Touchdown Point News Today

The Citation Jet Pilots Owners Association has developed a new way to help pilots avoid unnecessary go-arounds.

The Citation Jet Pilots Owners Association has developed a new way to help pilots avoid unnecessary go-arounds.

Is very safe. >> absolutely. in fact this is the first time there has been a very large airliner in a fatal crash in the united states since november, 2001 here in new york this is an unprecedented period in american aviation ask a long time between major accidents so this is going to be something that will be looked at closely. >> were talking about anything pilots could have done. you were describing debris trail in the fact that you know, maybe they tried to pull up and couldnt and they were ...

We know something has gone wrong, something terrible as ever. it difficult. you know, your instincts take over you dont know whats going on. >> was it loud? was it screaming. >> yeah, the moment it touched the runway it was pretty loud. >> todd curtis former boeing engineer. start with the plane, the boeing 777, when you look at pictures and see where it hit, just at the edge of the runway, close to the water, what does it tell you? >> it tell me, if nothing else the approach was more shallow th...

Is very safe. >> absolutely. in fact this is the first time there has been a very large airliner in a fatal crash in the united states since november, 2001 here in new york this is an unprecedented period in american aviation ask a long time between major accidents so this is going to be something that will be looked at closely. >> were talking about anything pilots could have done. you were describing debris trail in the fact that you know, maybe they tried to pull up and couldnt and they were ...

Which aids you in lapping. the threshold of the runway where the striped lines are is normally where an airplane should be, about 50 feet above the ground at that point and on the glide path descending toward a touchdown point. from the debris field, it appears the aircraft, of course, touch down much sooner than that, and from the reports of the passengers regarding the engine spooling up just before impact, it appears the pilots were either attempting to go around or to add additional power to...

Command, the captain or another captain flying as the copilot or the normal first officer. that approach started 23 miles out, and its a 23-mile run and 3 degree slope, touchdown is 1,000 feet down the runway. that underrun is 300 feet. in essence, when they struck that barrier, that seawall they were 1300 feet from their touchdown point. on that 3 degree glide path, she should have been about 150, 250 feet above the ground at that point. >> are there any stopgap measures in place? we talked abo...

Tail hit the seawall at the airport. presumably youve flown into san francisco, correct? >> i have. >> talk to us a little bit about where this seawall is in relationship to where the runway is. >> well, it is just, it is extended from the center line of the end of the runway. and the touchdown point is 1,000 feet down the paved runway. so the glide slope would have the lapping gear touchdown 1,000 feet down the runway. he was, i mean, if in fact this is what happened, where the tail, you can im...