It's Alaska; it's all the middle of nowhere. There are planes from WWII still missing out there.All I could think was:
-Middle of nowhere.
heavily loaded, loss of thrust leading to asymmetrical loading and ran out of altitude to do anything about it. Once they tipped too far, they lost lift and potentially generated a load shift as well. Any one of these factors would have been enough. Lost a 747 in Afghanistan when a load came unsecured during post take off maneuvers.Those old airframes have a lot of time on them and so do the engines no matter how often they’ve been overhauled. Metal fatigue can get you sooner or later. I’m not sure why an engine fire could take it down so quickly the way it did but it sure seemed like a quick loss of attitude and directional control.
I thought they usually just put bladders in the cargo area to do that not barrels.If the fuel was being transported in 55gal drums it is possible the load got loose. Load restraints can fail as well as their anchors. Those 500lb drums moving would change the center of gravity and cause damage to the aircraft. It will be a while before we know.
Shadow
Got to contain the bladders. Imagine a few thousand gallons in a giant bag, rolling around the cargo bay. Whoosh.I thought they usually just put bladders in the cargo area to do that not barrels.
Isn't that all-cargo variation?ABC is saying it was a C-54 with 2 people on board.
Isn't that all-cargo variation?
Rest In Peace. It was fully loaded transporting 14,000 lb of fuel, probably heating oil, to one of the remote villages. It was reported that the smoke plume could be seen from 30 plus miles away. Of the two souls on board, there are no reported survivors. Please keep the families of the pilots in your prayers.
This DC-4 (C-54D KL977) was one of 10 planes loaned to the RAF during WWII and was most likely the last one flying in consistent regular service.
For those of you not from Alaska, these old planes (DC-3,4 and 6's) are vital for transporting heavy cargo, namely heating oil and other fuels to remote villages, most of which the only access is by plane. A lot of villages have short gravel or dirt runways which makes using jet engines very difficult if not impossible. They don't really make modern planes that can haul as much weight and land on such short, rough runways as the DC-6 can. Another company called Everts Air in the past has bought up almost every DC6 spare part and airframe in the whole world. They have enough spare parts to keep them running until 2030 if the liberals don’t outlaw high lead content av gas first. And for the rest of us here in an Alaska we are blessed to get to hear the sweet sound of radial engines drone overhead every day.
Most of these villages are not accessible enough to get paving equipment there to do it.I wonder if the state of Alaska has done the guestimation on the time needed and cost of upgrading these airstrips to asphalt from gravel?
I suspect that turboprop conversions like the Basler BT-67 upgrade for DC-3/C-47 aircraft will be the solution to the problem of continuing air transport to the villages. Modern aircraft like surplus C-130s are too big for most remote airfields and new aircraft that can fill the roles of those older planes are far too expensive.For those of you not from Alaska, these old planes (DC-3,4 and 6's) are vital for transporting heavy cargo, namely heating oil and other fuels to remote villages, most of which the only access is by plane. A lot of villages have short gravel or dirt runways which makes using jet engines very difficult if not impossible. They don't really make modern planes that can haul as much weight and land on such short, rough runways as the DC-6 can.
I don't know if it was ever certified for the civilian market. Might have to wait until they hit the military surplus market before they fly in civilian service.How long before the Osprey hits the civilian market?
How long before the Osprey hits the civilian market?
If they haven’t all Pinto’edI don't know if it was ever certified for the civilian market. Might have to wait until they hit the military surplus market before they fly in civilian service.
Weather would probably chew up the asphalt in no time.Most of these villages are not accessible enough to get paving equipment there to do it.
It would hold up fine if built right. Here in Deadhorse, Arctic coast harsh weather about as bad as anywhere in AK, we have a very nice Asphalt runway. Its smoother than the one in Anchorage. It was redone about 7 years ago no, 11 years no maybe 12, years ago. Dang time flies.Weather would probably chew up the asphalt in no time.
Damn. I have seen that plane many times in Fairbanks.
Had breakfast before with a couple pilots that fly for them.
Prayers up for the families of those pilots.
Even if they could pave the airstrips, frost heaves would make them unusable fairly quickly.I wonder if the state of Alaska has done the guestimation on the time needed and cost of upgrading these airstrips to asphalt from gravel?
Frost heaves can be dealt with. I have put many a building pad in frost heaving ground.Even if they could pave the airstrips, frost heaves would make them unusable fairly quickly.
Most of these villages are not accessible enough to get paving equipment there to do it.
Watched this yesterday. He always has good info! It’s really sad.
I don't know if it was ever certified for the civilian market. Might have to wait until they hit the military surplus market before they fly in civilian service.
They could ask for the Osprey to be used for training in Alaska and these missions at the same time.It might almost be worth it for the Alaska government to petition the Feds, as an exigent situation, to allow the Osprey to be used in a non-military capacity for this specific situation. It would probably require the AK government to establish a pilot corps and fly them as government birds, but I think a case could be made, based on several different grounds, for the use of that aircraft in this particular case.
ETA: it would probably have to be limited to fuel, medical and related commodities only, but as a plus, it could also include USPS mail delivery...
Also, since the Osprey is VTOL, it could probably improve the conditions in some of the smaller villages, since it can haul way more than the little bush planes that usually serve such places.