A Wild Ride in a Boeing 727
 

Reading the March 1969 issue of the Australian flight safety magazine Aviation Safety Digest, the following incident report was published.The main heading of the story says “Without Comment” and goes on to say “The following masterpiece of understatement, extracted from an overseas air safety publications publication, is reproduced for the edification of our own readers.

“Shortly after take-off while in a normal 2,400 fpm climb to 22,000 ft a Boeing 727 experienced the following upset:

“A warm frontal surface was penetrated at 4,700 ft. Wave action increased the aircraft’s rate of climb to 5,300 fpm and nose down elevator and trim were applied. Thrust was reduced. At 8,900 ft a dive averaging 14,400 fpm began. The aircraft pulled out at about 400 ft above the ground. Recovery was effected using elevator, trim, and thrust producing a 7,200 fpm climb to 5000 ft. This was followed by a 10,000 fpm dive to 4,000 ft. Flight was eventually stabilized at 5,000 ft..
Airspeed at the bottom of the first dive was 475 knots, with the pull-out developing 4.75 G. Elapsed time for the upset excursions was about two minutes. Flight conditions were IMC except for a few visual seconds at the bottom of the first dive. No significant turbulence was encounters through the upset incident.

Contrary to established operating techniques, sudden and large elevator inputs were made, stabilizer trim was used, large scale thrust changes were made, and the all-important maintenance of attitude was not accomplished. It would seem pointless to speculate on what might have been, but the incident surely highlights with alarming clarity the value of those proven flying techniques required in our manuals.”

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