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[12-Feb-2009]: CO 3407 crashes while on descent into BUF

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[12-Feb-2009]: CO 3407 crashes while on descent into BUF

 
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Old Feb 12, 2009, 10:36 pm
  #91  
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From the Buffalo News:
Forty-nine people reportedly died when an aircraft identified as a Continental Airlines flight crashed into a house in Clarence Center shortly after 10 p.m. last night, starting a huge fire which poured thick smoke throughout the hamlet.

Unconfirmed reports from a source at Buffalo Niagara International Airport said that the dead included 44 passengers, four crew members and a person on the ground.

County Executive Chris Collins said that there may have been as many as 50 people aboard the plane and crew members had reported mechanical problems as they approached Buffalo Niagara International Airport. Several injured people were taken from the scene to Erie County Medical Center for treatment.
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Old Feb 12, 2009, 10:36 pm
  #92  
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Confirmed 44 passengers, 4 crew, and 1 person on the groung have died. Next news conference at 4am
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Old Feb 12, 2009, 10:38 pm
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Originally Posted by kcb
Confirmed 44 passengers, 4 crew, and 1 person on the groung have died. Next news conference at 4am
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Old Feb 12, 2009, 10:39 pm
  #94  
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Originally Posted by Cargojon
From listening to the FAA audio, there were several reports of icing, wonder if that had anything to do with it....
The audio is heart-breaking.

"We appear to have a Dash-8 that didn't make the airport."

You can hear the very subtle change in the voices of the ATC controllers after hearing this.

One pilot did report icing from 6500 down to 3500, which put the CO flight right in the middle of the icing altitudes at 5000. Another reported icing 20 from 20 miles south of the airport, roughly where the CO flight was.
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Old Feb 12, 2009, 10:39 pm
  #95  
 
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close to home

I've been on this flight a few dozen times. I've been on DEN - IAH a half-dozen times. I've been on LGA - CLT a bunch of times.

Really makes you think.....a lot.
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Old Feb 12, 2009, 10:40 pm
  #96  
 
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Originally Posted by PTravel
You can hear the very subtle change in the voices of the ATC controllers after hearing this.
You also hear afterwards...I think a WN pilot called in to make sure they knew what was going on. Surreal.
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Old Feb 12, 2009, 10:40 pm
  #97  
 
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if you would like local news. www.wivb.vom
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Old Feb 12, 2009, 10:41 pm
  #98  
 
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Originally Posted by colpuck
ok here is rough outline of the ATC tape

BUF approach clears CO to descend to 2300 ft, and set for an ILS approach into BUF.

CO reads back the instruction

next call hands CO off to BUF tower for landing, again CO reads it back.

CO does not contact tower.

Then, well nothing the CO does not respond to anymore calls.

A DL flight reports negative on VFR conditions at CO's last reported altitude.
You also hear the the Delta plane ask for a visual on CO3047, and they say they can't see anything...

Then later a Cactus bird says something about seeing something from the air and asking tower if they are aware of the situation...
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Old Feb 12, 2009, 10:42 pm
  #99  
 
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Originally Posted by colpuck
ok here is rough outline of the ATC tape

BUF approach clears CO to descend to 2300 ft, and set for an ILS approach into BUF.

CO reads back the instruction

next call hands CO off to BUF tower for landing, again CO reads it back.

CO does not contact tower.

Then, well nothing the CO does not respond to anymore calls.

A DL flight reports negative on VFR conditions at CO's last reported altitude.
A bit after that you hear the tower dispatch emergency personnel to search for "something on the ground."

Also heard several reports of icing from different pilots, wonder if that factored in.
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Old Feb 12, 2009, 10:42 pm
  #100  
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so sad......
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Old Feb 12, 2009, 10:42 pm
  #101  
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My condolences and prayers to the families and the victims.
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Old Feb 12, 2009, 10:43 pm
  #102  
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I heard nothing on the ATC tape to indicate any report of mechanical problems. Everything sounded normal until the time that the aircraft failed to contact the tower.
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Old Feb 12, 2009, 10:43 pm
  #103  
 
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Who here travels so much to random places that anytime something like this happens you immediately tell everyone you were NOT there?

My thoughts go out to those who were on the flight. I hope there were no FTers on the flight, but everyone on it had relatives and loved ones.

What a sad recent chain of events.
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Old Feb 12, 2009, 10:43 pm
  #104  
 
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Sad. On CNN you can see the CO logo'ed tail section of the Q400.
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Old Feb 12, 2009, 10:43 pm
  #105  
 
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Originally Posted by J.Edward
You also hear afterwards...I think a WN pilot called in to make sure they knew what was going on. Surreal.
It was Cactus 1452 otherwise known as US Airways.
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