On Mon, 3 Feb 2003, Harmon Seaver wrote:

Yeah, but most pilots, if they suspected an even semi-serious breach of their craft's integrity, *AND* had the ability to fairly safely send someone outside to have a looksee, wouldn't hesitate a moment before doing so. They've been delayed by weather in landing far longer than that would take.

I heard this afternoon on NPR that NASA reported one of the engines was on full blast attempting to correct for high drag on the left side. Add this to the high wheel temp before sensor loss - the landing gear was down. The Columbia had just gotten the new "glass cockpit", all new computers. I bet there was a bug in the code someplace that lowered the landing gear and didn't report it via normal channels. On an airplane lowering your landing gear early isn't that big a deal. But at mach 18 it's pretty serious. No way to inspect for that when your instruments don't report what your equipment is doing. I bet it's a combination of minor problems, with a bit in a rom going bad maybe. As the Major said, chalk one up for Allah. Patience, persistence, truth, Dr. mike