[AlaskaRC] The Hijacking of FedEx Flight 705

[Steven Lingle]

This was sent to me by Fred Johnson once one of the most Senior, if not the most Senior, pilot for FEDEX.
steve




I was supposed to have been on this flight had I not been released from reserve duty the day before.   I went onto the airplane shortly after the incident and saw what a horrible scene it was.   

Later when it went back on the line, I flew it several times with the dent still in the cockpit ceiling.   FJ   

This youtube connection to the film of Flight 705 from Jim Tucker.  

If you have not seen it you should take the time to watch.  

I cannot express enough the admiration I have for the crew's actions and the relief that they are still with us.

The only glaring error I saw was in saying that Auburn had a brilliant career in the Navy.  
FJ


The following input is from Art Benjamin whose background was FEDEX Structures Engineering at the time of Flight 705's hijacking:    

It is interesting since many of us flew N306FE after this incident.  It kept the dent where Auburn struck David a glancing blow.

Flying Tigers fired Auburn and FEDEX hired him because of pressure from Personnel is my understanding.


The airplane was DC-10-30 N306FE, fuselage 409 on the Douglas production line.  I looked at this bird after it landed with a crippled Captain and above landing weight.  The crew did everything possible to throw off their attacker who had hammers and a spear gun.  There was blood all over the cockpit ceiling and floor. 

 In looking at the flight recorder data, at one point the aircraft was passing 14,000 feet diving with a 140 degree bank angle, pulling 3 g's and 100 knots over redline.  This drove the elevators into flutter and one of the balance weights ripped off.    These weights are depleted uranium or tungsten, and like lead, are 13.6 times as heavy as water.  

It was found in a field in AR several months later.

We cleaned up the bird, changed the elevators and did a through structural inspection (I was in FedEx Aircraft Structures Engineering at the time).  No other damage was found.  After the FAA and FBI were finished with it, it went back in service.  

Douglas aircraft are tough.  I am convinced that had it been an Airbus, it would have been scattered all over Arkansas.  (Never trust a bird that has no keel beam, it's disconcerting to look from one wheel well into the other.)

Art Benjamin

It is 45 minutes in length, very well done documentary by Discovery Channel.  Watch in big screen HD if possible.  

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnNI1gi7u_U <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnNI1gi7u_U>

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