Banana SPLITZ!

[AZ_to_AU]

Can someone explain what would cause this? Did it happen during take-off or after take-off?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/may/25/plane.crash

[Barb-SAN]

Um, that photo is not for the VERY FEARFUL FLYER...be forewarned. :(

[AZ_to_AU]

Yup... exactly why I wrote that title and the link rather then go into detail. It doesn't freak me out tho THANK THE GODS!!!

Just want to know how that could happen.

[Barb-SAN]

Yup... exactly why I wrote that title and the link rather then go into detail.

Oh...I was expecting to see bananas and icecream and a cherry...:rolleyes:

[MathFox]

I am sure that the Belgian Aviation Authorities will investigate this incident... BTW, it was a freighter and all crew members escaped safely.

It is unclear what exactly happened, either the plane refused to get in the air or the pilots aborted the take off at too high a speed. I guess that the body of the plane broke when the wheels got stuck in the dirt at the end of the runway.

I'll just wait for the investigation report.

[tusphotog]

Why that's nothing a little speed tape can't fix...
:D

Just so we're clear, however, it is not normal for a 747 (or any plane for that matter) to split apart like that. It takes an extremely strong and violent deceleration to do that. Supposedly they heard a loud bang and rejected takeoff after that. If they did it after V1, and the plane was still in one piece, then you're supposed to go flying. A loud bang is not reason to abort takeoff after V1.

[Captain Hutch]

Well, I don't know exactly what caused the plane to break up, we will have to wait for the report. I imagine that he was going at a high rate of speed, probably just before his go-no-go speed when he supposedly heard a noise as the article reported. Possibly the cargo shifted at this time or during the time when he was coming to a stop. And the fact that the wings with the fuel tanks inside remained intact so that there was no fuel fire is a testimony to the strength of the Boeing aircraft.

Hutch :tiphat:

Note: it would be extremely rare for a pilot to attempt to reject the takeoff after V1, which is the decision speed for taking off or rejecting the takeoff. At V1, the pilot is trained to continue the takeoff if at all possible in the event of an emergency.

[MathFox]

I found the following picture
http://aviation-safety.net/photos/displayphoto.php?id=20080525-0&vnr=1&kind=C
that makes it look like the plane hit the ground with its tail first.

It all suggests that the pilots rotated the plane but didn't quite make it up and flying.