Panic wrote
> I note there was no fire after the crash.

Did it occur to you that there was no ignition source?

It did, after all, land in the grass, and kerosene has a
much higher flash point than does gasoline.

Flash point - The temperature at which a particular flammable liquid
gives off vapors (vaporizes) and therefore can ignite. The
flash point differs for each type of flammable liquid. Kerosene has a
flash point of 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Gasoline has a flash
point of -40 degrees. This means that at 110 degrees or higher kerosene
gives off flammable vapors and can ignite. However,
gasoline requires a temperature of only -40 degrees to vaporize to cause
an explosion or fire. This means that when the
temperature is freezing, gasoline still vaporizes and can cause an
explosion and/or fire. At the same temperature, kerosene
cannot ignite. Liquids such as gasoline with a flashpoint below 100
degrees are called flammable liquids. Kerosene and other
liquids with a flash point above 100 degrees are referred to as
combustible liquids.

The aircraft had just descended from a long cruise at temperatures of
minus 50-60 degrees and the fuel was obviously very cold and below
its flash point.

This is real-life, not Hollywood...very few automobile and
aircraft accidents wind-up in a fireball.

Did you have to respond by reposting the entire Sunday Times
news article?

Bob Moore
ATP B-727, B-707
PanAm (retired)
--- SBBSecho 2.12-Win32