USAF crash at Lubbock

[Karl Hungus]

Small jet with two aboard crashes at Lubbock airport

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Story last updated at 5/22/2008 - 2:10 am

A U.S. Air Force plane crashed just north of the Lubbock airport Wednesday night.

The small twin-engine jet appeared to be on final approach to Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport when it crashed just outside the airport fence at 9:49 p.m., said James Loomis, the airport's director.

Two people were on board. No critical injuries were reported.

Loomis couldn't say Wednesday night if weather caused the plane to crash.

"The Air Force will conduct its investigation," he said, adding the crash would not affect airport operations.

Winds reaching speeds up to 71 mph moved through the South Plains on Wednesday night, causing minor damage.

"Every year we get some of these types of events," said Gary Skwira, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Lubbock. "They still produce some pretty good wind and cause damage."

Crews closed Avenue A between 45th and 50th streets due to a downed power line. Winds knocked down several trees and blew off the roof of a car wash on South University Avenue.

[sky_king]

https://www.kcbd.com/Global/story.asp?S=836...;nav=menu69_1_4

Add another to the list. At least both of them are fine. Please keep speculation to a minimum (aka zero).

[TheBlueMax]

this is the first toner incident ive heard of. good that theyre ok.

[brabus]

From the article - "Right now, no one is saying what may have caused the crash, but we can only assume strong winds may have contributed to the crash."

And I assume you have expertise in the aviation field and thus can make accurate assumptions about crashes. Jackass media.

Glad the pilots are ok.

[Boxhead]

Please keep speculation to a minimum (aka zero).

Jesus man, what will be left for this forum to talk aobut if everyone can't second guess and monday morning quarterback?

My bet is they were making out on final and planning on their next CT sortie to CA to get gay-married.

On a more serious note, glad they are OK!

[CHS17]

this is the first toner incident ive heard of. good that theyre ok.

This is the other one that comes to mind

Keesler 2003

[Eeyore]

I was on duty at AeroCare (local helicopter EMS) that evening and thankfully not required to launch on the accident. The local weather service had not posted any low level wind shear just strong gusty winds of 20-30 with gust up to 40. We did have some unforseen local buildups with plenty of virga which were not in the forecast. Plenty of blowing dust which reduced vis to 5 miles. It is always windy in Lubbock. One ponders if a small sudden downburst from decending virga a mile or two north of the aproach end on runway 17r caused a short term low level wind shear?? Glad both pilots had only minor injuries.

[B*D*A]

I was on duty at AeroCare (local helicopter EMS) that evening and thankfully not required to launch on the accident. The local weather service had not posted any low level wind shear just strong gusty winds of 20-30 with gust up to 40. We did have some unforseen local buildups with plenty of virga which were not in the forecast. Plenty of blowing dust which reduced vis to 5 miles. It is always windy in Lubbock. One ponders if a small sudden downburst from decending virga a mile or two north of the aproach end on runway 17r caused a short term low level wind shear?? Glad both pilots had only minor injuries.

Exactly what I was thinking, maybe this meteorlogy degree is worth something lol.

[HerkDerka]

One ponders if a small sudden downburst from decending virga

Virga doesn't cause a microburst, it's an indicator of a microburst.

HD

[Eeyore]

Touche, HD. Now to educated others.

virga—(Also called Fallstreifen, fallstreaks, precipitation trails.) Wisps or streaks of water or ice particles falling out of a cloud but evaporating before reaching the earth's surface as precipitation.

Virga is frequently seen trailing from altocumulus and altostratus clouds, but also is discernible below the bases of high-level cumuliform clouds from which precipitation is falling into a dry subcloud layer. It typically exhibits a hooked form in which the streaks descend nearly vertically just under the precipitation source but appear to be almost horizontal at their lower extremities. Such curvature of virga can be produced simply by effects of strong vertical wind shear, but ordinarily it results from the fact that droplet or crystal evaporation decreases the particle terminal fall velocity near the ends of the streaks. Under some conditions, virga are associated with dry microbursts, which are formed as a product of the evaporation. See cloud classification.

[HerkDerka]

Virga is definitly the catalyst of dry microbursts. But virga has nothing to do with wet microbursts and you can also have virga without a microburst.

The key point is you need a downdraft from convective activity and a catalyst for a microburst.

HD

Edited May 24, 2008 by HerkDerka

[Butters]

What?!? F minus.

Both your statements are wrong. Virga can and does cause microbursts. Virga in and of itself is not an indicator of a microburst though.

The rapidly descending volume of cool air caused as a direct result of virga can cause a microburst.

Maybe it was Viagra??

[usaf36031]

fail

[Guest Linda]

Maybe it was Viagra??

I sense some stiff competition here.

[Guest Mike Brogan]

I sense some stiff competition here.

LOL Well played, although I prefer c-ialis, so that I'm ready to "microburst" when my partner is!

Edited May 25, 2008 by Mike Brogan

[Butters]

Please keep speculation to a minimum (aka zero).

Now that we have thoroughly covered virga and Viagra we can get back to speculating!

Safety guys should not have too much trouble figuring this one out. They have a lot of things going for them.

1. The pilots are OK and can tell them what happened.

2. The aircraft is in pretty good shape (not a smoking hole in the ground) and can tell them what happened

3. It appears from the news photo that the aircraft is not on the Moon, so they should be able to collect some weather data from the time of the mishap.

Now we know the aircraft is not on the Moon, but it is not on the runway either. Several things can make an aircraft not make the runway!

1. The pilots said F@&*K it, let’s land here in this field.

2. The aircraft said F@&*K it, I am landing in this field.

3. The environmental conditions (microbursts, low vis, ect) said FU, you are landing in this field.

4. Oh, and the unknown factors.. monkeys, aliens and that damn Sasquach.

Not the fist time someone has landed short. Lots of ways that it can happen. Some are the pilot’s fault some are not. Good thing is they are OK and if they can fix a C-17 with the nose gear ripped off at Bagram, I think they can fix this one too.

[BFM this]

Possibly, but from the picture, I see nose crumpling, poss something important (structural) damaged, though prob not a main spar or support. Either way, this is a likely one-way to DM on a flatbed.

[Butters]

Possibly, but from the picture, I see nose crumpling, poss something important (structural) damaged, though prob not a main spar or support. Either way, this is a likely one-way to DM on a flatbed.

Guess you never saw the C-17 at Bagram. They can pretty much fix anything that is not a smoking pile of scrap metal.

Sorry, could not find the picture of the underside of the jet. Lots of structural damage. Boeing just cut all the damaged areas out and riveted new ones in! That aircraft was back in the fleet about 1.5 years after it happened.

Edited May 25, 2008 by Nole_96

[busdriver]

of course they can fix it, different pot of money....

[Guest thefranchise]

Not the fist time someone has landed short. Lots of ways that it can happen. Some are the pilot’s fault some are not. Good thing is they are OK and if they can fix a C-17 with the nose gear ripped off at Bagram, I think they can fix this one too.

i think a C17 costs just a little bit more than a B-400 and therefore is worth fixing.

[Techsan]

The news channel said on their video report that it was two IPs on board.

If true, 2 IP's flying together is never a good thing.

[Guest thefranchise]

Glad they are ok.

https://www.swtexaslive.com/node/6908

[Guest tmickel]

The news channel said on their video report that it was two IPs on board.

If true, 2 IP's flying together is never a good thing.

Why is it a bad thing for 2 IPs to fly together? Happens all the time with CT and MQF sorties -- this one happened to be an initial MQF sortie for a new IP.

[Berry]

If true, 2 IP's flying together is never a good thing.

Since when?

[M2]

"I got it"

"No, I got it"

"No, I've got it!"

Just kidding. Speculate all you want, it has no impact on the investigation as it is just a bunch of guys tossing down thoughts on a forum. I doubt anyone has any "inside" knowledge, and if they do, they know not to post it here.

I blame al Qaida!

Cheers! M2