Thu, Jul 10, 2008
Plane Has Control Difficulties While Transporting Presidential
Candidate
The National Transportation Safety Board issued an update
Thursday regarding its investigation of the incident involving
the Midwest Airlines MD-81 carrying Senator Barack
Obama on July 7, 2008 in which the tail cone
evacuation slide deployed in-flight.
Preliminary findings reveal that the slide was partially
inflated and the inflation bottle was empty. Examination of the
hardware did not reveal any evidence of missing components, nor any
evidence of tampering.
The slide and hardware were removed from the aircraft for
examination. There was no evidence of any punctures in the slide;
however, there were marks consistent with rubbing of elevator
control cables. Additional evidence was found to indicate that a
catwalk railing was broken and impinged upon elevator control
cables. The slide and hardware will be sent to the manufacturer for
detailed examinations supervised by the NTSB.
The flight recorders have been removed and are en route to NTSB
headquarters for download and analysis. Flight crew statements
indicate that the crew did not hear the slide deploy in flight nor
did a mechanic who was seated in the rear of the airplane. The
flight crew confirmed that they detected elevator control stiffness
during the initial level off after departure from Chicago Midway
Airport. Maintenance records have been secured for further
examination.
Research has been initiated into the certification of the slide,
its service history, and its design interface with the
airplane.
The NTSB completed the on scene phase of the investigation
Wednesday.
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