lmaher@uokvax.UUCP (09/09/84)
#R:drutx:-102800:uokvax:5000105:000:519 uokvax!lmaher Sep 9 15:08:00 1984 Tom Buckley has brought up an interesting idea, that there may have been survivors of the KAL 007 flight. I'd be interesting in seeing that bibliography. But a major question is: What was the water temperature, and how long would any crash survivors remain alive? I seriously doubt that anyone could have remained alive long enough for Russian ships to reach them, even if the Russians were interested in saving anyone. But I'd be interesting in knowing just how cold the water was. Carl ..!ctvax!uokvax!lmaher
renner@uiucdcs.UUCP (09/12/84)
#R:drutx:-102800:uiucdcs:29200145:000:1482 uiucdcs!renner Sep 11 20:33:00 1984 > Tape recordings and radar trackings confirm that 007 was hit at 35,000 > feet by one or more Soviet rockets at 3:26 am (Japan time). Within 4 > minutes (3:30 am), it had descended to approx. 16,000 feet (an average > rate of 4,750 ft/min). During the next 8 minutes it dropped another > 11,000 feet (an average if 1,375 ft/min). At that point, still 5,000 > in the air, the giant jet disappeared from the radar screens. > Presumably, although there is no way to know for sure, it would have > taken AT LEAST another 3 to 5 minutes for the plane to reach the sea's > surface... > > ...Can such statistics be explained in any way other than that the plane > was still under control of a skilled pilot headed for a crash landing > from which there may have been survivors? Well, I'll take a crack at it. My scenario is this: 1. The radar-homing missile hits the tail section as supposed, but the heat-seeking missile actually strikes slightly above an *inboard* engine, doing extensive damage to the wing. 2. Pilot/copilot control the descent to 5,000 feet. As the tail and wing controls are badly mangled, the descent places unusually high strain on the aircraft. 3. At 5,000 feet, the damaged wing breaks off at the inboard engine mount. I believe this would cause the aircraft to "vanish from radar screens" and hit the ocean out of control. I wouldn't expect to find survivors. Scott Renner {ihnp4,pur-ee}!uiucdcs!renner