PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - New Clues deepen AA587 Crash Mystery
View Single Post
Old 17th Nov 2001, 19:25
  #88 (permalink)  
bugg smasher
quidquid excusatio prandium pro
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: New York
Posts: 349
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Post

Few Cloudy,

The JAL 747 you refer to did lose portions of its vertical stab, but the primary problem caused by the aft pressure bulkhead blowing was the rupture of the hydraulic lines of all four systems and subsequent total fluid loss. The aircraft did remain airborne for over 30 minutes, the crew had differential thrust for roll control and alternate flap extension for pitch control. For some reason they were not able to steer it away from mountainous terrain. It is a difficult business, but most crews after some practice in the sim are able to bring it home. This unfortunate crew, I believe, were the first to encounter it.

There were 24 survivors of that accident, there should have been many more. In a remarkably shameful display of bureaucratic bungling, the Japanese authorities decided that a crash into mountains is simply not survivable, and so went home to bed. The aircraft impacted the mountain side at approximately 6:30 pm, the first rescue teams arrived at around six the next morning. All the survivors were in reasonably good condition, they would have had to be in order to survive the night.
bugg smasher is offline