What could cause this damage?

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August 22nd, 2014 at 10:49:04 AM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
Quote: Face
I have to steer far from an impact. First, these airframes gotta be tough.


Airframes are made of aluminum and carbon composites. Both have high tensile strength, but they don't take impacts very well. Some composites, before being bonded in layers, can be cut with fabric scissors.

In other words, a wing may bend at the root, and flap a bit, in flight and the airframe will take it. But you can also poke a hole in the wing with an icepick.
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August 22nd, 2014 at 11:20:13 AM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/07/06/nose.cone/index.html

Here is a similar dent from July 2008. I can't find an FAA accident report.
August 22nd, 2014 at 7:25:03 PM permalink
Face
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 61
Posts: 3941
Quote: Nareed
Airframes are made of aluminum and carbon composites. Both have high tensile strength, but they don't take impacts very well. Some composites, before being bonded in layers, can be cut with fabric scissors.

In other words, a wing may bend at the root, and flap a bit, in flight and the airframe will take it. But you can also poke a hole in the wing with an icepick.


I know. I still say it's not an impact.

If you look at the second pic Paco supplied, you'll see what I mean. Now, I'm not saying that one was caused by an impact, but you have at least some parts of that equation. The dent is oddly shaped. The material has cracked and torn. You get some of the signs that a chaotic event like an impact causes.

The original pic is just too perfect. It's so perfect it's even got me second guessing my original guess.
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August 22nd, 2014 at 7:27:20 PM permalink
boymimbo
Member since: Mar 25, 2013
Threads: 5
Posts: 732
Report 20080706854589I from the asias database:


Quote: report
WHILE PASSING THROUGH FL180, DURING THE DESCENT FOR A LANDING AT TAMPA, FLORIDA, THE AIRCREW HEARD A LOUD BANG AND THE RADAR SYSTEM FAILED. IT WAS AN OTHERWISE NORMAL APPROACH TO LANDING, IN CLEAR SKY, WITH NO TURBULENCE. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO HANDLE NORMALLY AND THE SUBSEQUENT LANDING WAS WITHOUT INCIDENT. A POST FLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT NOTED THE NOSE RADOME WAS DENTED IN AND CRACKED. IT APPEARS THE INNER PLY OF THE RADOME HAD SEPARATED FROM THE OUTER SHELL AND THIS RESULTED IN A TWO FOOT DIAMETER DELAMINATION, AND THE FRONT TIP OF THE RADOME TO CAVE IN. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF ANY BIRD OR OTHER FOREIGN OBJECT IMPACT. A REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT’S MAINTENANCE RECORD INDICATES THE SUBJECT RADOME WAS INSTALLED ON OCTOBER 21, 2003. FURTHERMORE, THE RECORDS DO NOT INDICATE ANY HISTORY OF RELATED PROBLEMS.
August 22nd, 2014 at 10:36:54 PM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: boymimbo
Report 20080706854589I from the asias database:


That hardly seems like a conclusion. They just fixed it and went on flying.Two articles enclosed

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=f27260a9-3a8e-45ee-9988-66751615747b
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/08/business/08northwest.html?_r=0
August 22nd, 2014 at 10:59:27 PM permalink
1nickelmiracle
Member since: Mar 5, 2013
Threads: 24
Posts: 623
I certainly don't think they hit anything midair and would believe the noise was from whatever process it was.
August 22nd, 2014 at 11:26:35 PM permalink
petroglyph
Member since: Aug 3, 2014
Threads: 25
Posts: 6227
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/103134-ufos-suggested-as-cause-of-air-china-plane-dent/

I saw this on some ufo tv show months ago.

I also watched accident reports for ppg, [powered paragliding]. A short clip from the cockpit of an airliner showed a tiny bit of color in the distance and then was covering the windshield of the airliner for a small portion of a second. The last ever heard from the ppg, who was definately in the wrong airspace.

Before the snark starts I'm not saying there is or isn't ufo's, just passing along article's for anyone's perusal.
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August 23rd, 2014 at 4:53:29 AM permalink
Fleastiff
Member since: Oct 27, 2012
Threads: 62
Posts: 7831
After three quarts of gin, I see UFOs. After twelve pints of Guinness, I see little green men getting out of them. Other than that: No UFOs.
August 23rd, 2014 at 5:59:06 AM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569

It sure looks like metal fatigue.
August 23rd, 2014 at 6:16:23 AM permalink
Fleastiff
Member since: Oct 27, 2012
Threads: 62
Posts: 7831
Repeated flexing of the basketball over the nose may cause differential wear in the fibers resulting in a blowout at altitude.

I've always felt the basketball was mainly cosmetic. Think now of the Hawaian repeated flexing of the fuselage... that is a different matter as far as safety goes but the same thing: repeated stress, a propagating crack .... and the expected results.
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