Post by milspecsim on Jan 14, 2015 19:55:36 GMT -5
I was looking at the weather for my DC-7 transcon from LAX to JFK and was just amazed at teh amount of weather over all the eastbound routes. The FE was playing hell not to get soaked during the pre-flight, and the FO was balls to the wall with MX over number two. It had a new prop, as the last one had runaway and slung a blade on landing yesterday. There was an F-100 with a big hole on the NA ramp to attest to the energy released in that incident. MX was acting the fool, giving my FO all kinds of hell. But in my opinion the FO was correct, as we would have to penetrate no less than 7 areas of weather. I guess the good news was the fact that there were no Convective SIGMETS, just areas of heavy icing to deal with. As the PAX boarded the senior FA discovered that one of the coffee pots was INOP. It was replaced just as the last of the baggage was loaded, and we began startup. After taxing away from the gate we noticed 16 aircraft in line. I really should have turned around and waited at the gate, but OPS was insistent we depart on time. Well we got off the gate on time, but taking off would be another matter. 50 minutes and three ground stops later we departed via the Seal Beach transition to PDZ, and got hammered by a rotor coming off the San Gabriel's to the north. I seriously felt the 7 was flying sideways! As we climbed thru 12000 the crosswinds died down somewhat, but now No.4 was overheating. The FE opened the cowls a little more and the temps came just back into the green.
We leveled off at 13 and began our cruise/step climb to FL190. Just as we crossed in New Mexico north of Gallup the icing began. The clouds in the area were topping over FL280, so no chance of getting over them and scud running in this are was somewhat less than intelligent. No.4 was cooling off nicely, but No.2 prop was wavering a little. It was at this time that darn coffee pot plug shorted out and took out the wing lights. Since it was daylight I wasn't worried. this would bite me hard later on. Over PNH at FL 170 with the chargers on Hi the GS was worryingly low. W calculated that we had hit a 80kt headwind and it was costing us a lot of fuel. Chances of making JFX were getting smaller. As we crossed LTR, Radio advised us that the route we had chosen was experiencing heavy turbulence and severe icing. A Convective SIGMET had gone up right smack in the middle of our route. We opted to take a southerly routing over BNA, TYS, then north to BWI. FE calculated that we would be near fuel minimums upon landing.
Just after passing Jackson, TN it happened. No.4's carb leaned out, temps went through the top of the scale and BOOM! As we were dealing with that fire, the darn prop on No.2 ran away. FO dealing with 4, Im dealing with 2 and the FE turned to jelly, all while a blade departs 2's hub and punctured a fuel tank while passing by. Let me reiterate, the blade sliced a 7 foot gash in the left inner wing and tank. It was at this time the electrical short from earlier reared it's ugly head again and took out the cabin lights and right landing light.
SO much for JFK, can we make Nashville? After securing 2,4, and the FE, we began the task of descending to BNA for what was to be a really interesting landing. WX in BNA was 09035G55 1/8+SN 300OVC. Oh JOY! This was gonna be fun! at those wind speeds, old runway 9 would be our only choice. It was not used much anymore, although not officially closed. Clearing the Vought plant was going to be a real cast iron challenge. As we slogged through the ice, snow, shifting winds that did the damnedest to rip an engine to two off, we played with the radar and flew the GCA into BNA. I caught a glimpse of the Vought plant, realized we were too low and firewalled the remaining engines, the asymmetric thrust nearly rolled us, but I pulled 1 back slightly. Three green and the mains touched, followed by a sound that can best be described as a train colliding with a building. The nose gear had collapsed, ripping the nose and radar pod off. We skated to a stop on the ice rink known as KBNA by slamming into a large snowbank that actually contained a Cessna 195. CRUNCH!
30 minutes later we were in the terminal coffee shop getting berated by the station manager for praniging a new DC-7. Both the FO and FE were in shock, kinds just looking into the mugs at the black liquid while I was snapping like a dry twig. Station Manager got carted off with a shattered orbital and busted jaw. So ended my career with American Airlines. I wonder if Delta or United are hiring...
We leveled off at 13 and began our cruise/step climb to FL190. Just as we crossed in New Mexico north of Gallup the icing began. The clouds in the area were topping over FL280, so no chance of getting over them and scud running in this are was somewhat less than intelligent. No.4 was cooling off nicely, but No.2 prop was wavering a little. It was at this time that darn coffee pot plug shorted out and took out the wing lights. Since it was daylight I wasn't worried. this would bite me hard later on. Over PNH at FL 170 with the chargers on Hi the GS was worryingly low. W calculated that we had hit a 80kt headwind and it was costing us a lot of fuel. Chances of making JFX were getting smaller. As we crossed LTR, Radio advised us that the route we had chosen was experiencing heavy turbulence and severe icing. A Convective SIGMET had gone up right smack in the middle of our route. We opted to take a southerly routing over BNA, TYS, then north to BWI. FE calculated that we would be near fuel minimums upon landing.
Just after passing Jackson, TN it happened. No.4's carb leaned out, temps went through the top of the scale and BOOM! As we were dealing with that fire, the darn prop on No.2 ran away. FO dealing with 4, Im dealing with 2 and the FE turned to jelly, all while a blade departs 2's hub and punctured a fuel tank while passing by. Let me reiterate, the blade sliced a 7 foot gash in the left inner wing and tank. It was at this time the electrical short from earlier reared it's ugly head again and took out the cabin lights and right landing light.
SO much for JFK, can we make Nashville? After securing 2,4, and the FE, we began the task of descending to BNA for what was to be a really interesting landing. WX in BNA was 09035G55 1/8+SN 300OVC. Oh JOY! This was gonna be fun! at those wind speeds, old runway 9 would be our only choice. It was not used much anymore, although not officially closed. Clearing the Vought plant was going to be a real cast iron challenge. As we slogged through the ice, snow, shifting winds that did the damnedest to rip an engine to two off, we played with the radar and flew the GCA into BNA. I caught a glimpse of the Vought plant, realized we were too low and firewalled the remaining engines, the asymmetric thrust nearly rolled us, but I pulled 1 back slightly. Three green and the mains touched, followed by a sound that can best be described as a train colliding with a building. The nose gear had collapsed, ripping the nose and radar pod off. We skated to a stop on the ice rink known as KBNA by slamming into a large snowbank that actually contained a Cessna 195. CRUNCH!
30 minutes later we were in the terminal coffee shop getting berated by the station manager for praniging a new DC-7. Both the FO and FE were in shock, kinds just looking into the mugs at the black liquid while I was snapping like a dry twig. Station Manager got carted off with a shattered orbital and busted jaw. So ended my career with American Airlines. I wonder if Delta or United are hiring...