Archive of posts filed under the Airport category.

Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 Crash in Charlotte

Posted by on

This is an expanded version of a Facebook posting on November 24, 2022, and a blogs archive posting (PDF) from April 8, 2010. Courtesy of the Don Sturkey Photographic Materials (P0070), North Carolina Collection, UNC-Chapel Hill Library, from Fatal Distraction by Philip Gerard in Our State magazine. Contents Introduction Timeline Charlotte Fire Department Narrative Introduction On …

Continue reading ‘Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 Crash in Charlotte’ »

One Truck, Two Trucks, Yellow Trucks & More – Solving a Mystery at the Airport

Posted by on

June 29, 2021 And, finally, here are new old photos showing both CB3000 crash trucks at the CFR station at the same time. Proof positive of what’s explained below. Sid Meier photos, scanned from film prints. Sid Meier photos May 11, 2016 Let’s solve a mystery. Did the airport fire department have one or two …

Continue reading ‘One Truck, Two Trucks, Yellow Trucks & More – Solving a Mystery at the Airport’ »

Guliford College Fire Department History

Posted by on

This blog post is based on a Facebook posting from May 2020, the content of which was moved here.  Early years 1941, July – Guilford College community members hold meeting about getting fire protection. They plan to petition the county for funds to buy a fire truck. 1945, Aug – County commissioners approve a fire …

Continue reading ‘Guliford College Fire Department History’ »

Umstead Park Plane Crash, October 2019 – Incident Notes

Posted by on

On October 20, 2019, starting at 7:25 p.m., fire and EMS units were dispatched to a reported plane crash at Umstead State Park, which borders Raleigh-Durham International Airport. The dispatched address was the intersection of Ebenezer Church Road and Graylyn Drive. The airport control tower reported loss of radar contact with a light plane, later …

Continue reading ‘Umstead Park Plane Crash, October 2019 – Incident Notes’ »

Five-Hour Search For Downed Plane at Raleigh-Durham Airport, 1978

Posted by on

Found these plane crash photos from 1978 by Jim Thornton in the Herald-Sun photo collection at Wilson Library at UNC. Here’s the story behind them.  On Monday night, February 13, 1978, a twin-engine Aero Commander 600 approaching Raleigh-Durham Airport disappeared from radar at 8:00 p.m. Six souls were aboard. The plane apparently struck a tree …

Continue reading ‘Five-Hour Search For Downed Plane at Raleigh-Durham Airport, 1978’ »

Audio Recording from Commuter Plane Crash Response in Morrisville, 1994

Posted by on

Here’s a surprise historical find, newly discovered audio recording of the 911 call, the dispatch, and the first 13 minutes of radio traffic, of fire units responding to the commuter plane crash in Morrisville on December 13, 1994. Listen to the recording at www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwV4H5GVK_Y. It was contributed by David Ferrell, a Morrisville Fire Captain and …

Continue reading ‘Audio Recording from Commuter Plane Crash Response in Morrisville, 1994’ »

Interactive Map of Local Plane Crash Sites

Posted by on

New interactive map: Raleigh-Durham area plane crashes. With an emphasis on major / serious / notable. Displays information about crash sites in Wake, Durham, Orange, Harnett, Johnston, and Franklin counties. Most are exact or close-close locations. Some are noted with question marks, and tagged in a general location.  Let’s calls this the final-for-now version. Will …

Continue reading ‘Interactive Map of Local Plane Crash Sites’ »

Run Card for Plane Crash at Umstead Park

Posted by on

See photos from Sunday and Monday at legeros.smugmug.com/Fire-Photos/2019/2019-10-umstead-crash Here’s a run card for Sunday night’s aircraft incident, after radar contact was lost with a small plane on approach to Runway 32 at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. That’s the smallest of the airport’s three runways, and perpendicular to the main runway. The tower notified crash-fire-rescue and airport …

Continue reading ‘Run Card for Plane Crash at Umstead Park’ »

Airport Orders Pierce Pumper – Update October 2019

Posted by on

October 10, 2019 Here’s a factory photo of the completed truck, as posted on this Pierce Flickr page: October 30, 2018 News from Raleigh-Durham International Airport. They’ve ordered a Freightliner/Pierce pumper to replace CFR 1, a 2005 Ford F-550/4 Guys mini-pumper, 500/250/20. And it’s the first full-size pumper in the airport’s history.[1]