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DC-Xa The Clipper Graham She actually flew! |
| Home | Exerpts from Nasa Press Release #97-3: "The Clipper Graham (DC-XA) Incident Investigation Board has released its final report concerning the July 31 post-landing tip-over and fire which destroyed the 43-foot vertical takeoff and landing vehicle at White Sands Missile Range, NM." "The Board, Chaired by former Astronaut Vance Brand, concluded "The primary cause of the vehicle mishap was that the brake line on the helium pneumatic system for landing gear #2 was not connected. This unconnected brake line prevented the brake mechanism from being pressurized to release the brake and resulted in landing gear #2 not extending. The vehicle became unstable upon landing, toppled onto its side, exploded and burned." "The July 31 flight demonstration was the fourth in last summer's series of tests with Clipper Graham by NASA and its industry partner, McDonnell Douglas. The vehicle flew the planned flight profile successfully and uneventfully until landing. With landing gear #2 failing to deploy -- there were four landing gears on Clipper Graham -- the vehicle tipped over and, according to the report, " The Clipper Graham DC-XA vehicle was totally destroyed by ground impact and ensuing explosions and fires."" Read the Press Release in it's entirety at: http://rlv.msfc.nasa.gov/RLV_HTMLs/NR97-3.html For all the flight test final reports see: http://rlv.msfc.nasa.gov/RLV_HTMLs/RLVDCXA1.html This free space provided by |
