# "Almost Crashed"



## oldman (Mar 10, 2021)

I was reading about where airplanes are stored in the Military section and that brought to mind the following story. 

Some of these airplane boneyards also house planes, or what's left of them from accidents (crashes). One such story that I heard was the Delta L-1011 that crashed in Dallas in 1985. The L-1011 TriStar was supposed to be a state of the art jetliner that was almost crashproof. The plane crashed during a thunderstorm while attempting to land and went under a microburst just before touchdown. There just isn't much that a pilot can do if the microburst is strong enough. 

I flew through a few microbursts in simulators and was successful in doing so, but It's like I told my check pilot, "Being in a simulator is a whole lot different than being out there in the wide open and having to do it." In a simulator, you know what's coming and you know what you have to do to beat it. In today's planes, they have doppler radar, which shows the pilots what lies ahead, but it doesn't make it easier, however, you can mentally prepare yourself and run through your mind what you will need to do, if this or that happens. 

Years ago, not long after I was promoted to Captain, I went to a high school during _career day_ and a student who was interested in becoming a pilot asked me if I ever crashed. I told her that I did, in a simulator. So, she corrected herself and she wanted to know if I ever crashed or "almost" crashed while flying with passengers onboard. I was honest and told her "Nope, never." That's the truth. I never "almost" crashed. I did come close to ditching once while flying from Chicago to Honolulu, but was able to recover and get everyone to Honolulu safely. That was scary. We had lost elevators over the Pacific while beginning our descent into Honolulu. I had no idea what had happened. The F/O and I tried about everything to get them to work. We ran our checklists, but nothing helped. I called United maintenance back in Denver and a first class mechanic and engineer genius named, Pete Solymos , who was very calm and who even chuckled at our predicament, (which I thought to myself, "When (if) I get this bird on the ground, I'm stopping in Denver on the way back and kick him in the seat of his pants.). So, very calmly, he asks me "Did you check the breaker?" I slapped myself in the forehead and thought *BREAKER!* I reached over to the breaker panel and there it was. Something had kicked off the breaker. I switched it back on and all was well. When we landed and we were all settled, I asked the Dispatcher why that wasn't in the checklists? He didn't know, but the next month when we received new checklists, it was included in the checklist for the elevators, as well as many other items.  

I flew in and out of Dallas hundreds of times. Dallas is hell in the summer. They have these thunderstorms that come up from nowhere. 

As rumor has it, every plane that received a part from the L-1011 became haunted. Strange things would happen while in the air and it sounded like a made-up story, but supposedly true. If you have 10 minutes to waste, here is video of that crash.


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## oldman (Mar 10, 2021)

Not long after the above incident occurred, I was telling another pilot what had happened. He told me that the same thing had happened to him just a few months before. I asked him what plane was he flying and he said the 747, the same plane that I was flying. I asked him if he reported it and he said he did. My next move was to call the Union. These types of issues are supposed to be sent out to all of the pilots that fly the B-747. 

I asked my Union rep what was going on with getting the bulletins out on this situation. He told me "Time, it takes time to get things done." I told him that he had 72 hours to get the word out or I was calling the FAA. The next day, we all received the bulletin. Problem solved.


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## 911 (Apr 11, 2021)

Where are you, oldman? If you read this, how about telling some more airplane stories or maybe what goes on behind the scenes that us passengers never see? I like airplane and train stories. I once knew an engineer that worked for Conrail. He could hold my attention for long periods of time with his stories.


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## Gaer (Apr 11, 2021)

Agree with 911.  Where are you?  Are you still having reactions from the China virus?  Hope you are well!  We miss you!


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## SetWave (Apr 11, 2021)

I doubt very much you really want to hear behind the scenes stories about flying.  Nobody needs have that on their mind while in the air.


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## fmdog44 (Apr 11, 2021)

These stories are very sad. Years ago I flew a lot and experiencing some glitches during flights I feel for what passengers and the crew go through in a plane that is obviously in trouble. Being scared is one thing, being terrified is another.


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## 911 (Apr 15, 2021)

SetWave said:


> I doubt very much you really want to hear behind the scenes stories about flying.  Nobody needs have that on their mind while in the air.


Aww, c'mon. Where's your sense of adventure?


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## Lewkat (Apr 15, 2021)

The L10-11 was considered a superior plane for its time and one of the safest to fly in.


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## SetWave (Apr 15, 2021)

911 said:


> Aww, c'mon. Where's your sense of adventure?


Adventure is one thing. Going down in flames another.


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## Been There (Apr 27, 2021)

*Hey oldman.* Did you fly in the military? If so, what plane or planes did you fly? Most military pilots only fly one type of plane, unless you stick around for 20 odd years. Fly in any wars? If you flew in the military, we could have some good conversations and-or discussions. Looking forward to it. Oh, by the way, what was your rank upon retirement?


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## SetWave (Apr 27, 2021)

Been There said:


> *Hey oldman.* Did you fly in the military? If so, what plane or planes did you fly? Most military pilots only fly one type of plane, unless you stick around for 20 odd years. Fly in any wars? If you flew in the military, we could have some good conversations and-or discussions. Looking forward to it. Oh, by the way, what was your rank upon retirement?


For the record, my father was a mustang, career military Naval Aviator brown shoe. He retired at Commander after 25 years. He was a Pearl Harbor survivor, flew combat in the Solomans and Korea. He flew many planes from the Hellcat, Corsair,  Dauntless, PBY and others. He was friends with some of the Black Sheep and I met them a few times along with the Blue Angels. My mom didn't like Boyington .
Familiar with The Great Santini? Except for not being a raging alcoholic that was my dad all the way.


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## fmdog44 (Apr 27, 2021)

Flew many many time and too many "Bump, what was that?"


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## Autumn72 (Mar 8, 2022)

oldman said:


> Not long after the above incident occurred, I was telling another pilot what had happened. He told me that the same thing had happened to him just a few months before. I asked him what plane was he flying and he said the 747, the same plane that I was flying. I asked him if he reported it and he said he did. My next move was to call the Union. These types of issues are supposed to be sent out to all of the pilots that fly the B-747.
> 
> I asked my Union rep what was going on with getting the bulletins out on this situation. He told me "Time, it takes time to get things done." I told him that he had 72 hours to get the word out or I was calling the FAA. The next day, we all received the bulletin. Problem solved.


You had to push him to do something Shame shame.....
...


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