The Scenario
¢It’s a Saturday
morning with fair weather conditions. Beltway Airlines flight 230, an MD-80, is departing from
Runway 19L. Shortly after liftoff, the captain issues a mayday. While
circling for an emergency landing, the aircraft goes down on airport property. An air traffic controller observed the departure and noted a corkscrew smoke trail rise from the area of the fuel farm and connect with the rear section of the aircraft, causing an explosion.
Flight 230 has 130 passengers and
crew, and 25,000 pounds of fuel. Smoke
is observed rising from the
wooded area on the south side
of the airport. The alert phone is
ringing…