Originally Posted by
spuis
The same problem was seen with the Airfrance A340 last year. a clear area instead of a ditch would have made a big difference. (luckily no injuries there!)
. . .Spuis
Not to take the thread off course, but there were in fact some serious injuries including the Captain. My understanding is that his seat actually came adrift during the accident sequence and he suffered back and head injuries but cannot confirm this as fact from any report thus far available.
The "ditch" at the western end of the 24's was actually a ravine/gulley that had been filled in after another overrun accident in 1978 I believe involving a DC9-32. That aircraft literally "flew" over the edge and pancaked into the gulley...fortunately, no fire. The gulley may be filled in, but the Air France A340 was less than a fuselage-length away from the cement bases upon which the approach lighting towers were mounted...the towers themselves may be frangible but there is nothing frangible about cement.
Sorry for the slight thread-drift.