AVIATION ACCIDENT
Introduction
This article aims to critically analyze the factors that contributed to such aeroplane accidents of Boeing 737, USAir flight 427, United flight 585, and East wind flight 517as well as the actions that could have been put in place to circumvent such factors.
The meeting convened by the Safety Board’s Meteorology Group in Boulder, Colorado, on March 27, 1991, provided a report which was an investigation into contributing factors to the fatal aeroplane accident (National Transportation Safety Board, 2001). The scientists from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) NOAA and the University of Wyoming were in attendants to assist in investigating pertinent weather phenomena into the matter. The report concluded that some other factors like human error and mechanical failure must have played a major role. The unfavourable weather conditions were identified by the committee to be prevalent during the accident. Some meteorological parameters that were found to have caused havoc include speed, strength, and direction of the wind (National Transportation Safety Board, 2001). The main report obtained from the black box, however, indicates that either one or both engines of the aeroplane malfunctioned in the process. The report gives poor aerodynamic simulation, CVR spectral signature as the evidence from the wreckage. The report further explains that at the time of impact, there was power development from the engine during impact as observed in pressure gauges and transmitters. At the time of impact, one engine was ahead of the other with 2 seconds (National Transportation Safety Board, 2001).
The NTSB computer simulation, the cockpit voice recorder, and human performance data obtained from the United Airlines flight 585 accident indicate that the reversal of rudder was likely to have been as a result of jam in the major power control unit of the rudder (National Transportation Safety Board, 2001). According to the National Transportation Safety Board, there was a timely initial upset with an unsuccessful attempt to regain the aeroplane control during the accident of United flight 585. The crew could not control the flight to execute its recovery in such circumstances. Due to the results of the USAir flight 427 accident, piloting and training techniques by the time of the plane crash of USAir flight 427 or United flight 585 according to National Transportation Safety Board (National Transportation Safety Board, 2001).
According to National Transportation Safety Board, there is the possibility that the unit controlling the main rudder power for the East wind flight 517 USAir flight 427, and the United flight 585 aeroplanes which results from a combination of thermal effects, particulate matter due to hydraulic fluid, too much tightness of clearance of the servo valve among other factors, there was a jam between servo valve secondary slide and the servo valve housing placed at the position offset (National Transportation Safety Board, 2001). This could have caused a slight shift from the mean position with no physical trace. These factors together with pedal input of the rudder caused equal and opposite motion of the rudder as directed by the pedal input. The relative motion between the rudder surface and blowdown air caused limited motion due to viscous drag in the three aircraft, USAir flight 427, United flight 585, and East wind flight 517. This direction of motion was contrary to that commanded by the pilot thereby throwing the entire system into a quagmire (National Transportation Safety Board, 2001).
One can easily agree with the National Transportation Safety Board report because of its clarity and depth. The report is so clear and elaborated. Generally, the underlying factors that led to the accidents included machine failure and human error (National Transportation Safety Board, 2001). There is incompetence on the side of the pilot which is exposed in his inability to govern the aircraft and the engine failure as obtained from NTSB computer simulation, the cockpit voice recorder, and human performance data obtained from the United Airlines flight 585 accidents (National Transportation Safety Board, 2001).
The recommended actions that crews or pilots may take in case they find themselves in such situations include regular repair and maintenance of the mechanical condition of the engine of the aircraft and regular training of the crews to be in a position to respond to emergency cases in case of a mechanical breakdown.
Conclusion
Boeing 737, USAir flight 427, United flight 585, and East wind flight accidents were caused by series of mechanical issues that included the failure of the engine and general body of the aircraft coupled with human error, which is the failure of the pilots to react promptly to govern the aircraft to avert the accident. These are the underlying factors that necessitated the accidents. Proper and regular training of the pilots and regular checkup of the aircraft systems should be done to minimize the problems.
Reference
National Transportation Safety Board (2001), Uncontrolled Descent and Collision with Terrain,
United Airlines Flight 585, Boeing 737-200, N999UA, 4 Miles South of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport, Colorado, Springs, Colorado, March 3, 1991. Aircraft Accident Report Washington, DC.