why so many plane crashes?

[davido140]

I dont recall them quite so regular as the last couple of years.

Am I imagining it or has there been a bit of an up-turn lately?

If there is an upturn any theories from the tinfoil hat massive?

Fleets (is that the right word?) just "getting old", airlines skimping on maintenance costs/maintenance going to the lowest bidder? Aliens?

[cazzer]

I blame the discovery channel.
They're running out of "Air Crash Investigation" episodes.
It's a conspiracy I tell ya

[Jasandjules]

Could be a combination.

Could be partly that there are always a few plane crashes but now you get to hear about them (and see them) wherever they are in the world thanks the to the internet.

It could be less money about so cost cutting = dodgy bits and bobs = flat plane.

[Nolar Dog]

Are there actually more crashes or just more media accessibility which highlights them?

[Eric Mc]

More media reporting.

This often happens when there are one or two crashes close together. The next thing, every single incident, fatal or otherwise, ends up getting reported - until the media get bored and turns to some other topic.

[Austin.J]

'tis down to pubs being open 24 hours.

[krallicious]

The one in Japan today was horrific though. I've never seen a plane come down and bounce like that on the runway.

[Eric Mc]

Neither do most people - but it does happen now and then.

[krallicious]

What could cause such a thing to happen? Is it possible that a gust of wind could force the plane down that quickly, enough to make it hit the runway the way it did and bounce onto its side?

[forza whites]

I would think its Media derived. The amount of crashes/incidents is pretty constant v number of flights etc. New European EASA standards etc mean more standardized maintenance schedules and less corner cutting!

When you sit down and read the CAA incident reports, it soon becomes evident that the vast majority of accidents/incidents are down to human error.

[UncappedTag]

global warming

[Eric Mc]

krallicious said:

What could cause such a thing to happen? Is it possible that a gust of wind could force the plane down that quickly, enough to make it hit the runway the way it did and bounce onto its side?

It is absolutely possible and has caused many accidents. Wind shear on approach can be a killer.

[pits]

Now all the terrorists have gone they can report more on the real issues?

[XMES RUS]

Unrelated but I was watching my two year old this morning playing with a plane, why do all kids crash them rather than play fly them. How do they know the most fun is in crashing them?

[DrTre]

Sudden localised increase in gravity.

Some heavy st, man.

[Steamer]

Its just a phase...

The media love any story that they can use the CRASH word in at the moment.

It will get used to death, just like other fad words: Improvement, Bird, 4x4, Aids, Flu...

Edited by Steamer on Monday 23 March 13:01

[hugo a gogo]

krallicious said:

The one in Japan today was horrific though. I've never seen a plane come down and bounce like that on the runway.

how many plane crashes have you actually seen?

[Simpo Two]

Eric Mc said:

krallicious said:

What could cause such a thing to happen? Is it possible that a gust of wind could force the plane down that quickly, enough to make it hit the runway the way it did and bounce onto its side?

It is absolutely possible and has caused many accidents. Wind shear on approach can be a killer.

Or you can hype it up and call it a *microburst* - then make a C5 'revelations' documentary, the kind that cuts to adverts after 6 minutes. (2 mins funky CGI opening, 2 minutes programme, 2 minutes telling you what's coming up after the break)

[Eric Mc]

Was that documentary about the 1985 Delta Airlines Tristar crash at DFW?

[Alfanatic]

krallicious said:

What could cause such a thing to happen? Is it possible that a gust of wind could force the plane down that quickly, enough to make it hit the runway the way it did and bounce onto its side?

I haven't seen the incident, but for the record wind shear or a stall will both tend to cause a plane on short finals to drop out of the sky in a particularly disturbing manner. Apart from those two things I can't think of anything else that would make a plane suddenly drop very fast, short of a wing falling off - which to an observer would be quite obvious as the cause of the incident.