Report Comes Out Showing The Pilot Broke Protocol To Make The Right Decision During Michigan Basketball's Plane Crash Last Year
[Detroit News] - Because 54-year-old pilot Mark Radloff overrode a century of aviation wisdom, the Wolverines were able to evacuate the crippled plane and fly to Washington, D.C., the next morning. They took the court in their practice uniforms, beat Illinois by 20 points and went on to win the Big Ten tournament.
The report on the incident is deliberately clinical, omitting the exclamation points that surely came with potential disaster. Profanities are expressed with a simple “#.” Much of the 881 pages are either technical or mundane. The analysis of weather conditions for the spot where the plane had been parked overnight, crosswise to the wind, runs 20 pages and includes four maps, three charts and 16 models.
There are no conclusions; precedent says the NTSB will not release its official determination for another six to 12 months.
But there is the clear suggestion that the crucial failed part — an elevator, which controls upward and downward movement of the plane — jammed amid wind gusts that were theoretically not serious enough to require a physical inspection. There is discussion about the airline’s rules regarding who would order that inspection. There is enough concern from Ameristar that it has grounded its other MD-83.
Details and reports are starting to emerge from last year’s plane crash involving the Michigan basketball team when it was getting ready to leave for the Big 10 Tournament in Washington D.C. They are absolutely terrifying and show just how quick Mard Radloff had to think in order to save lives and a complete tragedy. Hell, even going back and reading this it’s a near miracle that there were minimal injuries and the most severe was Derrick Walton Jr., getting stitches in his leg.
Ultimately what the report says is the plane was stuck in a position that wouldn’t have allowed it to get into the air properly. Protocol says if that happens to find the nearest airport to land as safe as possible. Radloff did the opposite. He slammed on the brakes, reversed the engines and skidded off the runway, never getting the plane into the air. That decision ultimately saved lives as we don’t know what the hell would have happened if that plane got into the air. Luckily, we don’t have to imagine that because of the decision made by Radloff.
We know the awesome story that followed. Michigan beat Illinois while wearing practice jerseys the following day. They then upset the No. 1 seed Purdue Boilermakers before going on and winning the Big 10 Tournament. The run propelled Michigan to a No. 7 seed where it upset No. 2 Louisville in the Round of 32 before losing to Oregon in the Sweet 16. Thanks to Radloff, that was all possible because of his quick decision making.
Just an absolutely crazy story more than a year later that I highly suggest reading.