Congo Plane Crash
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Greensboro, NC USA
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Can't speak for crocodiles but how about land crabs? In mid fifties while working for Lockheed Air Service at KIDL as a line mechanic working midnight shift, we got call to meet a Trans Caribbean DC-6B. Report of problems in cabin. On arrival when door opened we noticed the pax bolted out of aircraft. There were only about a dozen or so, very light load for Trans Carib. Stewardesses also in a hurry to get out along with front end crew.
Seems one daft pax had come aboard in San Juan with two shopping bags which he stowed in the open overhead hat racks as we called them then.
Inflight, when about midway to New York the occupants of the bags, some very large land crabs, clawed their way out and started spilling out of the hat racks on to the seats below. Some panic ensued evidently but with a light load no problems with CG. The F/E killed a few but we found many more, including one large one coming down center aisle with apple core in one claw.
One can only wonder what would have happened with a full load (about 100 in Trans Caribs high density seating). Land crabs spilling onto seated pax would have fomented a stampede for sure and might have produced an unexplained crash into the Atlantic.
Seems one daft pax had come aboard in San Juan with two shopping bags which he stowed in the open overhead hat racks as we called them then.
Inflight, when about midway to New York the occupants of the bags, some very large land crabs, clawed their way out and started spilling out of the hat racks on to the seats below. Some panic ensued evidently but with a light load no problems with CG. The F/E killed a few but we found many more, including one large one coming down center aisle with apple core in one claw.
One can only wonder what would have happened with a full load (about 100 in Trans Caribs high density seating). Land crabs spilling onto seated pax would have fomented a stampede for sure and might have produced an unexplained crash into the Atlantic.
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RathereBeFlying has it true for my money. Story falls into journalistic category of "too good to check". I would have thought it would stall rather than spin if it had been C of G in the matter, and anyway, was there really a survivor? There will be no official report, btw.
Plane-wise, DRC recalls one of The Death Ship, by B Traven, terrific 1930s thriller about crocked ships sent out with desperate crews for the purpose solely of sinking and insurance being claimed.
Plane-wise, DRC recalls one of The Death Ship, by B Traven, terrific 1930s thriller about crocked ships sent out with desperate crews for the purpose solely of sinking and insurance being claimed.
Join Date: Apr 2002
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here's another newsarticle
the title makes it seem like the croc killed everyone, not the crash.... journalists!
personally, I think even a small croc would make me panic!
the title makes it seem like the croc killed everyone, not the crash.... journalists!
personally, I think even a small croc would make me panic!
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In Gambia, I once stood in a pit of 30 adult crocodiles, even stood astride a 12 footer.! I always regard it as the most stupid thing I ever did. Nobody believed me, until they saw the video that my wife shot!. Guy in charge said it was O.K to come down, so I did. More sensible now. Crocs on a plane! Scary!!Strange things happen in Africa.
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Reptile causes panic on plane......
.....a solo pilot had to exhibit self control while flying a competition glider in Italy a few years back, when a snake that had spent the night in the glider warmed up enough to slither over his legs.....
The ensuing radio transmissions went somewhat as follows: "There's a snake in my glider! what should I do? " He was advised to: (1) fly higher so it gets cold and goes back to sleep or passes out from lack of oxygen;
(2) look in its eyes to see if the pupils are round or eliptical, if round, it is not a poisonous snake, so no worries, you can finish the task (3) land as soon as possible! He chose option 3.
Preflight inspections the following day were carried out with unusual care.
The ensuing radio transmissions went somewhat as follows: "There's a snake in my glider! what should I do? " He was advised to: (1) fly higher so it gets cold and goes back to sleep or passes out from lack of oxygen;
(2) look in its eyes to see if the pupils are round or eliptical, if round, it is not a poisonous snake, so no worries, you can finish the task (3) land as soon as possible! He chose option 3.
Preflight inspections the following day were carried out with unusual care.
Snakes in Plane = Rodents in Plane
Excepting the case where they arrived in insecure baggage, snakes that show up in machinery are generally on the trail of rodents or bird nests.
Rodent urine is corrosive and there is also the possibility of hantavirus in some regions.
They also use fiber insulation or seat stuffing for nesting and chew insulation off wires
I've heard that Greeks and the Pueblo indians generally welcomed snakes around the house for rodent control.
One of my son's snakes sometimes disappeared between the walls for several weeks at a time. When I dismantled my upper kitchen I discovered a rodent apartment complex behind the valence above the wall cabinets. She liked to catch her own food
Rodent urine is corrosive and there is also the possibility of hantavirus in some regions.
They also use fiber insulation or seat stuffing for nesting and chew insulation off wires
I've heard that Greeks and the Pueblo indians generally welcomed snakes around the house for rodent control.
One of my son's snakes sometimes disappeared between the walls for several weeks at a time. When I dismantled my upper kitchen I discovered a rodent apartment complex behind the valence above the wall cabinets. She liked to catch her own food
The ensuing radio transmissions went somewhat as follows: "There's a snake in my glider! what should I do? " He was advised to: (1) fly higher so it gets cold and goes back to sleep or passes out from lack of oxygen;
(2) look in its eyes to see if the pupils are round or eliptical, if round, it is not a poisonous snake, so no worries, you can finish the task (3) land as soon as possible! He chose option 3.
(2) look in its eyes to see if the pupils are round or eliptical, if round, it is not a poisonous snake, so no worries, you can finish the task (3) land as soon as possible! He chose option 3.
I've tried this at the zoo but the snakes always avert their gaze.
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should we even be discussing this?
Next thing you know, we wont even be able to carry crocodiles on board anymore!
Sounds like a terror tactic to me.
@lomapaseo
Try to keep the trenchcoat closed 
Sounds like a terror tactic to me.
@lomapaseo
I've tried this at the zoo but the snakes always avert their gaze.
Originally Posted by Frangible
I would have thought it would stall rather than spin if it had been C of G in the matter...
At any rate, 19 people all moving to one end of an aeroplane of that size would not be good when flying at low speeds.
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C of G out of forward limits ...
means loss of elevator authority / increased longditudinal stability / pitch down possibly even the stalling of the tail surface itself.
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Crocs
I once went 'crocodile fishing' at a croc farm in Florida. For a few bucks they'd let you dangle sausages on the end of a long strain on the end of a pole.
Trust me, any croc larger than say three feet long is pretty much going to rip that pole out of your hands. We had all sizes of crocs there, and you soon learnt just how vicious and powerful even the 'little' ones were.
Trust me, any croc larger than say three feet long is pretty much going to rip that pole out of your hands. We had all sizes of crocs there, and you soon learnt just how vicious and powerful even the 'little' ones were.
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I once went 'crocodile fishing' at a croc farm in Florida. For a few bucks they'd let you dangle sausages on the end of a long strain on the end of a pole. Trust me, any croc larger than say three feet long is pretty much going to rip that pole out of your hands. We had all sizes of crocs there, and you soon learnt just how vicious and powerful even the 'little' ones were.
Of course crocs are vicious when you are feeding them.
Learning about animal behavior by studying feeding time at the zoo will give you a skewed view of all animals. A small crocodile's natural instinct when faced with a human being is to flee. Period. Of course, an airliner is by no means a natural environment for a croc and in that situation it's behavior is unpredictable. But I still find it totally unbelievable that this small animal, even in a panic, caused 19 mature people to flip out and run screaming down the aisle. The people in Africa are not such wimps.
I am now waiting for The Sun to get a hold of this story and have a picture of a crocodile, a temple, and Indiana Jones with a headline blaring, "Pilot of African Plane Sacrificed Helpless Passengers to Avatar of Shiva". 99% of PPRUNE members would accept it as the gospel truth.
I am now waiting for The Sun to get a hold of this story and have a picture of a crocodile, a temple, and Indiana Jones with a headline blaring, "Pilot of African Plane Sacrificed Helpless Passengers to Avatar of Shiva". 99% of PPRuNe members would accept it as the gospel truth.
Join Date: May 2004
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Mods ....
sadly for those killed. this "discussion" or part of it, should belong in JB now .. your call.. this is nothing to do with the facts or reasoned theories anymore.
People died here ... show some respect.
People died here ... show some respect.
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Just a point of interest. A three foot alligator or croc is very hard to hold even when you hold them the right way. I have held both. There is a way to hold/handle them and you try to keep them calm by being fairly relaxed but firm yourself but if they start to roll/wriggle, basically don't let go and kind of go with the movement a bit but hang on. Six foot, forget it! An Australian "salty" may run or move away from you if surprised but I wouldn't call it a scared animal. It will turn very quickly. If it were tied snout and feet you may get one into a large sort of bag but if it livened up life would get interesting. You can smell them, they have a slightly rank brackish "watery" sort of smell but among all the other odors often in aircraft in remote area operations you may not notice it.
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One poster claims he knows all about crocs running loose on a plane because he once fed one a hot dog at the zoo. Now the latest is the Steve Irwin wannabe who knows all about crocs running loose on a plane because he once wrestled one in the Wingecarribee swamp.
Our descent into farce is complete.
Did it ever?
Our descent into farce is complete.
this is nothing to do with the facts or reasoned theories anymore.