Continental Airlines DHC-8-Q400 down in New York State

 Here is the edited audio from the incident.

A real tragedy!

• Filed under: Colgan Air, Dash 8, Bombardier Q400

 

Tragedy! Having flown the Q400 for 5 years within SAS I remembered briefing on the possibility of elevator stall during final approach. Full flaps and icing conditions would be the most "risky" configuration for that to occur. Recovery - as we discussed - was stick fwd, full thrust, flaps up and start pulling when the elevator was flying again. This is a manouver that would feel a bit awkward close to the ground. This is not a any official procedure from neither the manufacurer or SAS. This is something we discussed in between pilots. The investigation will tell. It seems the aircraft has crashed nose down or at least with little forward speed, hence the fact only one house in a populated area was destroyed. God Bless them all.

http://flightcrewtraining.us/_wsn/page3.html                              The Consequence of Tailplane Icing.          Following the catastrophic loss of a modern turboprop airplane a few years ago there appeared numerous studies trying to determine the exact cause of that accident. A review of other accidents which had occurred previously, there emerged a startling similarity between the events. The probable cause of each of the accidents seemed to indicate the existence of ice accumulation on the tail-plane in each instance. Several studies were conducted and it was determined that with only a few tenths of a millimeter ice on the wing leading edge of a two-meter chord wing there can be an increased stall speed by as much as 20 percent. [snip]

 

Perception of a moderat to severe icing condition is largely individual. No messures are given, no numbers to go by, only your judgement as PIC. If you are in doubt, there is no doubt, AP of, fly by hand and get a feel of the aerodynamics acting on your aircraft. Keep good speed, don't change your configuration and fly out of the area of excessive ice acretion. Once in the clear, at altitude, check configuration changes and their effect. Considder reduced flap approach and landing, and check final approach configuration controlability at altitude before commencing approach and landing.

Background:

ATPL(A) CPL(H)

20 + years PIC on ATR aircraft in Scandinavia (plenty of icing conditions)

Total 43 years in the air : )

Earlier photo of N200WQ from Liberty Int'l Airport.

http://www.airpics.net/photo/N200WQ-De-Havilland-Canada-DHC-8-400Q-Dash-8-Continental-Connection/5271

Domus71

• Filed under: Continental, N200WQ