Airbus down in the Alps

[Oscar Avalle]

Strange accident descended 14k in minutes without any warning and without declaring an emergency. Good weather, experienced crew... Sad day for aviation 150 people died...My thoughts are with their families.

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/03/24/europe/france-plane-crash/index.html

[N33GG]

And Washinton has already announced that there is no evidence of terrorism.

Amazing!

[chrisk]

It certainly seems to be a mystery.  For the professionals out there,  how automated is the plane.  If there was a loss of compression, would the A320 descend on it's own and set a squawk code?  Probably not?   Seems more likely that there was a loss of power, as the speed didn't change much on the way down and that is what the plane was trimmed for.   Why wouldn't they trim for best glide, unless best glide is 450kts at 38,000 feet?   Very odd that no audio is available?

[Marauder]

The timing of this is accident is troubling. I'm in Barcelona, flying in from Germany yesterday on Lufthansa. There was a Lufthansa pilot's strike late last week through Saturday (their 10th since April). Although the primary focus of the strike was retirement plan changes, there was also some concerns over the expansion of their long haul routes by partners including Eurowing and Germanwing.

Hopefully an identifiable accident and not something else...

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[wishboneash]

Lot of information (in French) here. 

http://www.ledauphine.com/haute-provence/2015/03/24/un-a320-s-ecrase-dans-la-zone-de-barcelonnette

[Marauder]

Anyone want to pick me up. Suspect you may need long range tanks.

BTW - interesting to see I am getting weather information in Europe.

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[1964-M20E]

Condolences to the families of those involved.

 

 

Marauder

I'll be there in about a week to pick you up.

[Piloto]

The news mention a maintenance inspection/service the day before. Wonder if this accident was related to the inspection. Nothing new, how many of us had malfunctions after an annual.

José

[PTK]

Anyone want to pick me up. Suspect you may need long range tanks.

BTW - interesting to see I am getting weather information in Europe.

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Have a safe flight home Chris.

[Raptor05121]

The news mention a maintenance inspection/service the day before. Wonder if this accident was related to the inspection. Nothing new, how many of us had malfunctions after an annual.

José

 

From what I'm seeing, it had to do with nose gear doors

[Marauder]

Have a safe flight home Chris.

Thanks Pete. I spoke to my wife last night. She knew I was headed there but wasn't sure of my schedule and said her heart leapt when she heard the news of the crash.

I asked her was the "leaping" because she thought she could now retire and start dating a Pilatus owner.

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[flyboy0681]

Let the speculation begin.

[PTK]

There have been multiple uncomanded pitch down incidents with different Airbus aircraft. They mention software design limitation in the flight control primary computer (FCPC.)

"...and a failure mode affecting one of the aircraft's three air data inertial reference units (ADIRUs). The design limitation meant that, in a very rare and specific situation, multiple spikes in angle of attack (AOA) data from one of the ADIRUs could result in the FCPCs commanding the aircraft to pitch down."

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qantas_Flight_72

http://www.aeroinside.com/item/4946/lufthansa-a321-near-bilbao-on-nov-5th-2014-loss-of-4000-feet-of-altitude

This could be another one.

[Piloto]

Good input Peter. That is why I feel safer on a Mooney. No fly by wires like on Cessnas or others, just simple reliable and unbreakable push-pull tubes for pitch, roll and jaw.

José

[Oscar Avalle]

According to CNN:

 

One of the pilots on Germanwings Flight 9525 was locked out of the cockpit when the plane crashed Tuesday, a senior military official told The New York Times, citing evidence from the cockpit voice recorder.

 

[ryoder]

According to CNN:

 

One of the pilots on Germanwings Flight 9525 was locked out of the cockpit when the plane crashed Tuesday, a senior military official told The New York Times, citing evidence from the cockpit voice recorder.

I wonder if the pilot locked himself in the cockpit as a suicide attack? Looking forward to the release of pilots names.

[N201MKTurbo]

Maybe one pilot went to the head and the other had a hart attack.

 

Maybe we should rethink the locked door policy.

 

Any 320 drivers out there that can tell what happens if someone slumps over on the stick?

[ryoder]

If I lock myself out of the Vette I can call OnStsr and they remote unlock the door. I have done this before. Maybe that could be an option on a multimillion dollar airplane if my car can do it.

[Guest]

It may have flown through the wake of MH370, which is on its way to New York with a stolen Narco AT50 set to 1200 to disguise itself as a Mooney!

Clarence

[N33GG]

If it ain't Boeing, I ain't going!

[N33GG]

Clearly, it was a middle-aged Christian white male that was angry and a member of the Tea Party.

[MyNameIsNobody]

-A320 is side-stick. Less likely to fall on yoke if disabled.

-Decent was controlled...

-Cockpit recorder sounds show other pilot knocking, pounding, beating on door. No answer.

NOT GOOD...

[MyNameIsNobody]

Clearly, it was a middle-aged Christian white male that was angry and a member of the Tea Party.

Good God, was Dave on that plane?!!!

[MyNameIsNobody]

Seriously, if the pilot took the plane down with 150 souls, many of them children...I hope there is a special place for him to contemplate his act for all eternity.

[Hank]

Neither Dave nor I. let's put Timmy back in his box, please.

What are the rules for pilot leaving flight deck in EU? What is cockpit re-entry protocol?

If the pilot was incapacitated, how was directional control maintained, how did climb level off, why did descent begin at less than loss-of-control rate then stop before hitting the (higher) mountain at apparent cruise speed?