Aregional jet aircraft crashes on a rolling hill declining at 5o relative to the line of flight. it was determined the flight path angle was 17 degrees the time of the crash. analysis of the airspeed indicator showed the airspeed was 140 knots. initial impact occurred with the aircraft nose 3 degrees above the horizon. the impact scar was measured to be 1 foot at its deepest and 273 feet long. the fuselage is crushed 12 inches vertically and 60 inches horizontally.
method of solution:
1. sketch known quantities
2. convert known quantities to standard dimensional units
a) distances in feet
b) velocities in feet/second
3. determine magnitude of velocity component
a) parallel to impact surface
b) perpendicular to impact surface
4. determine stopping distance
a) parallel to impact surface
b) perpendicular to impact surface
5. determine acceleration components
a) select the crash pulse
b) parallel to impact surface
c) perpendicular to impact surface
6. determine resultant acceleration magnitude and direction, with respect to impact surface
7. determine direction of resultant acceleration with respect to aircraft axes
8. estimate survivability potential