Continental flight 3407 crashed near Buffalo

Crash at 22:20. Was supposed to land at 22:25 according to a police
statement. Crash happened in Clarence Center, it leveled at least one
residence.

According to Google, Clarence Center seems to be lined up to the main
runway, about 10-15km from runway.

About 44 passengers on board. Story of death on ground (not confirmed)
but injured ground civilians taken to hospital is confirmed. Plane
crashed in a residential neighbouhood.


Colgan Air flight (with operated for Continental)

It is a Dash-8-400 aircraft.

Schedule for next thursday show the flight
departing EWR at 19:10, landing Buffalo 20:48


This is the flight status I got from Continental's web site.

Continental Flight 3407 (operated by Colgan Air dba Continental Connection)
Status: Please Contact Continental Airlines at 1-800-523-3273 for the
status of this flight. --Please Contact Continental Airlines at
1-800-621-3263 for the status of this flight.

DEPARTS
City: New York/Newark, NJ (EWR - Liberty)
Gate:
Check-in Terminal:
Scheduled Time: 7:10 p.m.
Scheduled Date: Thu., 12 Feb., 2009
Actual Time: 7:45 p.m.
Actual Date: Thu., 12 Feb., 2009

ARRIVES
City: Buffalo, NY (BUF)
Gate:
Terminal: Main Terminal
Scheduled Time: 8:48 p.m.
Scheduled Date: Thu., 12 Feb., 2009
Actual Time: 10:45 p.m.
Actual Date: Thu., 12 Feb., 2009

Media got hold of ATC onversations from enthousiasts. Nothing abnormal,
no warning from aircraft. But concern after the crash about some icing.

Media have not focused on the shedule:

Normal fligh time is 1:38
(19:10 to 20:48)

The Continental site shows actual departure of 19:45.
This would put expected arrival time at 21:23
Crash happened at 22:17

Likely a traffic delay between gate and runway at EWR. But that would
still need an explanation.

Last week, Coglan had just doubled it order for Dash-8-400s by another
15. First delivery to Coglan was Feb 4 2008. (one year ago).


Only one house was damaged and the damage area is not a "track" but
rather a "blob", a direct hit on the home, indicating the plane fell out
of the sky.

There were 3 people in that house, and older couple and grown child.
Female and child escaped with minor injuries. Male did not escape and is
presumed dead. (49th victim)

John Doe wrote:

Normal fligh time is 1:38
(19:10 to 20:48)

The Continental site shows actual departure of 19:45.
This would put expected arrival time at 21:23
Crash happened at 22:17

CNN reports plane left EWR at 21:20. This would be the actual take off
time which makes arrival at roughly 22:30 quite normal.

Managed with Google maps/street view to get my bearings. 6038 is the
landing spot.


North
[6038] [house]

[6034] [empty lot with chain link fence]

[6028]

South


(not entirely sure of the numbering of 6028)


The basketball hoop is on the north side of 6034's driveway, 6034 is a
one storey bungalow.


The overhang structure you see would be 6028's. (giving indication of
where photographer would have been).

This puts the tail in an east to west (roughly) orientation, with tail
towards street and supposed fuselage towards the west. The runway was
southwest (runway 23, roughly 230° bearing)

Many photos are taken from the empty lot across the street. You will see
[house] side, with a roof having 4 sections/angles.

Later pictures are taken from Clarence road to the south (where the fire
station is located).

On Feb 13, 4:43*am, John Doe wrote:
Media got hold of ATC onversations from enthousiasts. Nothing abnormal,
no warning from aircraft. But concern after the crash about some icing.

Media have not focused on the shedule:

Normal fligh time is 1:38
(19:10 to 20:48)

The Continental site shows actual departure of 19:45.
This would put expected arrival time at 21:23
Crash happened at 22:17

Likely a *traffic delay between gate and runway at EWR. But that would
still need an explanation.

Have you never flown through Newark? It is entirely typical for the
time between leaving gate and getting in the air to be 45 minutes or
an hour, in perfectly fine normal weather, no matter whether it's a
big plane or a puddle-jumper. I've never been offered an explanation -
that's just how it always works.

Tim.

"Tim Shoppa" wrote in message
...
On Feb 13, 4:43 am, John Doe wrote:
Media got hold of ATC onversations from enthousiasts. Nothing abnormal,
no warning from aircraft. But concern after the crash about some icing.

Media have not focused on the shedule:

Normal fligh time is 1:38
(19:10 to 20:48)

The Continental site shows actual departure of 19:45.
This would put expected arrival time at 21:23
Crash happened at 22:17

Likely a traffic delay between gate and runway at EWR. But that would
still need an explanation.

Have you never flown through Newark? It is entirely typical for the
time between leaving gate and getting in the air to be 45 minutes or
an hour, in perfectly fine normal weather, no matter whether it's a
big plane or a puddle-jumper. I've never been offered an explanation -
that's just how it always works.
======
That's yet another reason why airline crews love EWR so much.

Sancho Panza wrote:

Have you never flown through Newark? It is entirely typical for the
time between leaving gate and getting in the air to be 45 minutes or
an hour, in perfectly fine normal weather, no matter whether it's a
big plane or a puddle-jumper. I've never been offered an explanation -
that's just how it always works.

And airlines generally factor this into their schedules, which is why
the schedule time for that flight is longer than actual flight time.

With the NTSB releasing preliminary FDR/CVR information pointing to
icing, then the longer than usual delay at EWR is probably not an issue.

Recall that for TWA800, longer tha usual delay before take off was an issue.