Boeing 747 'splits in two' on take off
 

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/eu....ap/index.html

Hopefully there are no injuries but I am having hard time understanding how a plane can split in two after crashing at take off :confused: Let's just hope there will video footage of the crash and everyone onboard comes out fine ^

Double Post
 

"Boeing 747 splits in two on take off" - Cargo
 

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe....ap/index.html

Impressive picture. Took interest in this, as I've an award ticket on 747s in Nov. Not sure what direct/indirect connections this has to NW (-200, -400, year of manufacturer, etc?). The plane is owned by Kalitta Air, Willow Run Airport, outside DTW. Not sure if it's really owned, operated, or both, by Kalitta.

[edit] in hindsight, I could have picked a better thread title. Is there a way for an OP to change their own title, without going through a moderator?

Steve B.

Nothing to do with NW. It was N704CK, 742 owned by Kalitta.

Pic is impressive, I'll give you that.

That company has a contract to bring home the bodies of US soldiers from Iraq.

Why :confused: Lots of older (some being not well maintained) 747-xxx out there. ;) These have little to do with the properly maintained 747s that NW has in service (be they -200 or -400 series).

IMO, this thread is a bit more travelbuzz or omni in nature, but definitely doesn't have anything to do with NWA.

Agreed. I love the caption of the photo, including the misspelling:
The plain was about to depart for a scheduled flight to Bahrain when it crashed.

Wow, interesting story. I used them several times when I still worked in airfreight. Emirates Sky Cargo uses them for wet leases as well!

Also liked the quote from the BRU spokesman... "The plane is very seriously damaged."

Ya think?

Fortunately the crew escaped with only minor injuries.

Looks like it's N704CK, an ex-JAL 747-100 and the 191st 747 off the line--entered service in 1972.

As many here now, I was a B747 Cargo pilot.

I now fly the passenger side of a major Asian airline.

Whilst I was working for a Cargo Company on the B747, Kallita was known industry wide as being the WORST IMHO cargo airline to work for.

A couple of years ago they actually had an engine "depart" the wing over Lake Michigan.

How the US FAA lets them continue to operate is beyond me.

Impressive picture. Thank God it was cargo and not a pax plane (...or plain according to CNN)

Although IIRC kalitta is DTW (YIP) based.... not NW related.

But I did find some awesome video of the plane:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=
d3f_1211722669

Many cargo operators operate old 747 aircraft like this and don't maintain them well. This doesn't have any relation to the 747's operated by NW or other passenger airlines. Unless your award travel is on a cargo aircraft operated by a cargo operator then you have nothing to worry about. The 747-400's operated by NW and most other 747 operating airlines are a modern design and very safe.

This flight had a US Diplomatic Courier on board. He is uninjured.