A Cessna 206 plane crashed on Admiralty Island, Alaska, on April 8th.
The commuter airplane, owned by Sunrise Aviation based in Wrangell, Alaska, was carrying four people when it went down near Angoon village.
Three people were killed in the crash while the fourth one survived. She was airlifted to a hospital in Juneau.
The crash is under investigation.
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.
Terminology
*pnf – pilot not flying
**pf – pilot flying
—
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer WT
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.
Click to view full size
Contact photographer João Henrique
What: Amazonaves EMB-810C Seneca PT-EFS en route from Manaus to Santarem
Where: Manaus
When: April 21, 2011, 14:52 LT
Who: 7 fatalities and a dog called Pimpolho
Why: A minute after takeoff, an Amazonaves Air taxi which crashed at the threshold of the runway in the neighborhood of Tarumãt West Zone at 3 pm on Thursday had the owner, and his wife and son among those aboard. Antonio Neto Picão, his wife, Luciana, and a son, Matthew, 12 died in the crash and were buried in Boa Vista. Two daughters chose not to fly.
The four other fatalities were Pilot Waldeir Alencar da Silva,, Kelly Cidrônio, Janilça Oliveira Nascimento and Magno Souza. Santos was buried in Manaus, Alves in Minas Gerais and the two other passengers in Santarém. Janilsa and Magno Nascimento Souza were employees.
The cause of the crash has not been determined but Infraero confirmed that the plane was carrying 7 people, but only has a capacity for 5.
Serviço de Investigação de Acidentes Aeronáuticos (Seripa) expects a report in 30 days.
In 2002, an Amazonaves plane crashed in the Amazon;
In 2003, an Amazonaves crashed during a flight inspection;
In 2007, an Amazonaves crashed into a house in Manaus.
All of the crashes were determined to be due to mechanical failure.
The two engines and propellers of the Amazonaves Seneca (PT-EFS) will be sent to Sao Paulo where they will undergo deconstruction to be examined for signs of defect.
Virgin America flight VX-108 made an emergency landing at at Los Angeles International Airport, California, on February 18th.
The Airbus A320-200 plane, heading from Los Angeles to Washington Dulles International Airport, had to return due to issue with retracting the landing gear.
The plane landed uneventfully. All 110 passengers and crew members remained safe.
The airline arranged a replacement plane for the passengers.
VLM airlines flight W2-6142 had to divert and make a safe emergency landing at Dublin Airport, Dublin, Ireland, on May 20th.
The Fokker 50, heading from London, England, was on approach to Waterford’s runway when the crew reported a problem with its nose gear.
The plane landed successfully.
All 14 passengers and 4 crew members onboard remained unharmed.
What: 1972 Cessna 150L registered to a flight school in Wheeling, en route from the Chicago Executive Airport
Where: on the ice of Grays Lake near Route 120 and Lake Street, Lake County, IL
When: early Tuesday evening 4:30 p.m. Feb 17 2009
Who: pilot and one passenger were aboard. Neither was injured.
Why: The plane was experiencing engine problems and the pilot determined he would not make it to land at nearby Campbell Airport. Rescue crews left the pilot waiting for a mechanic.
The plane belongs to Flight Center at Service Aviation, Inc. of Wheeling.
Rumor is it got up to 40 degrees Tuesday so let’s hope the pilot got that Cessna off the ice before it melted–
36°F
Current: Overcast
Wind: S at 6 mph
Humidity: 74%
Tue
40°F | 32°F
Plane crash cases take a long time to settle, and the families of the Mangalore Crash can vouch for it, having been waiting since the date of the crash in May of 2010. Families who are still waiting on a settlement, and will be back in court this November. They aren’t looking for extraordinary measures, but want compensation for flight 812–the Air India Express Dubai-Mangalore in accordance with the Montreal Convention. 152 died in the crash.
According to The National, Airlines are required to pay compensation of 7.5 million rupees (Dh560,000) per passenger to families of crash victims, just as a Kerala judge ordered. Then that judge was overruled in favor of Air India Express. This November, the case will move into the highest court to rule in favor of the victims or Air India Express.
I know I have said this before, but it bears repeating.
I must remind the families that the value of the aviation case is usually much higher than 75 lakhs.
And this is because Tier II of the Montreal Treaty.
The convention’s second tier deals with the portion of a claim exceeding the $155,000 limit. An airline can avoid liability for portions of claims over the limit by proving it was “not negligent or otherwise at fault.”
I’m not a lawyer but I know from experience how it works. I have been working with wrongful death cases for years, and have learned a lot from the experience my aviation experts have graciously passed on to me.
If you can prove provable damages, then Tier II (referred to in Article 21(2) of the Montreal Convention) Air India Express is liable to families/passengers for all personal injury or wrongful death damages exceeding 100,000 Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), unless the carrier(s) can prove that the injuries or deaths were not due to the negligence or other wrongful act or omission of the carrier or it servants or agents OR the injuries or deaths were solely due to the negligence or other wrongful act or omission of a third party.
My guess is that the carrier will never prove this. The burden of proof is on them. If I am correct, and know the experts who have taught me, are correct, Air India Express is liable to the victims’ families for all damages under the applicable law, including but not limited to, pain & suffering of your loved one prior to death.
They are liable for pain and suffering, the loss of support, i.e., money, the loss and enjoyment of life of the victim.
I hope the families don’t sell themselves short, and give up all that may be coming in return for even a payment of the 75 lakhs. Accepting 75 lakhs—which may look like a lot after the losses they’ve suffered—but if they sign their name on the dotted like, they give up the right to future compensation.
