Comair CRJ crash in Kentucky
 

Just breaking.......apparently a "medium" sized passenger plane has crashed in Lexington Kentucky airport. Anyone have any further info????

Apparently 80 people on board.

flyerire.

Comair (Delta feeder) flight from Lexington to Atlanta, GA. Canadair RJ. Delta flight 5191.

Crashed one mile from departure end or runway. Weather VFR.

Reports of over 50 fatalities.

My prayers are with them.

Local TV coverage....

http://www.wkyt.com/

http://www.wlextv.com/

http://www.wtvq.com/

Weather wasn't remarkable:

KLEX 271054Z 22008KT 8SM FEW047 BKN060 OVC090 23/20 A3002 RMK AO2 RAB12E51 SLP154 P0001 T02330200

KLEX 270954Z 20007KT 8SM FEW090 SCT120 24/19 A3000 RMK AO2 SLP147 T02390194

Airport diagram here:

http://download.aopa.org/ustprocs/20...ms/00697AD.PDF

There is initial media speculation that the aircraft may have done the takeoff roll on runway 26, only 3500 feet long.

The crash scene appears to be west of the airport and TV feeds show emergency vehicles on Versailles (VER-SAILS) Road next to horse fencing typical of the area.

Sole survivor is said to be a man now in critical condition at a local hospital. Comair will give a press conference at 10:00 EDT.

This has been mentioned on another forum - Shouldn't take too long to establish whether or not that was the case.

Survivor reported to be in critical condition. I hope he/she pulls through.

http://lexington.airporthotelguide.com/map.html

Just seen footage of emergency vehicles on SKy - at intersection of Rice and Versailles. Also reports that a/c intact at point of crash which suggests it didn't get airborne. Does begin to support the 26 departure theory.

The aircraft took off around 6:07am, while it was still dark. The weather information is somewhat confusing at this point. Some information says the conditions were mostly clear with some clounds. Others indicate that there were light showers (with fog and haze) in the vicinity with small thunderstorms developing southwest of Lexington. One archived weather radar image from a local TV station showed a small thunderstorm southwest of the airport, in the general direction of the extended runway centerline for 22, however the storm looked several miles out from the airport. The crash occurred about mile from the runway. I undestand the takeoff was to the west, but I don't know if they used 22 or 26, however 26 is only 3500 feet long, so my guess would be they used 22, which is 7000 feet long.

One survivor is being reported, a male in critical condition.

Yep, that would be the field right off the end of runway 26.

MSNBC is reporting that the survivor may be one of the pilots or the jumpseat rider.

Boy you guys are fast. Yes, Rice and Versailles is off the end of 26. A crash off the end of 22 would has put them near Parkers Mill Rd and Dedman Rd. Can this aircraft takeoff of 26? It was fully loaded with 47 passengers and 3 crew.

Someone will know the exact distance required for a CRJ 200, but Comair are under FAR Part 121, and the good book says Runway 26 was probably not a conscious option:

Sec. 121.189 - Airplanes: Turbine engine powered: Takeoff limitations.

(a) No person operating a turbine engine powered airplane may take off that airplane at a weight greater than that listed in the Airplane Flight Manual for the elevation of the airport and for the ambient temperature existing at takeoff.

(b) No person operating a turbine engine powered airplane certificated after August 26, 1957, but before August 30, 1959 (SR422, 422A), may take off that airplane at a weight greater than that listed in the Airplane Flight Manual for the minimum distances required for takeoff. In the case of an airplane certificated after September 30, 1958 (SR422A, 422B), the takeoff distance may include a clearway distance but the clearway distance included may not be greater than 1/2 of the takeoff run.

(c) No person operating a turbine engine powered airplane certificated after August 29, 1959 (SR422B), may take off that airplane at a weight greater than that listed in the Airplane Flight Manual at which compliance with the following may be shown:

(1) The accelerate-stop distance must not exceed the length of the runway plus the length of any stopway.

(2) The takeoff distance must not exceed the length of the runway plus the length of any clearway except that the length of any clearway included must not be greater than one-half the length of the runway.

(3) The takeoff run must not be greater than the length of the runway.

(d) No person operating a turbine engine powered airplane may take off that airplane at a weight greater than that listed in the Airplane Flight Manual --

(1) In the case of an airplane certificated after August 26, 1957, but before October 1, 1958 (SR422), that allows a takeoff path that clears all obstacles either by at least (35+0.01D) feet vertically (D is the distance along the intended flight path from the end of the runway in feet), or by at least 200 feet horizontally within the airport boundaries and by at least 300 feet horizontally after passing the boundaries; or

(2) In the case of an airplane certificated after September 30, 1958 (SR 422A, 422B), that allows a net takeoff flight path that clears all obstacles either by a height of at least 35 feet vertically, or by at least 200 feet horizontally within the airport boundaries and by at least 300 feet horizontally after passing the boundaries.

(e) In determining maximum weights, minimum distances, and flight paths under paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section, correction must be made for the runway to be used, the elevation of the airport, the effective runway gradient, the ambient temperature and wind component at the time of takeoff, and, if operating limitations exist for the minimum distances required for takeoff from wet runways, the runway surface condition (dry or wet). Wet runway distances associated with grooved or porous friction course runways, if provided in the Airplane Flight Manual, may be used only for runways that are grooved or treated with a porous friction course (PFC) overlay, and that the operator determines are designed, constructed, and maintained in a manner acceptable to the Administrator.

(f) For the purposes of this section, it is assumed that the airplane is not banked before reaching a height of 50 feet, as shown by the takeoff path or net takeoff flight path data (as appropriate) in the Airplane Flight Manual, and thereafter that the maximum bank is not more than 15 degrees.

(g) For the purposes of this section the terms, takeoff distance, takeoff run, net takeoff flight path and takeoff path have the same meanings as set forth in the rules under which the airplane was certificated.

[Doc. No. 6258, 29 FR 19198, Dec. 31, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 121-268, 63 FR 8321, Feb. 18, 1998]

Assume the aircraft is a CRJ-200. According to Bombarier, the CRJ-200ER in SL ISA conditions, requires 5800 feet at MTOW. This aircraft had to be near MTOW with 47 passengers and 3 crew on board.

Well apparently FDR and CVR recovered. Images I'm seeing on TV show a sparsely-wooded area some distance off the end of the runway, with some trees between the runway and the crash site with their *tops* lopped-off. So they evidently got into the air.

R1

04 departure would be unlikely as winds were from the SW at the time at about 10 kts.

A CRJ at this sort of weight would require 4000-5000ft (less if it was a -700 but I don't think it was).

Just for local background, there was another fatal jet crash on Versailles Road four years ago:

http://www.enquirer.com/editions/200...es_at_end.html

the sole surviour is the first officer he is in critical condition the next press conference is at 5pm est so let us be patient here and stop slagging any one off

no one is trying to place blame...

if a takeoff was made on the short runway, questions about pilot fatigue, procedures (checking compass on runway lineup) airport markings, signage and so forth come to mind.

no one wanted this crash, but we must prevent another with speaking out about things like fatigue/crew rest/ stand up over nights etc

jon

The local NBC television station in Lexington (and several other news sources) are reporting that the aircraft definitely took off from runway 26. The crash site is located less than a mile from the end of runway 26, south of Versailles Rd. The lcation of the crash site indicates that the takeoff could not have been from either 4 or 22, without large turns back to the airport being made prior to the crash.

Other information:

There was a local rain storm right over Fort Spring at 6:08am, just west of the airport on Versailles Rd (also named HWY 60). There is speculation of a microburst from this storm.

Other reports indicate the aircraft was cleared for takeoff on runway 22, not 26. A takeoff from 22 would have avoided the storm (going well south of it), but not a takeoff from 26. Again, runway 26 is only 3500 feet long.

From the Naval Observatory for Lexington KY on Aug 27th: civil twilight - 6:36am, sunrise - 7:03am. There have been some reports of fog in the area at the time of the accident, which was at 6:08am.