JJMNGR From Brazil, joined May 2004, 1018 posts, RR: 21 Posted (5 years 11 months 1 week 5 days 6 hours ago) and read 15225 times:
Just saw on the major national television news that a VARIG MD11 had a serious accident while landing at BSB today. The images shown were incredible.
Central landing gear of the MD11 simply collapsed, opened a big hole on the fuselage, split small parts throughout wings and many other parts and opened a hole on the runway.
This is being investigated by ANAC.
AeroWesty From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 16475 posts, RR: 62 Reply 1, posted (5 years 11 months 1 week 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 15216 times:
"RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — The landing gear on a Varig airlines jet broke as it touched down Friday in the capital of Brasilia, the airline said in a statement.
None of the 108 passengers was injured, and the plane landed safely, Varig said.
The MD-11 jet was headed from Rio to the Amazon jungle city of Manaus, with a stopover in Brasilia. The 45 passengers bound for Manaus were transferred to other airlines, the company said."
Legoguy From Ireland, joined Jun 2006, 3288 posts, RR: 50 Reply 2, posted (5 years 11 months 1 week 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 15192 times:
I thought that Varig was going out the window. Glad to hear everyone was alright, but it could be one less MD-11 for us to all enjoy flying about!!Doh!!!
Can you say 'Beer Can' without sounding like a Jamaican saying 'Bacon'?
Warreng24 From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 663 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (5 years 11 months 1 week 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 15011 times:
Only 108 people on the jet? Damn. Those are some really low load factors.
JJMNGR From Brazil, joined May 2004, 1018 posts, RR: 21 Reply 6, posted (5 years 11 months 1 week 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 14982 times:
Considering it was the middle central landing gear, difficult to believe it was a hard landing as this is the last landing gear to touch the runway. The central landing gear a little bit more retracted that those mounted on the wings and it is there just to hep support of the hole weight of the aircraft, like the one mounted on the A340.
LTU932 From Germany, joined Jan 2006, 13864 posts, RR: 53 Reply 7, posted (5 years 11 months 1 week 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 14956 times:
So I presume there was no more damage done to the airframe? I don't think in any case, a centre strut like those on MD-11s and A342/3s should cause lots of damage if broken, but I'm still curious as to any further damage to the frame.
JCS17 From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 8037 posts, RR: 50 Reply 8, posted (5 years 11 months 1 week 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 14927 times:
Hmm... At least the creditors will have a difficult time repossessing that a/c.
AwysBSB From Brazil, joined Sep 2005, 467 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (5 years 11 months 1 week 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 14844 times:
The incident occurred on RWY 11R and BSB stayed closed for more than one hour because 11L was being repaired.
Most of the flights that were going to BSB made a stopover in GYN.
If BSB had more than one airport, passengers would had been less perturbed
LVZXV From Gabon, joined Mar 2004, 2041 posts, RR: 50 Reply 10, posted (5 years 11 months 1 week 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 14724 times:
Quoting JJMNGR (Reply 6): Considering it was the middle central landing gear, difficult to believe it was a hard landing as this is the last landing gear to touch the runway. The central landing gear a little bit more retracted that those mounted on the wings and it is there just to hep support of the hole weight of the aircraft, like the one mounted on the A340.
I'm no engineer, but I would have though that the central gear would be the first to give in a hard landing. Just think about, the full inertia of the, what, 200 ton fuselage right above it, probably striking the runway at over 1,000fpm for it to fail. Also, it's got half the wheels of the other MLG bogies, and presumably less oleo travel too. In addition to this, the outer bogies don't "tilt" the way they do on the A340--I understand that this "softens" the impact. Considering the average speed and sink rate of an MD-11 on landing, I'm surprised that for the most part the gear takes it so well.
This would leave eight MD-11s in their active fleet--at this rate they will soon have fewer widebodies than AR, and that is worrying!
JJMNGR From Brazil, joined May 2004, 1018 posts, RR: 21 Reply 11, posted (5 years 11 months 1 week 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 14657 times:
Quoting LTU932 (Reply 7): So I presume there was no more damage done to the airframe? I don't think in any case, a centre strut like those on MD-11s and A342/3s should cause lots of damage if broken, but I'm still curious as to any further damage to the frame.
As per images shown on tv, there was a big hole under the fuselage plus many other damage caused by the split of small parts. It was really a bad thing!
Well, I believe it was just an inccident and not an accident. I've just seen the pictures of the aircraft on tv and the landing gear made four big hole in its belly. One more wide body grounded for some weeks. Bad news to Varig.
Another news that just come over is that Varig has fuel to operate flights only until next Monday. It seems that Sunday will be the last day ...
Woosie From United States of America, joined May 2006, 115 posts, RR: 3 Reply 13, posted (5 years 11 months 1 week 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 14605 times:
Please remember the center landing gear is in it's own wheelwell, so the "hole" you refer to is probably the center main landing gear doors departing the airplane. The pressure shell opening (where pax are) is feet above that lower loft line.
This is not to say the event isn't significant - I don't know if it is or isn't.
Aloges From Germany, joined Jan 2006, 7587 posts, RR: 51 Reply 17, posted (5 years 11 months 1 week 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 12097 times:
Quoting Woosie (Reply 13): Please remember the center landing gear is in it's own wheelwell, so the "hole" you refer to is probably the center main landing gear doors departing the airplane. The pressure shell opening (where pax are) is feet above that lower loft line.
I've just watched a short Brazilian news video (from globo.com), they reported the lower part of the landing gear - i.e. the bogey and part of the strut - had separated and bounced off the runway against the belly of the MD-11, causing the holes.
They also interviewed a passenger who, if I got her right, said she hadn't noticed anything, not even a noise.
Walk together, talk together all ye peoples of the earth. Then, and only then, shall ye have peace.
MEA-707 From Netherlands, joined Nov 1999, 4001 posts, RR: 48 Reply 19, posted (5 years 11 months 1 week 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 9505 times:
Quoting HAWK21M (Reply 15): Well, I believe it was just an inccident and not an accident.
How would you define that.
regds
MEL
An accident would be with fatalities, injuries and/or a destroyed airframe. Therefore a thread title like "Varig MD-11 accident" looks very scary and I'd also have thought "Varig MD-11 incident" is more appropriate.
By the way MEL you post a lot of questions and I see you never use a question mark ("?"). That might give your post a bit a rude and shouty impression, like that you demand an answer. Just wanting to point this out if you wonder why sometimes noone bothers to answer this might be the reason.
nobody has ever died from hard work, but why take the risk?
An accident would be with fatalities, injuries and/or a destroyed airframe. Therefore a thread title like "Varig MD-11 accident" looks very scary and I'd also have thought "Varig MD-11 incident" is more appropriate.
By the way MEL you post a lot of questions and I see you never use a question mark ("?"). That might give your post a bit a rude and shouty impression, like that you demand an answer. Just wanting to point this out if you wonder why sometimes noone bothers to answer this might be the reason.
Perfect MEA-707. Thanks for your quick explanation. There is a big difference between and aeronautical accident and incident, as set forth by the ICAO regulations. What happened to RG's MD-11 at BSB was only an incident, just like when an aircraft overruns a runway without serious damages or injuries to the aircraft or its passengers.
Magyarorszag From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 24, posted (5 years 11 months 1 week 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 6187 times:
Quoting Bh4007 (Reply 23): I was under the impression that a MD-11 could land without the central gear no problem.(?) The slightly smaller Tristars do it.
You're right, but this can happen only with a lower Maximum Landing Weight. I saw a few DC-10-30s landing and taking off with the center wheel retracted.
25 JJMNGR: Here is a link where images could be seeing: http://gmc.globo.com/GMC/0,,2465-p-M483699,00.html
26 AwysBSB: A fact I know about maintenance is that most of the pieces of an aircraft are often being redesigned and their handbooks reviewed. As MD-11s are no mo
27 MD90fan: I was about to is it me or is 108 passengers on an MD-11 not alot!!
28 PPVRA: About the loads- yes, they are indeed very low, but then don't forget MAO is very big on cargo. Not saying that the flight was profitable, chances are
29 CosmicCruiser: You're right; I just flew one a couple of weeks ago with the ctr. gr. retracted. Max t/o gross wgt was 445.0 It wasn't a big deal.
30 777WT: " target=_blank>http://gmc.globo.com/GMC/0,,2465-p-M....html Know what I think? It could be hyd system failure since in the images, they showed the RA
31 RICARIZA: Thank you for that link. Now I see that it was the auxiliary landing gear, now I understand why the a/c was able to land without problems. Did the pr
32 EZEIZA: Glad that this ended up to be a mere incident and everyone is ok ... everyone except the airline. As if things were not ba enough for RG this incident
33 HAWK21M: Cant do that till 31st Dec 2006 2359 hrs Long Story.Most are aware of.Its a Bet on Anet. Hopefully Folks dont find it Rude.If you meet me You'll know
38 DreamsUnited: Wait a minute... Thats it? Thats all? You guys made it sound like the damage was horrifying and the aircraft was ripped apart. Is that really it? well
39 SvenvdM: Disapointment at the fact that there's not more destruction?????????
40 DreamsUnited: Oh god no, you guys just made it sound alot worse, like that MD-11 was totaled, I was being sarcastic
41 Filejw: Guys . A little heads up for future reference. The difference between an accident and incident is determined by the amount of damage in $$$ terms.
42 WNCrew: DRAMA QUEEN! Please people, be realistic when posting!
43 Mpdesa: Drama is always the case whenever JJMNGR talks about Varig. His dislike of RG is starting to get boring and outdated. Just read any discussion about
44 JJMNGR: Come on! Don´t look only to this picture to conclude nothing more happened ok? Most of Brazilian newspapers and massive national television showed mu
45 CosmicCruiser: You don't really think that the MD-11 has any higher sink rate upon landing than any other big jet do you? Avg rate of descent on final about 700-800
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