Planes that break apart in mid air

woodstock

woodstock

Final Approach
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While we are talking about icing, and heights, and "pucker factor"...

That family who fell out of the sky from NJ a few weeks ago (the pilot who tread where angels fear to - even the heavies were urgently giving pireps about icing...)

When these planes fall apart, are the people typically separated from the plane such that you are flying through space for XXX minutes merely strapped to your seat? Does the plane go down mostly intact (but for wings) until the splat? Do you think the people die before the impact, or at least lose consciousness?
 
I doubt you would lose consciousness... no wings equals probably not enough G forces to knock you out. I'm guessing you stay strapped in, fuselage tumbling or lawn darting right into the ground. Terrifying to think about.
 
probably depends on how high/sustained the G loads were that broke the wing
 
With everything spinning I bet it would be hard to figure out what's going on. How about jumping from the top of the WTC or the Mooney(?) pilot who jumped from his burning plane?
 
The shots of the Columbian airliner that broke up had an intact but naked, headless, armless and legless woman's torso on the ground. For those the high speed wind strips the clothes off of the body and tears off the extremities. Ow.
 
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woodstock said:
When these planes fall apart, are the people typically separated from the plane such that you are flying through space for XXX minutes merely strapped to your seat? Does the plane go down mostly intact (but for wings) until the splat? Do you think the people die before the impact, or at least lose consciousness?
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I suppose it depends on the specifics of the situation. I'm not so sure that finding answers for those three questions leads to anything of utility.
 
tonycondon said:
probably depends on how high/sustained the G loads were that broke the wing
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In a Vne wing losing situation, its flutter that would tear the wings off correct? I'm guessing its more like a massive jolt and then they're gone... they can only stand up to about - 8 G's on most planes i'm guessing. So probably a very short 8G not enough to black you out and then they're gone.
 
mikea said:
The shots of the Columbian airliner that broke up had a perfectly intact but naked, headless and legless woman's torso on the ground. For those the high speed wind strips the clothes off of the body body and tears off the extremities. Ow.
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You're probably a lot more likely to be unconscious if an airplane breaks up at high altitude because you also have the explosive decompression. I don't think that airplane in NJ was that high, though.
 
Alive and still possessing any real cognitive function are two very different things.

Was a certain someone feeling a little morbid over their coffee this morning? What an unpleasant topic.
 
dell30rb said:
I doubt you would lose consciousness... no wings equals probably not enough G forces to knock you out. I'm guessing you stay strapped in, fuselage tumbling or lawn darting right into the ground. Terrifying to think about.
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keep a .45 in the glove box, it may help
 
"Why is there a .45 in the airplane?"

"In case the wings fall off. Stop asking stupid questions"


If I was going to carry anything in case the wings fall off, it would be a parachute.

Fortunately they seem to do a good job of staying attached when I'm flying. Knock on wood.
 
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Unless struck by a bit of airplane you are going to live and be conscious to the ground.
 
dell30rb said:
"Why is there a .45 in the airplane?"

"In case the wings fall off. Stop asking stupid questions"


If I was going to carry anything in case the wings fall off, it would be a parachute.

Fortunately they seem to do a good job of staying attached when I'm flying. Knock on wood.
Click to expand...

Remember that local TV news report that the pilot dropped the wings before the crash?

You can also dump fuel but if you dump the wings the fuel goes, too.
 
woodstock said:
While we are talking about icing, and heights, and "pucker factor"...

That family who fell out of the sky from NJ a few weeks ago (the pilot who tread where angels fear to - even the heavies were urgently giving pireps about icing...)

When these planes fall apart, are the people typically separated from the plane such that you are flying through space for XXX minutes merely strapped to your seat? Does the plane go down mostly intact (but for wings) until the splat? Do you think the people die before the impact, or at least lose consciousness?
Click to expand...

Allowing your mind to travel to such dark places enslaves it to unreasonable fear. Dying is something we are all obligated to do, someday. How we die has already been determined. Preparing ourselves for the inevitable is simply living life to the fullest everyday. Embrace life, and embrace death, be afraid of neither. The truth will set you free.
 
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There was a guy who chuted out successfuly after his Flybaby fell apart. Details are at Ron's website. Unfortunately the one this weekend was not so lucky.
 
zaitcev said:
There was a guy who chuted out successfuly after his Flybaby fell apart. Details are at Ron's website....
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Yep. He was wide awake all the way to the ground, but for at least a quarter of the trip, he was under canopy. My guess is that he was WIDER than wide awake. It definitely got his attention.

He was in straight-and-level flight when the right wing folded up. Hit hard enough to embed the fuel-gauge wire (forward of the windshield) in the upper fabric. He was wearing a chute as part of a promise to his wife, but never expected to use it.

Details at:

http://www.bowersflybaby.com/safety/hinton.htm

Ron Wanttaja
 
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