SIGHTINGS



Veteran Air Captain's
Analysis Of JFK.Jr Crash
7-22-99

 
 
 
From Frederick M. Fox <telarion@earthlink.net
From Betty Martini <Mission-Possible-USA@altavista.net
7-22-99
 
Dear Betty,
 
Among other things, one wonders if he was a user of Aspartame products, such as diet drinks. I hope not. Right off the bat I think I know what happened to him. He was trying to fly VFR in night/haze condictions. He was at 2200 feet and had to make a left descending turn into the airport. That airport evidently does not have a control tower and you have to dial in a radio frequency and then key the mike a number of times to turn on the airport runway lights.
 
If he turned his head to the right for any amount of time, he realigned his inner ear. When he turned back to the left, his inner ear signaled that he was in a right climbing turn, so he automatically went in a left descending turn. Things started to unwind fast and not being instrument rated, he probably paniced as he saw the altimeter unwant, and did the only instinctual thing---pull back on the stick. At this point in time he was on his back and "split S'ed" at a high rate (4700 FPM) into the water. This is consistent with the radar reports.
 
I remember in my early Navy flying experiencing this. Also, in the chair they use in aviation physiology to show how vertigo is induced.
 
Thought you might like to see this explanation, which hasn't been on the news. Also, when you turn and bank a plane, you must sync yourself with the bank angle (learn into the turn, our you will be out of sync with the aircraft, giving you false inner ear inputs.
 
Regards,
 
F.M. Fox, Captain, American Airlines, Retired. 39 years of flying experience. 15 aircraft flown






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