The News You're Misinformed")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: The Magical Mischief Tour
The best safety device in any aircraft, is a well trained pilot...

BUMP!
29 posted on 11/11/2010 2:32:07 PM PST by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: The Sons of Liberty
Boeing - built in America!

With Chinese parts!

30 posted on 11/11/2010 2:34:44 PM PST by Last Dakotan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: SkyDancer

Hey, these are the same reporters who refer to any semi-auto rifle as an “assault rifle.”


31 posted on 11/11/2010 2:35:47 PM PST by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: HANG THE EXPENSE

Boeing will be much better when they move all production to SC and other right to work states.


32 posted on 11/11/2010 2:42:40 PM PST by Frantzie (Imam Ob*m* & Democrats support the VICTORY MOSQUE & TV supports Imam)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: The Magical Mischief Tour
I also think that the fairly close proximity of a runway that can handle a 380 helped some. Could they have made it safely back if the plane was further along it's projected trip no matter how good the pilots are?
33 posted on 11/11/2010 2:43:26 PM PST by Hillarys Gate Cult
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Frantzie
Unfortunately subcontracted parts will still come from China, more and more every year.
34 posted on 11/11/2010 2:44:51 PM PST by Hillarys Gate Cult
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: Army Air Corps
Sort of like these?

Photobucket

35 posted on 11/11/2010 2:48:28 PM PST by SkyDancer ("If You Don't Read The News You're Uninformed, If You Do Read The News You're Misinformed")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: naturalman1975

Wasn’t that engine failure due to something penetrating it from the outside?


36 posted on 11/11/2010 2:50:04 PM PST by BenLurkin (This post is not a statement of fact. It is merely a personal opinion -- or humor -- or both)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SJSAMPLE

Well, you can hope to contain the debris, but as it exits out the back end of the motor, it’s going to go where physics sends it. The more debris you have traveling down the gaspath, the better the odds are that you’re going to rupture your case, and send debris out into the open. We had belly bands on the turbine sections of some of our motors, but that was more of a “feel good” kind of thing, than an actual means of protection.


37 posted on 11/11/2010 2:53:26 PM PST by Tennessee_Bob (A1C 6.3)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Frantzie

You betcha


38 posted on 11/11/2010 2:54:02 PM PST by HANG THE EXPENSE (Life is tough.It's tougher when you're stupid.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: naturalman1975
After this, does anyone really think we should go the road to airliners flown remotely?
Not me.
39 posted on 11/11/2010 2:55:23 PM PST by HereInTheHeartland (Vote like Obama is on the ballot)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Last Dakotan

And with possible ROP assemblers.


40 posted on 11/11/2010 3:26:49 PM PST by 353FMG (In the end, it will be either ISLAM or America -- it cannot be both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-50 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson