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Contact photographer Ronald J Stella
What: JetBlue Embraer 190 en route from Charlotte, N.C., to Boston
Where: Boston
When: Nov 17, 2010, 9 a.m.
Who: 25 passengers
Why: While en route, the plane developed a problem with the flaps. After declaring an emergency, the pilot made it safely to Logan, landing without flaps.
* Note the photo of this plane in Boston last year.
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Contact photographer Duy Tran Duc
What: American Airlines Boeing 767-200 from New York to Los Angeles
Where: Albuquerque
When: August 4, 2010
Who: 168 passengers and 11 crew (or 158 passengers and 11 crew)
Why: The story behind this one is two-fold. One source says the plane diverted to Albuquerque because of smoke in the cockpit. No smoke, no cause of smoke, no evidence thereof was found.
Another source says an unruly passenger was behind the diversion. This person was detained by the FBI on landing, after which the plane was inspected for explosives. During the search, passengers hung around the tarmac for three hours.
This man is being questioned about the odor like cigarettes that was discovered in the bathroom, along with some used matches. Another report says he lit matches in the cabin and then hid in the bathroom.
The plane left Albuquerque for LA around midnight.
Pictured: A Cessna 172A
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Contact photographer Giovanni Francisco Rodriguez Bravo
What: Bolivian Cessna 172 RG
Where: “Agropecuaria Arco Iris” airstrip, north of Montero, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
When: May 11, 2008
Who: 5 fatalities
Why: While en route, the plane impacted a tree with its left’s wing and then the ground, where a fire ensued. The accident site was about 1,150 meters from an unlit runway of “Agropecuaria Arco Iris” airstrip, north of Montero, Santa Cruz, Bolivia. The pilot and the four passengers received fatal injuries; the airplane was destroyed. The flight originated from El Tromprillo Airport, Santa Cruz, Bolivia, at about 1808.
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Contact photographer Andy Egloff
What: Delta/Northwest Airlines Boeing 757-200 en route from Portland, Minneapolis
Where: Billings,MT
When: Oct 17th 2009
Who: 174 passengers
Why: While en route, the plane developed a hydraulics problem, and diverted to Billings Montana. The flight landed safely, but blew a tire on landing, and had to be towed.
It is not uncommon for a heavy flight (plane full of fuel) diverting early in the flight before burning its fuel load–or landing at a too-high rate of speed–to get a flat.
The replacement flight took seven hours to arrive.
Southwest Airlines flight WN-2386 had to make an emergency landing in Buffalo, New York, on April 21st.
The plane, heading from Chicago Midway International Airport, Illinois, to Boston Logan International Airport, Massachusetts, was diverted after it en-countered turbulence, injuring two flight attendants.
The plane landed safely. The injured crew members were taken to hospitals.
American Airlines flight AA-2098 had to return and make an emergency landing in Las Vegas, Nevada, on February 10th.
The Airbus A321-200 plane took off for Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Texas, but had to return shortly afterwards due to reports of smoke and haze in the cabin.
The plane landed safely. All passengers and crew members remained unharmed.
The airline arranged a replacement plane for the passengers.
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Contact photographer Alberto U.
What: Sol Linaeas Aereas Saab 340A
Where: 20 km (12.5 mls) N of Prahuaniyeu, RN Argentina
When: May 18, 2011
Who: 3 crew, 19 passengers
Why: After the last radio contact at 20:50, the aircraft crashed near Los Menucos en-route Neuquen to Comodoro after declaring an emergency and requesting descent out of icing conditions. There were no survivors of the 19 passengers and 3 crew.
There were newspaper reports of the flight coming down as a fireball, but that has been interpreted as journalistic license. We apologize if our translations reported this incident as a falling fireball when the fire apparently began after ground impact.
The pilot asked to descend from 5.800 meters to 4.300 due to ice. In the last communication ATC was informed that “the flight was was at 1.000 metres and going back to NQN.”
Wing Icing and a failure of the inlet deicing system is being considered as responsible. The black boxes were recovered.
The investigation is ongoing.
