PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Help researching 1961 Electra crash
View Single Post
Old 11th Mar 2016, 17:22
  #55 (permalink)  
G0ULI
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Norfolk
Age: 67
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The cable binding kept the right aileron raised into the airflow over the wing by six degrees, effectively commanding full right wing down. The cable remained snagged until the aircraft hit either the power cables or the embankment. The shock of impact on the wing structure released or forced the snag to run free. Unfortunately that was too late to save the aircraft, but it would have removed the wing down aileron input and could help account for the aircraft seeming to level before the primary ground contact by the fuselage.

So a combination of factors were likely at work, a sudden release of the fouled aileron cable, loss of the wing tip, two ton weight reduction by loss of engine four, and some inertial kick from propeller strikes as the engine broke away from the wing. All of these factors seem to have acted to reduce the bank angle combined with the pilot's control inputs.

But, I don't see anything that indicates that the pilots were directly able to influence or affect the ultimate outcome. As Megan pointed out, once the cable broke, they were simply along for the ride.

Every indication is that this crash was inevitable and although chance most likely moderated the bank angle before the fuselage hit the ground, it was just that, sheer luck.

What is apparent is that the pilots flew the aircraft to the best of their ability all the way to the ground. They didn't give up, even though they doubtless knew that their efforts would be futile. Can't ask for any more than that.
G0ULI is offline