Three planes collide in Baton Rouge

[tech2101]

Here is what $15/hr A&P's buy...


BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - A three-plane ground crash at the Baton Rouge Metro Airport could have become an explosive disaster.

It happened at the new regional maintenance hangar for Atlantic Southeast Airlines, or ASA.

The total value to the three CRJ commuter jets is $100 million and it looks like the most expensive one is a total loss.

The entire incident reportedly took five seconds.

A young mechanic pressed a starter switch to slowly spin the compressor blades for cleaning.

Instead, her action sent the engine to immediate takeoff power, hurling the fragile aircraft at 90 degree angles.

Witnesses say it's a wonder the entire hangar wasn't sent up in flames, not to mention injury or death to the 14 ASA mechanics and cleaning crew members working inside.

http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=8711634

 

[lineguy43]

Here is what $15/hr A&P's buy...


BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - A three-plane ground crash at the Baton Rouge Metro Airport could have become an explosive disaster.

It happened at the new regional maintenance hangar for Atlantic Southeast Airlines, or ASA.

The total value to the three CRJ commuter jets is $100 million and it looks like the most expensive one is a total loss.

The entire incident reportedly took five seconds.

A young mechanic pressed a starter switch to slowly spin the compressor blades for cleaning.

Instead, her action sent the engine to immediate takeoff power, hurling the fragile aircraft at 90 degree angles.

Witnesses say it's a wonder the entire hangar wasn't sent up in flames, not to mention injury or death to the 14 ASA mechanics and cleaning crew members working inside.

http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=8711634

Well Tech I tend to agree with you but fact is even better paying A@P's have crashed airplanes. I remember the MD-80 that CO mechanic crashed into the terminal in EWR. Also when I was with the evil red rudder we had a father and son team taxiing an A319 at LGA into the gate. The son was driving problem was he wasn't qualified on the jet but his father was in the right seat but he was not an examiner so it wasn't legal. Story goes that they had the brake set which on the A319/320 is turning the handle on the pedestal well the guy in the left seat started adding power and the a/c was not moving so he added more power and the father then saw the brake handle set and turned it and the a/c took off and hit the Jetway and the left wing sliced through the fuselage of an adjacent 757. Both MX were fired by the way. Mistakes can happen regardless of pay rates..You can't be too complacent in this business..

 

[eolesen]

Let's not forget the Airbus factory techs who lost control during an engine run-up and took a brand spankin' new A340-600 up and over a blast fence about a year ago... Total write-off of $138M before it was even delivered...

Photos of the CRJ's didn't look like anything that would be a write off, although I'm sure ASA wishes the two hit were, given CRJ200 values...

 

[tech2101]

Well Tech I tend to agree with you but fact is even better paying A@P's have crashed airplanes. I remember the MD-80 that CO mechanic crashed into the terminal in EWR. Also when I was with the evil red rudder we had a father and son team taxiing an A319 at LGA into the gate. The son was driving problem was he wasn't qualified on the jet but his father was in the right seat but he was not an examiner so it wasn't legal. Story goes that they had the brake set which on the A319/320 is turning the handle on the pedestal well the guy in the left seat started adding power and the a/c was not moving so he added more power and the father then saw the brake handle set and turned it and the a/c took off and hit the Jetway and the left wing sliced through the fuselage of an adjacent 757. Both MX were fired by the way. Mistakes can happen regardless of pay rates..You can't be too complacent in this business..

I remember the incident well. I think it was 3115. They scrapped it out.

 

[Kev3188]

I remember the incident well. I think it was 3115. They scrapped it out.

I thought it was 3113??? I'm sure you're right about it being scrapped; I know it was in one of AA's or AE's hangars there for some time while it was being cannibalized for parts.

One of the regular commuters through my old city was training captain for the Airbus fleet. He mentioned that this plane was at 80% of takeoff power when the brakes were released.

There was also rumors that prior to arriving at the gate, they were "racing" a Spirit Airlines plane out on the taxiways.

Here's a link to an NTSB report about it....

 

[tech2101]

I thought it was 3113??? I'm sure you're right about it being scrapped; I know it was in one of AA's or AE's hangars there for some time while it was being cannibalized for parts.

One of the regular commuters through my old city was training captain for the Airbus fleet. He mentioned that this plane was at 80% of takeoff power when the brakes were released.

There was also rumors that prior to arriving at the gate, they were "racing" a Spirit Airlines plane out on the taxiways.

Here's a link to an NTSB report about it....

I believe you are right Kev, it was 3113. When I went back for my run/taxi examiner recurrent training after that incident, they showed us the report pulled from the DFDR. It was at about 80% power. They also had cell phones with them and they were on. I think there was a third person on board that was not buckled in. Things changed in the run/taxi world after that incident. Many people had there authority revoked because we (the examiners) all got gun shy after that day. I would not grant authority to very many people after that...