View Full Version : Delta off the taxiway in Atlanta
Voodoo 3
13th Mar 2012, 11:30
Sky News just reporting a Delta 737 off the taxiway at KATL. Pictures looks like its rolled down a slight bank but should be recoverable.
Any other news on how it happened?
111boy
13th Mar 2012, 11:45
On BBC news it say's only crew onboard, testing the brakes apparently. The newreader has just wondered out loud what the conclusion might be...
Desert Dawg
13th Mar 2012, 12:17
The aircraft looks undamaged at first glance... If the LG is not damaged, they may be able to winch it back up the slope, or lift it with a crane and put it back on the taxi way or apron.
No big deal in my opinion :p
ozsmac
13th Mar 2012, 12:25
Seems like a fairly sigificant angle, hope all are safe and no carpet dancing ensues.
Overhead Bin - Delta 737 rolls off taxiway into embankment at Atlanta airport; no passengers on board (http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/13/10665856-delta-737-rolls-off-taxiway-into-embankment-at-atlanta-airport-no-passengers-on-board)
Lonewolf_50
13th Mar 2012, 12:35
Are wheels usually chocked for engine tests, or does one taxi during various engine tests?
misd-agin
13th Mar 2012, 13:56
Guess we'll have to modify the old saying -
Fuel in the truck
Colonel as a navigator
Airspace above you
Taxiway behind you
Airbubba
13th Mar 2012, 14:11
The brake failure during a maintenance test is an all too familiar story. I can readily think of incidents in the past with the 727 at ANC and EWR. And, of course, the infamous A340 incident at Toulouse.
CNN just had a live web page feed of the recovery efforts. The resolution was not that great but it appears a crew is attempting to secure lines to the landing gear to tow the plane back up onto the taxiway. A larger crew of supervisors is watching at the edge of the hill.
stepwilk
13th Mar 2012, 15:29
testing the brakes apparently...
I believe they were doing some sort of engine testing, not brakes. The "tested" the brakes when they tried to stop the roll from increased thrust, and the brakes supposedly didn't work. At least that's their story.
ferrydude
13th Mar 2012, 16:29
"I thought you turned the hydraulics on". :confused:
Airbubba
13th Mar 2012, 16:52
"I thought you turned the hydraulics on".
The 727 had a famous gotcha where the normal brakes were on the B system which had electric pumps. There was a ground interconnect with the engine pump driven A hydraulic system. If you somehow lost electric power with the ground interconnect closed (several ways for this to happen with gen trips, transition to APU and it quits etc.) you would have to remember that safety wired handle for the air bottle to apply brakes if accumulator braking was not enough. Or, something like this, it's been a while.:)
Do the late model '73's still have these two legacy hydraulic systems?
ShyTorque
13th Mar 2012, 18:11
One of them did say he needed to drive down the bank first thing this morning....
Airbubba
13th Mar 2012, 19:04
Some more pictures here:
Gallery | Delta jet runs off taxiway at Hartsfield-Jackson | ajc.com (http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/metro/atlanta/delta-taxiway-031312/)
That left engine looks like it will need a little repair...
cldrvr
13th Mar 2012, 20:37
That'll buff right out.
maxred
13th Mar 2012, 20:43
Did someone forget to bring the biscuits..........:\
grounded27
13th Mar 2012, 21:19
MPA runs can be dangerous as I suspect this is what they were doing. They may have had the aircraft pointed into the wind for this purpose as opposed to inline with the taxiway. Just my bit of specutlation but a wet taxiway, brakes set, light weight aircraft, opposing engine set to 60% N1, tested engine advances to max N1. The aircraft breaks away and you can not spool down quick enough to regain control.
Noah Zark.
13th Mar 2012, 22:36
Looking at the pictures above suggests that it may be quite possible that the engines chewed quite a bit of FOD as they munched their way down the embankment.
RobertS975
13th Mar 2012, 22:45
The jet has been removed from the slope using a crane with a sling under the forward section. A spokesman for DL reported stated that the aircraft will "undergo a thorough mechanical inspection". You think? :rolleyes:
Many moons ago at LGW and a brake test on a 1-11 engineer at controls, pilot sitting in cabin.
Trouble was they were taxiing into a headwind and guess what happened?
It was an uphill struggle I can tell you for that pilot (couldn't have happened to a better bloke!) to get into the cockpit and do a very very quick circuit and land the thing.
It was rumoured that it ran out of fuel on the landing run but I can't confirm that.