On Wed, 7 Sep 2005 09:44:21 +0000 (UTC), Brian McIlwrath
wrote:

MoonMan wrote:

: I did wonder how a gondola managed to come off the cable, and for that
: matter how people where "thrown out" of a modern gondola, but after thinking
: about the families of the victims, I still wonder what the probability of
: hitting a cable with a lump of concrete is?

My reading of the BBC News item suggest that the lump of concrete hit a cabin
and knocked it off the wire. Then the nearest other gondolas - while remaining
attached - swung so violently that people were thrown out!

Still seems crazy to fly directly over the gondolas and not just to one side!

But if the line it is taking is across the line of the cable, that
would require a significant detour.

And helicopters carrying loads fly over other populated structures all
the time, usually without problems.

This really was an incredibly unlikely chance, even if the pilot was
aware his load was insecure.
--
Alex Heney, Global Villager
I may not be perfect, but parts of me are excellent.
To reply by email, my address is alexATheneyDOTplusDOTcom