Dont waste time arguing, you know after Wednesday, Im just glad to be around. A bit beat up, but walking. After walking away from the aborted take off, Im going to be chilling for quite a while. Leave the small stuff behind, it isnt worth it. BTW: they got the plane out yesterday, same problem as the one that skidded off the runway in Tetterboro, into the whse. Im flying the other one from now on, smaller but in my opinion safer. We flew the Hawker up from Florida to take us back to NJ although Linda didnt want me on a plane again. Anyway, its been along time, hi to everyone John Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Jeez John, glad to hear that you're alright. An event like this can certainly bring clarity to life. Quite a few incidents lately with private aircraft...hopefully things will be more regulated moving forward resulting in less "accidents". Hope you feel better soon.
Thanks for the well wishes, I deeply appreciate them. I had 5 individuals from DK on the plane to visit our Coucil Bluffs factory and take care of some business on Tuesday, flew from there to our distribution center in Tupelo, MI, staid the night and after meetings the next day, needed to get them back to Newark for a flight back to DK. In short: we were to leave Tupelo at 1:00PM, but I needed to get them there earlier, so I called the pilots in for a 12:00PM departure. Got to the terminal and after fueling boarded. Our pilot turned to me from the cockpit and said the northeast was locked down with 1 hour delays into Tetterboro or Newark for that matter. I ordered lunch in for everyone, ate it and still had time to wait. I moved from the table in the back to the front to log into the office and make some calls while we sat on the side. That's where it gets crazy, after about ten minutes short of the hour, we start moving. I'm on the phone with Linda and I tell her I think we're taking off early and I should hang up for take off, to my surprise, we must have been on the runway as he goes full throttle. My laptop is on the opposite chair open and on, I'm on the phone AND I forgot, didn't have my seat belt fastened. We're about 3/4 down the runway at 150+mph I figure, I'm on the phone looking into the cockpit, when suddenly the pilot slams the throttles back, reverses thrust and stands on the brakes, SCARED THE SH*T OUT OF ME>. I'm on the phone talking out loud and all Linda hears is me saying "damn they're trying to abort the flight!", I look out the window to see our position and I see the end of the runway pass by and shout "God, we're going off the runway". Linda only hears "God" and we hit the dirt and the plane stops dead with a small jump, he who is not wearing a seat belt flys across the cabin and bounces off the bulk head, phone, laptop and me. The phone goes dead and my wife (according to my son) went absolutely crazy, yelling into the phone, bad timing for sure. I called her as soon as I got out of the plane, but she could hardly talk, really sorry about that. Anyway, the co-pilot rushes back to get everyone off the plane, lifts me up and I can hardly stand, I caught it square on the back and side and it was severly painful. He lowered the door, but it would only go out straight, we got out fast as there was smoke coming from under the plane, etc etc. What a movie, sirens, firetrucks, police, front page in Mississippe. I will be mighty sore for a while yet. I ask our pilot what happened, he said the plane wouldn't rotate. I believe that means when he reached take off speed and pulled back the plane didn't lift, he immediately aborted the flight. That is the same explanation given regarding the crash four weeks earlier. So I believe the Challenger 600 will be looked into for this problem. Anyway, longer then I thought, it's good to talk it out sometime. regards, all John
Oh My that must have been pretty frightening. I'm glad you made it off okay. I've never met you before, but I hope you feel better soon.
Unbelievable story, and almost exactly what happened with the Challenger at Teterboro. Rotating is the act of pulling back on the yoke to allow the plane to life the nose to get the right angle of attack for takeoff. Glad to hear you're ok. Must have been scary as heck. I fly Challengers with clients myself - gonna think three times about chartering them now.
John, From the sound of your story and from the reports of the accident at Tetterboro, it's exactly the same. The plane would not rotate, they ran out of runway and across into a warehouse. You're luck that you has a soft field to stop in, rather than a fence, a highway and the side of a big building. Glad you're okay man. The bruises will heal. Walking away from a crash like that is a god-send. BTW, what's wrong with the pilot/co-pilot that they didn't warn you guys they were ready to take off?? Regards, Steve
Steve, I'm taking that up, you're right, seemed they were in a hurry,but they should have warned us. I pushed them for a 12 departure and funny, while I was eating lunch on the plane, I look up at them doing the preflight check and said to the rest, hope they are taking their time......... John
Wow. But at least someone above was smiling down on you as you could walk away. That's a wonderful thing.
John - VERY GLAD to hear that you are ok!! You definitely have a guardian angel looking out for you!! Hope to see you and Linda for a run sometime in the Spring!! - Hutch
_*DEEP sigh* ^paces around room^ re-reads to burn mental image. _ She must have been scared absolutely fecal-matter-less in the "space between the breath." As IF she'd get on a plane, IF my sweetheart was taking off, with me on the line and it went dead like that, I - I don't know what I'd do. To put it mildly, I am glad nothing worse came of this "accident waiting to happen," if you will. Can only imagine relief of those close to you.
John, I had not heard about this. Glad you're OK. I know what you mean though, life is too short...Enjoy your family, your passions, and forget the things that won't mean much down the road.
