San Francisco Crash Pilot 'Blinded By Light'
The pilot of a plane which crashed at San Francisco airport, killing two people, may have been temporarily blinded by a bright light as he came into land.
Lee Kang Kuk, who was making his first landing at the airport and had just 43 hours' experience at the controls of the Boeing 777, said he saw a bright flash as he approached the runway.
It happened around 35 seconds before impact when Asiana Airlines flight 214 was around 500ft (150m) off the ground - the point at which the aircraft began to slow down and drop steeply.
Deborah Hersman, who chairs the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), said the use of lasers had not been ruled out.
It is not clear whether the flash of light caused the crash or whether other factors were to blame.
The pilot's claim came as phone calls to the emergency services made by passengers on board the plane were released, demonstrating the confusion caused when the Boeing 777 hit the runway.
Pleading for ambulances to be sent, one woman can be heard saying: "There are a lot of people that need help ... We have people over here who weren't found and they're burned really badly."
Meanwhile, it has emerged that passengers were initially told not to evacuate the aircraft.
The plane hit a sea wall as it came into land, causing its tail fin to break off and the rest of the fuselage to spin across the runway.
However, the NTSB found people did not begin leaving the plane until a fire erupted 90 seconds after impact.
"We don't know what the pilots were thinking, though I can tell you in previous accidents there have been crews that don't evacuate, they wait for other vehicles to come to be able to get the passengers out safely," Ms Hersman said.
She suggested that the pilots in the cockpit may not have been in a position to spot the fire outside the plane.
At least one of the emergency escape slides opened inside the aircraft, pinning down two flight attendants.
Three other crew members were flung from the aircraft onto the runway but survived.
The NTSB is using pilot interviews, cockpit recordings and control tower communications to piece together the moments leading up to the crash.
They found both Mr Lee and his co-pilot, Lee Jung Min, who was on his first flight as an instructor, both thought the aircraft's speed was being controlled by an autothrottle, which was set to 157mph.
When they realised the plane was approaching the waterfront runway too low and too slow, they both reached for the throttle.
Passengers heard a loud roar as the pilots made a desperate attempt to abort the landing.
Two Chinese students were killed in the crash, which left 180 people injured. The students, who began their journey to the US in Shanghai, were on their way to a 15 day camp to study English.
Families of around 20 survivors who remain in hospital have begun arriving to care for their loved ones.
Flight 214 was a direct flight from Incheon in South Korea to San Francisco. - Sky
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New Bill Declares Lunar Landing Sites as National Historical Parks
A new bill introduced into the U.S. Congress would establish the Apollo Lunar Landing Sites National Historical Park on the moon.
Called the Apollo Lunar Landing Legacy Act, the bill was introduced Monday (July 8) by Rep. Donna Edwards of (D-Md.) and was co-sponsored by Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas).
The bill (House Resolution 2617) was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the House Committee on Natural Resources. - Space
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Baby baboon, alien or tokoloshe?
Some said the strange, elongated creature found at The Crags, just outside Plettenberg Bay, South Africa yesterday, was an alien, others a donkey or a tokoloshe.
Some mockingly described it as a Die Antwood groupie or an axed cabinet minister.
By lunch time even a German newspaper had called the local authorities to confirm news of a "half man, half monkey" being found in South Africa.
On Facebook, some users urged speculators to "calm down, it's just a tokoloshe".
Dr Magdalena Braum, of The Crags Veterinary Clinic, didn't flinch when the creature was placed before her for an autopsy.
It was found by a tourist at a nature reserve and given to SA National Parks officials.
"What I saw is not uncommon," Braum said.
She said the creature had died from being bitten in the head and that its body was elongated because its grieving mother had carried it for weeks after its death.
She said that if the body had not been elongated it would have been identified immediately.
"Anyone could see it was baby baboon," she said. - TimesLive
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High Strangeness in Durango, Colorado
11/1/2006 - In our pasture was a recently cut large box elder burl, over 500 lbs and 48 inches in diameter, growing water sprouts which would have made it difficult to burn. It was wrapped with a 4" wide car towing strap which had been used to move it with a tractor. The entire burl disappeared leaving a circular ash footprint with only a 1/2 " of ash remaining. A perfect 4 foot section of the toe strap remained outside the circle with a burned edge. The pasture grass was very dry and remained unaffected outside the burned circle. The ground with in the circle remained sterile for several years after the incident. We work at home and were in town at the time of the disappearance but never had any indication of a fire or burning of the log (smoke or smoke odor). - MUFON CMS
The UFO Invasion: The Roswell Incident, Alien Abductions, and Government Coverups
The THREAT: Revealing the Secret Alien Agenda
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JUST RELEASED!
Lee Brickley's Terrifying New Book
(Exposing England's Strangest Location – Cannock Chase)
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The eternally mysterious woodlands of Cannock Chase in Staffordshire, England are known throughout the
world as an entry point for bizarre and unearthly, paranormal phenomena. From werewolf sightings and
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experiences more inexplicable activity than you even dare imagine.
world as an entry point for bizarre and unearthly, paranormal phenomena. From werewolf sightings and
spectral encounters, to documented UFO crashes and spooky urban legends, this supernatural portal area
experiences more inexplicable activity than you even dare imagine.
In this book, Lee Brickley chronicles his investigation into the very location many researchers call “England's
Strangest”. With brand new sighting reports, spine tingling tales of gruesome monsters, and fresh
information on the alleged top secret military connection that could be responsible for it all. Are you brave
enough to find out what's really going down in the woods today?
Strangest”. With brand new sighting reports, spine tingling tales of gruesome monsters, and fresh
information on the alleged top secret military connection that could be responsible for it all. Are you brave
enough to find out what's really going down in the woods today?
www.leebrickley.weebly.com/
https://twitter.com/lee_brickley
www.paranormalcannock.blogspot.co.uk
http://www.silentvoices.org.uk/
http://magazine.soulsearchers.spheresoflight.com.au/
https://twitter.com/Lee_TCR