Paul,
Thank you--I would like to alert you to other technical questions from time to time.
Allen Campbell
DC3/Dakota Historical Society
Paul van den Berg wrote:
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Dear Berkely,
The design of the DC-3 is so strong, that is virtually impossible that the tail would 'fall off' just like that.
No pressurized cabin either, so no airframe stresses, hidden cracks, etc.
In fact, the tail is one of the things still intact after a crash.
One of the reasons the DC-3 is still around all over the world, is its' exeptional structural strength.
Only way to get the tail off in flight would be a mid-air collision with another (not too small) plane.
So in order to keep your story 'realistic', I would not o for the tail failure-option ;-)
Most DC-3 crashes occur after engine failures during take-off or in the climb. That's the most crucial flight phase for the old Gooney Bird ! (or any plane for that matter)
Also many accidents happened just flying into terrain due to pilot error and/or bad visibility in combination with high terrain.
Hope this helps,
Paul van den Berg
Holland
(DC-3 mechanic, Dutch Dakota Assoc.)
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