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Major Plane Crash in Clarence Center (50 dead)


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I don't know if anyone else has experienced this, but virtually every time I've flown into Buffalo over the past two years the approach into the airport has felt harrowing. Like we fly very low over houses for what seems like many minutes before landing - that low altitude combined with our typical crazy winds that seem to knock the airplane around, always has me at the edge of my seat. And this is usually in much larger aircraft.

I agree. I came in this christmas and I thought the plane was going to start cartwheeling just before we landed. Sheeeeeeesh. My stomache was in my throat.

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I agree. I came in this christmas and I thought the plane was going to start cartwheeling just before we landed. Sheeeeeeesh. My stomache was in my throat.

 

The last time that I flew into Buffalo the landing was extremely tense. The whole cabin broke into applause when we were safely on the ground.

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The last time that I flew into Buffalo the landing was extremely tense. The whole cabin broke into applause when we were safely on the ground.

 

 

I've had Buffalo landings like that too... I've a buddy that's a Delta pilot, I'll ask him if he's ever flown into Buffalo and why that happens if I see him this weekend...

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Easy, easy. They are safe. Those Dash 8s are like the Toyota Corolla of air travel. Very solid aircraft.

 

I dont care how solid the Dash 8 is. Any turboprop is a POS to fly on during any type of non-perfect weather. I'll double check my flights when i know the weather will be bad to make sure one of the legs isn't on a fuggin turboprop.

 

Those are also the beliefs of my old man who was a mechanic for USAirways for 13 years. The general sentiment throughout the airline was that turboprops are sh-- during any kind of inclement weather.

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don't be too harsh on the pilots/airlines. i flew into buffalo a couple weeks back and there were no problems at all. smoothest flight ever. the pilots do the best with what they have to work with, put the blame on mother nature or the plane's manufacturer (possibly, time will tell)

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One of my best friend's dad was on the plane. He was one of the nicest guys I've ever had the privilege to know, and the family is in such bad pain right now. I heard that 50 people died, and for some reason I just let myself assume I didn't know any of the deceased. A few hours ago, I got a call from another friend and the news just devastated me. I can't believe this.

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One of my best friend's dad was on the plane. He was one of the nicest guys I've ever had the privilege to know, and the family is in such bad pain right now. I heard that 50 people died, and for some reason I just let myself assume I didn't know any of the deceased. A few hours ago, I got a call from another friend and the news just devastated me. I can't believe this.

 

;)

 

Sage, very sorry to hear about your best friends loss. I will keep you and your friends family in my thoughts and prayers

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One of my best friend's dad was on the plane. He was one of the nicest guys I've ever had the privilege to know, and the family is in such bad pain right now. I heard that 50 people died, and for some reason I just let myself assume I didn't know any of the deceased. A few hours ago, I got a call from another friend and the news just devastated me. I can't believe this.

awful.sorry. I cant imagine.

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I dont care how solid the Dash 8 is. Any turboprop is a POS to fly on during any type of non-perfect weather. I'll double check my flights when i know the weather will be bad to make sure one of the legs isn't on a fuggin turboprop.

 

Those are also the beliefs of my old man who was a mechanic for USAirways for 13 years. The general sentiment throughout the airline was that turboprops are sh-- during any kind of inclement weather.

 

I hate to take this thread in another direction given its going more towards the human side of things but what youre saying and what your old man is saying is...with all due respect.......and IMO.......crap.

 

Why?

 

Two model numbers for you:

 

C-130

E-2

 

Those two aircraft are two of the best "all conditions" aicraft flying today and are both....turboprops. And to boot, as military planes they fly in and out of conditions that commercial pilots wouldnt dream of flying in due to the need to keep passengers comfortable.

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I lived in Clarence; parent still in that house, in between the crash site and the airport. I used to hate when planes used that approach - all conversation stopped while they went over. The crash site is roughly 8-9 miles from the airport (my parents house in between at about 4 miles from the airport).

 

I looked on the map - it looked like the intersection we used to refer to as "four corners" - am I right? I used to date a girl that lived a few houses down from the intersection. When I lived there, there was a whole lotta nothing outside those few blocks, too.

 

Tragic. Thoughts and prayers out to my hometown folks.

You are correct. It's called the "Four Corners." I grew up in Clarence. Parents still live there - they live about half-a-dozen miles from the crash site. I've been gone for about 15 years now - still miss Western New York very much. My wife received a call at 6:30 AM this morning from one of her friends. Turns out her friend's dad was on the flight. Tough day for many people. Buffalo will come through as a shining example of what "community" means during this tragedy! Thoughts and prayers to all.

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I dont care how solid the Dash 8 is. Any turboprop is a POS to fly on during any type of non-perfect weather. I'll double check my flights when i know the weather will be bad to make sure one of the legs isn't on a fuggin turboprop.

 

Those are also the beliefs of my old man who was a mechanic for USAirways for 13 years. The general sentiment throughout the airline was that turboprops are sh-- during any kind of inclement weather.

The turbo prop single engine DeHavlland otter is one of the best bush planes in the world. I have seen them do much harder work then landing in Buffalo-in all weather.
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The turbo prop single engine DeHavlland otter is one of the best bush planes in the world. I have seen them do much harder work then landing in Buffalo-in all weather.

 

Why argue over trivial mattters. Some people have no class.

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;)

 

Sage, very sorry to hear about your best friends loss. I will keep you and your friends family in my thoughts and prayers

 

Thanks a lot. My friend's mom is a really well-liked teacher at Lancaster Middle School, so the community is already really starting to rally around the family. My friends and I are going to put together a function to raise some money, probably a Chinese Auction of sorts. PM me if you live in/close to Lancaster and are interested in attending. I'm sure that Continental is going to be compensating the families to a great extent, but it still seems like something worth doing, if only to prove that they have the town's support.

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Thanks a lot. My friend's mom is a really well-liked teacher at Lancaster Middle School, so the community is already really starting to rally around the family. My friends and I are going to put together a function to raise some money, probably a Chinese Auction of sorts. PM me if you live in/close to Lancaster and are interested in attending. I'm sure that Continental is going to be compensating the families to a great extent, but it still seems like something worth doing, if only to prove that they have the town's support.

 

all my condolences sage to you and their family as well as the families of all the other unfortunate victims...

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Thanks a lot. My friend's mom is a really well-liked teacher at Lancaster Middle School, so the community is already really starting to rally around the family. My friends and I are going to put together a function to raise some money, probably a Chinese Auction of sorts. PM me if you live in/close to Lancaster and are interested in attending. I'm sure that Continental is going to be compensating the families to a great extent, but it still seems like something worth doing, if only to prove that they have the town's support.

 

That's horrible about your friend. My best to you and their family. It looks like some positive is coming from this. He would probably be very proud of that.

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Yes -de-icing boots. The high wing placement was mentioned by one the phone-in pilots, in the context that it is not very viewable from the cockpit. He did mention that the wipers can be a tip-off.

That's true. The posts where the wipers are mounted are always prone to early icing and since the Pilot's can't see the wings, without going back into the cabin and looking out a window, the wiper post is a very useful visual indicator of ice accumulation.

 

Even if Anti-ice was on, and I have to believe that it was, it won't provide unlimited protection. That's why you never fly into "known" icing conditions for any length of time. American lost an ATR (high wing Turbo Prop.) in Indiana, that was put into a holding pattern in icing conditions. After that accident American shifted all the ATR's down South to limit their potential exposure to serious icing conditions. Despite that crash, no rules were ever adopted to keep aircraft out of icing conditions. FedEx just lost an ATR last week in Lubbock Texas, that could have been caused by ice.

 

The FAA and more recently the NTSB are becomming so politicized that even when the final cause is known, the chances of preventive rules being enacted are going to be very slim.

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