DHC4-T Crash - N400NC

[pacorod]

Never take a flight on an airline from a country where the average iq is 60.

[SenorSpode]

Caribous are equipped with cockpit control locks which lock the throttles when engaged. This one was converted to turbine and the throttle locks were defeated when they became "power levers". The pilot did not check for freedom of control movement before takeoff, control locks were still engaged, plane lifted, nosed up, pilot realized his error and corrected too late. This was corroborated by others who knew the plane and other related close-calls with it. NewCal Aviation conversion.

[woodbinedrinker]

from another site:

"Here's something I found:

N400NC (240) NewCal Aviation

occupants: 3 crew + 0 passengers = 3

fatalities: 3 crew + 0 passengers = 3

location: Gimli (Canada)

The aircraft took off for a test flight for a turbine-engine conversion programme. It climbed steeply, rolled to the right and crashed in a nose- down, rightwing-low attitude. "

[bigbird1188]

You guys are watching what is in all likelihood a simulation, not the real video of the actual crash. The aircraft that crashed had flaps deployed for takeoff (per accident report) this aircraft has ZERO flaps. There are other errors as well...

[MisterWillie060]

@bigbird1188 Look closer it does too have flaps down.

[TheSplendidcloud]

@MisterWillie060 I looked too & it's really hard to tell if its got the flaps down or not, it might have.

What's very odd though is this... the plane does a very aggressive climb, looks like 70 degrees of angle or more, and completes that climb in only 3 seconds. BUT, the Canadian TSB report said the plane began a "Gradually steepening climb" !!! WHAT ?!?! They use that phrase 4 or 5 times. There's nothing gradual about this at all. Have to wonder if they weren't watching a different video.

[Stangelycoloured]

@bigbird1188 This is the actual footage. It does have it's flaps deployed, clearly seen at 9 secs with the angle between upper edge of wing surface to engine nacelles proving it. 7 degrees of flap is difficult to spot from even close up. The aircraft had it's gust lock engaged. There was no control from the moment it left the runway.

[jetaddicted]

last year,while flying a fournier motorglider for the first time,my instructor told me to do the preflight check,since he knew and trusted me,he didn't second check after me.

we took off with a stencil covering the the airspeed probe,and therefore flew with no speed indication...and, upon landing,the 3 elders of the club asked us with a grin:"soooo....how was the flight?"

lesson learned, i've always had my checklist in hand after that.

[RickandTheRailJoints]

Secondarily, the pilots are SUPPOSED to do a FULL flight control movement check from within the cockpit while at the end of the runway PRIOR to take-off. (GOOD pilots also do this immediately after starting the engines while the airplane is still parked and the brakes are On.With the plates still attached, the flight control surfaces (ailerons, flaps, spoilers, etc.) CANNOT move. This is what happens if the crew fails to remove these gust-locks prior to take-off

[RickandTheRailJoints]

When my brother (a former airline mechanic) sent this video to me he attached this message to it: There are REMOVABLE little metal plates the fit on the trailing edges of the flight control surfaces to stop then from flexing in high winds when the airplane is parked on the ground. These plates usually have long red streamers as tags to show they are in place. The pilots are SUPPOSED to remove them while doing the walk around so that the control surfaces are free to move while in flight.

[pilottim79]

before takeoff checklist complete!

[devils2006]

Well most of you are wrong, the true problem was the loadmaster putting too much weight towards the rear of the plane, when the plane got enough speed, the lift forced the plane to increase angle of attack and stall...

[jetaddicted]

@devils2006 i doubt this; it might explain the initial attitude,but when the plane veered right,wouldn't that weight have kept the tail low?

looking at the vid,i believe the problem was with the horizontal stabilisers.

but i'm no specialist.

[devils2006]

@jetaddicted Hmm good theory, but it got to it's stall point early, and when i plane stalls, it generally stalls one wing at a time, hence why is turned right first. Then as the plane plummits, there wasnt enough AGL (Above Ground Level) altitude to recover.

[jetaddicted]

@devils2006 there is a vid around here showing a french super etendard being catapulted and acting exactly the same upon leaving the deck.

the problem that time was with the stabs, same causes same effects?

too bad we have no access to the crash data.

[flanksteak1]

Well, not to make humor but that damn thing was climbing out pretty good before the accident.

[kingair81r]

Thats why you always check controls free and smooth before take off this is taught from the very beginning of flight school.

[vne1981]

Not that simple. It is belived the gust lock may have re-engaged after take off due to a design flaw in this highly modified aircraft. The gust lock is housed in the overhead throttle quadrant, which was modified for the change to turbine engines. Both pilots were very experienced Caribou pilots.

[RiotActI]

how horrifying that must have been....

[RidingSausage]

what couldve happened was that the props were spinning in the same direction causing it to tip stall.

[scv405]

you're kidding right?

[RidingSausage]

huh? wut do you mean?

[scv405]

I mean props spinning in the same direction don't cause tip stalls...

[scv405]

@RidingSausage

I mean props spinning in the same direction have nothing to do with tip stalling.

[ooluta]

What I think happened; The Pilot in Command pulled on the column beyond the critical angle of attack of the wing. This resulted in the loss of lift across the aerofoiled wing-hence a stall, leaving the plane to the mercies of gravity. To make matters worse, the engines were running at full thrust (usually at take-off), so apart from gravity, it accelerated into the ground at velocities that otherwise overcome the gravity itself. It's like trying to put out a fire using a fossil fuel derivative.

[kingair81r]

The control locks were never removed pilot had no control.

[b1cc2]

Wow, you have no idea what you're talking about.

[ziennc]

a crosswind in the worst direction 0:10

[istersand]

This is fake. Look at 0:13 you'll se!

[jaa2804]

control locks?

[superfestiva]

was this plane stalling excessively? What happened?

[Gl3n44]

maybe the trimms were off set.

[RUSSRUSHY]

should of had a cup of tea..maybe had coffee instead...he may not have crashed

[gwizdvr]

This was a test flight on a new turbine conversion and the part that prevents taking off with the gust lock on was not installed and a poor cockpit check was performed.

[jarno80]

From what I heard is that they forgot to unlock the flightcontrols for free movement. Some planes got flightcontrol locks preventing them from fluttering while on the ground with gusty winds..

[07dawson]

What happened? block controls, pull too much to climb and stalls?, when and where?

[INFERNOska]

pizdec

[COMANDOSFORCA]

Is not Buffalo...yes Caribou

[levigne919]

not a dash 5 Buffalo

low tail its the cariboo not that it matters still crashes