This is an unusual travel hazard. And somewhat freaky.

Warrigal

Warrigal

SF VIP
Location
Sydney, Australia
Before I fly next time I want shake the pilot's hand. Both of them.

Artificial arm of British pilot comes off during Flybe plane landing

Posted 16 minutes agoThu 14 Aug 2014, 6:38pm

Photo: The incident caused the plane to land with a "bounce", according to the report. (Wikimedia: Javier Bravo Muñoz)

A pilot for a British budget airline briefly lost control of a flight after his artificial arm came loose during landing, according to an air accident report. The Flybe plane, carrying 47 passengers, had been coming in to land at Belfast City Airport from Birmingham when the pilot's prosthetic forearm became detached from a special clamp fitted to the plane's yoke.

This caused the plane to land with a "bounce", but no one was injured. Flybe said it was proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

"The senior captain referred to in this report is one of Flybe's most experienced and trusted pilots," said captain Ian Baston, the firm's director of flight operations and safety. "The airline confirms that at no time was the safety of its passengers or crew compromised in any way, nor was the aircraft damaged."

The report from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch of the February 12 flight said the 46-year-old pilot had checked that his prosthetic arm was securely attached to the clamp shortly before landing. He had disconnected the autopilot and was landing the plane manually when the arm came loose, forcing him to try to regain control with his right arm.

"He did this, but with power still applied and possibly a gust affecting the aircraft, a normal touchdown was followed by a bounce, from which the aircraft landed heavily," the report said.

The captain has pledged to be more careful in future about checking the attachment on his artificial limb and briefing his co-pilots about a possible similar event, it added.
Click to expand...
 

Forewarned is forearmed! :)

26712286a9074cb5f21112db31055f2a.jpg
 
As a retired pilot, you don't want to know what I think.
 

hollydolly said:
I do ..I'd like to hear what another pilot thinks about this ...I'm sure lots of us would be interested in hearing an ex commercial pilots' view :)
Click to expand...

I have to admit that I cheated a little by looking up the incident and reading the entire report.

Without going into a list of "what could have gone wrong', my main concern at this point is the condition of the aircraft. The incident report stated that "the pilot lost control'. That statement in of itself should have raised a red flag and the company then to state that the passengers were in no danger, in my opinion, is probably not true. Take offs and landings are the most crucial part of any flight. The statement also listed that the landing was a hard bump followed by a bounce. The company then reports that there was no damage to the aircraft. That statement is also disingenuous. Unless that aircraft is taken out of service and the engineering group or mechanics spread a dye over the critical parts of the airplane's skin and movable parts and some x-rays taken, how can they be so sure? Tiny stress fractures, which cannot be seen by the eye may have occurred. There have been incidents reported of aircraft suffering stress fractures and coming apart while in flight.

This is just not a good situation and I wish them well for all future flights.
 
I had a feeling in my bones that you may explain something like that Oldman..very worrying I would say, but thanks for that. I do hope by now they've put all the checks in place you describe.
 
hollydolly said:
I had a feeling in my bones that you may explain something like that Oldman..very worrying I would say, but thanks for that. I do hope by now they've put all the checks in place you describe.
Click to expand...

Here in the states, the FAA and the NTSB would have to give the airline it's blessing before that aircraft would have flown again. I am sure that the same is true where you are, or at least lets hope so. (Different agencies, but you understand my point, I'm sure.)
 
When I flew regional flights, I flew this aircraft. It has a very good safety record. The plane handles very nice, but the fact that wind may have been a factor is what concerns me
 
Falcon: Fun, fun, fun! Glad you had a good time!
Walked thru "Magdeburg" after a bombing: Ruins, rats, dead people (women and children) buried in the cellars of the ruins. Was 14 at the time, have never been able to erase it from my mind. :sorrow:
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top