Lehigh Valley Int'l US Airways Emergency Landing

[fr8tmastr]

The only control surface on the dash 100 that is boosted is the rudder. It has been a while since I have thought about it, but I dont think there is any backup for the rudder control in the event of hyd. loss. Anyone with some recent time on the Dash can correct me if wrong.

 

[delldude]

The only control surface on the dash 100 that is boosted is the rudder. It has been a while since I have thought about it, but I dont think there is any backup for the rudder control in the event of hyd. loss. Anyone with some recent time on the Dash can correct me if wrong.

Only backup would be your engines....like Souix City L-10?

 

[BuffaloJoe]

Only backup would be your engines....like Souix City L-10?

That was a UA DC-10, flight 232 if I remember correctly.

 

[PropPiedmont]

The only control surface on the dash 100 that is boosted is the rudder. It has been a while since I have thought about it, but I dont think there is any backup for the rudder control in the event of hyd. loss. Anyone with some recent time on the Dash can correct me if wrong.

There is a rudder isolation valve mod installed in the Dash 8s. Came about due the Horizon Dash 8 that had a fire in the engine nacelle (1988 Spokane). The fire burned through the hydraulic lines casuing a complete hydraulic fluid loss of both systems. Once the engine was shut down due to the fire, they were then flying without a rudder. No rudder while single engine in a Dash 8 is not a good postion to be in. You can only do one thing, keep the airplane flying at an airspeed no less than about 170 kts in order to have enough aileron effectiveness. Come in slightly high on approach, and when landing is assured feather the good engine becoming a glider and land.

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/GenPDF.asp?id=DCA88MA052&rpt=fi

It happened once at Piedmont back before the mod and they were able to avoid hitting the terminal unlike Horizon. Chances of that happening now with the mod are very, very slim. If you hear about a Dash 8 having a hydraulic failure, most likely it only lost one of the two systems which is a non-event. If it lost both for some reason the rudder will still have hyraulic fluid and pressure to operate.

Also, the rudder is not the only hydraulic assisted flight control. The Dash has hydraulic roll spoilers that assist the cable driven ailerons in rolling the aircraft.

 

[tesgrig]

It amazes me that one of our aircraft was in an emergency situation and a few of you guys want to argue about Tempe and aircraft systems, learn some class. To the crew of that flight job well done guys.

 

[delldude]

That was a UA DC-10, flight 232 if I remember correctly.

Yeah...my mistake....have the tower tape...amazing effort.

It amazes me that one of our aircraft was in an emergency situation and a few of you guys want to argue about Tempe and aircraft systems, learn some class. To the crew of that flight job well done guys.

Standard procedure per the flight manual and simulator training....don't get your cookies up too much.