British Airways flight BA-274 declared emergency before landing at Heathrow Airport, London, England, UK, on September 12th.
The Boeing 747, en-route from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, was over Scotland when the pilot requested a priority landing reporting that a passenger had fallen ill.
The plane landed safely.
The passenger was provided medical assistance at the airport.
Flybe flight BE-7326 made an emergency landing in Hanover, Germany, on March 3rd.
The plane flying from Milan–Malpensa Airport, Italy, was on approach to Hanover when the crew aborted the approach due to a landing gear problem.
The crew worked the checklists and landed safely on second approach.
Everyone aboard remained unharmed.
Fuji Dream Airlines flight JH-341 had to return and make an emergency landing in Nagoya, Japan, on August 6th.
The Embraer ERJ-170 plane took off for Kochi, Japan, but had to turn back after the crew needed to shut down one of the engines.
The plane landed safely. There were sixty-seven people aboard at the time; all of them remained unharmed.
According to UK CAA statistics, over 1.400 incidents of laser attacks on pilots were reported last year, most of which occurred at Heathrow airport.
In fact, on average four pilots are at risk of being blinded by laser light on approach to British airports every day.
The CAA has warned that if a pilot is blinded or dazzled by a laser light on approach, it could result in a catastrophic incident. According to a regulator, “An aircraft on final approach at 1,000ft has around one minute before it reaches the threshold of the runway and touches down…A pilot dazzled by a laser can be blinded for up to ten seconds followed by over a minute of impaired vision. The risks to passengers and crew are all too obvious.”
What: Jetblue Airbus A320-200 en route from New York to Las Vegas
Where: Amarillo
When: March 27 2012
Who: 1 medical emergency, 135 passengers, six crew
Why: While en route, the pilot of the JetBlue Airbus suffered a panic attack. He was locked out of the cockpit and restrained, and another JetBlue pilot who was aboard assisted the first officer in the cockpit as they diverted to Amarillo and made a safe landing.
The pilot had walked to the back of the plane, and when he returned to the cockpit and found he was locked out, he began yelling “Let me in” and raving about a bomb.
After landing in Amarillo, the captain was taken off the plane into an ambulance that sat on the tarmac for thirty minutes before he was taken to an Amarillo hospital.
“Flight 191 departed New York’s JFK airport at 7:28 am ET (was scheduled to depart 6:55 am ET). At roughly 10 am CT/11 am ET, the pilot in command elected to divert to Amarillo, TX for a medical situation involving the Captain. Another Captain, traveling off duty, entered the flight deck prior to landing at Amarillo, and took over the duties of the ill crewmember once on the ground. The aircraft arrived Amarillo at 10:11 am CT, and the crewmember was removed from the aircraft and taken to a local medical facility. Customers remain on board at this time. JetBlue is working with local authorities and airport officials for the safe deplaning of the aircraft and will send a new aircraft to continue the flight to LAS.” |
What: Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700, en route from San Francisco to Chicago
Where: Oakland
When: Jan 22nd 2011 2:51 pm
Who: 86 passengers
Why: While en route, the pilot of the Southwest Airlines Boeing received a warning message indicating a fire in wheel well. The pilot diverted to Oakland and made a safe landing where passengers disembarked and waited to transfer to another plane.
On January 21, 2012, a Southwest Airlines 737 with 76 passengers and five crew aboard was en route from Kansas to Houston when it developed smoke in the cockpit.
Pilots diverted to Tulsa and made a safe landing (but probably hard and fast since reportedly three tires blew) with emergency services on standby at about 9:15 a.m.. No injuries were reported. Passengers were provided alternative transport to Houston.
The plane has been removed from service and will be inspected in Tulsa.
