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-Short Attention Span Theater-
Man's body found in South African Airways jet wheel well at Dulles International
2014-02-17
[UPI] DULLES, Va., Feb. 16 (UPI) -- Authorities said they found a man's body Saturday in the wheel well of a South African Airways jetliner at Dulles International Airport in suburban Washington.

The Airbus A340 had been parked in a remote parking lot at the airport after landing Wednesday after a flight from Johannesburg. The plane, which had been Flight SA 207, had made one stop in Dakar, Senegal.

Authorities had yet to identify the man, whose body was found by a ground crew about 1:30 p.m. EST, WRC-TV, Washington, reported.

South African Airways representative Tlali Tlali said the airline regrets "any loss of human life and are deeply concerned about the suspicious circumstances surrounding this incident." The body was turned over to the Fairfax County Medical Examiner.
Could have climbed in on a fuel stop in Dakar or Accra, Ghana. Bet he could have used a stiff drink about 12 hours into that one, the poor bugger.
Posted by:Besoeker

#14  As someone said. Rantburg U is always open.

Thanks for the enlightenment. (Not that I was thinking of trying it mind you....).
Posted by: CrazyFool   2014-02-17 23:43  

#13  and yes, I do have too much time on my hands tonight!
Posted by: Uncle Phester   2014-02-17 23:08  

#12  I suspect Hypoxia first (TUC apx 3-6 mins during climb to FL 400) best case = 6 min.

Assuming a constant climb rate of 2,000 ft/min, an altitude of apx 12,000 ft AGL would be attained in 6 minutes, max TUC.

Standard Temp at 12,000 ft is 16.2 degrees F - damn uncomfortably cold, and the ride there would not be fun, but not instantaneously fatal. Doesn't get below 0-F until somewhere around 16,000-17,000 ft.

Assuming no damage at gear retraction (See Alaska Paul), the "stowcicle" should have fallen into the arms of Morpheus before freezing to death.
Posted by: Uncle Phester   2014-02-17 23:00  

#11  The air up there is rare.

Cold air and no oxygen. Annnnnd, if you survive the flight, you could be mangled or drop out when the gear door opens and the gear extends.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2014-02-17 22:00  

#10  Been there and done that too many times Ed.
Posted by: Shipman   2014-02-17 16:04  

#9  Never try to back page through the comments section; it don't work that way.
Posted by: ed in texas   2014-02-17 14:52  

#8  The question is did he freeze before hypoxia set in.
Posted by: ed in texas   2014-02-17 14:50  

#7  The question is did he freeze before hypoxia set in.
Posted by: ed in texas   2014-02-17 14:50  

#6  Yea, this guy is chatting with Nelson about his "radical" trip... He won't be the last desperate bastard to try this trick.

Posted by: Pancho Sforza6225   2014-02-17 11:22  

#5  I believe airliner tires are filled with Nitrogen.
Posted by: Hellfish   2014-02-17 09:39  

#4  There is air in the tire if only he brought an extra valve stem. But the bigger security concern is that it could of been a bomb instead of a knucklehead.
Posted by: Airandee   2014-02-17 08:43  

#3  Warm clothes are not the problem, there's no air up there.
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2014-02-17 08:32  

#2  Nobody told him to take warm clothes. At flight level 380 (38k feet) it's quite nippy out. Just ask any mountain top.
Posted by: ed in texas   2014-02-17 07:15  

#1  ..unfamiliar with the customary and usual operating environment of the A340.?
Posted by: Uncle Phester   2014-02-17 00:22  

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