The jackscrew of the horizontal stabilizer had its threads stripped and was only hanging by a retaining nut that ultimately failed. Once the jackscrew broke free, the stabilizer was forced into a position that not only put the aircraft in the nose down position, but also pushed the stabilizer well beyond its designed limits. In addition, the engines were still running, thereby negating the need to glide.
Thank you. I can an sort of understand the explanation. In other words the plane was locked in the " down" position . The engines still running, catapulpted the plane toward the ground even faster.
That is correct. Gliding only applies if the aircraft has no engines running. The second the retaining nut failed, any hope of getting the plane down in one piece was basically lost.
@6400az US Air had an engine failure on both engines, they had no choice but to glids down onto the water since they chose not immediately divert after the lost the engines. The Alaska flight had a mechanical problem that forced the aircraft into a nose dive. This was due to maitance problems and everyone on that plane was doomed. The aircraft was unflyable. And there is no need to glide since the Alaska flight had no engine problem
The MD-80 Series has two motors that rotate a vertical jackscrew, which in turn moves the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer up or down. The purpose of this is to trim the stabilizer (either manually or automatically) for flight. On this particular flight, the mechanism malfunctioned, making the stabilizer uncontrollable, and subsequently, the aircraft went out of control. The crew made an heroic effort to save the airplane, which was impossible w/o elevator control.
@srfrr Yes it was the jackscrew. Alaska extended maintanence to it causin the threads to be stripped which in turn caused the failure of the stabilizer.
@ChargerDaytona3589 The vertical stabilizer jackscrew stripped the threads of of its lower retainer and became detatched, was nothing to do with the rudder. Accident has been attributed to a long list of human factor errors over several years which led to the loss of this aircraft and all on board.
most made it
2978zappy 1 week ago
There was no possible way for the pilots to save this situation. They did everything they could.
65rock4ever 1 month ago 4
Why could'nt this plane glide like the Hudson River plane?? Had plenty of altitude.
6400az 2 months ago
The jackscrew of the horizontal stabilizer had its threads stripped and was only hanging by a retaining nut that ultimately failed. Once the jackscrew broke free, the stabilizer was forced into a position that not only put the aircraft in the nose down position, but also pushed the stabilizer well beyond its designed limits. In addition, the engines were still running, thereby negating the need to glide.
PW4056 2 months ago
@PW4056
Thank you. I can an sort of understand the explanation. In other words the plane was locked in the " down" position . The engines still running, catapulpted the plane toward the ground even faster.
6400az 2 months ago
That is correct. Gliding only applies if the aircraft has no engines running. The second the retaining nut failed, any hope of getting the plane down in one piece was basically lost.
PW4056 2 months ago
@PW4056
Alright, thank you sir.
6400az 2 months ago
@6400az Completely unrelated problems.
kidcaptian 2 weeks ago
@kidcaptian
Ok, but how about a little explanation ??
6400az 2 weeks ago
@6400az US Air had an engine failure on both engines, they had no choice but to glids down onto the water since they chose not immediately divert after the lost the engines. The Alaska flight had a mechanical problem that forced the aircraft into a nose dive. This was due to maitance problems and everyone on that plane was doomed. The aircraft was unflyable. And there is no need to glide since the Alaska flight had no engine problem
kidcaptian 2 weeks ago
@kidcaptian
Thanks, I understand. A problem with steering/ controls.
6400az 2 weeks ago
This is not the cockpit voice recorder, so please don't misrepresent this.
DohaRoha 4 months ago
@DohaRoha why ?
boxing2289nymx 2 weeks ago
"We're basically out of control"
"Okay"
I am awed at how calm everyone involved sounds. God bless them for their bravery.
WaltzingMtilda 6 months ago 27
@WaltzingMtilda I think that was the sound of another pilot in a different aircraft watching them go down.
schreck425 5 months ago
The MD-80 Series has two motors that rotate a vertical jackscrew, which in turn moves the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer up or down. The purpose of this is to trim the stabilizer (either manually or automatically) for flight. On this particular flight, the mechanism malfunctioned, making the stabilizer uncontrollable, and subsequently, the aircraft went out of control. The crew made an heroic effort to save the airplane, which was impossible w/o elevator control.
777Dawood 7 months ago 2
Jammed rudder, not stabilizer.
ChargerDaytona3589 7 months ago
@ChargerDaytona3589 No, it was the horizontal stabilizer jackscrew
BigCJFan 7 months ago 9
@BigCJFan was it the jackscrew though?
srfrr 2 months ago
@srfrr Yes it was the jackscrew. Alaska extended maintanence to it causin the threads to be stripped which in turn caused the failure of the stabilizer.
BigCJFan 2 months ago
@BigCJFan Ok cool... but can I use "jackscrew" as an insult in the very near future? Thanks.
srfrr 2 months ago
@BigCJFan No it wasn't. See, this is what happens when you hire a bunch of illegal Mexicans from a Home Depot parking lot to fly an airliner.
FatherPatOphelia 2 weeks ago
@ChargerDaytona3589 The vertical stabilizer jackscrew stripped the threads of of its lower retainer and became detatched, was nothing to do with the rudder. Accident has been attributed to a long list of human factor errors over several years which led to the loss of this aircraft and all on board.
flipper0465 5 months ago
very sad. :/
whtwlf88 7 months ago