OT: NTSB Accident Report

steaminfo · **Posted:** Wed Dec 26, 2012 6:17 pm

This is somewhat off-topic, but I thought it bore repeating. It appeared on http://www.aviation-safety.net:

Quote:

A reindeer-powered experimental Santa SuperSleigh 100F, sustained minor damage when it veered off the left side of runway 36 during its takeoff at the North Pole Cargoport Airfield, North Pole, and struck runway lights. The instrument rated captain was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual dba Santa Claus as a nonscheduled international cargo flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, with snowfall.

The pilot reported that there was snow and ice on the runway. He reported that a strong crosswind gust forced the experimental airplane to veer off the left side of the runway where the it struck runway lights. The pilot managed to get the SuperSleigh back on the runway and stop.
A postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed minor damage and the flight was able to continue after repairs. Observers questioned the weight and balance data reported by the pilot who said "his wife and the elves" had prepared the manifest for him and that he had not personally verified the calculations.

One of the questions brought up by investicators was, "Had the left reindeer been properly fed, deiced, and heated?
Unofficial sources now say that Dancer shed a shoe during take-off, & this may have caused the incident.

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 26, 2012 8:07 pm

Sounds like Santa needed more capacity with all the kids in the world today; wonder if that was what got him into trouble on takeoff.

He ought to take a look that railroad that runs up north; it has locomotives of modern Superpower design, and judging from the size of the facility he has up there, it probably hauls a lot of material for making all those toys, and judging from the smokestacks, the "green" coal Santa uses for heat and power. The road does offer limited passenger service on one day, though, and that one day happens to be the one on which Santa must make deliveries. Still, a good dispatcher wouldn't have too much trouble routing one passenger train north, especially if the southbound freights got a head start to meet Santa at freight houses to transfer and reload the aircraft. . .

http://www.midlifecrisisqueen.com/wp-co ... ss-fb1.jpg

http://musings.elisair.com/wp-content/u ... ress-3.jpg

I do grant that the railroad is not the best engineered line (civil engineering), and it could stand some tightening up in the operations department, but it could still take some of the load off the reindeer; Santa hasn't been losing any weight:

http://cartoon-excellence.com/wp-conten ... papers.jpg

http://www.awn.com/files/imagepicker/1/ ... xpress.jpg

superheater · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 11:54 pm **Posts:** 2516

Guess even a multibillion dollar operation can have issues:

http://www.parentebeard.com/santa-inc-by-the-numbers/

dinwitty · **Joined:** Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:18 pm **Posts:** 2226

There seems to be indication that the headlight was not working or was faulty at the time of the incident, Mr. Clause indicated he heard a sneeze at the same time. This may have led the pilot to erroneously veer into an unplanned direction that was uncorrectable despite efforts to correct in apparent reactiion times possible which led to a chaotic collision into the light. The impact, tho jarring, damage was minimal, some sugar cubes administered to the motive power, and Mr. Clause was able to resume his planned activities, albeit with a slight delay..

rlsteam · **Posted:** Thu Dec 27, 2012 1:38 am

How did the NTSB get involved in this in the first place? The North Pole is not under United States jurisdiction. In fact, it is not part of the territory of any country. The same qualification applies to the Santa, Inc. business analysis by ParenteBeard. For example, employee health care and benefit costs would not be subject to the Affordable Care Act, nor would the "self dealing" restriction for a 501(c)(3) charitable organization be applicable outside of Federal jurisdiction. Santa operates as an NGO and, moreover, is a government unto himself. He can issue his own operational regulations and finance his operation with his own currency (I believe the currency unit is the "jerk," if Clement Moore's report is accurate).

dinwitty · **Joined:** Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:18 pm **Posts:** 2226

NTSB may have been called upon for their expertise than jurisdiction for an opinion of the situation.

steaminfo · **Posted:** Thu Dec 27, 2012 11:48 am

dinwitty wrote:

NTSB may have been called upon for their expertise than jurisdiction for an opinion of the situation.

As I understand it, the Super Sleigh 100F was manufactured in the U.S. and therefore a manufacturer's rep and an NTSB "go team" was dispatched.

Bobharbison · **Joined:** Fri Dec 03, 2004 9:42 pm **Posts:** 2944

I have to wonder about the report stating this was "an unscheduled flight". This airline has been in service a very long time, and the schedule for it's once a year flight is known to people around the world, including even young children.

dinwitty · **Joined:** Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:18 pm **Posts:** 2226

The flight may be designated to occur on a specific date, but there is no specified time the flight departs, there may be a window of operations the flight may occur in, the flight has to incur obstacles and delays thru-out its flight, delicatly landing on rooftops and disbursing the cargo by hand and extinguishing safely the fire thru which the chimney is used to transport the cargo into the specified destination structure is a time consuming project. Each destination has specific instructions how to place the cargo, sometimes placed under a decorated tree, others into hanging orifaces attached to the fireplace. But the operation is efficiently done. but there is no exact schedule, but it is common it is completed before sunup.

superheater · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 11:54 pm **Posts:** 2516

The same qualification applies to the Santa, Inc. business analysis by ParenteBeard. For example, employee health care and benefit costs would not be subject to the Affordable Care Act, nor would the "self dealing" restriction for a 501(c)(3) charitable organization be applicable outside of Federal jurisdiction. Santa operates as an NGO and, moreover, is a government unto himself.

I looked for a sovereign government among UN nations and seeing none, I assume Santa is a naturalized citizen. Perhaps he thought it advisable when the the area known as the
"North Pole" was potentially a area of contention between the U.S. and the former U.S.S.R.

Of course if he is the head of state, he's not running an NGO.

dinwitty · **Joined:** Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:18 pm **Posts:** 2226

Santa Inc. operates on a land that is indigineous to any country, people or religion, nor is the company organized as such. It has been a charitable organization from inception. It has a massive manufacturing facility performed by skilled workers who normally do not have a height over 4 feet. Its generally hidden by thick clouds that the winter and summer weathers generate in the area. Santa Inc. provides all the worker care as needed on demand with no question. It takes special guides to bring in outside help to find the location as did for the accident, the area is technically unclaimable by any country and it simply too difficult to navigate.

robertmacdowell · **Posted:** Sat Dec 29, 2012 4:10 am

The north pole is in Canada, or at least, is reached by Canada Post. Canada's ZIPlike codes are three pairs of letter then digit, the North Pole's postal code is H0 H0 H0. I am not kidding.

RCD · **Posted:** Sat Dec 29, 2012 7:31 pm

NTSB Identification: MIA92FA051 .
The docket is stored on NTSB microfiche number 46312.
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, December 23, 1991 in RAINBOW LAKE, FL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 5/5/1993
Aircraft: PIPER PA-34-200T, registration: N47506
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
THE PRIVATE PILOT AND A PILOT RATED PASSENGER WERE GOING TO PRACTICE SIMULATED INSTRUMENT FLIGHT. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING FAIL IN A DIVE AND CRASH. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE AND BODIES REVEALED THAT BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE PARTIALLY CLOTHED AND THE FRONT RIGHT SEAT WAS IN THE FULL AFT RECLINING POSITION. NEITHER BODY SHOWED EVIDENCE OF SEATBELTS OR SHOULDER HARNESSES BEING WORN. EXAMINATION OF THE INDIVIDUALS' CLOTHING REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF RIPPING OR DISTRESS TO THE ZIPPERS AND BELTS.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S IMPROPER INFLIGHT DECISION TO DIVERT HER ATTENTION TO OTHER ACTIVITIES NOT RELATED TO THE CONDUCT OF THE FLIGHT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE EXCEEDING OF THE DESIGN LIMITS OF THE AIRPLANE LEADING TO A WING FAILURE.

OT: NTSB Accident Report

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