non sched
8th Jun 2004, 12:33
The nose of a cargo plane being unloaded at Los Angeles International Airport suddenly tipped 40 feet off the ground Thursday because a stabilizing jack wasn't placed beneath the rear of the aircraft, authorities said.
Seven stranded workers had to be rescued by a Fire Department ladder truck.
Investigators said a jack was supposed to have been placed under the rear of the aircraft to stabilize it during unloading through a cargo door at the front of the World Cargo MD-11, airport spokeswoman Nancy Castles said.
"As soon as they took whatever it was out of the back of the plane, the weight shifted and the plane just went back on its tail,' said Bob Collis, a fire spokesman.
The uninjured workers were rescued after about an hour by firefighters using a ladder truck, he said. Television footage showed a conveyor belt crushed under the plane's tail.
The accident involving the MD- 11 World Airways cargo plane happened around 3:15 a.m. at the airport's cargo complex, away from regular airport traffic.
Collis said the same thing happened to another MD-11 in January 2002 in Sydney, Australia.
Airport officials may have to use a crane to right the plane, Collis said.
A message left at the Peachtree City, Ga.-based World Airways was not immediately returned Thursday.
: Associated Press
:uhoh: :ouch:
The article is wrong in two respects. MD-11\'s don\'t need a "jack" on the tail and the cargo was removed from the front of the aircraft first shifting the CG aft. Other than that, the article is sort of accurate!:rolleyes:
Seven stranded workers had to be rescued by a Fire Department ladder truck.
Investigators said a jack was supposed to have been placed under the rear of the aircraft to stabilize it during unloading through a cargo door at the front of the World Cargo MD-11, airport spokeswoman Nancy Castles said.
"As soon as they took whatever it was out of the back of the plane, the weight shifted and the plane just went back on its tail,' said Bob Collis, a fire spokesman.
The uninjured workers were rescued after about an hour by firefighters using a ladder truck, he said. Television footage showed a conveyor belt crushed under the plane's tail.
The accident involving the MD- 11 World Airways cargo plane happened around 3:15 a.m. at the airport's cargo complex, away from regular airport traffic.
Collis said the same thing happened to another MD-11 in January 2002 in Sydney, Australia.
Airport officials may have to use a crane to right the plane, Collis said.
A message left at the Peachtree City, Ga.-based World Airways was not immediately returned Thursday.
: Associated Press
:uhoh: :ouch:
The article is wrong in two respects. MD-11\'s don\'t need a "jack" on the tail and the cargo was removed from the front of the aircraft first shifting the CG aft. Other than that, the article is sort of accurate!:rolleyes: