BBMF Lancaster emergency landing : everyone is safe

[Iclo]

The Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster did an emergency landing at its homebase of RAF Coningsby with engine four apparently in fire.
The crew escaped unharmed and the plane is safe and waiting for an assessment of the damages.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-32628263

Sad for the entire BBMF member who were preparing the plane for the commemoration of the end of WWII

PS: I carrefully searched if a subject was already opened about this news, but I didn't found it. Sorry if it's a duplicate

[Iclo]

A picture of the firefighter crews intervention:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10206346096152835&set=gm.636685493133424&type=1&theater

[p51]

Am I the only one who read the thread title and had this image in his/her head before they got to read the details?

I'm hardly alone in being glad to hear the story didn't end like that!
Still, it's sad to know that the Lanc will miss the VE fly-over of London, as I know that's something a lot of people look forward to...

[daviemax]

This Lancaster experience illustrates the value of flying another few miles to a landing at an airport having fire-fighting equipment.

[Taigh Ramey]

Unless that additional few miles might have have caused a structural failure in the process. Careful about the arm chair quarterbacking and second guessing.

Frankly I'd prefer this



Over this

[DH82EH]

Thanks for that Taigh.
I was thinking the same thing about arm chair quarterbacking.

If you weren't there at the time, then you really don't have a place, telling those who were there, what they should have done.
As tragic as the loss of Liberty Belle was. No one was hurt. I'm still thankful for that.

So glad the crew is safe and the Lanc is down in one piece to fly another day.

Andy

[maxum96]

Unless that additional few miles might have have caused a structural failure in the process. Careful about the arm chair quarterbacking and second guessing.

I'll join the chorus agreeing with you Taigh. Thanks for stepping up and posting that.

[peter]

Well said Taigh!

[Triplane102]

Thank you Iclo, for posting that info. Great to hear the crew are safe & lanc is being taken care of. It 's always a Tight Rope to report any bad news, even in person. When I read the title, the first relief was for the crew. I then thought backwards as to what I wasn't reading, No "Accident ", No " Crash " either, so I thought "Good"! It 's always tough to relay things like this like it's your daily job. Not easy at all ! Thanks again, Tony

[Iclo]

Thank you Iclo, for posting that info. Great to hear the crew are safe & lanc is being taken care of. It 's always a Tight Rope to report any bad news, even in person. When I read the title, the first relief was for the crew. I then thought backwards as to what I wasn't reading, No "Accident ", No " Crash " either, so I thought "Good"! It 's always tough to relay things like this like it's your daily job. Not easy at all ! Thanks again, Tony

Honnestlty, I did my best to have an clear title, I tried to add "plane will fly again" but the title exceeded the maximum size.
I hate to read title like "Mustang crash in France" to discover after that it's about a WWII story (yes, we have flying Mustang in Europe )

For the "little" debate about Liberty Bell fire : all decision who allows the crew and passengers to exit safe and sound, is a good one. It will always possible to discuss about a even better decision. As Taigh said taking the risk to kill all people on board to limit the damage on an airplane is definitely not the good choice.

Same situation occured when Rob Davies elected to bail out of the Mustang at Duxford after the collision : lots of discussion with "why he didn't try to land the plane ??", etc
The answer is simple : he had one second and half to take a decision, having the information he had on the control of the plane ("something is wrong and I don't have the feeling I will be able to land this poor bird"), he decide the best option to save his life was to evacuate the plane. A decision is good in the context it was taken and considering the result.
The later discussions are just good to collect information in case the same situation occured again and trying to prevent the same "bad" or "mitigate" outcome if possible.

I'm sure this Lancaster will fly again, the engine borrowed to the Canadians was back to the BBMF, the damages will be surveyed and fixed sooner and later, I'm confident for that.

Best regards to everyone.

[daviemax]

To those who did not like my post:

I am a certificated private pilot. I am very well aware of the risks associated with flying, and specifically of fire in flight.

I am also an historian, and I have researched many cases where B-17s flew very long distances while enduring a fire in flight. A good example is that of VB-17G 44-6975 which suffered a severe fire behind the firewall on number 4 engine but flew many miles until landing safely at Wright on 14 January 1954.

I certainly wasn't aboard Liberty Belle but I doubt those writing these posts were either. The purpose of my original post was not to criticize the decision of Belle's PIC. It was to point out the alternative, which I have every right to do.

[TAdan]

Wonderful that everyone made it down safe and sound. Planes can be repaired.

[Ken]

I am also glad all are safe.

It's a shame that a thread which should contain info about this Lanc and its condition is instead centered on corralling armchair quarterbacks; thank you Taigh for your thoughtful insight.

There is no denying the drop in quality of the "I" and the "X" on WIX over the years along with the loss of some valuable posters; Jack Cook, sabremech, and Eric Downing come to mind. Other long-time source contributors have slowed to a trickle.

I wish we were on a collective campaign to create a Board where folks would be excited to join & post, but WIX continues on an opposite trajectory and this thread is another unfortunate example of that trend.

Ken

[peter]

[peter]