allardjd 1,853 Posted October 31, 2011 Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 737 Ingests American Flag and Pole at Ocala, FL KOCF (From FlightAware) October 27, 2011: Honor flight with WWII vets coming home after a flight to Washington DC. Pilot holds American flag on pole out of cockpit window then drops it on the tarmac. See the flag and pole get ingested into the engine. For those who don't know about the Honor Flights, they are free excursions to DC for WWII vets. They spend a weekend, attend some special ceremonies in their honor and visit the new WWII memorial and the National Air and Space Museum. This happened here, on their return from DC. It's a charter airline and the Captain dropped the flag - I wonder what he does for a living now. John Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,497 Posted October 31, 2011 Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 That's got to have cost a lot of money to inspect / repair. Link to post Share on other sites
hurricanemk1c 195 Posted October 31, 2011 Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 Well, that was a stupid thing to do! At least it was an American-built aircraft, not an Airbus et al Link to post Share on other sites
allardjd 1,853 Posted October 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 Yep, but the flag and pole were probably made in China. I guess on the whole that's better than the other way around. John Link to post Share on other sites
Tim_A 997 Posted October 31, 2011 Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 Oops! <BBC Mode> Other shredders are available. </BBC Mode> Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,497 Posted October 31, 2011 Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 Oops! <BBC Mode> Other shredders are available. </BBC Mode> Should have gone to Specsavers Staples, shredders half price! Link to post Share on other sites
allardjd 1,853 Posted October 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 I really do feel bad. They were making a triumphant arrival with a plane full of returning WWII vets. They really roll out the red carpet for these flights, coming and going, with hundreds of people on hand waving flags, etc. The guy was just trying to do a good thing. He did it poorly, but his intentions were good. Sometimes you get the bear, sometimes the bear gets you. John Link to post Share on other sites
hurricanemk1c 195 Posted November 1, 2011 Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 I agree - it was a good jesture, but it went a bit wrong Link to post Share on other sites
Tim_A 997 Posted November 1, 2011 Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 I'll bet the cockpit voice recorder makes some interesting listening... Link to post Share on other sites
allardjd 1,853 Posted November 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 I'll bet you're right. John Link to post Share on other sites
allardjd 1,853 Posted November 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2011 We confirmed yesterday (Tuesday) that the AC was still here at Ocala. I believe the original plan was just for a short stop. No doubt it requires inspection and possiby engine replacment at a field where that kind of thing is not normally done on large AC. There's no place here to hangar a 737, so they'll have to do it out in the open too. At least the WX is nice. I suspect they'll have to truck in the replacmement engine (if needed) and specialized equipment required. Probably the mechanics will travel here too. This is going to be an expensive stunt by the time it's all over and done with... I wonder if insurance covers this kind of thing? John Link to post Share on other sites
dodgy-alan 1,587 Posted November 2, 2011 Report Share Posted November 2, 2011 thats definately an OOOPS moment ! worst injestion accident I ever saw was at Heathrow in the early 1970s. My mates and I were on the old queens building viewing terrace when we were aware of something hurtling towards us and the Vanguard on pushback had suddenly got a red roof! the "Thing" turned out to be the remains of an airport worker who had walked into the propellor on the Port outer engine ! The aircraft stopped and shut down but there was an awful lot of very distressed people on the terrace that day ! It was horrible to see but like all teenage boys we were unable to look away! That was until the police cleared the terrace and put screens up around the aircraft! From what my dad told me later (he worked on the airport) the guy was supposed to be removing the chocks from the wheels but the aircraft began to move before he was clear and as it came back the prop turned him to mincemeat! Link to post Share on other sites
allardjd 1,853 Posted November 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2011 That makes this event seem pretty tame. At least no one got hurt here, though I wouldn't be surprised if the pilot may be looking for work as we speak. John Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,497 Posted November 2, 2011 Report Share Posted November 2, 2011 Thanks Alan, I won't be able to eat minced meat again! :blink: Link to post Share on other sites
aeromax 10 Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 ooops... :th_smiles73: Link to post Share on other sites
allardjd 1,853 Posted November 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2011 Have it on good authority that the Captain "...is flying Cessnas now...". It's an unforgiving business when there are so many looking for work. The companies don't have to settle for second best. John Link to post Share on other sites
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