Pilots tested jet's limits for 'fun' before fatal crash

[BigToque]

What would Darwin think?

Pilots tested jet's limits for 'fun' before fatal crash

Two pilots who died in a plane crash in Missouri last year had been flying their empty commuter jet at its maximum altitude for "a little fun," according to cockpit conversations released on Monday.

Capt. Jesse Rhodes and First Officer Peter Cesarz died in the Oct. 14, 2004 crash near Jefferson City, Mo.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board released transcripts of their conversations during the first day of a three-day hearing into the crash.

The pilots were flying a commuter jet from Little Rock, Ark. to Minneapolis when they decided to take the Bombardier regional jet plane up to 41,000 feet. Commuter jets usually fly at much lower altitudes.

"Man, we can do it, 41-it," said Cesarz at 9:48 p.m.

"40,000, baby," responds Rhodes one minute later.

At 9:51, they reach 41,000 feet. "There's my 41-0 man. Made it man," said Cesarz.

According to the transcripts of air-to-ground conversations, an air traffic controller in Kansas City commented that it was unusual to see a commuter jet that high.

"We don't have any passengers on board, so we decided to have a little fun and come up here," one of the pilots told the air traffic controller.

At 10:03 p.m., they reported an engine had failed. The second engine failed five minutes later.

"We're not going to make it, man. We're not going to make it," said Cesarz as they tried to land the plane at the Jefferson City airport.

The jet, operated by the Tennessee-based Pinnacle Airlines, crashed in a residential area of the city. The two pilots were killed. No one on the ground was injured.

 

[meltdown75]

he would probably think they were idiots.

 

[Nitemare]

Definitely Darwin candidates

 

[crab]

They took it to an altitude it was certified to fly at. These things are done so much more often than you guys could ever imagine. Ferry flights can be quite interesting.

 

[JonnyStarks]

At least nobody else died.

 

[Ronstang]

Arrogance claims a lot of lives, luckily these fools didn't take anyone with them.

 

[skace]

Are those jets specced to handle that altitude?

Edit: According to Crab, they are. So I don't see what the problem is.

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: crab
They took it to an altitude it was certified to fly at. These things are done so much more often than you guys could ever imagine. Ferry flights can be quite interesting.

Know what the temp is up there? Could have easily damaged the engines by flying at those altitudes for a while.

 

[43st]

It's not a Darwin award when equipment fails within it's specified operating range. 41,000' was the rating... the plane should've held up fine unless it was grossly under maintained.

 

[BigToque]

Originally posted by: crab
They took it to an altitude it was certified to fly at. These things are done so much more often than you guys could ever imagine. Ferry flights can be quite interesting.

I'm sure it might be able to do it under optimal conditions and the plane was in perfect shape. Anytime you push a machine to the max you definitely run the risk of the machine failing, which is exactly what happened.

 

[Hammer]

Originally posted by: crab
They took it to an altitude it was certified to fly at. These things are done so much more often than you guys could ever imagine. Ferry flights can be quite interesting.

he's right. the ceiling for this plane was 41k feet. it should have been able to safely fly at the altitude. if they had gone outside of the spec, then you could say something about a darwin award.

 

[Toasthead]

Its not like they didnt know the risks involved.

 

[crab]

Originally posted by: Nitemare

Originally posted by: crab
They took it to an altitude it was certified to fly at. These things are done so much more often than you guys could ever imagine. Ferry flights can be quite interesting.

Know what the temp is up there? Could have easily damaged the engines by flying at those altitudes for a while.

Like -25 to -55c...nothing extreme in a jet engine's eyes. The air is thin...that's the problem. I'm wondering why its certified so hgh if it really can't do so. The pilots werent exactly breaking rules.

I really despise the CRJ.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Nitemare

Originally posted by: crab
They took it to an altitude it was certified to fly at. These things are done so much more often than you guys could ever imagine. Ferry flights can be quite interesting.

Know what the temp is up there? Could have easily damaged the engines by flying at those altitudes for a while.

It doesn't matter, because Bombardier has certified all of the CRJs to fly at 41,000 @ up to mach .825.

 

[Hammer]

Originally posted by: Stefan

Originally posted by: crab
They took it to an altitude it was certified to fly at. These things are done so much more often than you guys could ever imagine. Ferry flights can be quite interesting.

I'm sure it might be able to do it under optimal conditions and the plane was in perfect shape. Anytime you push a machine to the max you definitely run the risk of the machine failing, which is exactly what happened.

so if your car redlines at 6500 rpm, and you get it up to 6400 and your engine dies, you wouldn't think the engine was defective?

 

[Demon-Xanth]

I agree that what they were doing SHOULDN'T have been dangerous. If the plane was rated for 41,000', then it should have been able to sustain 41,000'. If it could only take 35,000', then that's where it should have been rated for.

 

[crab]

I know two pilots on the CRJ...I'm thinking of calling to get their opinion.

 

[m2kewl]

Originally posted by: Hammer

Originally posted by: Stefan

Originally posted by: crab
They took it to an altitude it was certified to fly at. These things are done so much more often than you guys could ever imagine. Ferry flights can be quite interesting.

I'm sure it might be able to do it under optimal conditions and the plane was in perfect shape. Anytime you push a machine to the max you definitely run the risk of the machine failing, which is exactly what happened.

so if your car redlines at 6500 rpm, and you get it up to 6400 and your engine dies, you wouldn't think the engine was defective?

fvck yea! i'd take that engine back to Honda! fix it fool!

 

[HardcoreRobot]

bfd

you fail to mention how this joyriding caused the engine to break, so i dont really see the point. if the manufacturer says it can fly at that height, then it should be able to and if it can't they are to blame. it could just be a coincidence too.

 

[BigToque]

Originally posted by: Hammer

Originally posted by: Stefan

Originally posted by: crab
They took it to an altitude it was certified to fly at. These things are done so much more often than you guys could ever imagine. Ferry flights can be quite interesting.

I'm sure it might be able to do it under optimal conditions and the plane was in perfect shape. Anytime you push a machine to the max you definitely run the risk of the machine failing, which is exactly what happened.

so if your car redlines at 6500 rpm, and you get it up to 6400 and your engine dies, you wouldn't think the engine was defective?

Well, for comparisons sake, it would have failed at 6500, not 6400 rpm.

I wouldn't think the engine was defective. I know the car is not supposed to stay at that rpm for a sustained period of time.

This would be more akin to saying that if the plane had to do an emergency cgange to it's flight plan (to avoid somthing maybe), it could go up to 41,000 to avoid whatever was in the way and then come back down.

 

[crab]

Investigation Exibits

 

[Mucho]

Should have read best before 41k feet

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Originally posted by: crab
Investigation Exibits

Same company, but according to the preliminary report, not the same incident. The OP's article was in Missouri while that link happened in Milwakee. And that link had passengers deplaning.

 

[crab]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth

Originally posted by: crab
Investigation Exibits

Same company, but according to the preliminary report, not the same incident. The OP's article was in Missouri while that link happened in Milwakee. And that link had passengers deplaning.

Nope, same incident.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Nitemare

Originally posted by: crab
They took it to an altitude it was certified to fly at. These things are done so much more often than you guys could ever imagine. Ferry flights can be quite interesting.

Know what the temp is up there? Could have easily damaged the engines by flying at those altitudes for a while.

No, it just caused them to shut down. They said the pilots may not have been familiar with the restart procedure for that plane. Ultimately, it cost them their lives. The plane should have been able to do that and they didn't consider the consequences of going up to the ceiling of that planes capabilities.

They also said that flying those planes is about as exciting as being a truck driver on a long haul. Boredom is a real problem for these pilots.