RIP William Anders

[Roller]

William Anders, who just died in a plane crash at the age of 90, was one of three astronauts on Apollo 8 along with Jim Lovell and Frank Borman. Anders took the iconic photo of the Earth rising over the moon on Christmas Eve 1968. I vividly recall that mission, especially the message the astronauts read as they orbited. RIP.

 

[Herdfan]

Has anyone seen the video?

It starts out as if he is in a nosedive, but then it looks like he is trying to pull out as the plane approaches the water. @Huntn can probably explain it better, but it is not easy to pull a plane out of a dive unless the plane is designed to do so (stunt planes, fighter jets).

 

[Roller]

Has anyone seen the video?

It starts out as if he is in a nosedive, but then it looks like he is trying to pull out as the plane approaches the water. @Huntn can probably explain it better, but it is not easy to pull a plane out of a dive unless the plane is designed to do so (stunt planes, fighter jets).

I didn't know there was a video, so thanks for pointing it out. Yeah, it looks like an unrecoverable dive.

 

[Huntn]

Has anyone seen the video?

It starts out as if he is in a nosedive, but then it looks like he is trying to pull out as the plane approaches the water. @Huntn can probably explain it better, but it is not easy to pull a plane out of a dive unless the plane is designed to do so (stunt planes, fighter jets).

I found the video online. T-34 Beechcraft, Navy trainer acrobatic. A report says he was doing a loop. This airplane can do loops. Either he tried this too low or he had a machanical failure. The elevator will change the rate of pitch change, acrobatic airplanes are more responsive to flight controls. But even a passenger airplane can pull out of a steep dive, if it has enough altitude, you’d want to be at reduced power to keep from over speeding as you pull out, and not over stress the wings.

 

[Herdfan]

But even a passenger airplane can pull out of a steep dive, if it has enough altitude, you’d want to be at reduced power to keep from over speeding as you pull out, and not over stress the wings.

Wasn't there a commercial jet like 20-30 years ago that managed to pull out of a dive because the pilot extended the landing gear to help slow it down?

 

[Roller]

Wasn't there a commercial jet like 20-30 years ago that managed to pull out of a dive because the pilot extended the landing gear to help slow it down?

Yes. In 1979, a TWA Boeing 727 was cruising at 39,000 feet when it banked and dove more than 30,000 feet in about a minute. The crew eventually extended the landing gear, which increased drag and enabled them to regain control. The airplane landed with no fatalities or major injuries. Apparently, the aircraft rolled over twice during the descent. It's amazing the airframe didn't break up. You can watch a video about the incident here. (It's mis-titled on YouTube, as there was no crash.)

As for Bill Anders, I doubt if he had sufficient altitude to pull off a recovery from the intentional maneuver in his Beech A45. RIP, General Anders.

 

[Roller]

Yes. In 1979, a TWA Boeing 727 was cruising at 39,000 feet when it banked and dove more than 30,000 feet in about a minute. The crew eventually extended the landing gear, which increased drag and enabled them to regain control. The airplane landed with no fatalities or major injuries. Apparently, the aircraft rolled over twice during the descent. It's amazing the airframe didn't break up. You can watch a video about the incident here. (It's mis-titled on YouTube, as there was no crash.)

As for Bill Anders, I doubt if he had sufficient altitude to pull off a recovery from the intentional maneuver in his Beech A45. RIP, General Anders.

Sorry folks - I hit Post reply before I finished writing.

 

[Herdfan]

Yes. In 1979,

So 45 years ago. Damn I'm getting old.

 

[Roller]

So 45 years ago. Damn I'm getting old.

Be happy you remembered the incident.