View Full Version : Challener 604 and MU-2 crash
Kagamuga
13th Oct 2000, 01:13
Over the last few days an MU-2 has crashed at Martha's Vineyard and a Challenger 604 has gone down after takeoff killing all on board.
Seems to me unless your a Kennedy or such like it does not seem to rate too highly on the news.
[This message has been edited by Kagamuga (edited 12 October 2000).]
Dragshoot
13th Oct 2000, 22:31
Heard the Challenger 604 was involved in flight testing out of Wichita and was a very non-standard aircraft.
If true, remember these guys do a tremendous amount of work to allow the rest of us to fly safe.
God Bless.
Latte tester
15th Oct 2000, 00:30
The 604 was involved in on going flight testing, as for it being non-standard, I beg to differ. The only thing non standard about the jet was the abundance of test gear and water ballast tanks -- it was a 604. The crash killed one of the pilots, Bryan Irelan and the flight test engineer, Dave Riggs. The other pilot Eric Fiore is in critical condition in a Wichita hospital.
A horrific crash, and I lost two more friends, they will be sadly missed.
MU-2s are death traps - supposedly 40% of those built have crashed. Small wing area leading to marginal/appalling engine-out performance is apparently the common thread.
delphi
17th Oct 2000, 00:34
MU-2 are known as (not PC) widow-makers. Need I say more......
gaunty
17th Oct 2000, 16:38
604? now a brilliant aircraft will be fascinated to see what the accident report brings. A sad reminder that some days it's just better to stay in bed. That saying, born in Vietnam, "sh$t happens", was never truer.
MU2? well anyone who flys in one of those is one of the last of the hardbitten thrillseekers.