UPS A300 down at Birmingham AL

Front end doesn't look that bad...anyone know what G forces are normally generated in an impact such as this?
 
Front end doesn't look that bad...anyone know what G forces are normally generated in an impact such as this?

Nothing really normal or standard, per se. Varies widely with each accident: vertical, decelerative, and any combo therein. Without seeing the cockpit interior, I have no idea how good or bad things look regarding the front end. And even then, you could have a front end that looks terrible, but is survivable (UA232); or a front end that looks very good, but is fatal; and any combo therein also.
 
When this life I'm in is done,
And at the end I stand,
My hope is that I answer all
the questions on command.
I doubt they'll be of fame,
or all the things I knew.
Instead, they'll be of rainbows sent
on rainy days I flew.
The hours logged, the status reached,
the ratings will not matter.
Did I see the rays of light
or what about the droplets sparkling clear,
spread across my screen?
And did you see the twinkling eyes.
of student pilots keen?
The way your heart jumped in your chest,
that special solo day.
Did you take time to thank the ones
who fell along the way?
Remember how the runway lights
looked one night long ago
when you were lost and found your way again.
Did I take the time to watch
the moonbeams wash across my wings?
And did I see the patchwork fields, the dazzling sunsets
and mountains bold?
The mirrored lakes and velvet hills,
of these did I behold?
The wind flung along my wings,
on final almost stalled.
And when the goals are reached at last,
when all the flying is done,
I'll answer with no regret-
indeed, I had some fun.
So when these things are asked of me,
and I can reach no higher,
My prayer this day - a hand extends
to welcome home a Flyer.

RIP
 

The top half of the nose looks 'survivable,' but it sure looks like the lower part is what made the huge divot you see in the hillside in other pictures. The radome is completely gone, and there is an awful lot of crushing below the cockpit itself and a pretty serious deflection/bending of the airframe.

Sucks. May that crew rest in peace. Terrible news.
 
Nothing really normal or standard, per se. Varies widely with each accident: vertical, decelerative, and any combo therein. Without seeing the cockpit interior, I have no idea how good or bad things look regarding the front end. And even then, you could have a front end that looks terrible, but is survivable (UA232); or a front end that looks very good, but is fatal; and any combo therein also.

bdhill1979 's accident didn't look that bad, but it was more a function of a sudden stop from hitting the rock wall. If you look at this accident scene, it looks as if there are impact points along an up sloped hill which could play a factor on the g-forces and associated trauma.
 
bdhill1979 's accident didn't look that bad, but it was more a function of a sudden stop from hitting the rock wall. If you look at this accident scene, it looks as if there are impact points along an up sloped hill which could play a factor on the g-forces and associated trauma.

A good example is the recent midair north of Phoenix from the Transpac/Westwind planes out of DVT. The Piper is sitting on the desert floor mostly intact and looking fairly good, even with it's anti-collision beacon still running; however both crew were deceased.
 
Front end doesn't look that bad...anyone know what G forces are normally generated in an impact such as this?


The energy of the pilot would be determined by his speed and weight, p = m v ^2. The G force would vary with the distance the aircraft traveled across/into the ground.

Assuming the aircraft impacted the ground, and compressed it by 1 foot, the force on the pilot would be about 60,000 lbs. (300 G's, always fatal)
Assuming the aircraft slid 500 feet before coming to rest, the force would be about 1,200 lbs. (6 G's, survivable)

214 G's is the highest force ever survived by a human, though forces in excess of 25Gs are generally fatal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Bräck Race car drivers are likely to experience such deceleration, as they move quickly and concrete walls do not deform much.
 
Sad to hear. My thoughts are with the families of the crew involved. Stay safe out there.
 
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