Author Topic: Bad day for a B1 Crew (Read 1397 times)

Holden McGroin · « **on:** December 10, 2006, 07:56:04 PM »

Here is a photo series of a recovery from a gear up landing.

I wonder what your file looks like if you are PIC and you do something like this.

DiabloTX · « **Reply #1 on:** December 10, 2006, 08:02:25 PM »

Amazing.

Can you say "Career killer"?

Gunslinger · « **Reply #2 on:** December 10, 2006, 09:50:37 PM »

I don't know, I just have a hard time beleiveing that a pilot crew would FORGET to put the gear down. They run the checklists and even the on board computers would be screaming out them that the gear is down.

Mini D · « **Reply #3 on:** December 10, 2006, 10:11:40 PM »

It's also odd that a tower operator would not confirm gear down on an incoming plane. It's not like they have anything better to do during the aproach.

Maverick · « **Reply #4 on:** December 10, 2006, 10:46:23 PM »

Any bets on what the first words out of the pilots mouth at touchdown was????

AW ****!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cav58d · « **Reply #5 on:** December 10, 2006, 10:59:02 PM »

That B-1 was actually being leased out by Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, and used to train junior and senior "Professional Pilot" Majors....

lmao jk.

That pic is a couple months old...I remember reading about it when it happened, and the gear up landing was intentional...

cav58d · « **Reply #6 on:** December 10, 2006, 11:00:36 PM »

also if I remember correctly, the aircaft slid 7,500 feet before coming to a stop. Talk about destroying a runway huh

DiabloTX · « **Reply #7 on:** December 10, 2006, 11:02:06 PM »

Quote

At about 10 p.m. local time on May 8, 2006, a 7th Bomb Wing B-1B Lancer based at Dyess AFB, Texas, made a wheels-up belly landing on runway 31 at Diego Garcia, skidding 7,500 feet down the runway. The aircraft was landing at the end of an 11 hour ferry mission that started at Andersen AFB, Guam. During the landing, the B-1B caught fire and emergency crews extinguished the flames. The four-person aircrew escaped from the plane through the overhead escape hatch. The aircraft was finally removed from the runway 4 days later. The Air Force Accident Investigation concluded the pilots forgot to lower the landing gear. The USAF estimated the damage to the B-1B at $7.9 million, and the damage to the runway at $14,025. RBRM and those old SEABEES made one tough runway, that's for sure! For those of you who've never seen a $285,000,000.00 bomber on the deck, here she is:

Kurt · « **Reply #8 on:** December 10, 2006, 11:21:38 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Mini D
It's also odd that a tower operator would not confirm gear down on an incoming plane. It's not like they have anything better to do during the aproach.

Tower Controllers rarely have time to stare at a landing plane and assess its conditon to see that it is in a proper configuration. That is the pilot's job. The controller just makes sure he's got a place in the pattern and a clear runway. They will do those assessments if the pilot asks (such as if they are not getting all their green lights for the gear). Controllers are getting the next plane set up with clearance, talking on the radio, handing off outbounds to other controllers, accepting new inbounds and coordinating with ground controllers... ITs not like they just sit there and say "Zulu Bravo Milkshake is clear to land - runway 26". They are busy people.

And with regard to the guy who said it was unlikely because of checklists etc.. True...

However, a DC10 crash in Dallas about 20 years ago is all you need to say about checklists.. The pilots were chatting up a cabin attendent and missed the checklist item to set the flaps... The plane barely lifted off before crashing across a busy freeway.

Checklists help, but things can go wrong in the cockpit. I would imagine especially after a long flight like this one. 2nd in command is usually responsible for putting the gear down... Lord knows what distracted him and what distracted the pilot.

RAIDER14 · « **Reply #9 on:** December 10, 2006, 11:39:02 PM »

The DC10 never hit the Freeway that was Delta 191

cav58d · « **Reply #10 on:** December 10, 2006, 11:44:18 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Kurt
Tower Controllers rarely have time to stare at a landing plane and assess its conditon to see that it is in a proper configuration.

I disagree...Sure, the ultimate responsibility of the aircraft is in the hands of the PIC, but in VFR conditions (which was the case for the accident), I believe the controller does have the responsibility of making visual identification of an aircraft at one point or another in the pattern. At least in my experience, but this would be a better question for one of our ATC guys in here

RAIDER14 · « **Reply #11 on:** December 10, 2006, 11:59:03 PM »

yeah if the plane cost $285,000,000.00 why wasn't the controller watching it?

rpm · « **Reply #12 on:** December 11, 2006, 12:01:33 AM »

Quote

The Air Force Accident Investigation concluded the pilots forgot to lower the landing gear.

Show me the report. We're taking this guys word for what happened. I can see it happening, but I want more info.

Mini D · « **Reply #13 on:** December 11, 2006, 12:02:03 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Kurt
Tower Controllers rarely have time to stare at a landing plane and assess its conditon to see that it is in a proper configuration.

I've spent a few years in military control towers and tend to disagree. Someone always grabbed a pair of binoculars and checked for the landing light on the plane during aproach. Always. The tower operators are watching the aircraft on final, the EORs and the tarmac... they're not watching scopes. It's the pilot's responsibility to lower the damn gear, but I'll wager an E-3 got some kind of disciplinary action on that one for not noticing it during final.

Masherbrum · « **Reply #14 on:** December 11, 2006, 12:12:06 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by cav58d
That B-1 was actually being leased out by Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, and used to train junior and senior "Professional Pilot" Majors....

lmao jk.

That pic is a couple months old...I remember reading about it when it happened, and the gear up landing was intentional...

I wonder if the FIRE had anything to do with anything.

I also agree with Mini.