Crocodile One, Airliner Nil

[The Ayatollah Buggeri]

Source

https://outlook.leeds.ac.uk/owa/redir.aspx?C=b1d9510230594493a2cb38ec3e6a3bcd&URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.crash-aerien.aero%2Fforum%2Fcrash-d-un-avion-de-filair-dans-l-ouest-du-congo-t16192-15.html' rel="external nofollow">

(the posting of 15 October / 2310)

légende urbaine africaine (elle circule en diverses versions) ou histoire vraie, je vous laisse juges

Crash d'un avion au Congo (ex Zaïre) (jeune Afrique n°2596 du 10/16 Octobre 2010)

Les vraies raisons du crash de Bandundu. Zaïre

L'accident de l'appareil de la Compagnie congolaise FILAIR, qui s'est le 25 août à 500 metres de l'aéroport régional de Bandundu, entraînant la mort de dix neuf passagers (19) et membres d'équipage, ne serait pas dû, comme cela a été dit officiellement, à une panne de carburant, mais à une panique à bord.

Selon un rapporteur d'enquête du Comité professionnel des transporteurs aériens congolais, qui a délégué sur place un spécialiste, le commandant André Decorte, et le témoignage de l'unique survivant +grièvement blessé+, auquels JA. a eu accès, l'appareil, un Let-410 tchèque turbopropulsé (dont le pilote belge et le copilote n'ont pas survécu),

transportait en cabine un .... crocodile vivant.

L'un des passagers avait dissimulé l'animal, qu'il comptait revendre, dans un gros sac de sport dont le saurien s'est échppé alors que l'avion amorçait sa descente sur Bandundu. L'hôtesse, effrayée s'est précipitée vers le cockpit aussitôt imitée par les passagés. Déséquilibré, l'appareil est aussitôt parti en vrille, malgré les éfforts désespérés du pilote pour le redresser.

Si l'on en croit le rapport, une partie des curieux accourus sur les lieux se sont mués en pillards, allant jusqu'à dépouiller de leurs vêtements les corps des victimes.

Détail tragicomique ; le crocodile, lui, a survécu au crash, avant d'être decoupé à la machette. Une vidéo le montre émergeant tranquilement des débris du Let-410.

Pour son baptème de l'air, c'est pas une réussite . Et après on s'étonne d'être fouillé à l'embarquement.

Rough Translation

Is this an urban legend or a true story? I will let you judge. The true reasons for the crash at Bandundu, Zaire, as reported by Jeune Afrique of the week 10-16 October 2010. The LET 410 plane that crashed on 25 August at Bandundu, killing 19 passengers and crew was not, as originally reported, due to it running out of fuel, but rather because of a panic on board. Congolese air accident investigators hired a specialist, Captain André Decorte, who examined the wreckage and interviewed the sole [human] survivor (the Belgian pilot and the co-pilot did not survive). It transpires that the reason for the crash was that a live crocodile had been smuggled on board! A passenger had concealed the animal in a large holdall, intending to sell it in Bandundu. However, it escaped shortly before landing. The flight attendant rushed towards the cockpit, and then the other passengers followed her. This threw the plane out of balance, and it went into a spin and crashed, despite heroic efforts by the pilot to keep it under control. If we are to believe the reports, some curious people came to the crash site and looted it. A tragic-comic detail: the crocodile survived the crash, before being decapitated with a machete [presumably wielded by one of the looters]. A video shows it quietly emerging from the wreckage. 'For his baptism in the air' [i presume this means the croc's first flight], it was not a success. And after this, don't be surprised if you're searched before boarding.

[juvenal]

I believe it. I've seen that documentary 'Snakes on a Plane'.

[Gigantic Purple Slug]

Also in Jaws II, Jaws the shark eats a helicopter.

Based on this, it seems plausible.

[DrMartinSanchez]

This is definitely possible according to this computer simulation:

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/513760

[Gigantic Purple Slug]

Some video evidence:

Jeez, I never knew sharks could jump that high.

I guess there's a reason why planes fly at 35,000 feet.

[Ologhai Jones]

[Rare Bear]

I read somewhere about a crash of a Fiat G91. When the wreckage was examined the remains of a rabbit were found in the engine. Now the pilot was flying low but no one flies low enough to hit a rabbit. The conclusion reached was that the aircraft had flown under a raptor which had the rabbit in its claws. The bird was startled and dropped the rabbit which was ingested by the engine of the G91. True.

[Gigantic Purple Slug]

I read somewhere about a crash of a Fiat G91. When the wreckage was examined the remains of a rabbit were found in the engine. Now the pilot was flying low but no one flies low enough to hit a rabbit. The conclusion reached was that the aircraft had flown under a raptor which had the rabbit in its claws. The bird was startled and dropped the rabbit which was ingested by the engine of the G91. True.

Clearly they'd never heard of Flopsy, the amazing trampolining rabbit who disappeared one day near an airport.