Another one bites the dust (in musical tones)

**hiss srq** · 2007-02-06, 11:23 AM

NW is at it again. Lets add one more DC-9 to ithe insurance claims list. Another 9 got banged up by rampers under tow yesterday. I would honestly not be suprised if this is a scheme by NWA to get rid of the older planes and make a little cash off of it. It would make alot of sense to me at least. They are hurting for cash so why not kill the planes you were going to retire. Instead of making no money at all of of it you get resale value for it because someone goes "ooops"

**nwafan20** · 2007-02-06, 11:55 AM

It was no scheme, the ramper got injured. I wouldn't call someone getting hurt a plan to get insurance money.

It was actually being towed out from the hangar, so it wasn't a normal TUG it was a maintenance TUG.

**T-Bird76** · 2007-02-06, 12:34 PM

Ryan that's called insurance fraud and NWA wouldn't be that blantant to have MX workers run the plane into something. The workers would risk jail time and NWA would risk HUGE fines.

**hiss srq** · 2007-02-06, 12:55 PM

Well it was just an idea and I ama aware that it is called that. I would not put it past NWA management though to be honest.

**nwafan20** · 2007-02-06, 01:47 PM

So are you trying to say NW would injure a worker for money?

Anyway, I don't think you could do it on purpose if you tried, the Dc-9 went nose up and it smashed a TUG underneath it, right by the rear landing gear.

**nwafan20** · 2007-02-06, 01:51 PM

By the way, the FAA theory is that the TUG lost traction on some de-ice fluid and the nosewheel accidently slipped out from the tug and the TUG gained traction again (causing a sudden slowdown/stop) and the Dc-9, due to its inerta smashed it.

Here is a picture of what it would have looked like being towed (low quality because I cropped it out of one of my much larger photos):

My theory is the same as the FAA, but the reason why I think it went nose high is because it used the TUG as a sort of ramp, as you can see, it would cause it's tail to be tilted back, and causing the TUG to be smashed underneath.

**hiss srq** · 2007-02-06, 02:00 PM

What I am saying is that the recent spur of ground handleing incidents very specific to the DC-9 fleet is a curious oddity. Again my comment is based on sheer speculation of somthing that makes sense to ME.

**nwafan20** · 2007-02-06, 03:38 PM

I think it just has to do with the fact that most of NW's fleet is made up of DC-9's, therefore more incidents will result. They are also extremely old so they might be more prone to break down.