A Sad Accident

Freefall is a lot different than being pinned in a pile of bodies in the aft
end of the cabin by acceleration forces. I doubt that they were even able to
move, once the dive began.

Bob Gardner

"Dale" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Bob Gardner" wrote:

All we have is press reports at present, and you know how reliable they
are.
Comments from the skydivers club indicate that on a cross-country like
this
they would take off their chutes and use them as pillows. Last two radar
hits indicated a vertical speed of 7000 fpm, which is not conducive to
leaving the airplane, to say the least.

A jumper in freefall is descending at around 12000 fpm so the speed
alone wouldn't be a big deal...and out of control airplane could make it
hard to get out.

In article ,
"Bob Gardner" wrote:

Freefall is a lot different than being pinned in a pile of bodies in the aft
end of the cabin by acceleration forces. I doubt that they were even able to
move, once the dive began.


I understand that, IF they were out of control. I descended at
3000-4000fpm in a 206 and kept the engine warm. It wouldn't be
unreasonable to think they could reach 7000fpm without being out of
control...although it does sound like a spiral descent with inflight
breakup. I'm reading they found the tail section some distance away.
Not the way I want to die.

I was just going to post a correction, because the last news I saw said that
the tail had not been found. The sheriff described the accident scene as
pretty much a lawn dart, although he didn't use those words....60 by 100
feet.

Bob Gardner

"Dale" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Bob Gardner" wrote:

Freefall is a lot different than being pinned in a pile of bodies in the
aft
end of the cabin by acceleration forces. I doubt that they were even able
to
move, once the dive began.


I understand that, IF they were out of control. I descended at
3000-4000fpm in a 206 and kept the engine warm. It wouldn't be
unreasonable to think they could reach 7000fpm without being out of
control...although it does sound like a spiral descent with inflight
breakup. I'm reading they found the tail section some distance away.
Not the way I want to die.

On Oct 10, 7:55 pm, "Bob Gardner" wrote:
I was just going to post a correction, because the last news I saw said that
the tail had not been found. The sheriff described the accident scene as
pretty much a lawn dart, although he didn't use those words....60 by 100
feet.

Bob Gardner

"Dale" wrote in message

...

In article ,
"Bob Gardner" wrote:

Freefall is a lot different than being pinned in a pile of bodies in the
aft
end of the cabin by acceleration forces. I doubt that they were even able
to
move, once the dive began.

I understand that, IF they were out of control. I descended at
3000-4000fpm in a 206 and kept the engine warm. It wouldn't be
unreasonable to think they could reach 7000fpm without being out of
control...although it does sound like a spiral descent with inflight
breakup. I'm reading they found the tail section some distance away.
Not the way I want to die.

The Caravan does not carry ice well. There's an airworthiness
directive against it for that reason. See
http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Gu...7?OpenDocument

Dan

In article ,
"Bob Gardner" wrote:

I was just going to post a correction, because the last news I saw said that
the tail had not been found. The sheriff described the accident scene as
pretty much a lawn dart, although he didn't use those words....60 by 100
feet.


I saw that same Sheriff quoted as saying the aircraft impacted at "70
mph". G