Francisco Cunha - ✈️ Aviation et al
@OnDisasters • 74,468 subscribers
Mostly aviation safety, with an appearance on Mayday - ACI: deviations include auto racing, true crime, and whatever I feel like.
Shorts
![On This Day: The fall of the Valkyrie June 9 1966: The 2nd prototype of the North American XB-70 Valkyrie [62-02070] collides with an F-104 Starfighter over California (US). Of the three aboard both planes, only the XB-70´s pilot survives, with his co-pilot and the fighter pilot perishing. Incident occurred during a photoshoot while in close formation. Enquiry stated the F-104´s pilot was in a position where he was unable to safely distance from XB-70 (more details from the ASN Entry below) The XB-70 was a Mach 3 bomber developed in the 50s. Developments in missile technology made the concept obsolete, leading to its cancellation in 1961. At the time of the crash, the two prototypes that had been built were being used for research. Video is from an excerpt by YouTuber Mike Bell – Video´s name is “Wake Vortex and the XB-70 crash” More info on the report here “ On 8 June 1966, XB-70A No. 2 was in close formation with four other aircraft (an F-4 Phantom, an F-5, a T-38 Talon, and an F-104 Starfighter) for a photoshoot at the behest of General Electric, manufacturer of the engines of all five aircraft. The USAF summary report of the accident investigation stated that, given the position of the F-104 relative to the XB-70, the F-104 pilot would not have been able to see the XB-70's wing, except by uncomfortably looking back over his left shoulder. The report said that Walker, piloting the F-104, likely maintained his position by looking at the fuselage of the XB-70, forward of his position. The F-104 was estimated to be 70 ft (21 m) to the side of, and 10 ft (3 m) below, the fuselage of the XB-70. The report concluded that from that position, without appropriate sight cues, Walker was unable to properly perceive his motion relative to the Valkyrie, leading to his aircraft drifting into contact with the XB-70's wing”](https://image.24vids.com/tw-2063954442332873058/ext_tw_video_thumb/2063954420950310912/pu/img/8YfgZVxuW6bXPXnT.jpg)
![June 29 1960: A US Navy RA-3 crashes off Florida (US) all 3 crew die. While practicing landings on the carrier USS Saratoga, the arresting cable broke. With no means to stop safely, the plane went off deck. The crew attempted a go-around but were unable to, jet hit the sea at high speed and sank. The RA-3 was the photo-reconnaissance version of the A-3 “Skywarrior” bomber. The jet lost in the accident [144845] was attached to squadron VAP-62 (based at Fort. Lauderdale, Florida). The Jet´s wreckage was later discovered by chance by a film-making crew, who were producing a documentary on the Bermuda Triangle.](https://image.24vids.com/tw-2071398367981125773/ext_tw_video_thumb/2071398347504541696/pu/img/3mMCgNEgaedIxk7k.jpg)
![35 years ago today: the first Osprey crashes June 11 1991: a prototype V-22 Osprey [163915] crashes while testing in Delaware (US). Both crew survive. While the rotorcraft was hovering, the left nacelle struck ground, bouncing and catching fire. This was the first of a controversial series of accidents involving the Osprey´s development program. On a 2010 interview, test pilot Grady Wilson pointed the possibility of pilot error when moving the throttle levers. More OTD occurrences below ⬇️ 🧵 1/5](https://image.24vids.com/tw-2065041603417317556/ext_tw_video_thumb/2065041595049644032/pu/img/u0KyF-ZkyApZ1g2O.jpg)
Videos
Unlike a commercial airplane, the Shuttle did not have its engines on during reentry. Once it left orbit, it became a colossal glider. The pilots had only one chance to land: if they misjudged the aim or the speed, they couldn't "give it gas" and go around for another try. That's why the engineers affectionately called it "the flying brick" (the flying brick). When it reentered the atmosphere, it traveled at about 28,000 km/h (about 25 times the speed of sound). To slow down without disintegrating, it had to hit the air belly-first, using friction as a brake. In the last kilometers before the runway: • It descended at an angle 7 times steeper than that of a commercial airplane. • While a commercial airplane descends gently, the Shuttle came down "in a dive" to maintain enough kinetic energy and avoid stalling. • It touched down at about 350 km/h, a speed so high that it required a rear parachute to stop before the end of the runway. Under that white-and-black "skin" were thousands of ceramic tiles that protected the astronauts from temperatures exceeding 1,500°C. Without them, the aluminum of the structure would have melted like butter in a matter of seconds.
Francisco Cunha - ✈️ Aviation et al1,823,158 просмотров • 27 дней назад
It was a matter of time before this happened. Again (Example in the video below)
Francisco Cunha - ✈️ Aviation et al827,762 просмотров • 15 дней назад
![Vietnam B-787 incident in Munich Update - Video from clearly shows markings extending to the edge of the runway into the grass, more evidence of a runway excursion [I underline once again, this could have been much worse]](https://image.24vids.com/tw-2089086946597384249/amplify_video_thumb/2089085369761316864/img/Uxp5t0aw_nWymwGu.jpg)
Emirates A380... let´s call it "viral" approach to Birmingham - 🎥 JSpiller (IG)
Francisco Cunha - ✈️ Aviation et al1,465,628 просмотров • 1 месяц назад
Mid-air collision yesterday in Pennsylvania involving a Police Bell 407 and a Cessna 150. The aircraft´s sole pilot was killed, while the two on the helicopter were injured. Incident occured as "helicopter was conducting a routine training exercise and had landed on runway 28. The Cessna was landing after the helicopter and struck it from the rear" (ASN) The helicopter (Registration N873ST) was operated by the Pennsylvania State Police; the Cessna (N23330) was privately owned. 📹Aviation Facts (IG)
Francisco Cunha - ✈️ Aviation et al553,853 просмотров • 19 дней назад
Update - Video of the LATAM Brasil A320 runway excursion today at Cascavel Airport, in the interior of Paraná. Video isn´t clear, but apparently the jet touched down near (not in the taxiway intersection that leads to the private aircraft hangars It has been confirmed that runway was 15/33, wind was 07009KT Weather was likely a factor. There was a thunderstorm in the area, which is often vulnerable to strong winds. In 2012 an Azul ATR had a similar runway excursion, and on 2023 another ATR from the same airline was dragged from parking by strong winds, causing damage to the landing gear. AEROIN
Francisco Cunha - ✈️ Aviation et al168,565 просмотров • 7 дней назад
The accident was this one: Air France Flight 447, an A330, went down North East off Brazil. Aircraft disappeared on a transatlantic route, wreck was found 1300 miles northeast of Natal. Investigators pointed to a combination of frozen sensors and pilot actions/training resulting in loss of control. Seeing the accident reenactement, namely the scenes in the cockpit, was terrifying. Putting it very simply, the crew got confused by a simple issue and ended up entering into an irrecoverable scenario. (and as pointed by KC-10 Driver ✈️ 👨✈️ B-737 Wrangler its likely that this court case is to end on appeals. Its not the first lawsuit related to this occurrence)
Francisco Cunha3,438,747 просмотров • 3 месяцев назад
Update A12379 - Air India announced today that the pilot of Air India flight A12379 was sacked after failing a drug test. On August 4, flight A12379 (an A320) hit severe turbulence on a Phuket–Delhi flight and suddenly dropped about 300 feet, injuring 17. The Captain of the flight had tested positive for psychoactive substances in a post‑flight dope screening.
Francisco Cunha - ✈️ Aviation et al63,306 просмотров • 3 дней назад
August 22 2025 - During a rehearsal for the Radom airshow, a Polish Air Force F-16 from the Tiger Demo team entered a steep maneuver before plunging into the ground in a devastating crash. The aircraft exploded on impact, leaving no chance for the pilot to escape. Major Maciej "Slab" Krakowiak, the Polish F-16 demonstration team's leader with more than 1,200 flight hours on the F-16, was killed in the accident after reportedly not ejecting. It was Poland's first-ever F-16 loss since the fighter entered service, leading to the cancellation of the Radom Air Show and the temporary suspension of non-combat F-16 flights during the inquiry.
Francisco Cunha - ✈️ Aviation et al295,096 просмотров • 16 дней назад
I say it again, I find it incredible that an object this size can lift into the air with such apparent ease (footage at Sydney)
Francisco Cunha5,066,517 просмотров • 8 месяцев назад
“While rushing to the car, I noticed small splotches of a peculiar gray substance marking a trail on the asphalt leading up to the driver. When I reached the car, I was shocked to see that Smiley's helmet was gone, along with the top of his skull. He had essentially been scalped by the debris fence. The material on the race track was most of his brain. His helmet, due to massive centrifugal force, was literally pulled from his head on impact ... I rode to the care center with the body. On the way in I performed a cursory examination and realized that nearly every bone in his body was shattered. He had a gaping wound in his side that looked as if he had been attacked by a large shark. I had never seen such trauma.” Description of CART medical director Steve Olvey on the accident that killed Gordon Smiley, which happened on this day in 1982. During qualifying, on the second warm-up lap, his March 81C Cosworth began to oversteer on turn 3, causing the car to slightly slide. When Smiley steered right to correct this, the front wheels gained grip suddenly, sending his car directly across the track and into the wall nose-first at nearly 200 mph (320 km/h). He was killed instantly. According to team mate Desiree Wilson, (…) “the biggest piece was a little ball of engine. There was nothing else except shattered bits, a bit of gearbox, a bit of a wheel, not even a seat. It was very ugly.”(…) This was Smiley´s third run at Indy after competing mostly on the US domestic series, but the driver obtained a record overseas that remains to this day. In 1979, Smiley raced in the British Formula One Championship (sometimes called the "Aurora Formula One Championship") that used mostly obsolete F1 cars. Smiley won a race, and to this day, this is the last F1 win by an American driver in a FIA-sanctioned event.
Francisco Cunha - ✈️ Aviation et al876,086 просмотров • 1 месяц назад
![“Close to the greatest aviation disaster in history” July 7 2017 – Air Canada Flight 759 (an A320) is on approach to S. Francisco KSFO (US), when it lines up to land on a taxiway occupied by four other planes (combined, the five jets had over 1000 pax). The approaching jet went as low as 59 ft and missed one aircraft by only 14 ft before the crew aborted the maneuver. The four planes on the ground were three United Airlines jets (Flight 1118, B737 - and Flights 1 and 863 - both B-787) and Philippine Airlines 115 [A340]. The four jets were loaded with pax and fuel, and combined with Flight 759, the total was over 1000 passengers. Inquiry pointed to the main cause as confusion of the runway with the parallel taxiway, with contributing causes including the crew's failure to use the instrument landing system (ILS), as well as pilot fatigue. Other issues noted were related to SOP, CRM, training, and NOTAMs Animation is from Mercury News (also shown is the CCTV footage)](https://image.24vids.com/tw-2074463921788870894/ext_tw_video_thumb/2074463874821095424/pu/img/Q1vLzrqBfW25Vwp5.jpg)
“Close to the greatest aviation disaster in history” July 7 2017 – Air Canada Flight 759 (an A320) is on approach to S. Francisco KSFO (US), when it lines up to land on a taxiway occupied by four other planes (combined, the five jets had over 1000 pax). The approaching jet went as low as 59 ft and missed one aircraft by only 14 ft before the crew aborted the maneuver. The four planes on the ground were three United Airlines jets (Flight 1118, B737 - and Flights 1 and 863 - both B-787) and Philippine Airlines 115 [A340]. The four jets were loaded with pax and fuel, and combined with Flight 759, the total was over 1000 passengers. Inquiry pointed to the main cause as confusion of the runway with the parallel taxiway, with contributing causes including the crew's failure to use the instrument landing system (ILS), as well as pilot fatigue. Other issues noted were related to SOP, CRM, training, and NOTAMs Animation is from Mercury News (also shown is the CCTV footage)
Francisco Cunha1,018,422 просмотров • 2 месяцев назад
Alpha Jet, F-16 and A-10s landing on public roads on NATO Exercise "Highway 88" over West Germany 📹 Bundeswehr Archive
Francisco Cunha258,044 просмотров • 18 дней назад
OTD in 2008: East Coast Jets Flight 81, a BAe 125, crashes in Minnesota (US), all 8 aboard die. Jet was on landing roll when crew realized there was insufficient space to stop, attempted a go-around, hit obstacles. Factors: crew actions – maneuver attempted, poor CRM, fatigue. 🎥 Gold Coast Jets
Francisco Cunha - ✈️ Aviation et al560,299 просмотров • 1 месяц назад
A case of “get there itis” August 23 2005: TANS Perú Flight 204, a B-737, crashes in Pucallpa (Peru), 40 of 98 aboard die. On approach, the jet impacted swamplands in a CFIT, 3.8 mi from the runway. Report pointed to pilot actions, namely the decision to proceed with the landing attempt in poor weather, stating it was safer to divert. Inquiry noted that the crew failed to follow SOP in adverse weather. The captain assumed control of the aircraft, but the trainee pilot did not immediately monitor the instruments, leaving the crew unaware of the rapid descent during the critical seconds when the accident might have been avoided. Investigation of the crash site was hampered by looters, who removed various items from the wreck as scrap. A US$500 reward was offered and successfully led to the return of the flight data recorder. According to Aviation Safety Network, it was among the deadliest accidents of 2005 and the second major crash involving a TANS Perú aircraft in just over two years. Video – Mayday ACI “Blind Landing”
Francisco Cunha188,772 просмотров • 15 дней назад