What: SA South African Airlink Embraer ERJ-135 en route from Cape Town to George SA Where: George, S. Africa When: Dec 7th 2009 Who: 30 passengers and 3 crew Why: While landing during a light rain, the flight overran the wet runway, smashed through the fence and rolled to a stop on a road. There is one report that no one was injured but the plane; and another unconfirmed report that there were four injuries.
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What: Trans States Airlines Embraer ERJ-145 en route from Saint Louis,MO to Pittburgh,PA Where: Indianapolis When: Sep 4 2010 Who: 54 on board Why: While en route, the crew received an indication of a cargo fire. The flight diverted to Indianapolis where they made a safe landing.
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Following the Air India Express tragedy in Mangalore India (and definitely in response to it), the DGCA (India’s Directorate-General of Civil Aviation) has been trying to shut the gate after the horses are out. They’re still pointing their fingers at the pilot.
The tape of the crash records the co-pilot Capt H S Ahluwalia (*i.e. the pnf) insisting to Commander Capt Zlatko Glusica to initiate a go-around. The Captain (**i.e. the pf) did not, and the plane landed too far down the runway, clipped an antenna, crashed thru the end of the runway, off the edge of the runway plateau. We can only assume the captain ignored his co-pilot, as no go-around was initiated.
Apparently the pilot was in error and the co-pilot knew it. It must have been obvious to Ahluwalia that they were landing at the wrong angle too far down (the middle) of the runway–but he did not act on his knowledge. At any rate, he was in disagreement with his superior officer.
Consequently, the DCGA has issued an operations circular highlighting procedural assertiveness for the co-pilot when he knows the pilot is wrong. The Mangalore tragedy is not mentioned by name, but it is certainly the silent subtext.
Did the crash occur because the co-pilot did not take the controls? What exactly will this circular accomplish? Had this circular been public already, would the pilot and co-pilot have ended up in a wrestling match over controls of the airplane?
It will be interesting to hear from pilots about what they think the consequences of this directive might be, and if they think a cultural context may play a part.
I always turn to the experts. Right now, before the full investigation is out, I am hearing a lot of speculative “pilot error” but it is all speculation. But is it all pilot error?
My experts remind me that “Every incident is linked to a chain of events. Each event alone is not sufficient reason to provoke an accident although when they link together the chances are multiplied and sometimes the accident occurs.” ( I am quoting a pilot.)
For example, if pilot fatigue were a contributing factor (landing at dawn after a long tiring duty cycle), isn’t the carrier’s policy on pilot fatigue a contributory factor?
The Boeing 737 landed midway on runway 24, and then overshot it, crashing into a gorge. Initial reports on the civil aviation website showed runway 27 mislabeled as runway 24. The actual crash site was not even pictured, a mistake that certainly casts doubt on the quality of the investigation, and possibly even the quality of the resources available to pilots at the time they were negotiating a landing. What did their map say? Is a pilot alone in error if the resources provided him are in error? I know I am digressing, but the point I want to make is this:
I don’t have years of flight school, or engineering training but I do have opinion. And in my opinion, pilot error alone does not cause a crash like this.
What: Air India Express Boeing 737-800 en route from Dubai to Mangalore Where: Mangalore airport When: 6:00 a.m May 22 2010 Who: 160 (?) passengers including 23 children, 6 crew= 158 fatalities and 8 survivors Why: Air India Express flight 812 attempted touch down was around the middle marker. (Conflicting) reports are that it overshot the runway, and that the pilot intended a go round (tapes reveal the co pilot was urging a go-round) but the plane hit the localizer antenna at the runway’s end, plowed through the perimeter losing part of a wing, and went down 75 feet into a ravine, and broke into pieces and burst into flames. On touchdown, there was a reported “bang” which may have been a tire bursting. A drizzle started after the accident. From 5 to 10 people have been hospitalized, but according to reports there are possibly 3 survivors.
Survivor Abdul Puttur suffered burns. He was seated near the wing exit and said that the pilot had announced the landing, then there was a thud. He saw huge flames after the plane fell into the ravine and then he jumped out from the back entrance. Another passenger said the pilot made no announcement.
The Serbian pilot was Zlatko Glusica, first officer was S.S. Ahluwalia.
According to DGCA rules, Mangalore International Airport is deemed a “critical airfield” which means that “supervised take offs and landings” are prohibited. Only the captain (not the first officer) can pilot take-offs and landings. Mangalore International Airport has a controversial table top runway and which forces pilots to make a precision landing. The airport has no buffer zone, and pilots landing planes must fly precisely or risk hurtling off the edge.
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What: Air Canada Airbus A319-100 en route from Toronto to Liberia Costa Rica Where: south of Pittsburgh When: Aug 29th 2009 Why: Forty minutes into the flight, the left engine developed vibration. The flight returned to Toronto and safely performed an “overweight” landing. Passengers debarked and transferred to a replacement Airbus.
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What: Miami Air International Boeing 737-400 en route from Minneapolis to Miami Where: Chicago When: Apr 4th 2010 Who: the “Miami Heat” Why: While en route, the flight’s mechanic became sick. The flight diverted to Chicago for an hour where the mechanic was hospitalized in a diabetic coma.
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What: Saha Airlines Boeing 707-300 en route from Ahvaz to Tehran Where: Ahvaz When: Aug 3rd 2009 Who: 174 passenger Why: On take off, engines one and two caught on fire. The crew declared emergency and landed safely where the plane landed and a fuel leak was discovered in the plane. Passengers debarked without injury.
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On December 25, 2012, a Kazakhstan Border Guards Antonov 72 transport plane crashed 12 1/2 miles from Shymkent Airport, Kazakhstan. All 20 passengers and seven crew died in the crash.
The airplane was operated by the Kazakhstan Border Guards. Among those killed was acting director of National Security Committee’s Border Guard Service, Colonel Turganbek Stambekov. Weather at Shymkent was poor with heavy snowfall and limited visibility.
Official Press Release
As previously reported, on December 25 of the current year in 18 hours and 55 minutes on the approach to Shymkent crashed military transport aircraft Border Patrol KNB.
All on board, 27 people, including seven crew members died.
Among the dead, Border Patrol Director Colonel Stambekov TM and his accompanying group of officers from the central office of the Service, as well as soldiers of the Regional Management “On ?t?st?k” on December 25 of the current year in Astana to attend the meeting of the Military Council of the Border Guard Service.
Border Patrol Leaders directed in Shymkent for the military council to the regional “On ?t?st?k” to sum ??up the past year.
Now that crashed runs interdepartmental commission to investigate aviation incidents.
In Shymkent flew the KNB N.Abykaev.
Death toll:
Crew commander – Major Nurakhmetov Marat Tursunovich
