DC-3 Went off Runway

[pelmet]

The flight crew of a NorthStar Air Douglas DC-3 aircraft, (registration C-FWUI), equipped with
turbine engines, was backtracking on Runway 35 at Kapuskasing, ON (CYYU). As the flight crew
attempted to turn around at the end of the runway; the right brake seemed soft and not responsive.
They attempted to slow the aircraft down with reverse power and braking, which caused the aircraft
to swerve to the left, and go off the edge of the runway. While attempting to turn around on the
grass, the left main wheel dug in and the aircraft became stuck. The flight crew shut down the
engines and radioed for assistance. The aircraft was unloaded and pulled back onto the runway.

[Mick G]

These guys have the most unreal safety record in the Basler. Their insurance rates have got to be killing them by now, I should think
3 Crashes in as many years, I think two of them were even in the same plane

[digits_]

"Oh another DC3 incident, would be kind of funny if it is that same company again"

*reads article*

"Oh my... Noooooo... They did it again!"

Was it at least another plane this time?

[valleyboy]

what exactly does a break failure during taxi have to do with a safety record - shit happens beyond one's control - at least these guys are working and in fact busting their assess at hours a week while the guys with the white shirts are struggling - it's a strange business, most people don't want that kind of work but right now most people don't have work.

[Jean-Pierre]

Brake

[NotDirty!]

Brake

When brakes break, you have a brake failure. But if breaks brake, they slow down and fail to fully break, so you have a break failure. Unless it’s a failure mode that is characterized by the breaking of something; that could be a break failure too. Or if the clock on the shop floor is slow, and the clock in the break room is fast, so by the time you get to the break room to take your break, you have to put on the brakes, because the break room clock tells you that your break is over, and you have to go back to work... now that is a true break failure!!

[valleyboy]

l surrender - lmfaoooooo

[goingnowherefast]

Yes these guys still have a job, but I bet they wish it was for a company with a better safety record. Brakes breaking is small compared to their other issues. Hopefully they're getting those issues cleaned up and become that safer company.

[valleyboy]

I suspect the company is moving in that direction, how could you not. Northstar is one of those companies like Borek that have a hard core group of lifers. The PC12 group are transient or were but the core of captians on the 705 ac are there because they want to be and work that kind of schedule. I think of the 3 accidents the only one that had a major issue was the last one. There are so many loop holes, such as operating a dc3 under 704 by waiver. If they were under 705 the company would have had to initiate a full dispatch system. The one glaring issue is the self dispatch and how it can lead to individual pilots making ego based decisions, by the way none of pilots at Northstar on incentive pay. This makes one wonder about the mind set of some of the crews. The whole system was suffering from lack of operational control and pilots feeling the pressure from commercial ops posing as dispatchers. A classic issue right across the level 3 carriers.

The first accident was suspect to the actual cause. I don't believe it was totally caused by ice if at all. I only know, from eye witness reports the aircraft became airborne at a low airspeed and could not recover.

The second accident is purely CRM and if pilots won't stick to SOP, while it's a training issue a company has no control over flight deck mind set 100% of the time. The DC3 is a cross over point from old to new and a clash of cultures is one of the biggest issues with old timers bring experience of yesteryear and how they flew a DC3 which does clash with SOP at times.

The 3rd accident well, I have made my point.

Dragging a company from the 20th to the 21st century is difficult and any company trying to make money will use loopholes to achieve that. I believe TC needs to tighten up their rules and first step is to require full dispatch systems for a company such as Northstar. The next step is to get rid of all the things covered as ops specs (now living under a new name) and revamp the wx minimums and require companies to implement reduced minimums authority by what is required for cat11 and cat111 and if you can't meet the equipment and crew requirements you are simply restricted to what is published.

Maybe 704 needs to be eliminated as a grouping and above 703 all falls under 705/121rules. Business cultures are created based on the rules and human nature and greed will apply definitions from there point of view. How screwed up is the system when rule interpretation differs from one region to another in TC.

[PilotDAR]

Good post Valleyboy....

[pelmet]

The flight crew of a NorthStar Air Douglas DC-3 aircraft, (registration C-FWUI), equipped with
turbine engines, was backtracking on Runway 35 at Kapuskasing, ON (CYYU). As the flight crew
attempted to turn around at the end of the runway; the right brake seemed soft and not responsive.
They attempted to slow the aircraft down with reverse power and braking, which caused the aircraft
to swerve to the left, and go off the edge of the runway. While attempting to turn around on the
grass, the left main wheel dug in and the aircraft became stuck. The flight crew shut down the
engines and radioed for assistance. The aircraft was unloaded and pulled back onto the runway.

It would be interesting to know if the brake was soft right from the start or if there was some sort of problem that happened after they started taxiing.

[mantogasrsrwy]

It's been a while, but I don't recall having to use the brakes much in the DC-3.

[golden hawk]

Did the props strike ground resulting in any engine damage?