Comments on: In die hard 2 you see a plane crash on the runway and explode, it didn’t have any fuel left, is this possible?

By: Douglas D

Douglas D — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:24:59 +0000

In Hollywood, anything is possible, & yes we measure altitude in an airplane with an altimeter all of the time.
References :

By: Corey M

Corey M — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 22:38:59 +0000

oxygen + fuel + ignition source = a spark. if there was some other fuel onboard that is flammable, the plane would explode, however, because it is a movie, special effects can be added to make it look like there is fuel on board, even though, as you say, there is not.
References :

By: gvh

gvh — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 22:03:59 +0000

Fumes are more explosive than the fuel. I you setup a pan with fuel in it( as long as the ventilation is good) you can drop a lite match in it and the match will go out…note I said if YOU not me. Seriously ,thats a fact. I didn’t see thje movie but you set the altimeter to the barometic pressure then read the altitude and that should match the altitude on your chart. At small airports where you do not have a pressure reading from the tower you set using airport elevation. Altimeters have the dial that shows altitude plus a little window that shows the pressure. Move altitude dial and the pressure window changes.
References :
Private pilot 25 years

By: centurion613

centurion613 — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 21:54:59 +0000

hmm..well i went back and watched that particular segment of the movie.

The plane was low on fuel. it wasn’t out of fuel because the engines would have stopped. however, its more dramatic for the captain to say he had 230 passengers flying around on petrol fumes. personally, i don’t think the plane he was flying could hold 230 people. and jets fly on aviation kerosene, not petrol as the pilot stated.

But…even with kerosene vapor in the tanks, if you slam into the ground at 130 mile per hour landing speed, its going to amount to one heck of a large amount of potential energy. that, and the residual of just a few gallons of kerosene turned to vapor, amounts to one heck of an explosion. so its possible.

incidently, as a former OSH person, one of my really pet peaves is hearing people talk about fumes when they talk about gas or hydocarbon fuel type explosions. sure, it common veniculer to say "the gasoline fumes exploded". however, what explodes is not fumes but vapor mixed with the correct ratio of air or oxygen to support an explosion. fumes are heat or fire related particulants: vapors are the gaseous forms of liquids.

another aspect of the movie was the re-calibration of the glide slope information for the instrument landing system. when the pilot put the plane on essentially the auto landing system that used the signals from the misdirection of 200 feet difference, well good movie item also. but the planes do have a radar altimeter that measures height above the ground independent from what the auto land signals give: close proximity with the ground alerts the pilots with warning lights and sirens and god knows what else. Once again, just more plausible drama.

still a good movie.
References :

By: lowflyer1

lowflyer1 — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 21:17:59 +0000

If there’s no fuel left, there’s no explosion.

In fact, the only plane that would technically ‘explode’ on impact would be one using avgas, which burns hotter and faster than jet fuel. I get highly annoyed watching movies that have no concept of reality, although I suppose a movie is the ultimate in non-reality. Planes don’t ‘explode’ unless something outside is driving it. Helicopters don’t crash everytime you turn around. Radar altimeters can determine actual height above ground, regardless of altimeter setting.
References :

By: Drewpie

Drewpie — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 21:12:59 +0000

All the answers are pretty good. Yes it would still burn given fuel fumes and the fuel laying around against the baffles, etc. The altitude could also be altered by the controller by giving a bad Altimeter setting for the airport. Most planes now have ground radar to tell you when you are too low as well but again it is a movie. This altitude miss-hap happened to the Thunder-bird who crashed his F-16 into the desert at an airshow.

But the "dumb" part of it was the radios. Taking over the tower would have nothing to do with Approach control, etc. Any plane with a radio has the ability to key the mic and say "Hey someone took over the airport turn around". Oh well this was fun movie when terrorism used to be entertainment..
References :
Grew up in the 500 building

By: Richard H

Richard H — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:27:59 +0000

There is more gass in a fuel tanck when it is empty because of this it makes the fuel more explosive
References :
pilot

By: BitburgerPilsMan

BitburgerPilsMan — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:52:59 +0000

Even if the engines shut down, there would still be a bit of fuel left, not to mention the fumes, and hydraulic fluid is extremely flammable. There could be a pretty good fire. If there wasn't, the crash scene would suck as well.
References :

By: waitin2croak

waitin2croak — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:19:59 +0000

Yes. Fumes.
References :

By: flyguy03

flyguy03 — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:33:59 +0000

Its a movie and things are always over done in movies. And no they could not just change the altitude of the glide slope like they did in the movie. And yes aircraft can there own altimeters in them in which they measure altitude.
References :