Wingedarrow From Italy, joined May 2005, 169 posts, RR: 1 Posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 1464 times:
Hi everybody! Some days ago I was talking with one of my supervisors who was once a flight attendant and she gave me a little explanation of the tasks of each crew member during a water landing. This made me curious about such events: what major airlines had one of their aircrafts making a water landing? I remember that a few years ago an Ethiopian Airlines B767 tried to make a water landing somewhere off the coasts of Africa, but the plane crashed and there were some fatalties. So, is it a safe procedure? I mean, is it as easy as it seems to land on water? How long can a plane float before sinking? In how much time should the aircraft be evacuated? Can anybody help?
Aloha73g From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 2303 posts, RR: 5 Reply 1, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 1436 times:
I don't think the Ethiopian 767 counts as a true water landing because the engines were out--no gas--and the water was very shallow, so the plane was torn apart by the rocks/reef. (I think)
There was a DC-9 that made a successful water landing in the Caribbean in the late 60s. It was at night, during a storm. I don't know of many other attempts--successful or not.
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Litz From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 1745 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 1218 times:
Well,
The most infamous case belongs to Japan Airlines ... they dunked a brand new, 4 month old, plane in SF bay way back in the day.
(DC8, I think?)
It was hauled out, overhauled for months at United's hangar there, and returned to service. Still flies today for ABX.
Reportedly, nobody even got their feet wet, as the wings were basically @ water level. Plane settled onto the mud after slewing to a stop.
There's an article on a.net in the articles list (The Plane that was too young to die) if you want to read more.
KL5147 From Netherlands, joined Aug 2005, 301 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 5 days ago) and read 1156 times:
Quoting Aloha73g (Reply 1): There was a DC-9 that made a successful water landing in the Caribbean in the late 60s. It was at night, during a storm.
This was an Overseas National Airways (ONA) DC-9-33F, N935F c/n 47407 named "Carib Queen". It was operating on behalf of ALM Dutch Antillean Airlines.
A/C was en route from JFK to SXM with 6 crew and 57 pax.
It ditched on May 2, 1970, 110nm NW of St Maarten when it ran out of fuel. The crew had diverted the plane a few times to avoid thunderstorms in the Caribbean area.
After ditching, the plane sank in less than 10 minutes in 5000 feet deep water.
Although 23 people (1 crew and 22 pax) lost their lives, this disaster is still regarded as one of the most successfully accomplished ditching of an commercial (jet) airliner.
The NTSB found that inadequate fuel management was the main cause of this disaster.
Areopagus From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 1357 posts, RR: 1 Reply 6, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 5 days ago) and read 1143 times:
The Ethiopian 767 caught an engine on a wave and flipped. (This is a disadvantage of hanging those large high-bypass engines under the wings.) A number of passengers died because, contrary to instructions, they inflated their life jackets before exiting the aircraft and were pinned inside by the rising water.
DeC From Greece, joined Aug 2005, 616 posts, RR: 1 Reply 7, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 5 days ago) and read 1113 times:
A friend flight attendant of mine, told me that if there’s a problem and the captain calls crew for a water ditching, then it probably means certain death….it’s their worst fear, most of the times aircrafts flip and break apart in the water, because of the large engines.
You can also search for it in the forum. you're not the first to bring this topic up.
Some people think that KAL007 747 succesfully ditched near Monoron Island after having been shot at by a Russian fighter jet. I have to admit it's one of the more plausible conspiracy theories. http://www.airliners.net/articles/read.main?id=77
Quoting Wingedarrow (Thread starter): I remember that a few years ago an Ethiopian Airlines B767 tried to make a water landing somewhere off the coasts of Africa, but the plane crashed and there were some fatalties.
Quoting Aloha73g (Reply 1): I don't think the Ethiopian 767 counts as a true water landing because the engines were out--no gas--and the water was very shallow, so the plane was torn apart by the rocks/reef. (I think)
Quoting Areopagus (Reply 6): The Ethiopian 767 caught an engine on a wave and flipped. (This is a disadvantage of hanging those large high-bypass engines under the wings.) A number of passengers died because, contrary to instructions, they inflated their life jackets before exiting the aircraft and were pinned inside by the rising water.
Yes an ET 767 ditched at the coast off the Comorros and it didn't go smoothly. However, it is important to realise that the plane was hijacked by three men. As you can imagine, the pilot likely had a difficult job ditching the plane with a gun pointing at his head. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19961123-0
BTW, there's a video of this accident made by a tourist on the beach.
FlyMIA From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 6297 posts, RR: 6 Reply 9, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 976 times:
I would not exactly call landing in the water a water landing unless you are in a sea plane. I would call it a crash landings or ditch. You can never really have a successful water landing. A successful ditch or crash landing is possible.
Ditching their plane in the water is one of the worst fears pilots have as long with Fire in the cockpit or cabin which is the worst or running out of fuel.
Quoting Areopagus (Reply 6): A number of passengers died because, contrary to instructions, they inflated their life jackets before exiting the aircraft and were pinned inside by the rising water.
Thats a great point and lesson to be learned from many. If you inflate it before leaving the aircraft than you cant swim down to an exit door if you need too.
"It was just four of us on the flight deck, trying to do our job" (Captain Al Haynes)
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