1974 Paris Air Disaster
Discussion
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the Paris air disaster, when 346 people lost their lives as Turkish Airlines Flight 981 crashed shortly after take-off.
This is particularly poignant for me as 18 members of Bury St Edmunds rugby club were lost, travelling back from a Five Nations match in Paris. Three of these 18 were old-boys of my school and no fewer than six of them had children who would go to the school and who were my contemporaries or near contemporaries.
The rugby club, the school and the community did much to support these families through the early years as young mothers found themselves suddenly widowed and left to bring up children, run farms and businesses or earn a living alone. The disaster was an ever-present malevolent shadow during my school years.
RIP to all those who lost their lives.
This is particularly poignant for me as 18 members of Bury St Edmunds rugby club were lost, travelling back from a Five Nations match in Paris. Three of these 18 were old-boys of my school and no fewer than six of them had children who would go to the school and who were my contemporaries or near contemporaries.
The rugby club, the school and the community did much to support these families through the early years as young mothers found themselves suddenly widowed and left to bring up children, run farms and businesses or earn a living alone. The disaster was an ever-present malevolent shadow during my school years.
RIP to all those who lost their lives.
Remember the news breaking that morning. Earlier in the morning there had been a plane crash at Luton Airport involving an Aer Turas Ireland Douglas DC-7.
No one was killed in that accident although a few horses died and the plane was a write off. When news of the DC-10 crash started to be announced on the radio I initially assumed they were talking about the DC-7 crash.
No one was killed in that accident although a few horses died and the plane was a write off. When news of the DC-10 crash started to be announced on the radio I initially assumed they were talking about the DC-7 crash.
Eric Mc said:
Remember the news breaking that morning. Earlier in the morning there had been a plane crash at Luton Airport involving an Aer Turas Ireland Douglas DC-7.
No one was killed in that accident although a few horses died and the plane was a write off. When news of the DC-10 crash started to be announced on the radio I initially assumed they were talking about the DC-7 crash.
Minor point compared to the horror of Paris, but AFAIK the DC7 was due to collect the horses from Luton, there were none on it when it crashed.No one was killed in that accident although a few horses died and the plane was a write off. When news of the DC-10 crash started to be announced on the radio I initially assumed they were talking about the DC-7 crash.
Simpo Two said:
Both the Tu-144 and Concorde came to grief at Paris too. And I seem to recall another incident where an airliner decided it didn't want to climb and ploughed into a forest.
I think you're thinking of the A320 demo flight at Mulhouse - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_France_Flight_29...The tragedy of this incident was, it was totally preventable.
The issue with the cargo door was already known.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Airlines_...
The issue with the cargo door was already known.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Airlines_...
Jim H said:
The tragedy of this incident was, it was totally preventable.
The issue with the cargo door was already known.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Airlines_...
Were there not massive lawsuits after it was found it that the handle on the cargo door was woefully inadequate and had not had the recommended fix?The issue with the cargo door was already known.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Airlines_...
croyde said:
Were there not massive lawsuits after it was found it that the handle on the cargo door was woefully inadequate and had not had the recommended fix?
McDonnell Douglas had a bunch of huge lawsuits brought to it by the families of the victims, which it initially tried to deflect by blaming...pretty much everyone else. Including:1) Turkish Airlines (for logging the DC-10 as having had the cargo door latch strengthening fix installed when it hadn't - which is a pretty severe corporate failure, to be fair.
2) The FAA. For not issuing an Airworthiness Directive to force DC-10s to be modified.
3) Convair, who built the fuselage and were the main design contractor for the cargo door.
Then it turned out that the FAA had wanted to issue an AD but had been assured/convinced by McDD that there was no need to ground the DC-10 but that an upgrade could be applied to the fleet in-service. And that Convair had flagged both the weakness in the door latch design and the potential for catastrophic damage to the aircraft if it did fail in a memo after the AA96 Windsor incident.
When these facts floated to the surface McDD and Turkish Airlines reached a massive (but undisclosed) settlement rather than facing the lawsuits.
Was it not the case that the DC10 was designed and developed in tandem with the Lockheed Tristar, both of similar specification and competing in similar markets?
However, the Tristar went through initial delays owning to Rolls Royce almost going bust over the cost of the new RB211 engine, leading to the DC10 absorbing many lost Tristar orders?
But, once in service, the Tristar had a much better safety record?
However, the Tristar went through initial delays owning to Rolls Royce almost going bust over the cost of the new RB211 engine, leading to the DC10 absorbing many lost Tristar orders?
But, once in service, the Tristar had a much better safety record?
MarkwG said:
Minor point compared to the horror of Paris, but AFAIK the DC7 was due to collect the horses from Luton, there were none on it when it crashed.
Ah - my memories going, I can can feel it.I saw that DC-7 chugging in and out of Dublin for a year or so before the crash.
One of the sad points about the DC-10 accident is that the reason it was so full was because of a BEA strike which had grounded all BEA flights. As a result, passengers booked on BEA flights were being put on to other airlines - including THY. That's wey there were so many British rugby fans on the flight. At the time it was the worst aircraft accident in history.
aeropilot said:
To this day, its still the deadliest single aircraft loss in aviation history.
I hate to be the forum pedant, but that sad accolade is held by JAL123 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Air_Lines_Flig... . The Paris DC10 is the worst with no survivors.MarkwG said:
aeropilot said:
To this day, its still the deadliest single aircraft loss in aviation history.
I hate to be the forum pedant, but that sad accolade is held by JAL123 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Air_Lines_Flig... . The Paris DC10 is the worst with no survivors.The international language of aviation is English but the French have a dispensation so places like CDG are scary if you don't speak the language. ATC give all AF planes instructions in French, stripping all non speaking pilots of their situational awareness.
BA and other airlines have had many close calls so, IMHO (as a retired pilot), Paris, particularly CDG, is a permanent accident waiting to happen.
BA and other airlines have had many close calls so, IMHO (as a retired pilot), Paris, particularly CDG, is a permanent accident waiting to happen.
PistonBust said:
The international language of aviation is English but the French have a dispensation so places like CDG are scary if you don't speak the language. ATC give all AF planes instructions in French, stripping all non speaking pilots of their situational awareness.
BA and other airlines have had many close calls so, IMHO (as a retired pilot), Paris, particularly CDG, is a permanent accident waiting to happen.
Which is just typical of the bloody French.....BA and other airlines have had many close calls so, IMHO (as a retired pilot), Paris, particularly CDG, is a permanent accident waiting to happen.
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