BREAKING: Polish President, 131 Others Killed in Plane Crash

[Matt Molnar]

Polish president, heads of several political parties and other Polish dignitaries killed in plane crash near Smolensk, Russia.

[SengaB]

I just heard it on the BBC
Anyone know witch plane it was? 101 or 102?

Aviation Safety.net description of the crash.
http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20100410-0
Senga

[Matt Molnar]

They haven't said yet.

[SengaB]

BBC is showing video of the crash site. The plane is completely destroyed. I made out a gear and an engine.
More sites are saying its 101.
I shot 101 at ADW on 2006.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2165/4506859465_ce8b2a5978_o.jpg

Senga

[AirtrafficController]

What a devastating day for Poland. I'm truly shocked and saddened. RIP to those who all perished.

[njgtr82]

1404842

I was able to shoot 101 2 years ago at EWR

[Iberia A340-600]

When I woke up this morning and checked the news I was extremely shocked to hear this. My condolences to the people of Poland and RIP to the President and the other members who have perished. I could be wrong but I believe the Polish Government has recently been having issues concerning the safety of their aging TU-154 fleet, it's very unfortunate that their concerns were fully met in such a manner.

This is the first aircraft that I have been on board of that has crashed, a rather jarring realization.

1475239

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k170/swfshots/polishtu154interiorswf-1.jpg

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k170/swfshots/polishtu154departswf.jpg

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k170/swfshots/polishtu154outsideswf.jpg

[chrisparypa]

I don't know what to say... My dad called me early in the morning... He is in Poland right now (I was born in Poland) Im shocked... I don't know what to say... this is really the worst day in the history of Poland... RIP

Plain was trying to land 4 times and crashed about 1.5 mile before runway.

[mirrodie]

I heard the news this morning.

A very sad day for the Polish people, many of which I see and tend to everyday. My heart goes out to my polish friends and patients.

May the lost rest in peace and the living be consoled.


-mirrodie

[MarkLawrence]

A very sad day and my condolences go to the Polish people.

[Metal484]

Very sad day for Poland and Polish people all over the world. Heard the news from my aunt this morning. Basically all of my family lives in Poland, I'm the only one born in the US, I can't even imagine what everyone is going through in that country right now. My condolences to the Polish first family and the people of Poland. Once the dust settles this will start a huge heated debate in Poland since this plane has had many many problems in the last decade, but now is not the time or place to discuss it.

[LGA777]

First my deepest sympathy to all the Polish people especially those on this site of Polish descent. From reading things on other sites no doubt was 101 as 102 is in a Heavy Mtc overhaul in Moscow. For those in the know did they both have the same configuration? Do they still have the Yak 40 or was it retired? Sounds like 2 big mistakes have been made. I can't imagine having so many key people from a countries govt all being on the same aircraft for reasons like today's tragedy, especially knowing they would be landing in poor weather conditions. Even with 102 out of service there had to be other Military transport aircraft available to at least divide the load. Secondly this was their 4th attempt to land after going missed the 1st 3. I have never heard in modern aviation of attempting more than 3 landings. Their is speculation the PIC wanted to divert but he was ordered to keep attempting to land due to the importance of the event they where attending.

Very sad day

LGA777

[Tom_Turner]

Nice aircraft to spot...shot it at EWR a couple of years ago...shame about the deaths...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3053/2885999517_0bbb9a5a70_o.jpg

Tom

[wunaladreamin]

My sincerest condolences to the folks of Poland.

[Mayi757]

oh man that's sad :/ Good president going to a funeral with family members of people killed by Stalin. That proves life isn't fair.

When was the last time this Tupolev was logged in the NYC area?

Chances of these dedicated VIP plane crashing are extremely slim, they spend most of the time parked. And what a nice interior as shown in Gordon's photo. Being inside you'd feel more secure than in any other plane out there.

[Metal484]

Does anyone know if it will be possible to get the ATC from this incident? I am having problems finding it and I doubt it's possible.

[Matt Molnar]

Does anyone know if it will be possible to get the ATC from this incident? I am having problems finding it and I doubt it's possible.
Not likely...the field where they were landing is an air force base.

[coachrowsey]

My sincerest condolences to the folks of Poland.

Mine also. A sad day indeed.

[cancidas]

a sad day indeed. i was lucky enough to meet Mr. Kaczynski a few months ago, in my neighborhood nonetheless. he was at an event held at the Polish & Slavic Federal Credit Union branch around the corner from my house.

i know there are a couple Yak-40s still flying, not sure on the number. the only other military a/c in service are the Casa C-295 transports which aren't really suited for transporting VIPs. i doubt that ATC will be available from this accident, definitely not as easily as it would be after an airliner accident here in the states for sure.

don't forget this happened on the 70th anniversary of the murder of over 20,000 polish military officers by the then soviet secret police.

yes there have been media incidents about the age of the Tu-154 fleet but this accident seems to be more the fault of pilot error than an old airplane. the two tupolev's had new engines and avionics installed and were much more taken care of than their commercial-service cousins.

both ships 101 and 102 were delivered to the Polish Air Force and are straight "M" models. 101 was built in 1990 and last overhauled in 2009.

[Mayi757]

Possibly the type alone wasn't to blame, but unfortunately one more nail in the coffin that will accelerate the retirement of remaining VIP TU-154s.

This could be the last year anyone shows up on a TU-154 for the UN general assembly, if at all.

[SengaB]

/

[Metal484]

Possibly the type alone wasn't to blame, but unfortunately one more nail in the coffin that will accelerate the retirement of remaining VIP TU-154s.

This could be the last year anyone shows up on a TU-154 for the UN general assembly, if at all.

Agreed. Especially the Polish TU-154, they have been plagued with problems for the past several years.

[Tom_Turner]

I wasn't going to write this below, although I had been thinking it since the first bits of news came out about this accident. But now I see its made its way into the media.....

In speaking about the Polish President....

<< Russian media reports said he had once become angry with a pilot who refused to land in Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, on the grounds that it was unsafe. The same thing may have happened at Smolensk, aviation experts claimed. They suggested he may have pressed the pilot to make at least two attempts to land. >>

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/w ... 094338.ece (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article7094338.ece)

t

[NLovis]

Man this is really sad. At first i thought it was a 3 holer till Tu-154 was mentioned. Then I noticed the gear and was like wow these are really identicle as I never seen a Tu-154 till now. I hope I catch a Tu before they are gone but my condolences to the 1st family and everybody affected. It sounds like this will be a nail in the coffin though for these a/c.

[Metal484]

The President and his wife arrived at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw today, in a huge motorcade and a ton of people lining the streets. Here is a shot of the TU-154 (102) at Okecie Airport in Warsaw. Took this on my way back to new york in Septemeber, bad weather and angel but I had to have this TU-154, which now is the only one left in the Polish Airforce.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f168/metal484/557.jpg

[Tom_Turner]

. At first i thought it was a 3 holer till Tu-154 was mentioned.

Well, It IS a 3 holer after all....

t

[mirrodie]

I too had heard the news reports that the former polish president may have order up to 4 go arounds.


( I have to ask the obvious.....in consideration of the above, what is the statute of limitations on Polish jokes about this pres?)

[USAF Pilot 07]

Sounds like rumors of the aircraft going-around 3 times before crashing are coming to light...

Apparently (from what I've read from other sources), the runway they were shooting the approach to had no precision markings, no precision lighting, no precision approach (it may have had an approach similar to a PAR) and had two NDBs (co-located) as the only "course" guidance...

Reports are saying weather was foggy (1/2 mi vis)... Also, heard that a Russian IL-62? went missed before it and diverted somewhere else... Doesn't make for a good situation...

[Metal484]

I too had heard the news reports that the former polish president may have order up to 4 go arounds.


( I have to ask the obvious.....in consideration of the above, what is the statute of limitations on Polish jokes about this pres?)

Today I have read changing reports from what was intially reported yesterday and this morning. Supposedly the plane was on it's first approach and crashed on it's first approach even thought ATC recommended to divert because the weather conditions where getting worse. And at one point ATC lost communication with the aircraft. Three aircrafts where landing at the airport, first one was a YAK-40 carrying the president's reporters which landed. The second was a Russian IL-76 which after two aborted landings diverted and the third was the president's plane.

[NLovis]

. At first i thought it was a 3 holer till Tu-154 was mentioned.

Wll, It IS a 3 holer after all....

t
True it is but I meant 3 holer as in 727 3 holer. My fault again on the miscommunication. Not to start some speculation but do you think they will ground 102 now and send something else for the UN assembly?

[Mayi757]

If anyone on board insisted on landing despite the conditions because they were in a rush to get to the funeral, that sent everyone on board to their funerals. It might turn out the aircraft itself had nothing to do with the crash.

An A320 or 737NG might be harder to crash, but "Russian plane", "1960's design", etc are always used by the media to sensationalize and exaggerate. Actually the Tu-154 has an average safety record that likely would be a lot better had it been operated by airlines in the West like the 727 and 737 were.

[SengaB]

That's a good point Mario.

Senga

[Speedbird1]

Very sad news. I send my condolences to the Polish people on this tragic lost. It is ironic, as had already been mentioned, that the entourage were coming to pay tribute to those massacred during WWII near Smolensk. I am confused about the tail number. I read an article somewhere that the registration was PLF-101. Is this correct? This is different than regular Polish aircraft whose tail numbers begin with SP.

[cancidas]

Very sad news. I send my condolences to the Polish people on this tragic lost. It is ironic, as had already been mentioned, that the entourage were coming to pay tribute to those massacred during WWII near Smolensk. I am confused about the tail number. I read an article somewhere that the registration was PLF-101. Is this correct? This is different than regular Polish aircraft whose tail numbers begin with SP.
the airplane was operated by the air force, the serial number was 101. only those airplanes on the civilian register are SP-XXX.

[Idlewild]

First, my condolences to the families of those killed and the citizens of Poland. Outside of the tragedy I'm somewhat shocked by one minor and major policy of what happened. Respectively, I'm surprised that the Polish government uses Soviet aircraft at all. Especially, considering the history and animosity concerning Russian policy towards Poland since Stalin. My second surprise was the many high-officials on that flight. This is a good lesson in not putting all your eggs in one basket.

[Matt Molnar]

NYCAviation:

:arrow: Polish President Publicly Ridiculed Pilot Following 2008 Flight Diversion (http://nycaviation.com/2010/04/12/polish-president-publicly-ridiculed-pilot-following-2008-flight-diversion/)

The crew of the doomed Polish Air Force jet which crashed on Saturday—killing the President and other top Polish officials—may have felt pressured to land in dangerous conditions.

[Metal484]

FYI: I read in a polish news paper last night that Time Warner Cable will make the Polish Channel TVP free from Thur. until Sunday night in NYC and some surrounding areas so that the Polish community and other's can watch the President's funeral on Sunday and other news and events till Sunday night.