Interesting to know what airspeed at point of hail encounter; anything of significance showing up on radar; if so, what scale and tilt was radar on; what altitude of hail event. Much can be learned from encounters such as these.
The weather was appalling at the time. I was on the ground and couldn't believe it when I saw these two aircraft on approach. The weather was as extreme as it gets even by summer storm standards. there was heavy large hail, that these aircraft were damaged is no suprise to anyone on the ground. It is regrettable that this information was not absorbed by the crews.
The hailshowers this time of year in the BGY area are amazing, with stones the size of golfballs bouncing off the ground! I hate to think what effect it would have on an aircraft flying through one of these showers, but now I suppose we found out.
Too much hail and water in the engines causing compressor stalls and eventual destruction of the high-pressure turbines in both engines. Admittedly a DC9 rather than a 737.
Southern Airways Flight 242 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Too much hail and water in the engines causing compressor stalls and eventual destruction of the high-pressure turbines in both engines. Admittedly a DC9 rather than a 737.
it was the high pressure compressor that failed first
Yes, sorry, that's what happens when I type too fast and the brain assigns the wrong (but almost-relevant) word.. The problem was repeated compressor stalls and instead of throttling back to give the engines a chance to recover, they tried to wind up the power because ATC told them they were too low.
Guys , forecasts , wx radar ( the red and magenta bits ) and common sense ! If the crew had never heard that the Southern Alps ( manily Italy ) have some of the nastiest cb / hail events in the world , then they know now. In this day and age , this event should never happen. Still , they were probably on time , pax in correct place , so thats allright then !!
Guys , forecasts , wx radar ( the red and magenta bits ) and common sense !
As is nearly always the case, it isn't quite as simple as that. Under certain conditions hail can be of a low reflectivity and so not show up as anything hazardous.
From Telstar The weather was appalling at the time. I was on the ground and couldn't believe it when I saw these two aircraft on approach. The weather was as extreme as it gets even by summer storm standards. there was heavy large hail, that these aircraft were damaged is no suprise to anyone on the ground. It is regrettable that this information was not absorbed by the crews.
I would think it is more to do with these low cost outfits not upsetting their schedules and incurring diversion costs. Another carrier like British Airways would not be impressed if their Flight Crews severely damaged aircraft attempting to land in weather that was clearly unsuitable for an approach.
What about windshear in such conditions? Are lessons never learned by some Flight Crew?
Tea coffee or me. I've seen some daft posts on this site and yours ranks among them.
It has nothing to do with low cost airlines or Big Airways aside, If you catch a hail storm by surprise, you're in it like it or not and if your on approach you cant just throttle out and get away. Landing 55 tons on decent and pulling away in hail would be like turning the QE2 round in the Manchester Chip Canal, with the wieght and inertia.
I took off on the jump seat many years ago from an island called Mitalinni and as we rounded the mountain of departure hit this hail storm head on and the golfballs were stacking up on the F/o's screen. It was one of those moments and it happens, plane damaged but made it home. Did we do anything wrong, No right place, wrong time.
That was with a full service charter airline.
To say that low costs would do it intentionally is demeaning and crass to say the least and one day you maybe pushing your trolley down the aisle of one, you never know!
Don't be so snooty please, BA are just as bad as the rest, I know I've worked for them and repaired the damage that results.
Anyone remember that great photo of a AV8B Harrier in Mike Wicksons met bible? Apart from the awful damage it also proves that our military brethren also get caught out; low cost outfit? Not.
Lets be humble and learn from this.
Last edited by Bucket : 22nd August 2008 at 02:06.
2 separate carriers, 2 sets of crew and both suffered. 1 crew can make a daft decision but because they both got hit, makes me think something more was going on.
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