ID flight # regarding a near disaster?

[ramonesfreak]

Sorry, dont know what to call this.

Question:

A few years ago I saw a documentary about a commercial jet that was filled with passengers and flying, I believe, across the Atlantic from the U.S. towards Europe. There was some misunderstanding and one of the crew flicked a switch and emptied all of the gas from the tanks. The plane's engines stalled at 30K feet but the pilot managed to glide the plane, some 150 miles or more, to a small island of the coast of Europe in total darkness and there was no crash.

Did I dream this? Because I can not find any info about this incident anywhere. If you know what I am talking about, please let me know because I would like to read more about this

I recall there being interviews with passengers who described the eerie silence of the plane drifting through the air for so many miles with no engines running.....in the dark

[dhoward]

I remember that too. I'll help you look.

[dhoward]

On 24 August 2001, Air Transat, Flight 236, an A330-243, performed the world's longest recorded glide with a jet airliner after suffering fuel exhaustion over the Atlantic Ocean. The plane flew powerless for half an hour and covered 65 nautical miles (120 km) to an emergency landing in the Azores (Portugal). No one was hurt, but the aircraft suffered some structural damage and blown tires.

[aap1966]

I saw that documentry too, so not a dream. As to further details.....?

[Seahawk]

Enjoy. I ran out of fuel once...but I hadn't taken off. No kidding


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_starvation

Also:

http://www.elchineroconcepts.com/Technology%20Folder/gimli_glider.htm

An Air Canada 767 en-route to Europe ran out of fuel because of a leak, the switch that senses mis-weight kept pumping fuel from the other tank, until it was empty.The pilot glided the craft and landed safely on a military airfield on a tiny island in the Azores with no engines

[ramonesfreak]

holy crap you guys are excellent. thanks.

[ramonesfreak]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Transat_Flight_236

Dramatization

A documentary in the Mayday television series (also known as Air Crash Investigation and as Air Emergency) was made about this incident. The episode's name is "Flying on Empty".

MSNBC also produced a report on the incident, entitled "A Wing and A Prayer".

[dhoward]

Those 'title-thinker-uppers' are pretty clever, aren't they?

[old man neri]

[BRPORSCHE]

Originally Posted by dhoward

No one was hurt, but the aircraft suffered some structural damage and blown tires.

Ok, structural guys. Why did it suffer damage and blown tires just because they ran out of fuel? This is bugging me. Gliders go many miles without fuel, and when they land. Why don't they blow there tires on landing?

[ramonesfreak]

Originally Posted by BRPORSCHE

Ok, structural guys. Why did it suffer damage and blown tires just because they ran out of fuel? This is bugging me. Gliders go many miles without fuel, and when they land. Why don't they blow there tires on landing?

Because no gas = no reverse thrusters, the pilot was forced to land at very high speed?

[krichard]

Originally Posted by BRPORSCHE

Ok, structural guys. Why did it suffer damage and blown tires just because they ran out of fuel? This is bugging me. Gliders go many miles without fuel, and when they land. Why don't they blow there tires on landing?

I believe in this particular incident the plane was traveling well above the safe landing speed causing the blown tires and structural damage. These things aren't designed to glide.....

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by BRPORSCHE

Ok, structural guys. Why did it suffer damage and blown tires just because they ran out of fuel? This is bugging me. Gliders go many miles without fuel, and when they land. Why don't they blow there tires on landing?

Maybe because they don't weigh 875000#?

Also, with no fuel you have no reverse thrust to slow down the plane.

[john70t]

They had to keep the airspeed very high to prevent a stall on landing, so the angle of decent was probably very steep at the final stage. No go around.

Basically, they probably dove, flared and tried to end up in the right place of the runway at the right speed and height. Pobably popped the remaining tires skidding to a stop.

[ramonesfreak]

i found the docu on youtube

here is part 1



i wont waste bandwidth posting all 5 parts. they are easily found on youtube if you are interested

[looneybin]

also when you are landing with the flaps & slats extended, you need thrust just to stay in the air. The pilot probably didn't extend them (he would have stalled & crashed) so he had to hit the runway fairly hard

Damn - John beat me to it

[sammyg2]

I was gonna say that he probably put armor-all on his tire treads but then thought I better not

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

I was gonna say that he probably put armor-all on his tire treads but then thought I better not

They do look jet-fokkin black!

[old man neri]

Reminds me of the Gimli Glider which also suffered some tire problems after running out of fuel and gliding as well. However, it was for a different reason.

[tcar]

Originally Posted by looneybin

also when you are landing with the flaps & slats extended, you need thrust just to stay in the air. The pilot probably didn't extend them (he would have stalled & crashed) so he had to hit the runway fairly hard

He didn't even have that option.

Without hydraulic pressure (both engines out) he had :

No Flaps
No Slats
No BRAKES!

And as looney said, no reversers.

So he touched down at about 200 knots (about 230 mph), instead of about 140 knots and rolled forever. Tires aren't designed for that.

No chance of fire, though. No fuel.