Some information from the 10 pm NTSB briefing in LEX:
Aircraft takeoff weight was 49,087 lbs. according to the load manifest.
The manufacturer calculates that 3539 feet are required to rotate at this weight.
Runway 26 lights have been inop for years and cannot be turned on by the tower.
Runway 22 centerline lights were OTS, the other lights on Runway 22 were reported on by a witness.
The FO was flying pilot.
Takeoff roll was 29 seconds.
A comment was made during the takeoff that the runway lights were out.
137 knots was the max airspeed attained.
The captain called '100 knots', 'rotate'.
No calls from ATC during the takeoff roll.
A team is out tonight taxiing a Comair RJ to see what the perpective was for the crew in the darkness. People are also in the tower to check visibilty of the taxiing plane.
Engines were turning, spoilers and T/R's were stowed, no evidence of braking.
The aircraft rolled off runway 26, left a trail of all three landing gear on the grass, went through the boundary fence, went up a berm and became airborne, cleared a barbed wire fence and hit a tree line. The wreckage was about 900 feet past the tree line.
The FO is still in critical condition and has not been interviewed.
The FDR had 51 hours of data, 33 flights.
Many of the investigators are going to CVG on Tuesday to interview management and pilots at Comair and to retrieve training and personnel records.
Last edited by Airbubba; 29th Aug 2006 at 04:04.