3 Americans die in cargo plane crash in China

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Source: ap

SHANGHAI – A cargo plane crashed as it took off from Shanghai's main airport Saturday, killing three American crew members and injuring four other employees after it veered off the runway and burst into flames.

Three Americans on the seven-member crew died and a fourth U.S. citizen was injured, U.S. Embassy spokesman Richard Buangan told The Associated Press. He did not know the injured person's condition.

Shanghai television showed what it called a 61-year-old American co-pilot in a hospital bed, conscious and saying "Thank you" to staff and officials.
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The aircraft was operated by Zimbabwe-based Avient Aviation, Xinhua said. Calls to the Zimbabwe Embassy in Beijing went unanswered Saturday.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091128/ap_on_re_as/as_china_cargo_plane_crash

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"While the identity of the airframe has yet to be confirmed, Avient had only just taken delivery of its first MD-11F - registered Z-BAV, serial number 48408 - in the last few days.

This aircraft is an 18-year old Pratt & Whitney PW4000-powered example. Avient opted for the MD-11F to begin replacing its McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30Fs.

Shanghai Pudong's operator states that the aircraft, operating flight Z3324, "overshot the runway" and "disintegrated in flames". There are no casualties on the ground, it adds.

National civil aviation accident investigators have opened an inquiry into the accident, the airport operator states. The flight, which departed runway 35R, is said to have been bound for Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.", states another source, Air Transport Intelligence news:

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/11/28/335573/avient-md-11f-crashes-at-shanghai-days-after-delivery.html