US jet crashes in central Albania - Democratic Underground

DoYouEverWonder

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Thu Mar-31-05 10:06 PM
Original message

US jet crashes in central Albania

Thursday, 31 March, 2005

A US military plane with nine people on board has crashed in central Albania.

There are believed to be no survivors in the crash near the town of Gramsh, some 80km (50 miles) south-east of Tirana, Albanian officials say.

The plane hit a mountain after apparently flying too low in the uninhabited region, reports say.

The aircraft was taking part in joint exercises with the Albanian military, an Albanian defence ministry spokesman told the Associated Press news agency.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4399327.stm

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DemoTex

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Thu Mar-31-05 10:29 PM
Response to Original message

1. As an ALPA (Air Line Pilot Association - AFL/CIO) accident investigator ..

Edited on Thu Mar-31-05 10:33 PM by DemoTex

I am not supposed to speculate. But since it was a US military airplane in a far, far land we will never hear the truth anyway. Here is my $.02 worth (a worthless guess):

The aircraft was on a non-precision instrument approach, probably a NDB (ADF), in marginal weather with low level cross-winds on the final approach course in mountinous terrain. Kind of like Ron Brown's USAF B-737-200 crash nine years ago Sunday (4/3/96). DOH! April showers in the Balkans bring grave flowers.

On edit: Most US airlines have given up non-precision approaches in some or all of their fleets. This is one of the reasons 2004 was the safest year ever for domestic airline travel in the US.

Careful is as careful does.

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mhr

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Thu Mar-31-05 10:33 PM
Response to Reply #1

2. Argh, Those Pesky NDB Approaches!

eom

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DemoTex

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Thu Mar-31-05 11:10 PM
Response to Reply #2

6. Actually, after 365 days in Vietnam, I was the worlds best at night NDBs!

Nha Trang (mountains), Pleiku (mountains), Phan Rang (mountains), DaNang (mountains), Cam Rahn Bay (mountains), Dalat (mountains), Bam Me Thuot (mountains). That is why I would never, ever accept a NDB approach (after Vietnam) if any other approach was available. So other than airline simulator sessions, I have never pulled or pushed the ADF needle since about 9/71 (my last month in Vietnam).

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mhr

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Thu Mar-31-05 11:17 PM
Response to Reply #6

7. When Your Life Is On The Line - One Can Accomplish Wonders

Maybe being young and foolish has a bit to do with it as well.

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DemoTex

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Thu Mar-31-05 11:22 PM
Response to Reply #7

8. We had a coarser term ... but yes.

It anticipated an early death with a very hard member.

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htuttle

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Thu Mar-31-05 10:44 PM
Response to Original message

3. I wonder what sort of plane it was?

I did some googling around, and other than transport planes with passengers, the only US military planes I can find that would have a crew of nine are AWACS type jets -- though those usually seem to have slightly larger crews (13-19, by all accounts). I kind of doubt it was a transport taking part in joint exercises with the Albanian military.

ps. Why is the US undertaking joint exercises with the Albanian military? Odd.

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AZCat

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Thu Mar-31-05 10:51 PM
Response to Reply #3

4. It could have been a C-21

Also known as the Learjet 35.

It seats about eight passengers.

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RUMMYisFROSTED

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Thu Mar-31-05 10:54 PM
Response to Original message

5. Thank God we're doing joint exercises with the Albabnians.

My worries have abated. With the mighty Gjirokasterites on our side...

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Roland99

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Fri Apr-01-05 10:42 AM
Response to Original message

9. Search Teams Recover Bodies of 9 Americans From U.S. Military Plane Crash

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=632368

Search teams recovered the bodies Friday of nine Americans killed when a U.S. military aircraft crashed in mountainous southern Albania during a joint exercise, Albanian military authorities said.

The C-130 airplane crashed Thursday night near the remote village of Rovie, in the Drizez Mountains, 60 miles southeast of the Balkan country's capital, Tirana. No one on board survived, said Albanian army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Pellumb Qazimi.

Four bodies were found earlier Friday, and five more were found inside the plane, Albanian officials said. The military transport was assigned to the 352nd Special Operations Group based in Mildenhall in England.

<...>

Albania, seeking eventual membership in NATO, has close ties to the U.S. military. It backed the American-led campaign in Iraq, where it has deployed a small unit of 71 troops. Albania also has peacekeeping contingents in Afghanistan and in nearby Bosnia.

Seems Bush's bribery cost some more Americans their lives.

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DoYouEverWonder

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Fri Apr-01-05 06:07 PM
Response to Reply #9

10. I guess Bush lucked out again

between Terri and the Pope, nobody will even notice.

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