Aviation News, Headlines & Alerts
 
Month: <span>January 2012</span>

Southwest Boeing Bowls Over Denver Concourse Light


Twitter photo by Hilary Handtmann

What: Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 en route from Los Angeles to Denver
Where: Denver
When: Jan 30, 2012, 9:45 a.m
Who: 89 passengers and 5 crew
Why: After landing from the LA flight, the jet knocked over an airport ramp lightpole around the C concourse.

The plane was taxiing to the Southwest gate on Concourse C. No one was injured in SW Flight 792 and no flights were disrupted.

Passengers disembarked on to the tarmac and were bused to the terminal. The NTSB is investigating.

Belle Isle Chopper Crash Kills Two


Click to view full size photo at Jetphotos
Contact photographer Cory Watts

What: Cenac Marine Services Robinson R-44 en route from Houma-Terrebonne
Where: Belle Isle
When: January 19, 2012
Who: 2 fatalities
Why: After taking off from Houma-Terrebonne airport, the chopper crashed a few miles from East Bay and the Gulf of Mexico in a marshy area. Flames from the crash were seen from a distance. Hunters and fishermen in the area called 911 to report the helicopter afire. The crash claimed the lives of those aboard. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries assisted along with several agencies with search, rescue, and recovery.

Pilot Jason McKean, and Lanny Ledet had been on the way to an alligator-industry conference in Plaquemines Parish.

Jason McKean had been flying for twenty years. The bodies of the victims were recovered 13 miles southwest of Morgan City.

The cause of the crash is unknown. The FAA is investigating. Tje MTSB saod there was no indication that anything broke off the helicopter before the crash. The final report will not be due for another eighteen months.
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 369TL Make/Model: R44 Description: R-44 Astro
Date: 01/19/2012 Time: 1555
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Fatal Mid Air: N Missing:N
Damage: Unknown
LOCATION
City: BELLE ISLE State: LA Country: US
DESCRIPTION
N369TL ROBINSON R44 ROTORCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE 2
PERSONS ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED, NEAR BELLE ISLE, LA
INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 2
# Crew: 1 Fat: 1 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 1 Fat: 1 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
WEATHER: 191255Z AUTO 00000KT 9SM OVC018 07/06 A3012
OTHER DATA
Activity: Unknown Phase: Unknown Operation: OTHER
FAA FSDO: BATON ROUGE, LA (SW03) Entry date: 01/20/2012


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Manchester-bound Airbus Struck by Lightning

What: Easyjet Airbus A320-200 en route from Athens Greece to Manchester
Where: Manchester
When: Jan 27th 2012
Why: On approach to Manchester, at 1300 feet the plane was struck by lightning, burning the fuselage under the cockpit window.

The first approach was aborted due (apparently) to snow on the runway. The plane circled for less than half an hour before making a safe landing.

Venezuela Cessna, 4 aboard Lost at Sea

What: Guardia Nacional Bolivariana Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP
Where: La Uva, Isla de Coche, Venezuela
When: Jan 30, 2012
Who: 4 fatalities
Why: The Cessna crashed 180 miles from shore during a training flight. Captain José Vielma, Jhonatan Veroes Valencia, Joan Guillén, and Hernández Camacho died in the crash.


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Policy Changes

In George’s Point of View


What does it mean that the Indian Civil Aviation Ministry is formulating new policies?

The existing policies are not working, but we wonder if the new policies are being rewritten to fit in better with the workings of business and the status quo. Will the changes begin to address safety issues, pilot training, and crucial concerns of passengers rather than stakeholders in the business end?

Will the policies be conceived and written by people involved in the mechanics of planes and technology, or will they reflect an infrastructure concerned only about maintaining a “bottom line?”

The current perspective has resulted in dangerous new rest rules. (Pilots are not allowed to get fatigued till they have completed 10 hours of flying during the night; and the airline’s director of operations can extend that time another hour and a half.) The work ceiling for Indian pilots is 25% higher than that set for US or British pilots.

Committees of experts should be based on expertise in successful operations, have proper credentials and their input should reflect current legitimate data and scientific findings. Otherwise, the changes will be reflected inevitably in more fatal crashes.

So we wonder what does it mean? We have to wait until February when results are released.

Piper Crashes in Cornfield near York Airport

What: Condor Flying Club Inc Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee en route from Fredrick, Maryland.
Where: Lincoln Highway West, Thomasville, PA
When: Jan 29, 2012, 11:00 am
Who: 1 fatality
Why: The piper crashed in a cornfield off of Lincoln Highway, a mile from the airport. The pilot, Douglas Helms of Westminster Maryland was pronounced dead at the scene. Helms will be at Lehigh Valley Hospital. The cause of the crash is unknown. An investigation is underway. The vehicle is registered to CONDOR FLYING CLUB INC
Street 16192 COASTAL HWY.

Disabled Piper Quietly Lands on Palm Beach


image capture from youtube

What: Secure Aviation Inc Piper PA-31-310 Navajo C
Where: North Ocean Boulevard, West Palm Beach, FL
When: Jan 28 2012 2:46 pm
Who: 1
Why: After having engine problems, a pilot quietly landed his twin-engine Piper Navajo on the beach south of the Palm Beach jetty. He said “The plane didn’t want to run anymore, so it landed.”

The pilot was not injured but the plane suffered some damage and will have to be dismantled to be removed from the beach.

The 1974 plane is registered to Secure Aviation, 10218 SE Banyan Way in Tequesta.


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Horizon Air Dash 8-400 Limps back to Portland on One Engine


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Tsuyoshi Hayasaki

What: Horizon Air de Havilland Dash 8-400 en route from Portland,OR to Seattle,WA
Where: Portland
When: Jan 26 2012
Who: 55 passengers, 4 crew
Why: While en route, the right engine was shut down. According to wptv witnesses aboard the flight, “there was an explosion. Then, all of a sudden, everything stopped, and it just got totally quiet, and everyone started to panic.” Passengers took photos of the plane’s stopped propellor; and then the plane began shaking, and they could feel the weight on the left side.

Pilots returned to Portland and made a safe landing. An inspection of the plane is underway.

A replacement jet was provided.


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MD-80 Engine Shut Down In Boise Diversion


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Jean-Claude Simard

What: American Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-83 en route from Dallas/Ft Worth to Seattle
Where: Boise
When: Jan 28, 2012
Who: 141 aboard
Why: The American Airlines jet was en route when the left engine began running hot. Pilots shut down the engine.

A replacement MD-80 was sent with parts and mechanics aboard to repair the stranded aircraft and assist the passengers.

Pilots diverted to Boise and made a safe landing.


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Tiger Moth Crash Kills Two at Mayborough


Click to view full size photo
Contact photographer red750

What: De Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth
Where: Maryborough Airport on Leviathan Road, Australia
When: Jan 27, 2012, 5pm.
Who: 2 fatalities
Why: After taking off, the plane hit trees at the end of the runway.

Witnesses described seeing a ball of flames, which ignited a field of dry grass. The grass required seven Country Fire Authority crews to extinguish it.

The two men aboard the vintage plane were John Fisher and David Oxley. In the past, John Fisher, who worked at Maryborough airport, had flown the Tiger Moth from England to Australia. He was the pilot and the owner of the plane.

The accident is under investigation by three investigators from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.


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No Stairs for Qantas Mt Isa Emergency Landing


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer

What: Qantas Boeing 767-300 en route from Darwin to Brisbane
Where: Mount Isa
When: Jan 29th 2012
Who: 170 passengers
Why: While en route to Brisbane, a smokey odor developed in the cockpit. Pilots diverted to Mont Isa where they made a safe landing. Two Queensland Fire and Rescue Service firetrucks met the grounded plane. The investigation revealed no sign of smoke.

The 767 does not normally land in Mount Isa, so stairs were unavailable. Passengers exited with the assistance of a wheel chair lift.

A 737 has been sent as a replacement flight.


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Dulles Tarmac Collision Kills Southwest Airlines Employee

The collision between a “people mover” passenger shuttle and a baggage injured a Southwest Airlines ramp worker. The accident occurred at Dulles International airport. The shuttle ports people between the terminal and concourse.

After the Thursday morning crash, the injured employee was hospitalized at Inova Fairfax Hospital. No one on the Plane Mates shuttle was injured. The worker died overnight.

The airline’s statement
On Thursday, Jan. 26, at approximately 7am, a Southwest Employee was involved in a collision between a baggage cart and a mobile lounge at Washington Dulles Airport. Immediately following the accident, the injured Employee was rushed to an area hospital to receive medical attention. We learned earlier today, Friday, Jan. 27, that the Employee passed away as a result of injuries sustained in the accident. We continue to work with all relevant agencies, including the local authorities and the airport, to investigate events surrounding the accident. The Southwest Airlines Family is greatly saddened by the passing of our Southwest Family Member, and we extend our heartfelt sympathies and support to his entire family at this time.”


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TAM False Start, Engine Shuts Down, Paris Return


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Konstantin von Wedelstaedt

What: TAM Linhas Aereas Airbus A330-200, en route from Paris to Rio de Janeiro
Where: Paris
When: Jan 24th 2012
Who: 160 passengers
Why: On takeoff, the plane developed a problem. The right engine was shut down. After suffering what sounded like a backfire to passengers, the captain announced they would be returning.

The flight crew then dumped fuel (apparently in the English Channel) and returned to the airport. Passengers were provided accommodations and were rescheduled.

No More Prayer Cards from Alaskan Airlines

Alaskan Airlines announced that 16.5 million passengers annually have been getting prayer cards from Alaskan airlines, but as of this february, the tradition will be no more. They are pulling the plug due to mixed reviews. The cards came delivered with on board meals.

The cards were an annoyance to some, a benefit to others, but from now on, they will be history. Whether or not passengers believe the cards were inappropriate, they will have to do without the quotes from the Book of Psalms unless they bring their own.

Pilot Walks Away from Cessna Crash in Florida Wood

What: Cessna 210E Centurion
Where: near Spruce Creek Airport, Daytona Beach
When: Jan 25, 2012
Who: pilot
Why: Just after taking off from Spruce Creek Airport on a test-flight to check his rebuilt engine, the rebuilt engine of pilot James Clarry’s Cessna quit. Eight minutes after takeoff, the plane nosedived and flipped near Port Orange at North Spruce Creek Circle and Tomoka Farms Road.

Clarry came out of it with minor injuries. No one else was aboard.

Volusa emergency services responded to the scene of the accident.

Clarry landed in the woods.

IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 7130U Make/Model: C210 Description: 210, T210, (Turbo)Centurion
Date: 01/25/2012 Time: 2040
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: None Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Destroyed
LOCATION
City: PORT ORANGE State: FL Country: US
DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, PORT ORANGE, FL
INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0
# Crew: 1 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0
WEATHER: VFR
OTHER DATA
Activity: Unknown Phase: Unknown Operation: OTHER
FAA FSDO: ORLANDO, FL (SO15) Entry date: 01/26/2012


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Airspeed Issues Cancel Flight


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Steffen Conzelmann

What: SAS Scandinavian Airlines Canadair CRJ-900 en route from Vilnius (Lithuania) to Copenhagen
Where: Vilnius
When: Jan 25th 2012
Why: On takeoff, the pilot and copilot had airspeed indications which did not agree.

The pilots rejected takeoff.

Some time after the flight was cancelled, the plane was ferried to Copenhagen for repair.


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Kathmandu Emergency landing by Etihad Airways


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Pieter-Jan Van De Vijver

What: Etihad Airlines Airbus A330-200 en route from Kathmandu (Nepal) to Abu Dhabi
Where: Kathmandu
When: Jan 17th 2012 9:15 pm
Who: 168 aboard
Why: While taking off from Kathmandu, the engine developed problems. THe crew shut it down and returned within minutes to land at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu.

Another source says the flight circled for an hour to burn fuel to lighten the landing.

Passengers were provided accommodations. Etihad engineers from Abu Dhabi arrived to handle the problem on January 21.

Two NZ Doctors Lost in Crash of Private Plane

What: Yakovlev Yak-52TW
Where: Feilding, New Zealand
When: Jan 23 2012 10:45 a.m.
Who: 2 fatalities
Why: A plane left Taonui Aerodrome and twenty-five minutes later was engaging in acrobatics,when it flew upside down, made a loop and then crash dived on to the grounds of the Timona Recreational Reserve.

The plane shattered into a mangled mess in the Timona Park area park area. Witnesses heard a single crash. Disaster Victim Identification team is investigating.

The two men in the crash are well known, Dr Ralph Saxe, of Palmerston North, and Dr Brett Ireland, of Queensland. Dr Saxe co-owned the plane that crashed.


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Jet Blue Attendant encounters Florida Turbulence


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Jens Breuer

What: Jetblue Embraer ERJ-190 en route from Westchester County,NY to Orlando,FL
Where: Orlando
When: Jan 24th 2012
Who: 1 injury
Why: The flight encountered turbulence which injured a flight attendant. On approach to Orlando, ATC was informed of the injured crew member.

On landing, the attendant was met by rescue services. The extent of injury was not released.


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Cabin Pressure Endangers Donavia Passengers over Russia


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Erik RostovSpotter

What: Donavia Boeing 737-400 en route from Rostov to Moscow Vnukovo
Where: Rostov
When: Jan 23rd 2012 2:00 pm
Who: 70 passengers, 8 crew
Why: After takeoff, the flight developed pressure problems. An alarm went off on board; the crew had to return to Rostov where they made a safe landing.

Some passengers passed out and others experienced bloody noses and ears from the pressure.

The oxygen masks were not working, although they were released.
The cause of the pressure issues has not been determined and the details have not been made public.

The flight made a safe landing at Rostov on Don at 3:15 p.m. A replacement jet was provided for the passengers.


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Thomson Airways Flight Attendant Injured by Galley Steam


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Rodolfo García López

What: Thomson Airways Boeing 767-300 en route from Bridgetown to London
Where: Atlantic
When: Jan 19th 2012
Who: 1 injury
Why: Thirty minutes into the flight, a flight attendant incurred facial injuries from steam in the galley.

The flight diverted to Bermuda where they made a safe landing. It took an hour to get underway again, after the injured attendant was taken to the hospital.


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Bumpy Brazil Air Leaves American Airlines Flight All Shook up


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Terry Wade

What: American Airlines Boeing 757-200 en route from Recife, Brazil to Miami,FL
Where: Brazil
When: Jan 22nd 2012
Who: 136 passengers, 9 crew
Why: A couple of hours into the flight, the crew ran into some turbulence.

It was severe turbulence that according to passengers “felt like the floor fell out from under,” and which knocked around a couple of flight attendants. A number of unseat-belted people hit the ceiling, including a flight attendant who actually knocked a hole in the ceiling before her trolley landed on her. (I presume she’s one of the five who went to the hospital.) Those trolleys look heavy.

The extent of injuries was not released, but it was apparently not severe enough that they had to scramble to divert to somewhere in the Brazilian bush.

One of the passengers happened to be an ER doctor, and he administered first aid. A number of the uninjured were said to be hysterical.

Miami-Dade Fire Department and Airport Fire and Rescue were on the scene. In Miami, five flight attendants went straight into ambulances and one was treated at the airport.


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NTSB COMPLETES DATA COLLECTION FOR EXPERIMENTAL- AMATEUR-BUILT AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT Study

National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594

Throughout the 2011 calendar year, the NationalTransportation Safety Board has been conducting a study ofExperimental Amateur-Built (E-AB) aircraft to evaluate thesafety of this growing and innovative segment of general aviation. In addition to using the information gathered during its accident investigations, the NTSB has been working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), and individual owners and builders to evaluate a range of issues unique to this popular segment of general aviation.

“The cooperation we have received from EAA and the E-AB community has been tremendous,” said NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P Hersman. “Through this study, we hope that we’ll be ableto give the innovators and aviators in the community
information about accidents that will result in a real and immediate safety payoff for them when they are flying these aircraft.”

As part of the study, NTSB investigators have conducted in-depth investigations of 222 E-AB aircraft accidents that occurred during 2011. Fifty-four of these accidents resulted in 67 fatalities. Most of these accidents (93%) involved
amateur-built airplanes, the remaining accidents involved gyroplanes (4%), helicopters (2%), and gliders (1%). These accidents occurred in 44 states, with California (18 accidents), Texas (16 accidents), and Florida (14 accidents)
accounting for the most. More than half (53%) of the E-AB accidents investigated in 2011 involved E-AB aircraft that were bought used, as opposed to having been built by the current owner.

The EAA has supported the study by conducting a web-based survey of E-AB owners and builders. More than 5,000 E-AB owners and builders responded to EAA’s survey, and 4,923 of these responses were sufficiently complete to use in
analyses. Most respondents (97%) described E-AB airplanes, while gliders, gyrocopters, and helicopters were each described by slightly less than 1% of the respondents. Sixty-three percent of respondents had already built their
E-AB aircraft, 13% were currently building their E-AB aircraft, and nearly 24% had bought used E-AB aircraft. More than 340 distinct makes of amateur-built aircraft were reported, although kit manufacturers accounted for more than 55% of the reported aircraft.

“The NTSB is extremely pleased with the number of respondents who participated in the survey,” said Dr. Joseph Kolly, Director of the Office of Research and Engineering. “The survey data provides us with quantifiable, factual
information that enriches our understanding of how E-AB aircraft are built and operated.”

The safety study is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2012.


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Cessna Fireball Crashes in Jennings County Field, 2 Lives Lost

What: Cessna 177 Cardinal en route from Chicago to Madison Municipal Airport
Where: S of County Road 600, near Dupont Indiana
When: Jan 21, 2012 8:41 p.m
Who: 2 fatalities
Why: 55 year old Gregory L. Wehr and 55 year old Candace S. Wehr of Versailles, were flying from Chicago, when their Cessna crashed in a Jennings County field.

A witness saw a big ball of fire fall straight down and explode.

The NTSB is investigating.


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Smoked Out Cockpit Claims Pinnacle Flight


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer André Dias de Albuquerque

What: Delta Airlines/Pinnacle Airlines Canadair CRJ-440 en route from New York JFK,NY to Lewisburg,WV
Where: New York
When: Jan 21st 2012, 3:00 pm
Who: 4 passengers and 3 crew
Why: On takeoff from JFK, the cockpit developed smoke.

Pilots put on their oxygen masks and reported smoke in the cockpit. ATC had to negotiate the flight’s return with other flights coming and going, but managed to get them back on the ground about twelve minutes after takeoff.

By the time maintenance examined the plane, smoke had dispersed. The smoke is being attributed to fluid burn-off.

Passengers were provided alternative transportation.

This week an article in Business Week discussed cost-cutting measures that might be taken by Pinnacle after a 12% decline following the 2009 Colgan Air crash and a $1.89 million fine from the FAA over unfinished flight attendant training.

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