Buffalo Airways Electra Suffers A Crash Landing | Ice Pilots | Wonder

[@bbayerit]

Ray's love for his job is quite apparent, in spite of his words. Well done, good sir. Because of you, everyone on board is alive to fly again. God bless.

[@myohmypodcast]

I felt his pain. Not because I could relate in any way. But because I could feel it from every word he spoke. When he started tearing up talking about “sometimes your best isn’t good enough”, that was straight pain. My man didn’t put a scratch on one living life that day. But his injured bird had him in tears. That’s a true pilot, and human being all wrapped into one.

[@natcalverley4344]

Wrong . I understand the sentiment but as a retired float plane driver I can tell you air crews are replaceable. It happens all the time. They build hours and want to fly for the big boys after they have made all their mistakes and gained experience at small outfits. It is the way of the North . Be a rampy for a season or two then get a sniff at being in the cockpit . Prove yourself and you are on your way all while working for less than minimum wage so you better love flying. Losing a aircrew to a tragedy is heartbreaking but even they are replaced but their memory lives on in the lives of their friends and loved ones forever.

[@stevenbillman7418]

@@myohmypodcast 66yy6

[@zoidberg444]

I felt bad for Ray when I saw this - what a thing to happen weeks before retirement. Although you can't beat having 50 years flying experience on board if you have to land a crippled aircraft like that. First class work from the lads at Buffalo.

[@solannaaa]

When the pandemic started, I started watching these kind of documentaries and I became addicted.

[@markstopkey4085]

We formed a help group for this! 😄

[@thomasbayer5736]

Join the club!

[@WeeJasperVetClinic]

Same as me but a lot was filmed in 2012 so they are a bit old

[@trespire]

I was technical ground crew - structural technician in the Israeli Air Force. In D-Check (heavy maintenance depot) the jets were sometimes litrally dissmantled to bits. Engines removed, wings and horizontal stabalizers dissconnected, all avionics removed, no canopy, sometimes stripped bare of all paint. To the untrained eye, not much left to look at. Pilots almost never ever went anywhere near the D-Check hangers, I was told pilots didn't feel comfortable seeing their jets in bits and pieces. Planes can be repaired and even rebuilt. Air crew are not replacable.

[@taproom113]

Thank you for your service, Sir! Shalom & Semper Fi ^v^

[@volador2828]

I used to do the same work as you... it was unreal looking at a skeleton plane and then put it back together.

[@trespire]

@@taproom113 Thank you.

[@trespire]

@@volador2828 What I only realized several years later, weight for weight, some aluminium alloys are over 3 times stronger than low carbon steel. There is liberal use of AL7075 - T6, and even T7 throught F-15 & F-16 structure. These jets are rated to around 14G. Metalurgy & materials science is wild !

[@volador2828]

@@trespire Yep, I also use to run oil samples on jets. I learned quite a bit about metals and oil. About 3-500 samples a day! I've grounded a few airplanes in my day...

[@sgd5k292]

I had tears in my eyes watching this. In the early '60's, at 13 years old, the Electra was the first plane I had ever flown in and had a number of round trip flights in them from LA to Oakland. That was when I decided I wanted to learn to fly. Although I never got to fly an Electra, I did fly for over 20 years including the largest plane being a C-47. This plane was actually Donald Douglasses' personal plane that in 1946 he had it pulled off the C-47 line and converted it to use as his personal plane. Great memories.

[@ThePaulv12]

Yeah it was heartbreaking to watch.

[@TheGrumpyEnglishman]

It was returned to the air by Buffalo. It now serves with them as a tanker in a new paint scheme..

[@markomaticd4106]

What an incredible landing, and what an excellent job of attempting to get that gear down. I have great respect for that crew.

[@craigf3624]

A pilot never wants to see his plane damaged, but the crew did the very best that could be expected under the circumstances, no one was hurt.

[@johnnyg1261]

Pop lpl see a D No

[@colinward1007]

@@johnnyg1261 English?

[@mikearakelian6368]

Like crashing your vet stingray...brings tears to one's eyes

[@bigb6866]

The respect the pilots have for their plane is unmatched.

[@jimksa67]

BUT maintenance , flight engineer nor pilots caught the wheel scuff marks on the doors initially on walk around - how could they miss that?! Great job but sloppy habits make for dangerous and expensive swiss cheese. .02

[@garyroth2764]

Watching this brought back memories, and the emotions too, of my time in Alaska during the 60s where we worked in a similar environment, and especially our gear up landing in a C-130. We saved everything but some skin. These events all start on a normal day, and then usually go downhill. In the USAF we weren't hampered by the fiscal restraints of Buffalo but the emotions were no less real. You guys are a rare breed and have my undying admiration for taking on projects that the big guys just sniff at and ignore. The inherent dangers of working with old equipment in dangerous conditions is scary but, you do it anyway because it invariably involves life issues and or survival of the company or both. You have my admiration.

[@virgillasher5656]

the pilot saved all lives and did the least damage to the plane he did a great job under those conditions and should be proud i congradulate him and all crew

[@prof.heinous191]

Ray "You do your best, and sometimes it's not good enough." Ray, it was a mechanical issue, you did your best, and that's way better than most could do, and you saved your crew and half an airplane. Great job!

[@captlarry-3525]

No way to fault that man. None.

[@died4us590]

I was so glad that joe was so calm with ray, because he did the best landing you could do under the situation. I hope they all thanked GOD for getting them home safe. God bless everyone.

[@elosogonzalez8739]

Capt. Ray has "The Right Stuff"! It could have so much worse. After such an accident, it took alot of balls to get back in the saddle! Ray and Joe realized this crew had to be together again. Outstanding episode! Looks like damage to BAQ won't be terminal. Is it repairable? Way to go eh?!

[@AviationNut]

Yes BAQ was repaired and put back into service and it's still flying for Buffalo airways to this day.

[@elosogonzalez8739]

@@AviationNut Maybe not the airplane for unimproved airport operations. Enjoy every epsiode.

[@christiaanmostert6870]

Awesome example of keeping a cool head by a top notch flight crew! What a great episode and congrats with the excellent photography!!

[@coover65]

great to see this back in service. This was the very first plane I flew on from Brisbane (YBBN) to Melbourne (YMEN) via Sydney back in 1966 when it was owned by Ansett as VH-RMA.

[@joncox9719]

After 40 years in Aviation, nothing I hated more than being told you have "X" amount of time and it HAS to be flying! That's what KILLS! I've been up for 48 hours straight to be the "HERO"! Looking back, I now realize how STUPID it was and how easy it is to make a FATAL mistake that could kill everyone on the aircraft! Just as Pilot's have duty time restrictions, so should maintenance personel! When you rush and work tired, you make mistakes!

[@guytrimble8171]

I agree.

[@Hubjeep]

38:10 I was thinking the same thing! This isn't getting a pool ready last minute for the 4th of July in the Hamptons, this is lives potentially at risk. I'm surprised the boss was that stern on camera.... I see little room for CRM in that communication. That's: "yes boss".

[@captlarry-3525]

Amen. I understand he needs his crew to make it happen, so they dont lose revenue... without which it all stops flying. But your point is the right one.

[@michaelgrey7854]

I agree. Nothing should come before safety. But this is a mickey mouse outfit.

[@bigdmac33]

This is real edge-of-the-seat stuff. Ray is one heck of a pilot.

[@craighagstrom1692]

My dad died in an Electra with all his passengers due to a maintenance fault. It's good to see one end as good as this. That plane looked damn fine on the ground to me.

[@billjobes1851]

What a GREAT episode ! KUDOS to the whole production team for a spectacular job. And especially to the heroic men of the flight crew. Such cool under pressure is rare indeed.

[@davidhuckaby832]

As a ground crew that guides it to park with flash lights, the Electra is the most intimidating frightening plane of all planes coming at you with 4 separate 10 foot props spinning at high speed. And when looking up at pilots, you often see them with big smiles.

[@davidpring9108]

After all of that, the aircraft has been repaired and is still in service today!

[@frostyfrost4094]

Thank you saw this L188 when it was in the UK

[@unablesmilethegamer4323]

It really wasn’t that bad

[@danielgallaher4995]

How many Electra parts are around today??(

[@KermitTheFlogga]

@@danielgallaher4995 alot

[@Mike_delta80]

@@danielgallaher4995 With the US NAVY retiring the P-3 there are plenty of parts for the L-188s

[@olemansailor6519]

I was a P-3A, B and C Orion Instructor Flight engineer in the US Navy for 14 years. The Electra is basically the civilian version of the Orion. I used to fly a P-3C that had done a right MLG failure to deploy landing. The Navy fixed the plane, but no matter what we did to it, it always flew 3° right wing down. I'm retired from the Navy now and I do miss the flying.

[@jdbrown3695]

Scary event, but well done by the pilots to work the problem and come out with the best outcome. Great flying! Great job by the mechs to get the backup ready to fly!

[@davidbrett1958]

Best show on the tube and so glad no one was hurt, I've always said those electras are nothing but trouble!

[@Scimiter1948]

What a professional crew, they did their job and brought the plane down in the best manner possible.

[@howardcroft3748]

Soon after Sean resigned and moved to another company. While I don't criticise his decision in anyway... I felt it was a pity. He had this situation under control. His decision to swap seats with the much more experienced captain was just common sense. I hope he didn't do it from a lack of confidence because from everything we saw ... he totally had this situation under control. Sean was an outstanding pilot. I hope his career continued to reflect the man.

[@allobject]

Amazing, no matter how much it did hurt... understandably. Professionals with real souls and hearts.

[@obsidiansuby]

I was taught to hit the brakes a bit before transiting the gear, spinning tire is larger and can jam in the doors when it is coming up.

[@michaeldolch9126]

Not a pilot myself but had the same thought.

[@falcorob2057]

Yep, that was how I was taught as well. There was rubber on one of the doors, so it was obviously struck as the gear was retracting, but if the wheel hadn't been spinning the door may not have been dragged into the tyre causing it to deform and jam the wheel in the well. Maybe a bit of a maintenance issue that the door could hit the tyre in the first place, but I think also a pilot training oversight.

[@davidmerullo551]

Yep always tap brakes before transitioning gear. All pilots of RG aircraft in the US are taught this. Why they don’t do so is partly what may have caused this in the first place.

[@stearman456]

@@davidmerullo551 The Electra does have nosewheel rub strips to stop the tires spinning but if you tap the brakes on on a big set of tires (which are heavier than heck) the tires often turn on the wheel - especially in the cold. With a tubed tire the valve stem gets cut off eventually and with a tubeless tire it can break the bead and cause a flat, so they just spin until they stop by themselves. Some airplanes require tapping the brakes (the F4U Corsair is one of them) because the tires just barely fit in the wheel wells, but generally bigger airplanes (because of the mass of the tires) don't. The C-130 is the same way.

[@terrancestodolka4829]

Good Job. The airplane has done the service for so long that you don't like to lose those great memories of camaraderie with it.

[@eugeniustheodidactus8890]

*That landing was balls.* My hat is off to Ray !

[@patriciastyles2736]

Loved watching this!!! Good job guys and glad you were safe!!!

[@ROCKSTARCRANE]

Very heartwarming story. These are real pilots....

[@lonpearson2134]

Great job of piloting the aircraft and glad the crew was all safe.

[@eliteclassicdetailing]

This was Worth watching. Team in Cockpit and Ground Grew. Everyone Came out safe and best bit was Each Pilot and engineer checking each other before getting back in the Air.

[@richardmarumaru8955]

That's good you're good pilot and your got out of it safe have a good retirement

[@jamessharkey7391]

I would fly with Ray any day. Powerful stuff. God job sir.

[@dawnamize5118]

I love the can do Attitudes and the decisions the crew made for the best outcome.

[@WitchidWitchid]

I'd love to work for a company like Buffalo and live up there in the far north. I also like the color scheme they use. That turquoise is so retro. That was also an awesome save. Ray saved the crew and the airplane. Considering what that plane went through the damage wasn't all that bad.

[@Weymann63]

There's a lot of click bait on youtube, this was very real. Amazing pilot skills. Hope they get the old bird flying again.

[@RobertTKlaus]

"Hope they get the old bird flying again." Didn't you watch the video?

[@Weymann63]

@@RobertTKlaus Watched it right through. They got the second one in the air using the crashed one's engine but the crashed one will need alot of love to get airworthy again. Did I miss something?

[@emiralamsyah9668]

Very experienced Pilots, Very skilled Mechanics, of Buffallo Airways. Go up sirs.

[@elliotoliver8679]

Awesome piloting by Ray, a true pilot I would fly with any day

[@ajbaumgart4774]

Ray was a good pilot buffalo had glad he was able to land the plane and the crew wasnt hurt or even worse even people on the ground that could not have ended well if it wasnt for rays experience and his quick thinking

[@Milnoc]

Everyone's alive, and no one's hurt. That's what mattered the most.

[@ohwell2790]

When in the ANG in California after being a crew chief engine run qualified in the USAF on C-141A's 1965-1968. I believe that I was the only taxi and runup qualified crew chief in the ANG or USAF on C-130E's. Even the Navy crew chiefs had to have a flight crew do that when we moved to the Navy air station at Mugu . At Van Nuys CA ANG we had a full simulator to qualify on. I was the only crew chief to qualify because no one else wanted the responsibility. Taxing the C-130 was a blast and I could trim the engines on my airplane when we went to the fence ( the fence deflects the prop blast) and balance the engine prop combination with the engine shop guys to get the most out of the airplane. C-130E 64-1799 a antique by todays standard. Now retired and still miss those days. Now, they don't let enlisted to do that anymore. Such a shame there are a lot of smart people in the USAF/ Navy/Army that could qualify to do that. It is and was so much fun taxiing that plane. Because of that got a lot of trips out of the US.

[@billblair3941]

Love it! This is real life drama. No Hollywood BS.

[@gordyrother1836]

Ray and crew one hell of a great job.

[@richardmarumaru8955]

good pilot man you saved everybody even some of the main parts of the aircraft just have a happy retirement and good memories a pilot

[@d1sastergirl136]

I feel like the copilot should be praised for admitting he wasn't ready for the emergency landing and was more comfortable with Ray taking over. There have been many planes brought down by ego driven pilots making mistakes. Much praise to the copilot here for putting his ego aside and admitting to Ray he didn't think he should be the one to land the plane.

[@Mark_Ocain]

These guys were soooo cool in a crisis. Plenty of guys would be jumping out of their skin in panic. That's experience shining through right there.

[@frozenangel3730]

I just love all the Buffalo staff and crew ... I love Joe most God bless you al...

[@nancychace8619]

I had to stop about 33:ish. Got tired of being hammered with phone beeps. But what a story! Ray has nothing to be ashamed of. Everybody walked away. A colorful retirement. Unclear to me when this happened. Couldn't find a date. The Winds of Fate seem to be going your way. Wish you all good luck. Thanks for sharing.

[@janfurze5708]

Just like watching a John Wayne film! Wow Ray.....what a hero!

[@KenJames9911]

This Guy is Legendary.

[@michaeldundee8300]

13:50 pilots are legendary

[@inhale.exhale.2527]

that pilot be a boss!! respect. 👍👍👍

[@fhuber7507]

Joe looked fully concerned for the safety of the people. He's often an A$$.... but he does care.

[@espr7564]

Great job guys, everybody got out !!

[@vidanacl6489]

This has to be one of the best episodes, if not the best.

[@Mcleodp]

Good job,, amazing landing, all of them calm and professional.

[@mck5549]

Phenomenal landing. Experience respected.

[@50ShadesofTrey87]

That took skill and balls of iron to land that thing, Ray was worried about the plane more than anything. Shows a little bit of how dedicated to flying he is.

[@DoomTrooperTV]

Holy cow I had no idea Ray is 69! That guys is a beast!!!

[@jerseymike4135]

That was a superb piece of flying. Well done!

[@mortdk]

Incredible and scary to watch an airplane crash while everybody will know it will happen. And amazing how calm and professional pilot Ray and company owner Joe McBryan are taking this.

[@captlarry-3525]

must be one of the last of these 60's turbo prop passenger liners flying.

[@FSHSKainon]

She got you home ! She’ll fly again

[@hotelgulf]

Lockheed Electra: BADA$$ to the bone. 💚✅

[@captlarry-3525]

Beautiful Job... just right ! Nobody could have done anymore... and damage minimized.

[@Mark_Ocain]

Love how those old Allison 501-D turboprops kick out the smoke...real pretty LOL

[@kennedysingh3916]

Watched from Jamaica wear the US use to have two WW2 military bases which I have researched. I was tense all the way as I watch but glad every one is OK.

[@my-yt-inputs2580]

Retired Herk FE. Been to Yellowknife a few times doing the Dew Line support missions.

[@stephenpowell8750]

I don't get why they start taking snow off the electra in the hangar. The melting snow is going to make the floor slippery so why not get rid of the snow before towing it into the hangar.

[@Whocaresss514]

The respect I have for everyone involved can’t be put in writing. Amazing.

[@billdurham8477]

Thumbs down for Google ads at touchdown, way to go. And time to sport for that L100/C130E??

[@bigd4561]

Amazing skills. Controlled!!

[@JohanGarde-yt6ed]

Chuck is gold for Buffalo 🦬

[@jmp.t28b99]

The Electra was flown frequently on long range patrol with 2 engines shut down for fuel conservation. Shutting down at least number 4 prior to landing would have been an option .

[@emergencylowmaneuvering7350]

Exactly what i was thinking. Im a retired Multi engine CFI. Twice i had to land with an engine feathered. No big deal. Flaps and cowl flaps up, engine feathered and shut down, land sofly on the opposite side of engine bad, shut off all gas and electric on short approach. This landing do look stupid for a multi CFi . Fail.

[@stearman456]

@@emergencylowmaneuvering7350 Actually, if you know the airplane, they did it exactly right. The flaps were down of course because of the huge difference that it makes in the touchdown speed of an Electra and the fact that you can't pull reverse on the engines until below 128 knots (doing so can internally disconnect the prop from the engine and in that scenario you'd want to be able to pull all the reverse you possibly could on your good engines to keep the airplane straight and on the runway for as long as possible). They killed the fuel and ignition to #3 & #4 on very short final but didn't feather the props. When a feathered prop (on an Electra, anyway) hits the ground leading edge first it's very strong and will often tear the prop & gearbox off the engine, or sometimes even the engine itself out of the nacelle. When these props hit still in the flight range they fold back fairly readily which limits the damage. The way that the crew dealt with it is exactly the way that it's written in the AFM. The airplane survived and flew again - I flew it yesterday.

[@asya9493]

@@emergencylowmaneuvering7350 Q1: What does the checklist and AFM / SOP say ?

[@emergencylowmaneuvering7350]

@@asya9493 That is the standard for ALL propeller airplanes. 1960's manuals lack a lot of precautions and preps. And manufacturers even promoted you bend a lot of parts so they could sell them to you. I have been flying since 1969.

[@asya9493]

@@emergencylowmaneuvering7350 Agreed ! I'm surprised that company SOP/checklists were not updated.

[@DerredmaxTRIAX]

That is one great pilot.!

[@WillChandlerFLD120]

Pretty slick crash landing. No fire 😊

[@LS-zj7kv]

If they could have put any pilot in the left seat for the landing, including most pilots in existence that day, Ray was the top choice...

[@hoghogwild]

10:45 That device that closes the gear door as the gear comes up is quite the design. Simple and cant close prior to gear retraction.

[@KnightDaylight]

Im an AMT in training and the fact that Lockheed Electra's always have problems, always makes it a nail biter to see these fly. There is a known tendency for their props to depart the aircraft during operation, if there is vibration present

[@Softail77us]

That's the most riveting episode I've seen.

[@naknaksdadn572]

Ray one hell of a pilot!

[@gawd_jihyo]

oh my god he landed the plane without an explosion happening and he was sad that he damaged the plane? he did so good!!!

[@colincampbell7126]

And Chuck's the man!

[@gerrydepp8164]

When a gear is stuck down you leave it down. Great landing!

[@davelee9087]

I would like to see these videos dated so those of us following would know when the incident (in this case) occurred. Obviously, based on one of the comments, this was a year or more ago, and during the winter season. I hope I speak for some of the other followers of Buffalo Airways when I say this, please tell us when these videos happen. This was one of the best Buffalo videos I have watched.

[@thegregdavieschannel]

It was 2012.

[@augie6651]

March 17th 2012 was the date for this.

[@brawlking6332]

Ray you are amazing 👏 👏👏👏👏

[@marcosoares47]

Sensacional. Parabéns à Buffalo!!!!

[@williamloh9018]

Have been a big fan for years...and this one was one of the best. Nice job Ray and crew...shiny side up. Glad to see you have lost some weight Mikey...one of the few things we can control. Every pound off is 9 miles less capillaries for your heart to deal with. Maybe there is a place to go swimming there...the best way to tighten it all up really. My Dad flew C-47s and C-54s in the USAF...and he sure loved that Gooney Bird.

[@thelonemodder630]

That is heck of a perfect landing capt! 💪👍👍👍👍👍

[@keithdoot7366]

Nicely Done Ray!

[@rds0009]

Very professional pilots..... Good job Buffalo! 👌🤙

[@terrysmith7076]

Great job Guy’s landing and fixing the second Electra. ☮️

[@bradschwamberger1217]

That is a Pilot!

[@ndlovu1699]

I'm the first to day on wonder , I love your video and your narrative

[@betsymess8532]

First time I’ve ever viewed this channel. Great! Ty!

[@jdoggybizzle]

Luby took it all in stride too, they did a hell of a job saving that plane, it could have been an absolute charlie foxtrot.

[@vaikjsf34a]

The pilot's job ultimately is to get as many people on the ground as safely as possible. While the aftermath of the plane looks a terrible mess, the landing was a success and the pilot saved everyone on board and two of four engines. Everyone's alive, you can thank God , and sort the airplane out later. Great job by the pilot, his experience was required on that flight. This stuff happens.