The Terrifying Flight Scandal That Shook the Aviation World! | Mayday: Air Disaster
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- Опубликовано: 20 сен 2024
- A commuter flight, Air Midwest 5481, crashes shortly after takeoff from Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
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From Season 5 Episode 5 "Dead Weight": Air Midwest 5481 (Beech 1900)
A small commuter plane is on a short flight when disaster strikes. Moments after takeoff, the nose of the aircraft pitches up dramatically. The flight crew struggles for control. The plane is just 350 meters in the air when it stalls, rolls to the left, and plummets to the ground. It slams into a packed hangar, killing everyone on board. Combing through the wreckage, investigators find a single clue that leads them to uncover a string of errors and faulty assumptions that have been putting millions of passengers at risk for years.
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I performed aircraft maintenance in the Air Force. During training we were told to always remember that when you are working on an aircraft you have the lives of everyone who will ride on the plane in your hands. I never forgot that.
Thank you for your service. I am grateful to you and the millions of other men and women who have served our nation and have kept us all safe. 🇺🇸
Not should anyone else. I work as an automotive mechanic, and that's on my mind when I work on people's cars. I may not personally know these people, but they depend on their vehicles to get them and their families to their destination safely.
My father was an Navy aircraft mechanic at Norfolk VA during WW2. He told me that ALL mechanics who worked on a plane back then HAD to be on-board during the test flight. This was to ensure that all repairs were done correctly because the mechanics literally had their own lives on the line during the test flight.
BTW, my father sustained a broken nose during one of those test flights when a repaired plane DID Crash. I saw him walk around with that broken nose my whole life until he finally got it fixed at a VA Hospital when he was 75.
@@joekulik999just like parachute riggers; they get tapped at any time to jump the last shute they pack … keeps ‘em on their toes
Sadly that doesnt mean much anymore. Flight mishaps of nearly every kind happening weekly and daily the wreak of carelessness. Much the fear of prison or the death penalty is no longer a concern lke it used to be.
“How do you say that? You use words every single day, how can you use words, to ruin someone’s life” hit me so hard 😔😖😢
That was deep! That caught my attention seriously🙏🏻
Same! I was already crying and then the tears came harder.
That hit hard.😢
Humbling statement
That is a woman with a good soul.
I was a maintenance tech in the Navy. We were told that to remember that you someday may have to ride in the birds you work on. Worked on transport aircraft I took that to heart. As I logged over 1000 hours in the back of the birds. I pray for those who lost their lives.
U logged over 1000 hours in the back of birds ? Poor birds
that is the term we called airplanes LOL@@luisfernando5998
@@luisfernando5998lol
Everyone is an aviation expert here. Mechanical engineers too. Wow. I drove truck and do NOT ever watch videos about truck driving. Cannot imagine real pilots watching this and commenting.
@@hoosierbaddy3052 Most people here are aviation experts, pilots, engineers. Duh!
I was a Captain that day flying a 727-200 to the West coast. I remember. Thank you for this video.
El gato volador? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Not only do I love the fact you’re a pilot, I have so much respect and awe for pilots. They amaze me so much, but then I saw your profile pic and the fact it’s your cat makes you that more awesome then you already are by being a pilot!!! 👨✈️ 🙏🙏🙏✈️😸
@@antoniomartinez6722is that the slang term for the 727?
@@misspacino4081 stop laying it in, hes married]....freaking pilot chasers
Skipping maintenance manual steps is something I don't allow in my aircraft shop. I require the page pertinent to the job to be printed out and followed to the letter. The is no excuse for skipping steps. We also check each other's work. Anybody can make a mistake, and by checking and double checking we minimize the chance for mistakes.
From a frequent flyer, thank you. Your diligence doesn't go unappreciated. Literally every time I deplane safely, I leave a good word at the gate for the whole crew. I say a little prayer for everyone who brought me to this place safely. It's not a pay raise or a promotion, but it's all I can think of to do. I hope you can sometimes feel the good vibe and respect a lot of us passengers feel for all airline staff.
@@weaviejeebies Save some prayers for investigators like the NTSB.... I don't believe many of us could stomach that disaster scene and continue to do our jobs. They are unsung heros.
That's a dedicated man who knows his profession!
Mistakes on these things tend to be severely penalized.
The fact that the mechanics didn't test the movement of the elevators for full range of motion is unconscionable. I wouldn't have been able to sleep. I am an automotive technician and we test drive every vehicle after every brake job as well as other services.
According to the report, they did. Of course this was done during a grueling 15 hour shift.
At the 121 operation I worked at, whenever an adjustment of control cables was made all control movements were measured at the control surface using an inclinometer. 😅
@@conradanderson3928 so is the video wrong? the video specifically states that they skipped that step.
@@BjarniArnasonI could be wrong but conradanderson's comment reads to me, that the 15hr shift part is the vital piece. We know from long term research that longer shifts result in more mistakes. Whether it's assembling a burger wrong, giving the wrong dose or wrong medication, or logging a routine check but forgetting you didn't do it/forgetting to do it, 15hrs is too long for someone with a job of that importance to be working. Many places limit the length of shift for medical professionals because when they work too long, people die. Pilots are limited with required rest periods because accidents happen from fatigue. Baseball pitchers can only pitch so long then are required a set rest period to avoid injury (that physical, not mental but still) I think their point was more that it was logged but not done, possibly due to the length of the shifts required, especially since it's a physically grueling and exhausting job.
I thought this took place in the 80’s, I didn’t realize it was 2003 until the end! They had this type of oversight error in 2003!? I’m terrified of what oversight is happening as we speak.
when I was in the air force as a mechanic and an aircraft needed a functional test flight after repair we were required to go ride along.
That's a marvelous practice unless your mechanic has a serious case of the blues or going through a crappy divorce.
So?
In medieval times, if an architect designed an arch, they as well as the masons who built it were required to stand directly underneath it when the supports were removed. Good way to ensure quality design and workmanship.
@@solarprophet5439 How the frig do you know?
@@stratoleft…probably exceptionally well documented from that time period….that’s nothing rare…
My son is a senior crew chief and former QA(quality assurance officer) on the F35A fighter plane. In his training with his maintainers the first rule is “never skip a step no matter how small”.
I was as well on the B-1B Lancer Bomber. As a senior inspector, I and like your son carry a huge responsibility every single plane we inspect. We have to be absolutely sure that the aircraft will not only keep its pilots and crew safe, but it will perform in the manner prescribed in the maintenance manuals.
And it is your life if you are wrong. The price of failure is so high, many maintainers don't stay long due to the stress. And those that do, know their freedom and reputation are on the line every single time their plane flies.
@@deathstrike I can't even imagine the stress maintenance crews must have. Knowing lives in your hands.
God bless you 🙏
skipping steps doesn't just apply to airplanes, we all have jobs that have steps that are place there for a reason, for your safety and the safety of others, no matter your job a factory worker or a truck driver (as I am) or a commercial pilot or maintenance worker following those steps is very important.
@@Quaza57 My mistake and thank you, I was pointing out from my former work (Air Force) now retired. But yes, no matter what job you are in, steps are not only important, but crucial in many jobs and aspects of life.
What if ur son is small ? Have to be realistic with one’s expectations
being a contractor is miserable. shame on those guys for not taking the threat of death seriously enough, but i 10000% shift the blame from them as individuals to the airline company for not bothering to hire and maintain their OWN crew just to save on their bottom line
100%. Just my .02 but airlines should perform their own maintenance or at least have one of their own mechanics sign off on all maintenance.
Greed is Lethal.
My cousin was a firefighter who responded to an airline crash at Little Rock airport. The experience left him with PTSD.
I can't imagine the heartache from this tragedy, my condolences goes to all the victims and families
Thank you ntsb.
One of the first things I was told when I got my first job in retail 30 years ago was never say "I'm sorry" to the customer. A company will almost never apologize in a situation where lawsuits are likely to be involved. Apologizing means admitting fault. Admitting fault means losing every law suit before they're even filed.
I’ve heard hospitals have started to do it. It helps in negotiations
They start to say sorry after the inevitability of a law suit exists to appear compassionate and reduce settlement costs.
In Canada there is a law stipulating that an apology does not constitute an admission of guilt. Similar to how someone can say "I'm sorry for your loss" when hearing about a loved one passing despite having no fault or involvement in their death.
@@Roddy556 It should be common sense all over the world that saying "I'm sorry" doesn't mean you're accepting blame or admitting fault, but people suck, so it's not.
@@pyrobryan Canada certainly doesn't do everything right but we seem to have apologizing figured out lol
I worked for Usairways for 20 years. They tried to farm out the whole ramp and the mechanics. To save a buck you can’t risk millions of lives to save a penny to make more millions for the owners and Ceo’s. This is what you get for using a 3rd party mechanic. Thanks Usairways
Greed of the CEOs have caused many tragedies and they're never charged with any wrong doing. Disgusting
@@rocioaguilera3555 RE: Boeing 737 Max...
@@ross9581
💯
Yep. That airline was trouble. Esp when they got a 50 million dollar package from United for the breakup after the Justice Dept made it clear that it wasn’t going to be allowed to go thru.
The FAA audited the West Virginia maintenance facility months before the accident. They concluded the facility was understaffed and had multiple deficiencies. Air Midwest management was informed if this, but did nothing to correct the problems.
I don't see how there aren't several weigh ins (in ground scale) near the runways to simplify this whole procedure.
There's no reason why they couldn't install load cells under each of the scanner booths or metal detectors at the security gates. That way, the weight it takes can be tied to the passenger's ticket and reported electronically to the gate and aircraft the ticket is assigned to.
The ground scale you're suggesting would weigh the aircraft as a whole when what the pilots actually need are separate measurements for the plane itself (this is the Zero Fuel Weight [ZFW] or Dry Operating Weight [DOW]), cargo, passengers, crew, and fuel.
If something is not ordered to be done by those that have the power to ground your business, then money/cost of a remedy will always be one of the factors.
@@DefiantSixthe only sure way is to put a scale right in front of the doorway on entry of the ramp from the gate and no one wants their actual weight displayed. The ground crew knew the luggage was overweight and the captain overrided her.
@@TheSjuris They could weigh passengers without displaying their weight.
I've been an aircraft mechanic for 32 years now, 21 of those in the Air Force. Never ever skip steps the tech data provides for a reason. Unreal.
As a former USAF Flight Nurse, we routinely deadheaded from Travis AFB, back to Hickum, HI, our originating base. Whatever Air Force aircraft available for our med crew, we flew. There were many times that the flight engineer would request that a number of our crew change our seating position for aircraft weight balancing. Our normal aircrafts flown were C-141, and occasional C-5. Gosh I miss those days at times, and I actually felt safer in military aircraft.
At least on military planes, you can rest assured that fewer of the maintenance technicians have recreational drug habits!
I wouldn't be so sure of that@@StillPooh62 I just broke up with someone who had abused marijuana for 3 years in the Army tilll they finally kicked him out.
43:02 i am surprised the baggage handling members, who noticed the plane sitting tail heavy, couldn't have had more say in the departure of the aircraft.
@@Defender78, that was probably a common sight for them. The locations and limits of the baggage compartments dictates that as weight increases, CG shifts aft, and they usually fly heavy with CG near the aft limit. The forward compartment isnt large enough to fully compensate for the rear
Unfortunately being a full flight they couldn’t move people forward.
Im just so grateful some of these parents and loved ones get to express their losses and their pain. Thank you mayday for doing these and telling these stories🙏
Ur story is next, I bet it’s gonna be a firey ending also
@@luisfernando5998😂😂🔥🔥
I flew a small plane from San Juan to St. Thomas. They weighed each one of us, and our bags👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
So how much did you weigh?
I started watching these documentaries about aviation disasters about a year ago and have watched seen many but this one truly choked me up!!😢 Rip crew and passengers 🙏
Me too 😢
The way the dad said, "I was upset." Just lowercase and matter of fact. Broke my heart right in two.
I started learning to fly off last year. Anything could go wrong
Isn’t that weird? This one feels so close to hand, so recent, and so personal. Thanks, Mayday. To the passengers, crew and their loved ones - you all made the hardest sacrifices that day, and in doing so, you made airline travel better for everyone. None of us can thank you enough. Rest in peace.
Yes.... Pilots put in an impossible situation....except at the last ....where to crash.
People didn’t have to die for someone to finally say we need accurate weight information. Why haven’t there always been scales for us to stand on with our bags?
and if they weigh the passengers WITH their Carryon bags, it would also save people the embarassment of having to be weighed publically. which shouldn't have to be a thing, but fat shaming is a thing.
To the parents of the you g woman.....my deepest a d sincere prayers go out to you both and all that lost their lives! I am a 59 year old man with two children and i cannot imagine the pain you go through, but my prayers are with you as with all the families that lost loved ones on this flight!
I just lost my only child, my son who was 57 years old who at least got to live a full life until his kidneys failed when he was 42. I can tell you the pain is awful and for plane crash victims so sudden is heartbreaking. My son’s wish was for everyone to hug their loved ones more often and tell them you love them. You never know what will happen
@@cindymartin6493as a first time parent 28yrs-old with a now 5 month old daughter, I couldn’t imagine losing your child, she is my husbands & I’s world & I couldn’t begin to imagine.
May your son rest in peace ❤
When they showed the weight calculations on the scratch pad, I added those and it was 17258, not 17018. Their weight calculation was 240 lbs too light.
an entire average american citizen in weight xD
Haha. Me too!
not grossly overweight, but not distributed in the plane properly. It was badly tail-heavy. It could have flown otherwise.
I'm sure those weren't the actual numbers. They were probably made up in production. I don't think this show gets that detailed.
The crew should have did the math a couple more times since it was so close. That's what I was taught when I became an Airline Pilot, and it's the best way to end this type of risk. Plus of course the consequences of contract mx is a sign of a financial situation with the airlines always.
The maintenance guy that did the work and then skipped the instructions while signing off on it should be charged with 21 counts of manslaughter and spend some time in prison.
As a local in Charlotte, I still remember this happening almost like it was yesterday. Was beyond shocking and sad...
Im glad they changed the average weights of people. Living in NC, the average weight is definitely more than 175lbs…
Ward truly did an excellent job of getting to the root of the problems!!
Well, the crew did....
The root of the problem is >wo-MEN in aviation
I bet the root of the problem is in Uranus
@@josephesposito3499 No, the problem is too many MEN.
Shocking that the average weight of ppl and luggages in the US has not been updated since the 30's.
It's not a given that the plane would have made it if the elevator at functioned properly. We know the plane was too heavy and that the center of gravity was too far back, how far back is unknown. If the plane pitched up so fast and suddenly that it caught the crew by surprise the speed must have rapidly dropped rendering the elevator less effective. It was a disastrous situation before the elevator came to play.
😅
Chances are it would have flown! Usually there is enpugh of a safety margin built in to allow for exceding limits!
Just as the elevator control cables by themselves didn't cause the accident, being over weight by that magin shouldn't have either!
That is why there are safety margins.
Rarely does a single factor cause a major disaster. It usually takes two or more!
@@mahbriggsFatass people need to pay more and should have to report if they are over 250lbs. Buy two seats.
If taking up the gear suddenly steep 'ins the pitch for goodness sake Put it back down quickly.
What might have added to the center of gravity problem the front gear retracts backwards which can change the CG very slightly to the rear. Having designed and built large scale Radio Control I noticed the suttle CG changes when I retract the landing gear of my F6F Hellcat, F4U Corsair, and P-40. As in those planes the rotating landing gears fold backwards. So I always balance my planes with the gear up. Sadly, she was definitely stuck between the rock and the hard place. The only thing she could have was to drop the landing gear and to also add full down on the elevator tab control which is separate. But that's just Monday morning quarter backing.
A sincere apology can truly help in the grieving process.
It was right and good they ask for it.
May we never forgot there is always a face behind a number.
It was a good investigation.
And there is always Uranus behind ur face
@@luisfernando5998 Are you in elementary school?
@@dwhitman3092 no I’m in Uranus
My ex wifes dad was a air plane mechanic and if you saw the people working on airplanes youd never fly again!!!
The pay is too low to attract good people.
some things don't need to be shared... 😤
@@Cfolger you know not what you speak
My little baby daughter is 15 months old.. and my biggest fear is losing her someday. I wouldn’t be able to go on.
I don’t see how any mechanic could think that not verifying the operation of the elevator would be reasonable.
As for weight, you don’t have five significant digits, as shown in the video, unless you are accurately weighing everything that goes into the total weight. What is the margin of error and what is the margin of safety?
I think they said that the only way to be positive of weight and centre of gravity is by using real weights, and seating accordingly. Southern is the only flight I’ve flown where they use that system. Your actual weight, and baggage, and whether it’s checked or carried onboard.
The larger the aircraft, the less critical it gets. Luggage is closer to CoG, fuel is rarely full, and greater percentage of weight is luggage and cargo, which is accurately weighed.
You are unlikely to find a pilot of a small aircraft who doesn’t know how much his coffee weighs.
The smaller the plane, the more critical the weight of passengers, baggage, and freight.
This accident was tragic, but it was great to see a woman Captain, investigator and fire fighter. I've watched hundreds of these kinds of videos. I have never seen so many women in such pivotal roles. I'm grateful for these ladies.
Ummm ok
What the f**k does that have to do with anything?
Yay. We need more female pilots!!!!
Said no one ever
I was one of the accident investigators on AMW5481. I was also a friend of Johnathan Gibbs, the first officer. This documentary was fairly well done, but they did get some information wrong.
What did they get wrong?
Of course they did, it's an entertainment documentary. Whenever one has inside information on any event, the errors in the reporting of it jump out at you.
Thank you for your work as an accident investigator. It can't be an easy job, especially when a friend loses their life. I'm sorry for your loss.
Anything to do with pitch control?
All of these disaster shows are incorrect in some way or form. The creators have to transform a 400+ page report into an entertaining 42 minute program.
Based on the information in the final report, the mechanics involved were not given the training or support they needed to perform their jobs properly. The FAA and Air Midwest management were aware of the deficiencies at the West Virginia maintenance facility months before the accident, but did nothing to correct them.@@countryshaner141
Greenville/Spartanburg (GSP) is located in Greer, SOUTH Carolina. There is a Greenville in both north and south Carolina, but GSP is the one in SC.
Came here to comment about that mistake. Born and raised in GVL 😁
@@RedVoteRedemption raised here too!
Same here!
@@Paige-py7pu Ya'll live next door to one another?
Thank you! I heard it and said "wait what?" lol
None of these calculations are done by hand anymore. This was the old school way of doing it. When I started airline flying in turboprops in 1998 we did it this way.
all who worked on that plane should be held accountable for the crash.. including the Inspector
The inspector is the first one in the firing line, his license is on record. Buck stops with him.
Based on the information in the final report, the mechanics involved were not given the training or support they needed to perform their jobs properly. The FAA and Air Midwest management were aware of the deficiencies at the West Virginia maintenance facility months before the accident, but did nothing to correct them.
If a mechanic use a word "JUST", then that mechanic have a habbit of shortcuts or a rush easy way done project.
A responsible mechanic uses "MUST"
When I did my private pilot training my CFI pushed doing weight and balance. It is NOT just weight you have to calculate the moment arm. Every aircraft has published CG point. Everything from that point gets a number, Baggage Compartment, Fuel tanks, seats. Anything added needs this number, that total then tells you if you are going to be a test pilot or a safe pilot. You can be under the max weight, but if all that weight is in the rear then you are going to crash. Totally shocked that they just added up true weight and did not calculate the arm with it.
They did calculate the CG as well. The video just didn’t state to that degree of detail. Calculating weight & CG is SOP at United and every other regional who flew the 1900D. I flew one for several years at an airline in the northeast, and we always calculated all of it. It was standard procedure across all the regional airlines in that aircraft. See my other comment if you want. Either way, sadly this flight was doomed the minute it took off. This is what we pilots consider our worst nightmare. Meaning, there’s absolutely no solution any pilot could do, to bring the aircraft down safely. These kinds of accidents are extremely rare. But they’re not nonexistent unfortunately.
They used Standard Weights....which was at gross....and within CG....BUT....real world weight, AND THUS CG, was wrong. (They were only 3% over gross.... 500 divided by 17000??? ) It seems the real cause of the accident was the elevator range.
Had the elevator had it's full authority the plane would have e been fine
@@alicefairchild2551 Did you mean may have been fine?
No the mechanics did not think they were doing a good job, they knew they were skipping steps they knew that the inspector was acting as an instructor that is wrong he knew that. None of the people working as maintenance technicians on this aircraft diligently new and were trying to do the procedures correctly, they purposely we're skipping steps and doing procedures incorrectly and they should be held accountable for what they did.
This is simply crushing. I don’t blame these people for being furious! The fact that no one goes to jail for this kind of incompetence is maddening. What then encourages them to go by the book? Nothing, nothing at all! Even if fired, they’ll have another job, maybe in a different city, but their awful lives go on.
All the people who were killed, can never ever be replaced. They are gone forever.
I worry so much about maintenance now that the major airlines are outsourcing their work.
We are going to go through this again, but with a major airline on a much larger scale!!!!!!
If anyone should have gone to jail for this, it should have been whoever scheduled that particular maintenance shift without a competent senior mechanic overseeing the operation. The QC guy should not have been performing double duty; it’s basically a conflict of interest.
Just like killer cops,.. no accountability
They’re telling them to keep to schedules that are unreasonable and they “don’t wanna hear any excuses…” leading many to just stop talking back.
I just started this video, but the current issues are with management.
I don't know....but why ALL the mechanics/inspector were not fired and BANNED from the Industry...for life???
The result of >wo-MEN in aviation. wo-MEN are less competent CASE CLOSED
I got tears in my eyes just imagining the pain these families felt. As a pilot I wish the weight and balance of the airplane would be observed more carfuly.
Don’t lie u ain’t no pilot, just another looser
I'm always impressed when the narrator correctly pronounces "Bombardier."
That's probably because he works in the aviation field for the Canadian MAYDAY series. Or maybe he lives in the French speaking part of Canada. I wouldn't expect that from your local TV newscast though.
You mean it’s not bom-bar-deer? 😆😆
I love how film makers seem to think that every propeller driven airplane is powered by a piston-driven engine and therefore dubs such a sound wrongfully into a turboprop airplane. LOL
Yup, that goes for other types of aircraft including rotary 😂😂😂
Yeah I caught that instantly too
Having been a Beechcraft 1900 pilot, and a CRJ pilot, (other aircraft mentioned) but especially the weight and balance issues, this is very familiar territory for me. Actually on one flight that’s a very memorable flight for me, back many years ago now was in a Beech 1900 and we had
‘Andre the Giant’ board as a passenger! Anyone who’s ever flown on a 1900, knows the cabin of the aircraft is very cramped, relative to other airliners you typically fly on. Andre was an immense man. The photos you see don’t do him Justice, trust me! To stand next to this man, is the only real way you can fully understand how big he was. He shook my hand as he boarded, his hands were like shaking hands with someone wearing a catchers mit. No exaggeration what-so-ever. Anyhow, that flight was the only time in several years flying the 1900 for an airline, that I actually moved a passenger because of CG was out. I had to move a group of people around the aircraft and assign Andre a setting position, which would allow the weight and balance to check out. 🙂
For those wondering, Andre was extremely friendly, cordial, and soft spoken. From the brief discussions with him before and after takeoff, I was left with the opinion that he was a kind and genuine man, and nothing at all like his onscreen/in ring persona. (which honestly, isn’t to surprising)
All that being said, it’s one of my fondest (passenger related) memories of flying the Beech 1900D. It’s been many years ago now, but if I remember correctly, I flew him from Portland Maine Philadelphia PA. This occurred pre 9/11, so all the 1900 had at that time was a sliding cotton curtain between the cockpit and the cabin. And more often than not, we left the curtain open. The only time I ever meant sure to shut it was when the weather was bad, so as to not frighten the passengers anymore than they already were.
As for flight 5481, that’s one of those tragedies that’s a pilots worst nightmare. Because there’s nothing any pilot, no matter how good you are, could have done to safely bring the plane back down. It was doomed the minute it took off.
This is also a good lesson to fellow pilots that just because during preflight we always check flight controls ‘free & clear’, that something else related could still be wrong.
For this reason, I personally have always made sure to at least check the records when service is done to an aircraft and what type of work was done. Not that this would have saved this particular flight, it probably wouldn’t have. But at least if I check to see what was done, I can place some extra emphasis on that item during preflight. The only 2 times in my flying (40 years) I’ve taken off and had a problem with the aircraft resulting in emergency landings, was when it was the first flights done after major servicing had been done to the aircraft.
This has caused me over many years, to come to the belief that the most dangerous time to fly, is when an aircraft has just had some form of major maintenance done. BUT, keep in mind, it only happened twice, in literally thousands of flights after maintenance. So I don’t wish to cast a bad light on aircraft mechanics. Every one of them I’ve personally ever known, has been very competent and focused on safety, refusing to ever take short cuts. They have an excellent track record. I tend to believe it’s just because anytime you have something taken apart, something very complex, and reassemble it, if there’s any weak component anywhere that interacts with a new component perhaps it could mean trouble. But again, I’m NOT an aircraft mechanic, I’m a pilot.
Aircraft mechanics and shops, are NOT like your average auto mechanics shop. And people need to understand that. There are many failsafes in place in an aircraft shop because they know the huge responsibility their work carries with it. All work is signed off on an aircraft, so even way down the line, they know everyone who’s touched it and what they did. Unlike a car.
Anyhow, such a tragic loss this doomed flight was. And I agree that the least the airline could do is issue a formal apology. Which I’m glad they did. My condolences to all surviving family members of those lost.
May they RIP.
Very informative,thank you
My Dad used to run security at the Struthers Field House in Ohio in the 80s. Was friends with all the wrestlers who went there to wrestle. Andre was a massive man who was very sweet.
.
Yeah, everything I ever heard about Andre is that he's a great guy and humble to boot. Enjoyed playing cards at his favorite pub in his hometown.
I have flown the 1900, on one flight I had a C of G at the aft limit with 4 fat 300 lbs ladies at the back of the AC. I asked the FO to get them to move to the front of the aircraft and they refused. I got up and told them they either sit in the front of the AC or get off, they decided to move.
That mechanic must feel really awful. I can’t imagine how he sleeps at night knowing what his laziness led to.
Yeah, that supervisor guy must've been fired at the very least.
It wasn't the mechanic that was lazy, he did what his supervisor told him to do. The supervisor on the ground w/the clipboard decided to skip several steps. The mechanic up in the 'undercarriage' was being trained on that particular model of plane. Supervisor needed to get up there and check everything out.✈🔧🪛
I personally knew the mechanic and the inspector. The mechanic is deeply disturbed by what happened that night. The inspector on the other hand is 6 time DUI driver and has no remorse.
@@davidspampinato7916Did the inspector get fired?
Not sure laziness is the best answer, being over confident complacent or trusting the QA/trainer judgement implying the remaining steps weren’t necessary.
Thanks for this well done documentary! I am a disaster movie addict, but am also interested in real disasters. There is a big difference between watching disaster movies for entertainment, and watching the true stories. These documentaries shed light on what happened, why it happened, and how can we keep it from happening again. I think it may help the survivors and the families to get some closure. At least, I hope so.😟
Do you still fly?
I find that the more I watch these broadcasts, the more I learn about what can go wrong, the more panicked I get about flying….😢
@Valentina-Steinway I'm exactly opposite. Although I am terrified of flying, when I watch these, I know that is an issue that will be addressed and won't happen again.
I really enjoy these very knowledgeable documentaries. I agree that I like being informed.
@@Valentina-SteinwayI feel the same way.
I've never been on a plane and hope to never have to.
Watching these stories, make me never want to get on a plane.
@@Valentina-Steinway I spent 25 years flying for a living, 13,000 hours, no accidents. In that same 25 years I spent about half that much time on the highway, survived four accidents, none of which were my fault. Now where was I safer, in the air or on the road?
Love love love this channel. I’ve been binge watching lately.
Me too. I'm almost out of popcorn.
So sad. I have what is considered a "saftey sensitive " job. Not in aviation , but this is a reminder to me that no matter what kind of day I may be having, others may depend on me doing my job like I'm supposed to. Condolences to the families and responders who's live were affected by this tragedy.
Every flight I’ve had between CLT and GSP has been on CRJ-900s. I’m not scared of flying but I hate the idea of small planes, they actually make me quite nervous.
I'm the opposite. On a small plane, I feel I have a much greater chance of getting on the ground alive if something goes wrong. In a big heavy plane, chances are slim. Obviously depends on the pilot, too.
But I'll take my chances on a Cessna 180 landing on the highway.😄
What makes me nervous about those small Beechcraft turboprops is the hours the pilots put in and the maintenance on the regionals. I wound up with one entirely to myself one trip: they needed to position the plane anyway so away I went. Still a small, loud plane.
One of primary reasons they aren’t being flown, and by extension manufactured, any more. First is the airlines that flew them have gone out of business, second is the cancellation of services to fields that warranted such aircraft, and third is that many passengers (myself not included, I adored the utility of the Dash-8, Saab 340, 1900, and Brazilia) would not fly on these aircraft, so either didn’t travel, or found transport to a larger field with mainline service.
Flying in a small plane is like tightening Uranus while pooing
@@jaysmith1408 Another reason these planes are going away is that the temporary special airworthiness standard they were certified under is expired. SFAR41C was set up to allow certain airframe types certified under Civil Airworthiness Regulation, Part 23 (Small Aircraft) to grow past 12,500 pounds without meeting all the safety requirements of CAR Part 25 (Transport Category Aircraft). Planes like the 1900, Metro IV, CASA 212, Brasilia, etc, couldn't meet CAR 25 without complete and expensive redesigns that would render them economically infeasible. This filled the gap between 19 and 34 seats that couldn't be served economically by CAR 25 aircraft. This rule was made temporary, as it was foreseen that the developing class of small jets would soon fill that need. They now have been operating for years, but the economic threshold has proven to be 35 seats, so the SFAR41C planes soldier on in a limited way to fill the gap for Essential Air Service towns, much to the disgust of the passengers, who fear propellers as essentially unsafe.
Try asking passengers their weights for a real total. You’ll get an answer of “how dare you”.😂
Only an idiot would find objection to information that would save their life .
Not as critical for large planes but as they pointed out for smaller aircraft some airlines are already using scales. Pretty easy to have everyone stand on a scale with their carry on before boarding.
@@leslievey8453i can think of a few people that you’d be taking your life into your own hands asking that question to
No doubt woke policies
I have been told that exact thing when some heard that airlines might be weighing passengers before boarding for weight and balance and yes, they complained about it.
some people root for the browns, some people root for the steelers, I root for the NTSB. they win EVERY, SINGLE, TIME
I'm always amazed by the way pieces of the wrecked plane are lined up to recreate the plane as close to what it once looked like before it crashed. It's quite a feat considering that the debris trail can be miles away from the crash site.
go check out green dot aviations video on Malaysian 370@@vickyabramowitz2885 i wont spoil it but I was chanting "N-T-S-B N-T-S-B" at my buddy who was listening to it with me at the time XD
Well said! I can’t begin to fathom the number of lives have been saved by the men and women who proudly wear those letters on their backs.
@@vickyabramowitz2885
Same. An insurmountable job … and they don’t stop until the reason/s is/are located. Incredible.
that's a bizarre way to put it, how they "Win every time", the NTSB doesn't issue fines or sentences, they find probable causes, it's not a winning... stop simping for the NTSB , and your football analogy, give us a break
Got to love piston engine sounds on a turboprop aircraft
Yeah, I noticed that.
I might be wrong but something just tells me that the employees knew that it wasn't just a fire drill as they were running out of a burning building that a plane crashed into but it's just a hunch I might be wrong. 🙄
No kidding you’d have to be the biggest idiot on the planet not to be able to figure that one out
A little alarming that the airline (and the NTSB) think that discretionary skipping of procedures in the field is understandable. The engineers create those steps for a reason. Minor editing note: Greer and the Greenville-Spartanburg airport (GSP) are in South Carolina, not North Carolina. There are cities named Greenville in both states, and even some pilots have confused Greensboro's identifier (GSO) with Greenville-Spartanburg. The late great NC State basketball coach Jim Valvano used to tell the story of landing in Greenville for the first time with all of his Wolfpack gear on and telling everyone he was their new basketball coach.
interesting to see the sub contracting issue brought up here given the recent plug door issue with alaska airlines.
Boeing removed the bolts holding the door plug and the door plug because they had to fix some rivets. They then replaced the door plug but forgot to replace the bolts. The subcontractor was not at fault.
I've flown in to the Greenville-Spartanburg airport before. It's small, but absolutely beautiful and well kept.
I flew in and out of it for a wedding last month, I’m a Rhode Islander so I’m used to TFGreen airport which is also small but Greenville-Spartanburg shocked me with how beautiful it is!
People are getting pretty husky these days.
May their Souls Rest In Peace.
Average weight 175 lbs to 195bs Wow!! We Americans are getting bigger!!
I would have guessed the average weight back in the 1930s to be 140-150.
Thank you inspector Linda Ward for making U.S. Air commuter planes safer. Thank you for taking the time to make air travel safer for all commuters. I'm sure God is smiling down on you. I also want to thank firefighter, Cindy Overcash, and her fellow firefighters. Cindy's words about Capt. Katie Leslie were touching. Capt. Leslie's reward is in Heaven. Thank you to all involved. My deepest sympathy to all the victims and their families. All the passengers paid the ultimate price. May they all rest in peace. May our Good Lord comfort all the families and friends of those who perished. Please know you're not alone, people all over are praying for you.
Forget the apology. I would want that mechanic put in prison.
I think the copilot/actor Jesse Bond in this Mayday:Air Disaster plays Capt. Marvin Falitz in Mayday: Air Disaster Northwest Airlink 5719. He does a great job in both but if I see him heading toward the cockpit, I'm getting off the airplane. The female air traffic controller depicted in this may also be the one in Mayday: Air Disaster episode US 1493/Skywest 5569.
You have a good (photographic?) memory!🧠😊
If he's headed to the cockpit, the plane has already crashed
This comment cracked me up, thanks!
"20 lbs per (checked) bag"?!? That doesn't sound right! 🤨
what about all the junk they haul onto the plane and store in the overheads?
@clownshow5901 Aircraft performance is pretty forgiving EXCEPT when limitations are GROSSLY exceeded or as in this case, a primary flight control WAS NOT functioning properly! 😪
So I’m going to adjust this cable then not actually fully test the function. Brilliant.
Flown through Charlotte airport so many times I live about 2 hour away in Fayetteville NC and that's where you go to change planes and I can't even count how many bug the same exact aircraft on US airways I flew on from Fayetteville to Charlotte back in the 90s and early 2000s. Just terrifying to think how many times I was on one of those exact type aircraft before this horrible accident.
Nothing wrong with the Beech 1900D as long as it is competently maintained. This particular aircraft wasn’t.
" I can't even count how many bug the same exact aircraft on US airways I flew ..." Please explain what you mean.
I had the same question. Maybe he meant to say "How many BUY the same exact aircraft"?@@Bob31415
@@Bob31415 nothing bug to worry about. just a bug in the matrix bug bug
Thank you to the crash investigator and others who found ALL the reasons for this crash. Her dogged determination will save lives. The weight issue is definitely eye-opening!
The mechanics were negligent in there duties, in my mind they committed negligent manslaughter time 21, why did they not face any charges, or lose their jobs?
May They All Rest In Peace.
NTSB should have figured out these averages decades ago. There had been similar accidents. And the pre-check on the stabilizer could have been verified by means of a helper who could observe the full angle range.
I can't imagine knowing the feeling that you are about to stall, but all efforts to push the nose down fail and there is just nothing you can do.
The crash dummies remark was insensitive, and especially the inappropriate grin recounting the realization.
By far the BEST advice I have heard yet. It's almost 15 years for me (skin cancer) and I also watched him slowly die over several years. I wish I had your advice 15 years ago. I still have dark days, but my turtles and exercising every day help so much.
Such a tragic loss, and yet almost entirely preventable. Prayers to all the victims families, may they all be at peace now...
Not that it matters after such a tragedy, but there is no Greer, NC. There is, however, a Greer, SC, just outside of Greenville, SC.
I love the sound effects they used of a DC3 pre war piston aircraft. Come on guys. This is your only job.
the pilot has the right to refuse the takeoff
Haunting words..”what about the other steps?”
WTF would anyone think it’s “cool” to have only a 100lb margin for error on the weight calculation? You’re gonna seriously take off with less than 100lb margin between life and death of EVERYONE on the plane?!?!
You do realize the safety margin is built into the maximum takeoff weight, right?
@@reizayin i don’t think so, because, if you rewatch the video you’ll see that the plane crashed.
Strlrd; I believe that it was a 700 lb error in calculations. Watch it again Home Slice.
Is there a reason you think the actors are saying the actual words the pilot and copilot said? Have you never heard of poetic license?
@@NotMykl Their exact words are enshrined for posterity due to the CVR, so no need for "artistic license" enhancement.
The FAA says they learn something new from every crash, wow, that makes me feel better, doesn't it you. That's insane, avg weights, are you kidding me.
Yea, but they,re educated.
time they started weighing passengers -- some airline has said they will and of course all the chubbies getting offended.
@@robertcunningham-n6k👎💯
As a retired USAF fighter mechanic, this is appalling to me. There is no excuse to be sloppy when others lives are depending on you. By the book, by the book, even if you've done the same job 1,000 times. It's why they have checklists. These people were just plain incompetent.
I have been on small commuter style planes a handful of times, never thought much of it.
I will never forget coming back from Australia with a friend, by way of Chicago. Weather wasn’t good, and had connecting flights canceled. Friend and I weren't happy. It had been a long day, and we just wanted to go home.
We stuck around the airport longer than most, and discovered a small commuter flight still in action, going to a city about an hour away from ours. We jumped on it.
Worst turbulence i have ever experienced, especially on takeoff. But we were fine.
Knowing what I do now, however, I don’t think I would try that again.
People doing their job correctly lose their lives because someone else doesn't do their job correctly, and innocent passengers and their surviving family members suffer horrendous loss with no real accountability for those that didn't do their job correctly. I am sure that the last thing attorneys for their client's airline want is to have them admit they failed and caused the needless deaths of innocent passengers. But those responsible need to feel the anguish for what they have caused to other human beings. The consequences need to affect those who didn't do their job correctly and made to "Feel" the pain "Personally" that caused the death(s) of another person's loved ones. Maybe then people will take their jobs seriously as if their own family member's lives were dependent upon their performance. May God provide healing for all those that lost a loved one in this unnecessary airline disaster.
So many badass, heroic women in this story.
My boyfriend was an avionics tech in the Air Force working on C-141's, C-5's and transient aircraft mostly being C-130's. Two years after his discharge he joined the Army and the famed 82nd Airborne. Ironically, he ended up jumping from several of the C-141's that he had actually worked on.
It's funny to me: the main cause of this issue was an improperly tensioned cable, coupled with too much weight and weight distribution issues, yet half of y'all are talking about people's weights, like those bags weren't four times the assumed weight AND were stored mostly in the rear of the plane. Wow. Way to miss the point.
Yeah, it's mind boggling if you ask me. This wasn't a big plane either. While people's weight can play a part, everyone's acting like the large baggage didn't play a part. And not to mention the people working on the plane skipped steps when working on the cables that help control the rotar.
@@camsfitness1745 literally. The documentary literally says the luggage weights were 60 lbs over, whilst most passengers were about 20 lbs over the average. They say the maintenance team skipped so many steps that SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN.
People still claim it's mostly obesity. Even though, you know, the tail flap literally couldn't EVER move low enough, definitely making it the main cause of the incident. I'm fairly certain they even said that even if it was the only issue that occurred, there was no saving this plane. It's amazing how people blame the passengers for the maintenance and service crews mishaps.
I used to work in the largest aircraft bearing oroducing facility in the United States. The amount of incompetence, shifting tolerances, and rush to get a product out makes me want to never step on a plane again.
They should probably add 15-20 pounds of additional weight for each passenger that lives in the Southeastern US.
Having been a former load planner in the aviation industry, ALWAYS adhere to the CG of the aircraft. Some aircraft are nose heavy and some aircraft are tail heavy. Bags and People come off before cargo.
100% Good for those who make flights SAFER! That firewoman, and the woman NTSB, to me, are heroes> Not stopping until truth is revealed...Not bowing to pressure, but revealing what is RIGHT AND SAFE > My hats off to those! And the Airline portrayed who Apologized, un heard of for sure..... It does not bring a person back, BUT the family sees that the airline CARES enough to acknowledge the mistakes that caused their love one to perish! Just a 71yr old man from SE Texas with Common sense! ty MAYDAY AIR DISASTER > been a fan a good while
I appreciate your common scents.
It appears the human factor was seen because of the women.
Sense
The sad thing is, the apology only happened after a lawsuit...they literally had to be legally forced to make the apology....which IMO immediately makes the apology worthless
calling someone a hero sure gets thrown around lightly anymore.
Lets face facts...bottom line is the maintenance caused the failure. If the Elev. cables had been adjusted properly the pilot could have corrected the nose up. File criminal charges!
if the plane was grossly over weight and the center of gravity was that far off, the elevator functioning properly would have made no difference. as a small plane pilot myself (personal not commercial) I can guarantee if it was that tail heavy it was doomed even if in 100% working order. the elevators can only do so much which is why the planes have a weight limit to start with.
i love this channel rip to those people who died
Quite a few years ago I recall my cousin who managed a maintenance crew arguing with management and leaving precisely because safety standards were being bypassed. I salute him for doing what was right. I don't know if he followed it up with a proper report to the FAA or not. He did get himself out of the situation ... and am sure neither he nor his family ever took a flight on the airline he worked for.
Such a well-done episode. It honors those who lost their lives, honors the captain, educated, and explains how flying is safer after their sacrifice and the careful investigation afterward. RIP
Ur next
Shifting cargo weight has always been a nemesis of aircraft safety. It brought down aircraft 80 years ago and it still brings down aircraft.
Now as an old man I look back at decades of life experiences, 24 years in the USArmy, and a subsequent career at Boeing Airplane company. Since then I’ve traveled by air more of the world in various weather conditions and aircraft type. I’ve never forgotten the deaths of those I lived with and worked with. In the Vietnam war I was passenger in a helicopter that was shot down by enemy small arms fire; but all of us, passengers and flight crew, remarkably and miraculously suffered no physical injury. But many friends and members of our command would suffer injury and death. Later in life I’ve seen more air fatalities up close, here and abroad. There are certain airlines I will hesitate to fly on and certain aircraft I will not step aboard (Osprey is an example). But, having said this, no airline is immune to circumstances of hazard that extend beyond control. The 1986 space shuttle tragedy and debacle is another example of human error unchecked. There should have been a ‘public apology’ for that too.
She should've lowered the landing gear. If there's a negative reaction to the last procedure then undo the last procedure, if possible.
When you're that low to the ground and on takeoff, lowering the gear is near the bottom of a checklist.
Lower the landing gear? You are just going to increase drag and increase the chance of a stall.
@@williamjamesii988missed the point completely
@@WALTERBROADDUSmissed the point completely
@@richwightman3044 and that point is?
Weight and balance "estimates" are always exactly that - educated guesses..... 175 pounds per person average weight?!! It's a joke....
Another example of corporate greed overriding safety.
Corporate greed and no updating of passenger and luggage weights in over 70 years by the FAA.
Why didn't the pilots notice the reduced range of motion during the preflight control surface checks?
It's a travesty that there is not a monument to this young pilot. She did her best to save everyone on the ground and in the air. In the face of death, she never quit fighting. 2:42 Greer, South Carolina, BTW NOT North Carolina.
At 3:06 they also show the screen and it says Greenville, NC lol how do you mess that up? All you have to do is look up where GSP is😂
@@mojo904the airport is considered to be Greenville not Greer.
@@TheSjuris correct, SC not NC
was she not also in the plane??
If control cables need shortened, There is a reason why there is 2 turnbuckles. They must be shortened in an even amount of turns. This keeps the strength and range of motion even... Also important when rigging a sailboat, Adjusting emergency brakes, Older car clutches and shift linkages, smaller Boat steering systems,.. Etc.