NTSB Eyes Procedures In King Air Mishap
02-08-2007, 01:32 PM
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NTSB Eyes Procedures In King Air Mishap
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The NTSB's investigation of a King Air B200 that landed safely last Friday after suffering serious structural damage is likely to focus on cockpit checklists and procedures, along with radar data collection. N777AJ was headed from Rogers, Ark., for Stanton, Va., when it encountered complications after suffering a shattered (but not blown out) windshield at 27,000 feet and ultimately rained parts down on an aeromedical helicopter flying below. The helicopter was not struck by debris, and the King Air landed at Cape Giraradeau, Mo., with buckled wing skins and empennage and much of the horizontal stabilizer and elevator missing. The King Air's pilot, Sheldon Stone, said in early reports that the aircraft suffered a shattered left windshield at altitude and he then depressurized the cabin to prevent a blowout. According to the King Air pilot operating manual, the "abnormal checklist" for a cracked windshield specifies a descent to 10,000 feet or other methods to reduce the pressure differential to less than 3 PSI within 10 minutes. After depressurizing the cabin, Stone and his copilot then donned their oxygen masks and turned on the valve, but no oxygen appeared to be forthcoming. The sole-occupant pilots then passed out. Stone, a 4,200 hour ATP-rated pilot, said he awoke at 7,000 feet and recovered the aircraft.
According to the aircraft's flight track as provided by FlightAware, the aircraft reached 27,000 feet just after 7:00 a.m. It cruised at that altitude until 7:17 when it went to 25,900. At 7:18 the aircraft was at 25,400 but a minute later was back at 27,000 and had slowed from 417 to 104 knots ground speed, further slowing to 44 knots at 7:20, according to FlightAware. At 7:22, the position report showed holding 27,000 feet and 102 knots. One minute later, the radar indicates 125 knots at 7,800. Aberrations earlier in the minute-by-minute reporting (from 6:49 to 6:50, the aircraft is shown to jump from 17,000 to 27,000 then back down) suggest the data may not be entirely accurate. But the data seem to follow roughly with the pilot's initial comments and damage suffered by the aircraft.
The NTSB's investigation of a King Air B200 that landed safely last Friday after suffering serious structural damage is likely to focus on cockpit checklists and procedures, along with radar data collection. N777AJ was headed from Rogers, Ark., for Stanton, Va., when it encountered complications after suffering a shattered (but not blown out) windshield at 27,000 feet and ultimately rained parts down on an aeromedical helicopter flying below. The helicopter was not struck by debris, and the King Air landed at Cape Giraradeau, Mo., with buckled wing skins and empennage and much of the horizontal stabilizer and elevator missing. The King Air's pilot, Sheldon Stone, said in early reports that the aircraft suffered a shattered left windshield at altitude and he then depressurized the cabin to prevent a blowout. According to the King Air pilot operating manual, the "abnormal checklist" for a cracked windshield specifies a descent to 10,000 feet or other methods to reduce the pressure differential to less than 3 PSI within 10 minutes. After depressurizing the cabin, Stone and his copilot then donned their oxygen masks and turned on the valve, but no oxygen appeared to be forthcoming. The sole-occupant pilots then passed out. Stone, a 4,200 hour ATP-rated pilot, said he awoke at 7,000 feet and recovered the aircraft.
According to the aircraft's flight track as provided by FlightAware, the aircraft reached 27,000 feet just after 7:00 a.m. It cruised at that altitude until 7:17 when it went to 25,900. At 7:18 the aircraft was at 25,400 but a minute later was back at 27,000 and had slowed from 417 to 104 knots ground speed, further slowing to 44 knots at 7:20, according to FlightAware. At 7:22, the position report showed holding 27,000 feet and 102 knots. One minute later, the radar indicates 125 knots at 7,800. Aberrations earlier in the minute-by-minute reporting (from 6:49 to 6:50, the aircraft is shown to jump from 17,000 to 27,000 then back down) suggest the data may not be entirely accurate. But the data seem to follow roughly with the pilot's initial comments and damage suffered by the aircraft.
03-02-2007, 05:29 PM
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Yeah, I would have to say that was nothing short of amazing that they actually landed that thing. Regardless of what or who was at fault. It brings to mind that Sioux City crash. It makes me wonder how long it took them to learn how to control it before they could land it that smooth without the elevator.
03-02-2007, 06:19 PM
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Yeah it was nuts - I did my first solo cross country to KCGI, its really close to here. We were all amazed. It looked like big peices of the elevator or horizontal stab were missing. ATC told them to check their aircraft - they figured the nose cone came off and broke the window.
03-03-2007, 04:46 PM
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I know both of those guys personally...I can't say for sure what happened...but I do know this....both of them are tough pilots...the Captain flew 135 cargo in a caravan for about a year...he actually lived out of an FBO for a while, and the co-pilot is a pilot who flies 182s and twin commanders looking for fires and landing into x-winds that require rock hard testicles. Both of them are GREAT guys...I actually am now employed under one helping to look for fires!!! New job starts monday!!!
03-04-2007, 05:19 AM
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Originally Posted by Ewfflyer
Even if what happened was the pilots fault(yet to be determined), They did a hell of a job getting that bird down.
I hate to play the ******* here but they did a pretty great job at
destroying a perfectly good airplane for no reason.
The screwed up big and are lucky they aren't dead for it.
03-04-2007, 07:57 AM
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I kinda gotta agree with airrambo.
Unless you are over the Rockies or a violent thunderstorm, when you have a pressurization problem, get down. Always assume your oxygen system isn't going to work properly (Payne Stewart?).
A cracked windshield on a BE200 shouldn't total the airplane. I am glad no-one was hurt, but ................
Unless you are over the Rockies or a violent thunderstorm, when you have a pressurization problem, get down. Always assume your oxygen system isn't going to work properly (Payne Stewart?).
A cracked windshield on a BE200 shouldn't total the airplane. I am glad no-one was hurt, but ................
03-04-2007, 08:06 AM
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2 more points, and I'll say no more...
FlightAware's track log is suspect at best for accuracy.
And note that their original flight was a 2 hour trip. It appears they were going to reduce cabin diff, wear the masks and press on to destination at altitude. Am I mis-interprting the information here? or , did the tail break apart before their recovery?
FlightAware's track log is suspect at best for accuracy.
And note that their original flight was a 2 hour trip. It appears they were going to reduce cabin diff, wear the masks and press on to destination at altitude. Am I mis-interprting the information here? or , did the tail break apart before their recovery?
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