What is your closest encounter with an airplane crash?

Paddy Cow

I have recently discovered The Flight Channel on Youtube and have been on a binge of airplane* accidents. Most seem to be the result of pilot error. Some pilots saved everyone by sheer skill, such as the landing of the plane in the hudson river but others have been the direct result of pilot negligence such as this one, where the son** of a pilot lead to the death of everyone on board :eek:

The two scariest experiences I've had on an airplane was 1) flying 15 hrs to Frankfurt (connection flight from Australia) and there was awful turbulence. There was a thunderstorm and I was convinced I was going to die. Obviously I didn't and when we were going to land in Frankfurt the captain came on the radio and said something along the lines of "we experienced some turbulence earlier in the flight but expect to make a smooth landing". I wish the captain had made an announcement when we were actually going through the turbulence but it was a night flight and I guess they didn't want to wake everyone up and for the pilots it wasn't a big deal.

2) I was flying to Gran Canaria with friends and the landing was super windy. When we finally landed safely a lot of people clapped and yes I was one of them. I feel no shame in this.

Other than that I've never felt scared on a flight, even though I can be a nervous flyer.

So AH'ers, have you ever had a near miss on a plane?

*Airplane vs Aeroplane either works for me, I'm just used to seeing airplane
**Not the son's fault at all, his father should've known better

amdublin

What was the son case???!!

Do you have a wiki link to it rather than YouTube?

thecretinhop

i think there was a boards member who should have been on mh17... they win thread I assume...

MAJJ

Touched down on a charter from Dublin to Cairo., normal enough landing, then seconds later brakes slammed on ,everyone thrown forward hard. I look out my window and see a little luggage truck completing their trip directly across the runway. Welcome to Egypt!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I was a passenger on a light aircraft with two others plus the pilot when we had engine problems. He basically glided us to a safe landing on a beach. More than 30 years ago and I had forgotten about it until I saw this thread.

arybvtcw0eolkf

I seen the Hezbollah engage an Israeli Cobera 'copter with 20mm cannon in south Lebanon one night, but the 'copter fired two Hell Fire missiles at the AA position and blew them to sh*t.

I guess that's the closest I've come to an aircrafter crashing.

Outside of that I'm convinced just about everyone plane I get on is the one which is going to crash this day

gimli2112

amdublin wrote: »

What was the son case???!!

Do you have a wiki link to it rather than YouTube?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroflot_Flight_593

castletownman

Apart from experiencing heavy turbulence and subsequently puking my guts up landing into Logan airport as a young lad years ago, most other flights have been stress-free.

But I have witnessed a plane related death so to speak. Saw a mechanic crushed to death by one of those heavy machines you see whizzing around the runway between planes. Not a nice thing to see

Paddy Cow

amdublin wrote: »

What was the son case???!!

Do you have a wiki link to it rather than YouTube?

I only have the YouTube link. From my understanding, the pilot wanted to give his two kids a go at "flying" the plane. He set the auto pilot and the 12 year old girl thought she was flying it, when really the plane was. He did the same thing for his son, but because he was 15, he was stronger than his sister and when he turned the controls, he overrode the autopilot. His father didn't realise what was happening and let the son stay in the captain's seat. They noticed the plane was acting funny but by the time they realised what was going on, the plane had entered a stall and G forces that meant they couldn't get back into the seat to take control of the plane. They were shouting at the 15yr old to turn the plane but he's 15. By the time the real pilots got control it was too late.

Junkyard Tom

Touched down in the land of Delta Blues in the middle of the pouring rain.

A Piper Cub crashed just after take off from Galway in 2000. I drove past it.

I have never knowingly had a close call myself.
Turbulence was normal.

andekwarhola

Turbulence and rough landings are normal to be fair.

Any time I fly I think I'm going to die though. I fcuking hate it.

And when you're with the kids it's worse as you have to man up, look out the window with them and act jolly.

When I was a kid, our next door neighbours died in a famous air disaster but thankfully no other stories.

Mrcaramelchoc

amdublin wrote: »

What was the son case???!!

Do you have a wiki link to it rather than YouTube?

https://youtu.be/tyAZqSh8GoI

Wiki
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroflot_Flight_593

umop episdn

I was on Oceanic Flight 815

gctest50

Hezekiah Ripe Notch wrote: »

....

Outside of that I'm convinced just about everyone plane I get on is the one which is going to crash this day

Be grand - they're made of ......

oh wait - a single skin of aluminium about as thick as a bra strap

TheValeyard

Hitting an air pocket and dropping like a stone. Scary as fcuk.

I have distant relatives who used to take separate flights in case anything ever happened to them.
Then they would pile into the same rental car and head off driving on the wrong side of the road after having been awake all night travelling.

murpho999

gctest50 wrote: »

Be grand - they're made of ......

oh wait - a single skin of aluminium about as thick as a bra strap

Really it's a lot more stronger than that. It's about the frame as well.



Look at how little surrounds a car and people are not nervous travellng in them.

razorblunt

I've watched Airplane 24 times.

umop episdn

murpho999 wrote: »

Really it's a lot more stronger than that. It's about the frame as well.



Look at how little surrounds a car and people are not nervous travellng in them.

They would be if they were in a Toyota Corolla 30,000 feet up in the sky

murpho999

umop episdn wrote: »

They would be if they were in a Toyota Corolla 30,000 feet up in the sky

Yes but cruising in the air is actually the safest part of flying.

somefeen

OP, check out AOPA accident case studies on YouTube. They're done on the cheap but very gripping. Its all general aviation so small private planes.
Very chilling to since they almost always have the real ATC conversation.
I share your addiction, its fascinating stuff not just because of the morbidity but also for the technical and human side of aviation.

https://youtu.be/fLlWf-Fk_YM

That one is my favourite

There's also the full NTSB public hearing on the Reno airshow disaster and a few others. The NTSB ones are very long but worth it for the insight.

Graces7

I do not fly any more... Last time was the journey to Ireland nearly 2 years ago; three planes, first a 12 seater..

Just no need to fly. Dunroamin/// prefer to keep my feet safe on the ground

Only exception would be our Air Ambulance chopper

Laphroaig52

umop episdn wrote: »

murpho999 wrote: »

Really it's a lot more stronger .

They would be if they were in a Toyota Corolla 30,000 feet up in the sky

There's WAY more than enough energy in the Corolla moving at 60 mph to kill and mutilate the bodies of all its occupants...... even at 0 feet off the ground.

corner of hells

I was at an airshow years ago where a small plane nosedived into the ground killing the pilot .The amount of idiots that ran towards the crash site was incredible blocking a route for rescue personnel.

I know a navy diver who recovered bodies from the Air India disaster. His pots are gone now , off his head completely.

Snotty

murpho999 wrote: »

Yes but cruising in the air is actually the safest part of flying.

Yup, it's the ground that's the hard bastard

fritzelly

Murray TheDemonic TalkingSkull wrote: »

Hitting an air pocket and dropping like a stone. Scary as fcuk.

Yup this is the closest and had it just recently - scared a good few people on the plane (myself included!)
Prefer to try and sleep thru flights, that way I won't know I'm dead on impact

But that child one is too stupid to comprehend

Canard

Deleted User wrote: »

I have distant relatives who used to take separate flights in case anything ever happened to them.
Then they would pile into the same rental car and head off driving on the wrong side of the road after having been awake all night travelling.

Wow that is grim, essentially when they board their separate flights (to go on holidays presumably) they're saying 'Bye, I think I'll never see you again'. :eek: In a reverse grim way, whenever I'm on a flight with all of my immediate family I think of how if the plane went down, at least none of us would be left mourning. :pac:

I've never had any close calls myself (thankfully), but I recall a few people posting online with their boarding passes for MH370 after having missed / not taken the flight for some reason. That would spook you for a long time.

The One Doctor

That Aeroflot A310 accident wasn't caused by a teenager. It was caused by the first officer not realising that the aircraft was in a spiral dive. Impressive that the aircraft stood up to the abuse and recovered. Pity about the ground getting in the way during the recovery though.

thecretinhop

I was flying back from Croatia a few years ago to cork airport. really old charter plane delayed 3 hours. I had 1 pint the whole rest of the cork passengers got off their head. looking out window saw mechanic walloping front wheel brake. the pilot looked like Alf from the t.v. show wearing a big Hawaiian shirt.
landed pure bedlam cork rednecks sing what will be will be front brake did not work full reverse thusters on the g force nuts thought I was gonna be in back to the future film. defo very scary I reckon we could have crashed and the cork lads would not have noticed.
the air hostess was not amused when a pink fat ginger woman in her 50s barfed up her fat frog on the way out...

Donald Trump

razorblunt wrote: »

I've watched Airplane 24 times.

Surely you can't be serious?

Donald Trump

Hezekiah Ripe Notch wrote: »

I seen the Hezbollah engage an Israeli Cobera 'copter with 20mm cannon in south Lebanon one night, but the 'copter fired two Hell Fire missiles at the AA position and blew them to sh*t.

Them roadwatch feckers are useless enough at the best of times

prinzeugen

Passed through the Scottish Borders about 2 weeks after PanAm 103 went down. There was still small bits of the plane scattered about the place, police and army everywhere.

My step-brother was supposed to be a crew member of a RAF Nimrod that had to ditch. The pilot nailed the landing/ditching in the Moray Firth and all the crew were rescued without getting their feet wet.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xj802Ssh3So

What Username Guidelines

Wasn't close, but most of the passengers thought it was.

Boarded an Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Barcelona, and along the roof of the cabin was a fine mist/condensation in the air from the air conditioning. Dont think many noticed at first, but when the plane started speeding down the runway, it started to be pumped out faster and people then saw it, some assumed it was smoke. Not sure if it was one scream that set off a domino effect, but a lot of passengers went crazy, some even trying to leave their seats. Poor air hostesses leaving their seats and climbing up the cabin trying to calm people.

About 20 mins later the pilot came on and did nothing to allay fears, saying they'd checked everything and had "taken the decision" to continue to Barcelona. Poor girl in front of me sobbed the entire way even after being told by crew it was just condensation.

oneilla

Paddy Cow wrote: »

I only have the YouTube link. From my understanding, the pilot wanted to give his two kids a go at "flying" the plane. He set the auto pilot and the 12 year old girl thought she was flying it, when really the plane was. He did the same thing for his son, but because he was 15, he was stronger than his sister and when he turned the controls, he overrode the autopilot. His father didn't realise what was happening and let the son stay in the captain's seat. They noticed the plane was acting funny but by the time they realised what was going on, the plane had entered a stall and G forces that meant they couldn't get back into the seat to take control of the plane. They were shouting at the 15yr old to turn the plane but he's 15. By the time the real pilots got control it was too late.

. The YouTube video in the op said that if they'd let the autopilot work it would have righted the problem. I don't really understand autopilot because it also said that the son disengaged part of the autopilot by forcing the stick thinking he was turning the plane.

Crazy that the pilot thought having his kids in the cockpit touching controls was a good idea.

fritzelly

oneilla wrote: »

. The YouTube video in the op said that if they'd let the autopilot work it would have righted the problem. I don't really understand autopilot because it also said that the son disengaged part of the autopilot by forcing the stick thinking he was turning the plane.

Crazy that the pilot thought having his kids in the cockpit touching controls was a good idea.

Wiki link explains it, autopilot completely disengaged thinking the pilots had taken manual control by which time they couldn't fight g-forces and add inexperience of the planes systems - totally stupid thing to have kids on the flight deck for a commercial trip

The One Doctor

Most people have trouble understanding aviation or even what makes an aircraft fly. I've been fascinated by aviation for as long as I can remember, but to most aviation is a closed book, little short of magic.

The trials and tribulations of commercial aviation would fill many volumes, but the reason airliners are so safe boil down to two words:

Accident reports

Safety costs trillions of euros, thousands of deaths, billions of man-hours, thousands of lessons learned and the sweat, blood, tears and frustrations of hundreds of thousands of dedicated people.

Commercial aviation is one of the wonders of the modern age. You just get on and go, yet some people are still terrified by the whole notion - because nothing about aviation is natural or obvious.

Just remember the next time you board a plane for a routine flight - the aircraft, the engines, the idea of safe, boring flight is little short of miraculous, one of the true exertions of human endeavour that has enriched us all.

And we killed a lot of people to do it.

corner of hells

The One Doctor wrote: »

Most people have trouble understanding aviation or even what makes an aircraft fly. I've been fascinateding by aviation for as long as I can remember, but to most aviation is a closed book, little short of magic.

The trials and tribulations of commercial aviation would fill many volumes, but the reason airliners are so safe boil down to two words:

Accident reports

Safety costs trillions of euros, thousands of deaths, billions of man-hours, thousands of lessons learned and the sweat, blood, tears and frustrations of hundreds of thousands of dedicated people.

Commercial aviation is one of the wonders of the modern age. You just get on and go, yet some people are still terrified by the whole notion - because nothing about aviation is natural or obvious.

Just remember the next time you board a plane for a routine flight - the aircraft, the engines, the idea of safe, boring flight is little short of miraculous, one of the true exertions of human endeavour that has enriched us all.

And we killed a lot of people to do it.

My father was a licensed inspection engineer in an aircraft engine maintenance company when he developed early onset dementia.
I often wondered if any plane crashed because of him forgetting to check something or test something.

The One Doctor

corner of hells wrote: »

My father was a licensed inspection engineer in an aircraft engine maintenance company when he developed early onset dementia.
I often wondered if any plane crashed because of him forgetting to check something or test something.

It's unlikely. If you had a record of the specific aircraft and work he inspected you could find out though.

facehugger99

I don’t like flying at the best of times........


Flight from Perth to Ayers Rock in a propeller job.

As we approached Ayers Rock we entered a lightning storm. The plane began to lurch, drop and roll.

At first there was some whopping and hollering from some of the passengers. This subsided into nervous laughter, and as the turbulence increased dramatically, eventually into deadly silence, punctuated occasionally by a frightened scream.

I looked out the window at one stage and could see forks of lightning crashing around us.

I didn’t think we were going to die, I was sure of it.

I’m not sure how the pilot got us down. I’d ****ing have his babies to this day.

We sat on the plane for another hour because the storm was too strong for the ground crew to come out and disembark us.

fritzelly

The One Doctor wrote: »

It's unlikely. If you had a record of the specific aircraft and work he inspected you could find out though.

Don't need alzheimers to screw something up - crash not so long ago because ground crew used a different measurement (metric vs imperial or something) to calculate fuel requirements
Your dad probably had all this as second nature after all those years

corner of hells

The One Doctor wrote: »

It's unlikely. If you had a record of the specific aircraft and work he inspected you could find out though.

Yeah I know , it was a bit of black humour.

It was engines and he licenced for a specific item or process.

corner of hells

fritzelly wrote: »

Don't need alzheimers to screw something up - crash not so long ago because ground crew used a different measurement (metric vs imperial or something) to calculate fuel requirements
Your dad probably had all this as second nature after all those years

Engine maintenance on American designed engines in always imperial , you're probably correct .

AllForIt

I was departing from London Luton on a Ryanair flight to Knock way back in early 90's. It was only the second time I had travelled on an aircraft. The airplane lined up on the runway , cleared for take-off and gathered speed. Just at the second the aircraft got to a speed what it would leave the ground the pilot jammed on the breaks. We were all like what the hell is going on - that's the part of flying I'm most nervous about more so than landing. It was quite scary. The pilot explained that the gauges reported that the engines didn't have enough power to take off. I often wonder what could possibly have happened if he wasn't paying attention to the gauge. I was speaking to a businessman in the airport lounge afterwards and he said he takes dozens of flights a years and in all his years he never seen anything like that.

prinzeugen

fritzelly wrote: »

Don't need alzheimers to screw something up - crash not so long ago because ground crew used a different measurement (metric vs imperial or something) to calculate fuel requirements
Your dad probably had all this as second nature after all those years

Was that not the plane that made a emergency landing on a dragstrip in Canada? Think the cause was that the the pilots didn't realise the fuel gauges showed fuel in litres not Lbs or something similar and they ran out of fuel.

fritzelly

prinzeugen wrote: »

Was not the plane that made a emergency landing on a dragstrip in Canada? Think the cause was that the the pilots didn't realise the fuel gauges showed fuel in litres not Lbs or something similar and they ran out of fuel.

Could well be - memory failing but it wasn't too long ago, now I think more about it it was the pilots fault, ground crew were used to one unit of measurement and that's what they gave.

bnt

The most danger I’ve ever been in a plane would be when I was still a teenager living in South Africa, and one of my colleagues at work got his private pilot’s license. Just days later he took me up in a Cessna 172 for some more practice / joyriding. Highlights include:

- flying over a nearby reservoir, trying to follow a model aircraft someone else was flying a few hundred feet below us;
- letting me fly for bit, so I tried and failed to execute a coordinated turn, nearly causing us to stall and drop out of the sky;
- the landing, during which my colleague appeared to having an epileptic fit. Just keeping that crate on a sensible approach needed more limbs than he had to play with. We weren’t going anywhere near as fast as an airliner, but when the ground is that close, that’s no comfort. :eek:

fritzelly

Memory failing - probably a Discovery documentary I remember it from lol

snotboogie

I've never been in real danger but I was on an Aerlingus flight into Amsterdam that got struck by lightning and that scared the **** out of me.

fritzelly

snotboogie wrote: »

I've never been in real danger but I was on an Aerlingus flight into Amsterdam that got struck by lightning and that scared the **** out of me.

Least you had something to calm your nerves when you got there

Always find flying into London City airport scary - can almost reach out and touch the ground

Recliner

Paddy Cow wrote: »

I have recently discovered The Flight Channel on Youtube and have been on a binge of airplane* accidents. Most seem to be the result of pilot error. Some pilots saved everyone by sheer skill, such as the landing of the plane in the hudson river but others have been the direct result of pilot negligence such as this one, where the son** of a pilot lead to the death of everyone on board :eek:

The two scariest experiences I've had on an airplane was 1) flying 15 hrs to Frankfurt (connection flight from Australia) and there was awful turbulence. There was a thunderstorm and I was convinced I was going to die. Obviously I didn't and when we were going to land in Frankfurt the captain came on the radio and said something along the lines of "we experienced some turbulence earlier in the flight but expect to make a smooth landing". I wish the captain had made an announcement when we were actually going through the turbulence but it was a night flight and I guess they didn't want to wake everyone up and for the pilots it wasn't a big deal.

2) I was flying to Gran Canaria with friends and the landing was super windy. When we finally landed safely a lot of people clapped and yes I was one of them. I feel no shame in this.

Other than that I've never felt scared on a flight, even though I can be a nervous flyer.

So AH'ers, have you ever had a near miss on a plane?

*Airplane vs Aeroplane either works for me, I'm just used to seeing airplane
**Not the son's fault at all, his father should've known better

That is an unbelievably scary piece of film.

I hate flying, my worst memory was a flight from Faro to Cork a few years ago. We were landing as the tail end of a hurricane had crossed the Atlantic and was making landfall just as we descended. We were seated in the rear of the plane and the plane definitely skewed sideways on the runway as we landed and the brakes were applied full bore. As the plane stopped, needless to say everyone clapped and the flight attendant came on the intercom and said "Well at least we know the brakes work". Not very reassuring.
I've always heard that if you're nervous on a plane keep an eye on the flight crew, if they're relaxed looking then you're probably fine.
On that flight, they were holding hands as we landed and they were anything but relaxed. Did I mention I hate flying?