NEWSFLASH - possible mid-air explosion over Stratford, NZ
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I suspect there is a chance that there may have been dangerous goods on board that contributed to the cause....??? Metros dont just catch fire in mid air for no reason. Very puzzled...
Thoughts go out to the family of the crew.
Thoughts go out to the family of the crew.
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Sincere condolences to friends and family of crew, also the ATC, and the people at Airwork.
I know what you are going through, I feel for you terribly. This morning I watched our guys go off in Metros and prayed for them and all the other pilots flying that the same thing won't happen to them...
RIP
Sky
I know what you are going through, I feel for you terribly. This morning I watched our guys go off in Metros and prayed for them and all the other pilots flying that the same thing won't happen to them...
RIP
Sky
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Condolances to all concerned.....I knew Tony from a few years back...one hell of nice guy, evil sense of humour with his students....he will be sadly missed by many I am sure.
H
H
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Gut-wrenching.
Also had Tony as instructor for my CPL and MEIR. He was a very talented instructor. Top bloke and indeed great sense of humour. Sincere condolences to families and all concerned.
Also had Tony as instructor for my CPL and MEIR. He was a very talented instructor. Top bloke and indeed great sense of humour. Sincere condolences to families and all concerned.
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It's when heart breaking news like this reaches us over here on the other side of the world that we feel so far from home. No matter how far the distance though, our thoughts and hearts are with the families of these two fellow aviators.
Tony was a wonderful guy, adored by his students, respected by his colleagues but most of all he is loved by those of us lucky enough to call him our friend. He will be missed forever but never forgotten.
Tony was a wonderful guy, adored by his students, respected by his colleagues but most of all he is loved by those of us lucky enough to call him our friend. He will be missed forever but never forgotten.
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Latest news this morning is that according to the investigators the fire did not originate in the freight compartment or inside the aircraft. That means undeclared DGs or even a bomb, can probably be discounted.
Whatever it was must have happened quickly as there were no radio calls made (verified by other Airwork flight on the frequency at the time)
Sympathies to all involved.
Whatever it was must have happened quickly as there were no radio calls made (verified by other Airwork flight on the frequency at the time)
Sympathies to all involved.
Join Date: Apr 2001
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Was there lightning in the area? Metros are prone to having a complete electrical failure in some cases. Lightning strike, blinded vision, complete electrical failure and CB flight path upset?
You would think a straight engine fire would allow time for a Mayday call.
You would think a straight engine fire would allow time for a Mayday call.
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But an uncontained engine failure probably wouldn't, if the engine exploded and sent shrapnel into a wing tank, there might not have been time for anything. Remember witnesses reported a loud bang and a fireball.
I didn't see the area forecast that night, but the TV weather didn't mention thunderstorms, and they generally do if there is anything at all on the weather radar.
All conjecture of course... should wait for the report that will be issued about a year from now...
I didn't see the area forecast that night, but the TV weather didn't mention thunderstorms, and they generally do if there is anything at all on the weather radar.
All conjecture of course... should wait for the report that will be issued about a year from now...
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Would people hear and see an explosion that occurred at 22,000? (heavy rain in area?). It sounded like it was quite low when they witnessed the sound and fire ball. The engine is forward of the wing so an uncontained failure would most likely penetrate the fuselage not the wing tanks. The engine failure / fire situation does not explain why the ATC transponder stopped at 19000.
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Kev, noticed that too, the gear down in the photo. Perhaps an engine fire which spread to the wing, emergency descent conducted, but with low level explosion, which would account for the fuselage being in one location and residents seeing and hearing it. All speculation of course. A friend of mine told me of a wing fire he had in a Metro years ago in Canada and he was able to dumbell back onto the runway, just made it to a stop when the wing burnt thru. He told me of a mate of his who elected to do the circuit to land into wind, but the wing burnt thru during the turn onto finals. I am not sure if the Metro has any fire detection/protection? I don't think it does, but any Metro drivers out there care to confirm?
R.I.P guys
Nosey
R.I.P guys
Nosey
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engine and wing overheat detection yes, never flew one with bottles.....wing overheat could be either wheelwell, or bleed duct in leading edge.....Metro II had battery explode, causing wing explosion/separation over lake Erie USA years ago, also quite sure the Metro in Canada lost the wing very short finals and landed upside down on the runway....I had an engine fire in a metro circa 1988 which produced no indications whatsoever..airplane was new 60 hrs TT!!! fuel nozzle manifold defective weld....hope they sort this out...the recent engine change on this one might be a clue...but with gear extented I might suspect a "wing overheat" indication....
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The CVR/FDR went to CBR today. Hopefully some meaningful data will get extracted, then we will know whether the crew carried out the memory items for "Wheelwell/Wing Overheat." Certainly, if all landing gears were found in the down and locked position, and the gear handle also down, it would add credence to the theory that the gear was deliberately selected down! We will have to wait and see, but that should not be too hard to figure out.
Someone correct me, I am working from memory (can't find my old Metro manuals) but memory items for wheelwell overheat warning was/is Landing Gear DOWN, bleed (on the affected side) OFF, and time for ?30 sec, and for wing overheat we added Generator (affected side) OFF as well.
Arctaurus (arcturus?), your question sounds like a typical journo trawl (not a criticism, only an observation), because it is impossible to answer, except to say that if there were any "known structural issues" as you say, the aircraft would not be certified to operate. I think I know what you are trying to ask, and if you try again, you might get a more productive answer. Suffice to say though, that if there were "unknown structural issues" then we wouldn't know about them!
Also, condolences to all concerned. Walked past the Airwork hangar today on way to work, and stopped and spared a thought for our friends and colleagues inside.
dh
Someone correct me, I am working from memory (can't find my old Metro manuals) but memory items for wheelwell overheat warning was/is Landing Gear DOWN, bleed (on the affected side) OFF, and time for ?30 sec, and for wing overheat we added Generator (affected side) OFF as well.
Arctaurus (arcturus?), your question sounds like a typical journo trawl (not a criticism, only an observation), because it is impossible to answer, except to say that if there were any "known structural issues" as you say, the aircraft would not be certified to operate. I think I know what you are trying to ask, and if you try again, you might get a more productive answer. Suffice to say though, that if there were "unknown structural issues" then we wouldn't know about them!
Also, condolences to all concerned. Walked past the Airwork hangar today on way to work, and stopped and spared a thought for our friends and colleagues inside.
dh
Last edited by deadhead; 5th May 2005 at 11:07.
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Certainly, if all landing gears were found in the down and locked position, and the gear handle also down, it would add credence to the theory that the gear was deliberately selected down!