What: Avianova Airbus A320 en route to Rostov
Where: Kuban region, Russia
When: June 3, 2011
Why: Pilots were approaching Rostov airport at (altitude) 300-400 meters when a green laser blinded one of the members of the flight crew.
The pilots managed to make a safe landing, then reported the laser situation.
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Contact Photographer Petr Popelar
What: Air India A319-100 en route from Mumbai to Kolkata
Where: near Aurangabad
When: Jul 11th 2009 7:08 pm
Who: 88 passengers 6 crew
Why: After takeoff, one engine failed, and the crew decided to return to Mumbai rather than fly without a backup engine. After three hours, the passengers were provided a replacement plane.
What: Air India Airbus A319-100 en route from Mumbai to Delhi
Where: Delhi
When: Jan 10th 2012
Who: 117 passengers and 6 crew
Why: While the plane was en route, an anonymous caller told Air India that someone aboard had a bomb in their luggage. The flight was nearing Delhi anyway, so ATC directed the pilot to land in Delhi.
The plane was isolated and passengers disembarked at 9.15; then the plane was searched. No bomb was reported.
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Contact photographer Jordi Grife
What: Jetblue Airbus A320-200 en route from New York to Long Beach
Where: New York
When: Mar 28th 2010
Who: 144 on board
Why: Leaving the runway, the plane’s tail impacted either hail or a bird or had a tail strike (reports conflict); the flight returned to JFK and made a safe landing so that the damage could be checked out. Passengers debarked, and boarded an alternative plane some time later.
Ural Airlines flight U6-261 overran runway while landing at Koltsovo Airport, Russia, on June 15th.
The incident happened when the Airbus A320-200 plane flying from Domodedovo International Airport, Russia, was attempting to land during heavy rain.
The plane was carrying eighty-one people at the time; all of them remained uninjured.
Germanwings flight 4U-2033 had to return and make an emergency landing in Bremen, Germany, on November 9th.
The Airbus A319-100 plane took off for Stuttgart, Germany, but had to turn back due to a bird strike.
The plane landed uneventfully. Everyone aboard remained safe.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Dmitriy Pichugin
What: Local carrier FGUPKAP twin-engine Antonov An-28 en route from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Yelizovo to Palana
Where: Palana village, Russia
When: Sept 12, 2012 12:28 p.m.
Who: 12 passengers, 2 crew, ten fatalities
Why: The plane was scheduled to land in Palana village, but lost contact with ATC and crashed in a cedar forest on a hill 10 kilometers away from the intended landing site. A thirteen year old boy who survived is now comatose. The three other survivors are in critical condition.
A recovery helicopter landed as close as possible to the wreckage; but rescue personnel had to navigate through rough topography to reach the wounded.
Originally nine bodies were found, and five injured people, but one child died of injuries.
FGUPKAP, the carrier is owned by the state. Minister of Health Tatiana Lemeshko Kamchatka participated in a conference regarding the crash, and reported on the status of the 4 surviving passengers. The ministry is sending September rescue personnel and doctors to Palana on September 13.
Weather conditions, human error or technical malfunction may be the cause. Officials announced that the families of the fatalities will be getting 200,000 rubles in compensation.
