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  • Wings ripped off...



    Why/How did it happen?
    Whatever is necessary, is never unwise.

  • #2


    Structural fatigue, the wing had cracks in it. I assume when all the weight was dropped from the plane the change in weight caused too much stress and the plane finally broke.
    Tanner Johnson - Owner
    twenty53 Photography

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    • #3
      Here is the full NTSB Report.



      The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
      the inflight failure of the right wing due to fatigue cracking in the center wing lower skin and underlying structural members. A factor contributing to the accident was inadequate maintenance procedures to detect fatigue cracking.

      If you read the report in full it shows that a lot of tankers were flown in an overspeed condition and pulling up to +2.5gs. Add in the fact that you have a worn out Vietnam Era cargo plane with structural issues and flight limitations you have a recipe for disaster.
      Robin Guess Aviation Historian, Photographer, Web Designer.

      http://www.Jet-Fighters.Net
      http://www.Jet-Liners.Net

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      • #4
        The C -130A is the first production run of the aircraft. Deliveries began in 1956 through 1959 with the introduction of the C-130B. 218 A's were built. 22 were being used as water dropping tankers.
        Don
        Standard practice for managers around the world:
        Ready - Fire - Aim! DAMN! Missed again!

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        • #5
          Stress on the ill-fated C-130A

          Originally posted by Tanner_J
          I assume when all the weight was dropped from the plane the change in weight caused too much stress and the plane finally broke.
          Based on the information given it sounds more like it was pulling positive G's when the failure occured (it was pulling up). I've seen that disastrous type of failure before on other aircraft. Someone once videotaped an Italian-built, twin engine, high-wing general aviation aircraft breaking its wings off at an airshow in the 1980's. Just before the failure it was pulling up at high speed, and white wingtip vortices could be seen coming off both wings. Of course, this also happened to the early Lockheed Electra IIs as well, but for different reasons (induced failure due to "whirl" mode during cruise). How horrible to have such a catastrophic failure like that.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Louis Gonzalez View Post
            Based on the information given it sounds more like it was pulling positive G's when the failure occured (it was pulling up). I've seen that disastrous type of failure before on other aircraft. Someone once videotaped an Italian-built, twin engine, high-wing general aviation aircraft breaking its wings off at an airshow in the 1980's. Just before the failure it was pulling up at high speed, and white wingtip vortices could be seen coming off both wings. Of course, this also happened to the early Lockheed Electra IIs as well, but for different reasons (induced failure due to "whirl" mode during cruise). How horrible to have such a catastrophic failure like that.
            The guy in the Partenavia was pulling into the loops 27 knots above Vne. The NTSB calculated that he was pulling 8.3 G's..... in a light piston twin. The guy got what he was asking for.

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            • #7
              The Partenavia Airshow Crash on Sept. 11, 1983

              Originally posted by JordanD View Post
              The guy in the Partenavia was pulling into the loops 27 knots above Vne. The NTSB calculated that he was pulling 8.3 G's..... in a light piston twin. The guy got what he was asking for.
              A little harsh but essentially correct. Thanks for the additional info Jordan - it allowed me to finally look it up. Vne = never exceed structural limit speed!

              According to different sources on the web the pilot was a sales rep for a company which sold the Partenavia here in the US, since that plane was not well known at the time, and he would "show them off". His wife was the commentator at the shows (including the ill-fated one in Plainview, TX) and can be heard crying on the mike during the mishap.

              Another source said that it was ironic that she was heard to say something like: "note how the non-aerobatic Partenavia performs . . . " . Non-aerobatic is, of course, the key word.

              I also read that the coroner's report said that the pilot may have died of a broken neck right after the wings failed, thus sparing him from the agonizing 9 second spinning plunge.

              How sad that the pilot made such a terrible mistake which cost him his life. That video has freaked me out ever since I first saw it, and it still haunts me today.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Louis Gonzalez View Post
                A little harsh but essentially correct. Thanks for the additional info Jordan - it allowed me to finally look it up. Vne = never exceed structural limit speed!

                According to different sources on the web the pilot was a sales rep for a company which sold the Partenavia here in the US, since that plane was not well known at the time, and he would "show them off". His wife was the commentator at the shows (including the ill-fated one in Plainview, TX) and can be heard crying on the mike during the mishap.

                Another source said that it was ironic that she was heard to say something like: "note how the non-aerobatic Partenavia performs . . . " . Non-aerobatic is, of course, the key word.

                I also read that the coroner's report said that the pilot may have died of a broken neck right after the wings failed, thus sparing him from the agonizing 9 second spinning plunge.

                How sad that the pilot made such a terrible mistake which cost him his life. That video has freaked me out ever since I first saw it, and it still haunts me today.
                It was a little harsh, but I just don't know what the guy thought the outcome would be. It never ceases to amaze me how careless people get with their lives in and around airplanes. People need to approach this stuff like it can kill them, because it can. From the videos it looked like the guy was VERY close to crashing into a crowd full of people too. Tragic yes, but also very easily avoidable.

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                • #9
                  Avoidable accidents & question about video(s)

                  Originally posted by JordanD View Post
                  . . . From the videos it looked like the guy was VERY close to crashing into a crowd full of people too. Tragic yes, but also very easily avoidable.
                  I agree. Totally avoidable.

                  You mentioned videos. I've only seen one which shows the last few seconds leading up to the accident. Can you tell me what else you saw on the other videos? (If it's not too much trouble)

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Louis Gonzalez View Post
                    I agree. Totally avoidable.

                    You mentioned videos. I've only seen one which shows the last few seconds leading up to the accident. Can you tell me what else you saw on the other videos? (If it's not too much trouble)
                    Woops I meant just the one video.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by JordanD View Post
                      It never ceases to amaze me how careless people get with their lives in and around airplanes. People need to approach this stuff like it can kill them, because it can.
                      I agree. Which brings up my opinion that aviation should not be a hobby unless you attempt to operate like a professional. And there's much more to being a professional than simply getting paid for it. Flying once every couple months is NOT enough to maintain proficiency in an airplane.

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