The Right State

If the initial reason of the crash of ComAir Flight 5191 is correct, it is indeed tragic since the plane did not have a chance. According to Fox News, early reports indicated the jet was attempting to take off from the wrong runway.

A commuter jet crashed during take off early Sunday and burst into flames, killing 49 people and leaving the lone survivor in critical condition. Investigators were trying to determine if the plane was on the wrong runway and ran out of pavement.

AOPA’s Airport Directory (2005-2005 edition) shows Lexington, Kentucky only has one airport and that airport only has two runways. Runway 4-22 is 7003 feet long while runway 8-26 is only 3500 feet long. For the plane to crash, the pilot either tried to take off on runway 8-26 which is far too short or he was trying to take off with the wind on runway 4-22. Either one would be termed as taking off from the wrong runway and both would have devastating consequences. Again I say, if the initial reports are correct because all of this is pure conjecture. For the pilot to take off with the wind on a controlled airport such as Lexington would be a tremendous mistake on the part of both the tower and the pilot. Therefore this probability is doubtful. Another possible and much more likely possibility is the combination of poor visibility and confusion on the part of the pilot. The two runways cross and with a lack of visibility, the pilot may have become confused and accidentally lined up on the shorter runway 8-26 rather than the longer 4-22. With the lack of visibility, he may not have noticed the runway was too short until it was too late to abort takeoff.

Again I say, this is just speculation, and all of this speculation is dependent on the accuracy of the initial reports coming from Fox News. My thoughts and prayers go to the families on this plane.

Update:  Further review of AOPA’s Flight Directory shows that if the pilot did take off from the wrong runway as reported, then he really missed all the clues.  Runway 6-22 is 150 feet wide while 8-26 is only half as wide.  This is easily noticeable.  And second, every airport I have ever flown into, the runways are clearly marked.  Not only did the pilot miss the clues, but so did the co-pilot.  Somebody messed up bigtime.

Tags: Culture by Chuck
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Great news.  According to Fox News, reporter Steve Centanni and cameraman Olaf Wigg have been released, turned over to the Palastinian Authority, and are now in Israel.

After the Jill Carroll incident, I have been reluctant to write anything negative on what Steve and Olaf may have said or done.  In the video released by the Islamic terrorist group who captured them, Steve said they were not threatened or harmed in any way.  Apparently, they were not as well treated as their captors would have us believe.  Steve described having his hands wrenched back behind his back and tied there with a very tight plastic tie strap.  The news crew were man-handled, threatened, guns pointed to their heads, and forced to lie face down on a dusty dirty floor with their hands forced back for hours.  Just to show just how out of touch these Islamists are, Steve and Olaf were forced at gunpoint to convert to Islam.

After Steve and Olaf were released, they had a news conference which I think was directed more at their captors and other would-be kidnappers than their fellow journalists.  Both said they hoped their abduction and length in captivity did affect journalists’ decision not to cover the Palestinian situation, specifically in Gaza.  What it seems they are saying is, ‘Abducting us at gunpoint has hurt your cause and any further kidnappings will stop any journalists from covering your plight.’  And I think it has hurt their cause.

I thank God for Steve Centanni and Olaf Wigg’s safe release.

Tags: Terrorism by Chuck
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