Ditching-Pax Safety Brief question?
 

Hi,
I've an enquiry based on idle curioisity from reading ditching instructions on Pax safety brief on my recent holiday charter flight.
Not withstanding the exceptionally remote chance of having to make a forced ditching in a modern airliner, has it ever been done succesfully in practice or in any trials?
Seem to remember a Nimrod MR2 ditching in sea off UK a few years ago succesfully-would this be fair comparison with a medium/large airliner?
Would be interested to know, thanks....:rolleyes:

Ditchings!
 

Hi there!

Recently read in an air disaster book that on 2nd May 1970 a DC 9-33 operating on behalf of ALM Dutch Antillean Airlines had to ditch and most pax and all of the crew got out and survived as the aircraft "landed" in one piece and floated for long enough. Unfortunately some of the pax were lost at sea after evacuating.

So there has been a "successful" pax aircraft ditching!

Hope this helps!

FMB

Thanks...
 

Thanks for the reply, it is reassuring to know that it has worked in practice, hats off to the crew for pulling it off.
I suppose the critical part is whether the a/c will remain intact on contact at what may be a very high touchdown speed.
I also guess the prevailing sea state may well be one of the most critical factors.
Difficult to imagine circumstances that would compel a crew to resort to ditching with modern aviation being what it is.
Given that the incidence of ditching must be phenomenally small it is not difficult to see why almost no passengers dress for survival in this eventuality & subsequently succumb to exposure whilst waiting for rescue at what may be considerable distances from land based SAR assets-not sure that any amount of advice would convince most Pax to take the risk seriously enough to consider having any contingency clothing to hand.
Great to see though that the airline companies take the possibility VERY seriously despite the apparent rarity of this type of incidence.
Thanks for the feedback...Zap

:ok:

I remember the Nimrod,great piloting abilities,but I also feel the design of the aircraft with the engines blended into the wing contributed.
Anyone remember the Ethiopian 767 hijacked that ran out of fuel and ditched opposite a holiday beach while someone filmed it?? Port engine caught the water like a sea anchor and spun the 767 around and she broke up:( Believe only 50 or so survived.


Regards

I'm not sure it's fair to classifiy that as a true "ditching". Wasn't the pilot alone on the FD being beaten about the head by the hijacker at the time of impact, which may have distracted him from the task in hand? Even so, for so many to survive in less than ideal circumstances shows it is a survivable situation if things go relatively well.

Zap, not to alarm you, but in the ALM case apparently most of the ditchers were killed by sharks.

Sharks...??
 

Just when you thought it was safe to abandon the airplane.....They don't mention countering shark attack in the passenger brief!
Thanks all, for reassuring me that this is thankfully an exceptionally rare occurence and that (sharks not with-standing) with great piloting and a good dose of lady luck you have a fair chance of surviving the 'landing'.
Best Wishes.Zap:ok:

EGAC_Ramper the Ethopian flight to which you were referring had only 50 or so survivors (can't recall the exact number off the top of my head) because many passengers had inflated their life jackets and were not able to get out of the aircraft which sunk in shallow water.

Most died from drowning as opposed to the impact itself.

The pilot involved was an experienced hijack victim, this particular instance having been his third hijack. Captain Leul Abate is now known as 'Lucky Leul'.

SG
:}

EGAC_Ramper mentioned the video taped water landing (crashing) of the Ethiopian 767.

The wing-mounted engines would be my biggest cause for concern as well. I would think it would be almost impossible to put it down and keep it straight in the water.

A rear-engined three holer I would think would have the best chance of survival for a water landing.

You can see a short movie clip here:

Caskets On Parade ... Website Movie Clip Index