DC-9 Runs Amok At Venezuelan Airport

[Brian Abraham]

There were apparently no serious injuries but it looks like it might be awhile before an Aserca Airlines DC-9 is back in service after a bizarre accident at Simon Bolivar Airport in Maiquetia, Venezuela, last week. According to the aviation Web site volarenvenezuela.com,the aircraft apparently left a hangar with both engines running and crossed a runway and a taxiway before coming to rest with at least part of its gear collapsed in the infield. Details are sketchy but the report says whoever was at the controls was unable to turn or brake the aircraft.

[sevenstrokeroll]

did someone forget the bypass pin, or forget to turn the hydraluic pumps on/high/on?

[RetroFire]

You mean this fellow here? Apparantly "the brakes failed" and the a/c has been declared a loss. Aux/Alternate And Egine driven hydraulic pumps forgotten? Wouldn't be the first time (checklist?)

[acbus1]

whoever was at the controls was unable to turn or brake the aircraft.

.....or use chocks?

.....or select idle thrust, if greater thrust selected already?

.....or shut down the engines*?

.....or deploy thrust reversers (if functioning)?

.....or then use reverse thrust (assuming functioning)?

.....or engage brain?

.....or have any excuse?

.....or have any right to be at the controls?

(Ignoring obvious systems malfunction or misuse, of course. Action * would work, regardless and would be an immediate reaction to nil steering or brakes.)

The culprit should be made to restore the poor machine to pristine working order.

.....all by his/her self.

.....in their own time.

.....at their own expense.

.....before receiving their P45.

.....prior to their lobotomy.

PS - Is there "emergency" braking backup on a DC9? I'm not familiar. I guess it needs charged accumulators, or something?

[segajet]

Funny way of resigning

[Desert Diner]

Sometimes its a case of who you know as opposed to what you know.

[JVMANDA]

No Checklist

AT THAT MOMENT TWO MECHANICS WHERE AT THE CONTROLS, THEY WERE GOING TO TAXY IT FROM THE HANGAR BACK TO THE TERMINAL, RETURNING IT FROM SERVICE, THE PIN WAS STILL INSTALLED, AND THE PUMPS WERE OFF, THE AIRCRAFT IS WRITTEN OFF

IT WAS A GOOD AIRCRAFT,
REGARDS TO ALL

[JVMANDA]

At That Moment Two Mechanics Where At The Controls, They Were Going To Taxy It From The Hangar Back To The Terminal, Returning It From Service, The Pin Was Still Installed, And The Pumps Were Off, The Aircraft Is Written Off

The Poor Guys Just Panic And Just Stood There Wathching It Going Into The Ditch. They In Did Shutdown The Engines, But Obviusly Did Not Work, They Were Going Down Hill.

Regards

[Larry in TN]

I Dont Know If The Maintenance Personel Is Trained On The Use Of The Emergency Brake Lever Which Is At Bottom Of The Captains Instrument Panel

On what model(s) DC9 would that be?

[Ignition Override]

I flew a DC-9 tonight.

There is NO emergency brake lever etc , at least in any planes that I've flown since '85. Right, since '85. The parking brake lever is on the left side shelf by the steering wheel. As stated by others, if all engines are running, L/R AC and DC buses, and all Aux/Alt and Eng. hydraulic pumps are On/High with normal press/enough fluid, accumulators might give you 3-5 cycles if selector lever in Both (except on a -10 series) via both foot pedal brakes.

What a waste to see a decent airplane grounded or sent to the 'French Guillotine' in the Mojave Desert (or to Marana near Tucson).

[JVMANDA]

It's an old 30's series, MY MISTAKE, there is no emergency brake lever.
sorry.

[sevenstrokeroll]

emergency brake lever? please tell me which DC9 series had that?

even with the "pin" installed on the nose gear, putting the hydraulic pumps on/hi/on would have given brakes and thrust reversers.

there is a hydraluic bypass under the wing with a long red warning banner, but I don't think that was the case here.

what a shame...there never was a DC9 that I didn't like.

now on the 30 there was a brake selector in the top part of the instrument panel in front of the captain and it could preserve half of the brakes on each wheel if there was a hydraulic leak, but wouldn't have helped here.

and yes there are accumulators for brakes and thrust reversers.

Whatever happened to the idea, check the brakes as soon as you move on initial taxi?

[swineherd22]

Woo! Deja vu!

Mechanics taxiing the a/c? Remember this Saudi 747?

[Ranger 1]

Its time they banned these drainage ditches on airfileds, it appears they not only attracting birds but are now an attraction for aircraft

[ant1]

I would think the required crew should be at his/their station(s) to taxi (as opposed to tow) an aircraft, am I wrong?