I really think that
my original comment about selecting CRW as an emergency airport was meant to make people think.
think twice about where you go...you may take a near disaster and turn it into a full fledged disaster.
I've landed the DC9 at CRW many times. In all weather. No one I ever flew with was casual about a landing or takeoff from this airport. We planted it and got into reverse pronto...but using brakes as needed...you see if you were on a quick turn and your brakes were hot, you might sacrifice abort performance on a quick takeoff.
There are many things a really good pilot should be considering at all times.
KPIT is about 140 miles from CRW...about 20 minutes more flying time...I might have gone there...better runways, better CFR, some of the best hospitals in the world, and perhaps most importantly...BETTER PIZZA in the vicinity of the airport (kidding). Time critical...sure go to CRW...or even HTS.
With structural failure, I might have done a slower descent too!
and Wiley...the rivers of america are amazing. I've seen big ships there just as you have. Heck, aircraft carriers have gone to chicago for gosh's sake!~
so again, good job to the crew...but now we are just talking, thinking about ''what if'' for our own use in the future.
If I thought a plane was coming apart, I wouldn't hesitate to land on a stretch of interstate...it is said that every 50 miles along the interstate, there is at least a 5000' straight patch that could serve as a runway.
Indeed, many european nations have plans to use their freeways/autobahns as runways during war emergency.