What: Microlight
Where: West Wyalong Australia
When: May 18 2012
Who: 2 aboard, 0 fatalities
Why: Two men were aboard a trike style microlight which crashed in a paddock south of West Wyalong. A 35-year-old local man with pelvis and spinal injuries was airlifted to Canberra Hospital. A 27 year old man had lacerated leg injuries.
Police established a crime scene at the Wargin Road location but ATSB is not investigating.
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Contact photographer Pawel Cieplak
What: OLT Express Airbus A320-200 en route from Warsaw to Hurghada
Where: Sofia
When: May 17, 2012
Who: 147 passengers and 8 crew
Why: While en route, cabin lost pressure. The crew descended to save levels and diverted to Sophia.
On descent, pilots reported a fire in the cabin. A hot oxygen generation unit set carpeting on fire. Fire extinguishers on board were used.
Passengers disembarked without injury via slides.
OLT Express is a new Polish airline whose first official flight was publicly touted as April 1, 2012. OLT was formerly LOT and also YES Airways, and is currently running under the ownership of Amber Gold Group.
Looks like they need to work on their maintenance.
Feed from Live ATC
Pilot’s audio provided by http://www.liveatc.net
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Contact photographer Jehan M. Ghouse
What: Air Cargo Carrier Shorts SD-360 en route from Tupelo to Houston
Where: Houston
When: May 17th 2012
Who: 2 crew
Why: After the Air Cargo Carrier made a safe landing, the plane was taxiing when the right main gear brakes caught on fire.
Emergency services responded.
We haven’t heard if the plane made a hard or fast landing, Houston temps, or if there was some mechanical problem like a lock-up that caused the fire.
What: Lufthansa/Air Dolomiti Avion de Transport Regional ATR-72-500 en route from Munich to Venice
Where: Munich
When: May 17th 2012, 13:35
Who: 58 passengers and 4 crew
Why: While en route ten minutes into the flight, the plane developed smoke in the cockpit and cabin. The crew returned to Munich. On approach to Munich, the crew had to shut down the right engine.
On landing, the plane veered off the runway on to the grass, ran into some obstructions and stopped with a collapsed nose gear. During rescue, twenty flights were diverted. The plane is presently sinking into soft round.
The passengers were evacuated. Other than one person with back injuries, no injuries were reported.
The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a Board meeting on May 22, 2012, to consider the findings of a draft safety study on experimental amateur-built (E-AB) aircraft.
Of the approximately 224,000 general aviation (GA) aircraft in the U.S., about 33,000 of them are classified as E-AB. This includes a wide variety of aircraft, which can be built from a prefabricated kit, existing plans, or a builder’s unique design. Unfortunately, this group of aircraft has, for several years, experienced accident rates greater than those of other comparable segments of GA.
The NTSB, with the assistance and input from the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) and its many members, undertook the study to identify areas that could be addressed to improve the safety record of this growing and innovative segment of GA.
The meeting will be webcast live at bit.ly/fzFiOW
Event: Board Meeting
Date/Time: Tuesday, May 22, 2012, 9:30 am (EST)
What: Aviasud Mistral
Where: near Rogotin in the Neretva river valley, Croatia
When: May 16, 2012 8.45 pm
Who: 2 aboard, 2 fatalities
Why: The ultralight was flying low just above the wires and planting bait for rabid foxes when it crashed in a tangerine field near the mouth of the Neretva. 57 year old Stjepan (Stephen) Vlahovica-Pace and 24 year old Matea Bebic aboard were killed in the crash. Vlahovica owned the plane. Matea was an aeronautical engineer.
The ambulance driver who was first on the scene was Vlahovica’s brother Nado.
NEW YORK—The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing a $395,850 civil penalty against US Airways Inc., of Tempe, Ariz., for allegedly violating U.S. Department of Transportation Hazardous Materials Regulations.
The FAA conducted a periodic dangerous goods inspection of US Airways’ facilities at Hartford’s Bradley International Airport (BDL), May 10-18, 2010. As a result of the inspection, the FAA alleges the airline committed various violations between Feb. 26 and May 12, 2010. The alleged violations involve 12 flights to or from BDL.
In one instance, the Transportation Security Administration discovered, while inspecting passenger checked baggage, that US Airways had accepted an undeclared shipment containing ten disposable cigarette lighters filled with flammable gas. The FAA alleged the airline failed to notify the FAA of this discrepancy.
In another instance, US Airways offered an improperly packaged shipment containing wet cell batteries filled with alkali, a corrosive, for transportation by air on a US Airways passenger-carrying flight.
The FAA also alleged the airline failed to provide pilots with the required "accurate and legible written information" regarding 23 shipments of hazardous materials it accepted for transportation by air.
US Airways has 30 days from the receipt of the FAA’s enforcement letter to respond to the agency.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has directed its investigators and staff to pursue stiffer penalties for individuals who purposefully point laser devices at aircraft.
“Shining a laser at an airplane is not a laughing matter. It’s dangerous for both pilots and passengers, and we will not tolerate it,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We will pursue the toughest penalties against anyone caught putting the safety of the flying public at risk.”
The number of reported laser incidents nationwide rose from 2,836 in 2010, to 3,592 in 2011. Laser incident reports have increased steadily since the FAA created a formal reporting system in 2005 to collect information from pilots.
The FAA supports the Department of Justice in its efforts to seek stern punishment for anyone who intentionally points a laser device into the cockpit of an aircraft.
“We will continue to fine people who do this, and we applaud our colleagues at the Justice Department who have aggressively prosecuted laser incidents under a new law that makes this a specific federal crime,” said FAA Acting Administrator Michael Huerta.
The FAA has initiated enforcement action against 28 people charged with aiming a laser device at an aircraft since June 2011, and this week the agency directed FAA investigators and attorneys to pursue the stiffest possible sanctions for deliberate violations. The FAA has opened investigations in dozens of additional cases.
The FAA announced last June it would begin to impose civil penalties against individuals who point a laser device at an aircraft. The maximum penalty for one laser strike is $11,000, and the FAA has proposed civil penalties against individuals for multiple laser incidents, with $30,800 the highest penalty proposed to date. In many of these cases, pilots have reported temporary blindness or had to take evasive measures to avoid the intense laser light.
The guidance for FAA investigators and attorneys indicates laser violations should not be addressed through warning notices or counseling. It also directs moderately high civil penalties for inadvertent violations, but maximum penalties for deliberate violations. Violators who are pilots or mechanics face revocation of their FAA certificates, as well as civil penalties.Local, state and federal prosecutors also have sentenced laser violators to jail time, community service, probation and additional financial penalties for court costs and restitution.
What: 2 Pakistan Air Force PAC MFI-17 Mushshak en route from RISALPUR (OPRS) Military Airport
Where: Nowshera, Rashkai Pakistan
When: May 17, 2012
Who: 4 pilot fatalities, 1 civilian fatality, 8 injured
Why: Two planes were on a training mission when they collided; then one crashed into a house, and another into the adjoining field. Two trainees and two instructors were killed in the crash. According to reports, the collided in midair. The collision caused a large fire in a residential area.
The deceased were identified as Mohazzam, Mustafa, Masood and Zareen.
Witnesses say the wings knocked together and set the planes on fire. Inside the house, two residents, a girl and an elderly man, were injured.
Pakistan Air force Headquarters is investigating. There have been six PAC crashes in the last seven months.
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Contact photographer K.L.Yim
What: Far Eastern Air Transport McDonnell Douglas MD-82 en route from Taipei to Makung
Where: Makung
When: May 16th 2012, 10:45am
Who: 165 aboard
Why: On landing in Making in rain and wind, the plane exceeded a stop line on the runway which was abbreviated due to construction. Minimal damage occurred to the plane but runway lights were damaged.
Although a Taipei news report calls into question the pilot’s braking, the weather and the fact that the runway was shortened due to construction should be mentioned.
The Aviation Safety Council has begun an investigation into the incident.
F-22 pilots disoriented from lack of oxygen
Pilots are concerned about developing cases of hypoxia, symptoms such as nausea and blackouts resulting from a lack of oxygen while flying the F-22. Last year, this very concern grounded the F-22 last year for five months.
They returned to service when the Air force did not find the root of the problem. Below see the clip on sixty minutes where pilots declared that they were refusing to fly the aircraft because of oxygen deprivation in the cockpit. A Virginia Air National Guard pilot in the video below admitted that he developed hypoxia on a Febuary training flight and consequently recovered in a hyperbaric chamber.
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Contact photographer Konstantin von Wedelstaedt
What: Lufthansa Airbus A319-100 en route from Frankfurt to Erbil
Where: Nuremberg
When: May 15th 2012
Why: After taking off from Frankfort, the plane was struck by lightning.
There was a storm front around Nuremberg. The plane remained on the ground; and a replacement jet took passengers to Erbil.
Identification of the 15 victims of the Agni Air Crash in Nepal is going to be a difficult task, due to the condition of the remains.
The six survivors have been hospitalized in from critical to serious condition. A six year old, and a nine year old along with their father, are among the survivors. They are hospitalized Pokhara. Their father is in ICU and may survive.
Among the dead is the Rasna girl, actress Taruni Sachdev, Sanam Sundhar, G Raman, Latha Ethambai, mother of two children who survived and Swarnalakshmi.
After autopsy, the bodies of the victims will be handed over to their families. Everyone on the flight had visited the Iskcon temple at Chowpatty and were on their way to the Muktinath temple in Nepal, when the pilot turned with plane trouble, his intent to return to Pokhara Airport, and his wing struck a muddy slope, crashing the plane.
WASHINGTON – As part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Transportation Week and to kick off the summer travel season, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today launched an education effort to help parents and caregivers make informed choices about their child’s safety when they fly.
“Millions of people will take to the skies this summer, and we are doing everything we can to keep air travelers as safe as possible,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We want to make sure parents and caregivers have the best information to keep their children safe when they travel.”“It’s important to remind everyone that the safest place for a small child on an airplane is in an approved child safety seat, not on an adult’s lap,” said Acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta.
The FAA has developed a new web site and online information toolkit with information about how to keep children safe when traveling by air. The site includes a downloadable tip sheet for parents and caregivers and a video demonstration on how to properly install a child safety seat on an airplane. The website also includes helpful details about FAA-approved child harness devices, and links to frequently asked questions.The FAA is working with Airlines for America, the Association of Flight Attendants, Consumers Union, and the American Academy of Pediatrics to share this safety information with parents and caregivers.According to Consumers Union, “For years Consumer Reports has advocated that all passengers should be properly restrained onboard commercial aircraft, including children under 2. We support the Department of Transportation’s educational efforts, so that parents and caregivers can make informed decisions about using child restraint systems when flying. Consumer Reports also urges the airline industry to support these efforts by providing transparent information on child restraint system policies and compatibility.”
When purchasing airline tickets, parents and caregivers should contact the air carrier to see if there are any discounts available for children since buying a ticket for a child is the only way to guarantee that a child safety seat can be used during flight.
"The top priority of America’s airlines is the safety of our passengers and crew, and we are pleased to be a part of the important FAA educational awareness campaign, encouraging parents to help keep our smallest passengers safe with approved child safety seats," said Airlines for America President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio.
Before flying, parents and caregivers should check to make sure that their child restraint system is approved for use on an aircraft. This approval should be printed on the system’s information label or on the device itself.
“As first responders in the cabin, a Flight Attendant’s foremost responsibility is to help ensure the safety and security of all passengers. Children should have the same protection adults have in the airplane cabin and by using an approved child restraint device, even our most vulnerable passengers will have much-needed protection in the event of an emergency,” said Association of Flight Attendants International President Veda Shook.
The FAA recommends that a child weighing less than 20 pounds use a rear-facing child restraint system. A forward facing child safety seat should be used for children weighing between 20 and 40 pounds. The FAA has also approved one harness-type device for children weighing between 22 to 44 pounds."The AAP strongly recommends that children should always ride properly restrained on every trip, on the ground and in the air. For this reason, we are pleased to support the FAA’s efforts to educate parents on safe airplane travel,” said Robert W. Block, MD, FAAP, president, American Academy of Pediatrics. “The safest place for a child under two on an airplane is in a child safety seat, not on a parent’s lap. Whenever possible, parents should travel with a safety seat for use before, during and after a plane ride.”
In December 2010, a group of aviation stakeholders known as the Future of Aviation Advisory Committee (FAAC) delivered 23 recommendations to the Secretary and FAA Administrator on workforce development, competition and viability, financing of aviation systems, environmental concerns, and safety. Based on some of those recommendations, the FAA is stepping up efforts to educate parents about the importance of using a child restraint for air travel.
Today’s announcement is just one way the Department of Transportation is celebrating National Transportation Week (May 14th–20th). Over the next seven days, the Department is highlighting its commitment to ensuring the safety of America’s transportation systems this week and all 52 weeks of the year. Investment in our nation’s infrastructure is critical for maintaining and improving safety. Through TIGER grants, discretionary funds and other programs, DOT is working to enhance, expand and modernize American infrastructure, but Congress needs to act. A bipartisan long-term transportation bill is necessary to move our country into the future.
What: Sukhoi Superjet 100-95 en route from Jakarta to Jakarta Halim Perdanakusuma Airport
Where: Indonesia
When: May 9th 2012
Who: 36 passengers, 6 crew and 2 Sukhoi official
Why: A report has been issued that the cockpit voice recorder was located Tuesday around 330 feet from the Sukhoi’s severed tail. The charred CVR may or may not have been damaged. Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee is leading the investigation and has custody of the box. 70 Russian experts are assisting.
Chief Tatang Kurniadi said, “We have an advanced laboratory in Gambir to examine the black box.”
Retrieval of victims remains continues. Most have been flown to Jakarta in body bags for DNA identification. More body bags will be flown to Jakarta
before the recovery mission can be concluded.
The Indonesian government announced they would pay Rp 50 million (US$5,400) in compensation to each of the families of the crash victims. Funds will be provided by the state-owned insurance company PT Jasa Raharja.
Government compensation is separate from the compensation from Russia-based Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association. The company has agreed to pay US$50,000 in compensation to each of the victims’ families.
An identification team is using fingerprint identification, forensic pathology, forensic anthropology, forensic odontology and DNA to attempt to identify the 28 remains recovered so far.
Black Boxes Located and in Indonesian Custody
Continuing Search for Sukhoi Superjet Wreckage Indicates Probable Black Box Location Buried Under Debris
Joy Flight Steals Joy
Superjet Wreckage Found
Sukhoi-Superjet Goes Missing on Demo Flight over Indonesian Mountains
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Contact photographer Khuat Quang Huy
What: Etihad Airbus A320-200 en route from Abu Dhabi to Moscow
Where: Rostov-on-Don
When: May 16th 2012
Why: While en route, the plane lost cabin pressure.
Pilots returned to Rostov on Don where they made a safe landing.
What: Schroeder Fire Balloons G34/24
Where: Villiers-Saint-Denis, Aisne France
When: May 13th, 2012, 7:00
Who: 4 aboard, 2 fatalities
Why: Fifteen minutes after takeoff, the craft struck power lines and crashed.
The basket caught fire immediately after touching the power line, instantly killing the pilot of the balloon and a sixty year old passenger.
Two brothers aged 20 and 24, were flown by helicopter to Percy hospital in Clamart (Hauts-de-Seine). One of them is badly burned. One brother who clung to the fabric of the balloon was injured by the fall over Charly-sur-Marne.
Thirty firemen and thirty policemen were on the scene.
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Contact photographer Cary Liao
What: US Airways Boeing 757-200 en route from Philadelphia,PA to Orlando,FL
Where: Orlando
When: May 11th 2012
Why: The flight was en route when there was a bird strike impacting the nose. The bird made a “significant” dent in the plane. ATC says “Looks like you guys got punched in the nose, US Air”
Play the pilot’s audio below:
Pilot’s audio provided by http://www.liveatc.net
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Contact photographer
What: 0640 UTC, a Piper PA42 Cheyenne III
Where: Grand Case, St. Maarten
When: May 5, 2012
Who: Pilot and three passengers
Why: On May 5, 2012, at 0640 UTC, a Piper PA42 Cheyenne III, French registration F-GXES, was destroyed when it crashed about four minutes after takeoff into the Atlantic Ocean, three miles from Grand Case, St. Maarten. The pilot and three passengers on board were fatally injured. The aircraft was airborne at 02:39 LT and crashed approximately five minutes later about one nautical mile off coast.
The passengers were a doctor, nurse, and the patient, Panagiotis Vryonides of Nicosia, a sick man from the cruise ship Allure of the Seas.
Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The foreign, non-scheduled cross-country flight was en route to Fort de France, Martinique.
Witnesses saw the airplane explode and crash into the sea.
The plane and remains were later found off Le Galion Beach.
This investigation is under the jurisdiction of the government of France.
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Contact photographer Alexander Watts
What: Qantas Boeing 737-800 en route from Perth to Kalgoorlie Australia
Where: Kalgoorlie
When: May 13th 2012
Why: The flight was on approach to Kalgoorlie when it was struck by lightning.
Pilots returned to Perth and made a safe landing. A replacement jet was provided for the passengers.
What: Ryanair Boeing 737-800 en route from Eindhoven to Ibiza
Where: Paris
When: May 15th 2012
Why: The flight was en route over Paris when a problem developed, and the crew diverted to Brussels where they made a safe landing at Brussels South Charleroi Airport (BSCA).
The plane will be examined to determine the nature of the problem. (We an only assume the rocking motion passengers complained of was not turbulence.)
