Airbus A380 clobbers regional jet

[AZRedhawk44]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42548948/ns/travel-news

A380 spins a little 60-seater regional jet 45 degrees.

Youtube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p1nZPAH1sA

I'm amazed that the vertical stabilizer withstood the abuse and supported the entire airframe well enough to spin it that much.  I'd expect it to be snapped off by that much stress.  And I'd hate to have been a passenger on the regional jet.  That's a lot of inertia to inherit that quickly.  Good way to get thrown against a bulkhead or have luggage fall on you from overhead.

[Brad Johnson]

Considering the cockpit was on the other end of the rotational axis, and that it "rotational'ed" pretty dang quick, I wonder what the g-forces were like.  (Not to mention the smell in the cockpit after.)

Brad

[Tallpine]

Looks like the nosewheel got lifted off so it turned pretty easy on the mains.

Still ...   

[vaskidmark]

You park with your butt-end sticking out in traffic, you get moved.  See it happen regularly.

OK, not so much at the airport.

stay safe.

[birdman]

I'm amazed that the vertical stabilizer withstood the abuse and supported the entire airframe well enough to spin it that much.  I'd expect it to be snapped off by that much stress. 

The tailcone and vertical stab are some of the strongest parts of a modern passenger aircraft (look at pics from crash sites, you always see that part more intact than other parts), due to the loads it is subjected to and their shape/size.  In fact, that is why the black boxes are usually located back there.

[never_retreat]

In fact, that is why the black boxes are usually located back there.

I thought they were there because it was the last piece of the plane to impact the ground when it augers in a 300 plus Mph.

[Hawkmoon]

So THAT's why they tell us to remain seated until the plane has been parked at the gate and captain has turned off the seal belt sign?

[230RN]

Hm.  Taxi-ing at the same altitude.  No wonder.

[AZRedhawk44]

Considering the cockpit was on the other end of the rotational axis, and that it "rotational'ed" pretty dang quick, I wonder what the g-forces were like.  (Not to mention the smell in the cockpit after.)

Brad

Spitballed guesses here:

The nose/cockpit looks like it moved at least 40 feet (I think that's VERY conservative... looking at it again, I'd say closer to 60+ feet is possible)
The time lapse was less than 1 second.

40 feet per second =
2400 feet per minute
144,000 feet per hour
~28 miles per hour

Accelerating from 0-30mph in 1 second.  Wow.

According to this website:

http://www.smartconversion.com/unit_calculation/Acceleration_calculator.aspx

That results in ~1.24 G constant, horizontal.  They all fell sideways in the plane.  I imagine every single bag in the port-side overhead bins fell out on contact, and every single bag in the starboard-side bins fell out when they stopped (-1.24G from immediate deceleration).

That force would be variable along the axis, strongest in the cockpit and tail, and weakest over the rear wheels which acted as a pivot.


At a distance of 60 feet, it comes out closer to 1.9 G's.

2G's lateral force, out of nowhere... babies, old people, crappy chairs not designed for it.  Wow.

[dogmush]

For comparison:

A moderate roller coaster near me

but they wouldn't be expecting it.  So a solid hard hit, but I wouldn't actually expect very many bags falling and flying from less than a second at 2 G's.  Moderate car accident type forces.  (although after 1-800-Ambulance-Chaser gets to the passengers I bet they all have whiplash)

[birdman]

Airline seats and bins can handle a bunch more than 2g's.

Hell, my car accelerates at 1.2, and my glove box doesn't pop open :)

[AJ Dual]

Spun it right round, like a record..

[Tuco]

Spun it right round, like a record..

round round right round.

[Northwoods]

Audio clip with conversations with ground controllers here

[Jamisjockey]

Audio clip with conversations with ground controllers here

Just a hunch, but my money is on the NTSB taggin Air France on this one.  Like clipping someone in an intersection when they haven't cleared it yet and you get a green light, so you just plow into them anyway....
Not real familiar with the taxi way and ramp setup at JFK, so not sure if the RJ was still under ATC control or over to ramp yet.

[Northwoods]

Could have also been ATC's/ramp control's screw up if they told the RJ to hold where they were forgetting that the A380 has a significantly longer wingspan than even a 747.  Also I can see the possibility that the RJ was partially at fault for maybe having stopped short of where they were supposed to be leaving them in the path of the superjumbo. 

The A380 driver though still should have been watching and ultimately it's still his responsibility to know where his plane is and to avoid stationary traffic like that.  So even if either of the above were true it's still officially his screw up.

[Jamisjockey]

Could have also been ATC's/ramp control's screw up if they told the RJ to hold where they were forgetting that the A380 has a significantly longer wingspan than even a 747.  Also I can see the possibility that the RJ was partially at fault for maybe having stopped short of where they were supposed to be leaving them in the path of the superjumbo. 

The A380 driver though still should have been watching and ultimately it's still his responsibility to know where his plane is and to avoid stationary traffic like that.  So even if either of the above were true it's still officially his screw up.

Yep. Clearing any obstacle on the airport is ultimately the pilots responsibility. I see air france buying 51% on this one.

[Tallpine]

Actually, I recant - it looks like now that the nose of the CRJ actually got pushed down

Would the nose wheel caster under a load like that, or did it just skid sideways 

Too dark to see if there is a skid mark.

Stuff like this just makes me love flying all the more 

I have a <50% record of ever getting anywhere on time when flying, at least on Delta.  And whenever we are actually not delayed by something, I figure we're bound to have an accident 

[Fly320s]

Yep. Clearing any obstacle on the airport is ultimately the pilots responsibility. I see air france buying 51% on this one.

I see AF buying 100% on this one. The CRJ was on/entering the ramp, but AF is still required to maintain the seperation.  The AF captain, Louis Braille, is in deep.

A few years ago, also at J-effing-K, I watched an A340 trade paint with a 767. The A340 went back to the gate with his winglet dangling by wires.

[AJ Dual]

I see AF buying 100% on this one. The CRJ was on/entering the ramp, but AF is still required to maintain the seperation.  The AF captain, Louis Braille, is in deep.

A few years ago, also at J-effing-K, I watched an A340 trade paint with a 767. The A340 went back to the gate with his winglet dangling by wires.

Ironic Pilot's name is... ironic.

[roo_ster]

Ironic Pilot's name is... ironic.

Only way it could be better is if it was a female pilot named Helene Kellier.

[Fly320s]

Ironic Pilot's name is... ironic.

Only way it could be better is if it was a female pilot named Helene Kellier.

Or if it was real.