A DC-9 has a close encounter of the scariest kind

[dbaker]

Too Close for Comfort
A DC-9 has a close encounter of the scariest kind

It's been said that history has a way of repeating itself for those who do not heed past lessons. In April 1977 a Southern Airways McDonnell Douglas DC-9 tangled with a thunderstorm that smashed the windshield and flamed out both engines. That resulted in a dead-stick landing with heavy loss of life (see "Safety Pilot Landmark Accidents: Deadly Surprise," August 1998 Pilot). The crew misread the weather radar and flew into a cell with massive rainfall that literally snuffed out the engines. Twenty-one years later, on May 7, 1998, about 7:20 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, another DC-9, operated as AirTran Airlines Flight 426, nearly replicated the earlier accident and, again, confirmed that thunderstorms should be given a wide berth.

[jetmech717]

Mr. Baker AirTran Airways flies 488 flights a day, eventually we will fly through bad weather, but no airline is safe from natures fury....

On May 24, 2003, approximately 2136:37 central daylight time, a Boeing 737-300 transport airplane, N343SW, operating as Southwest Flight 2066, sustained substantial damage upon impact with the runway lights following a loss of control during the landing on runway 04 at the Amarillo International Airport (AMA), Amarillo, Texas. (break)At 2133:00, the flight crew reported that the flight was at the edge of a thunderstorm.(break)At 2133:52, the flight crew reported that the airport was in sight but the visibility was starting to deteriorate.

On March 14, 2003, at 1620 Pacific standard time, an American Airlines DC-9-82, (MD-82) N298AA, landed on an active taxiway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Seattle, Washington. (break)According to the flying crewmember, the position of the sun and wet terrain from a recent rain shower played a role in his misidentification of the appropriate landing surface.

On November 29, 2000, about 1753 Eastern Standard Time, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 (MD-80), N3507A, operated by American Airlines as flight 1683, sustained minor damage from an in-flight fire that began shortly after take off from Ronald Reagan-Washington National Airport (DCA), Washington, DC.(break)During initial climb-out, the airplane was struck by lightning. Shortly thereafter, dark smoke entered the forward area of the passenger cabin. The crew declared an emergency and the flight attendants, with a passenger's assistance, cut a hole in the overhead panel, and discharged the contents of two hand held fire extinguishers.

On September 26, 2000, about 0540 eastern daylight time, a Boeing 777-223, N789AN, call sign AAL908, operated by American Airlines Inc., encountered severe turbulence while descending for approach to Miami International Airport.(break)While descending out of FL190 to 10,000 feet and maneuvering around weather cells, about 60 miles southeast of the airport, the flight encountered severe turbulence. A passenger that was exiting a lavatory fell and broke a leg.

On June 1, 1999, at 2350:44 central daylight time,1 American Airlines flight 1420, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 (MD-82), N215AA, crashed after it overran the end of runway 4R during landing at Little Rock National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas. (break)The flight crew's failure to discontinue the approach when severe thunderstorms and their associated hazards to flight operations had moved into the airport area and the crew's failure to ensure that the spoilers had extended after touchdown.

Not to pick on American but some of there incidents came to mind. The list could go on forever with weather related incidents, That is part of the risk we take with flying, gentlemen.