Virgin Atlantic flight VS-7 made an emergency landing in Los Angeles, California, on July 30th.
The Boeing 787-900 plane was flying from Heathrow Airport, England, when the crew needed to shut down one of the engines due to an engine oil leak.
The plane landed safely. Everyone aboard remained unharmed.
Alaska Airlines flight 17 had to divert and make an emergency landing at Buffalo Niagara International Airport, New York, on October 12,
The plane, en-route from Newark, New Jersey to Seattle, Washington, was diverted after the crew reported smoke coming out of a credit card reader. According to airline spokesperson Halley Knigge, apparently the smoke was caused due to a melting battery. “The flight crew used a fire extinguisher to stop the device from smoking while the captain made flight emergency arrangements,” she said.
The plane landed safely. There were 181 passengers and 6 crew members aboard at the time; none of them were harmed.
What: Air Canada Boeing 777 en route from Vancouver to Toronto
Where: Vancouver International Airport
When: Dec 16, 2010
Who: 224 passengers
Why: While en route, the Boeing developed an oil pressure problem (indicator) in one of the engines. No smoke was reported.
The pilots returned to Vancouver and made a safe landing. No injuries were reported. Passengers disembarked and boarded another plane which left for Toronto around noon.
JetBlue Airways flight B6-461 had to divert and make an emergency landing at Raleigh–Durham International Airport, North Carolina, on August 21st.
The Airbus A320-200 plane heading from LaGuardia Airport, New York, to West Palm Beach, Florida, was diverted after smoke was noticed on board.
The plane landed safely.
Six passengers were given medical assistance at the airport, while two others were taken to a hospital.
What: AirTran Airways Boeing 717-200 en route from Charlotte to Atlanta
Where: Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport
When: May 4, 2011
Who: 115 passengers, 5 crew
Why: The flight took off as usual but while en route, the twin engine plane developed a problem in one engine, with the compressor stalling. The left engine had to be shut down.
The flight diverted to Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport where they made a safe landing.
Although the Federal Aviation Administration approved Boeing Company’s certification plan for the redesigned 787 battery system, after thoroughly reviewing Boeing’s proposed modifications, the National Transportation Safety Board said Boeing didn’t inform investigators about what it planned to say in the March 15 briefing in Tokyo, which is “inconsistent with our expectations.”
On March 15, Boeing reps provided their own analysis and conclusions regarding the NTSB investigation but they apparently signed paperwork that “must refrain from providing opinions or analysis of the accident.”
The NTSB was not amused.
Boeing plans to demonstrate that the system will meet FAA requirements but they are also concerned with damage control.
The certification plan is the first step in the process to evaluate the 787’s return to flight and requires Boeing to conduct extensive testing and analysis to demonstrate compliance with the applicable safety regulations and special conditions.
The Jan. 7 fire in Boston was composed of three-inch flames on the front of the connector’s battery box.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer George Canciani
What: Air New Zealand Boeing 737-300 en route from Auckland to Wellington
Where: Hamilton
When: May 8, 2011
Who: 101 aboard
Why: While en route, the pilots shut down the right engine. Low oil pressure is suspected to be the problem.
Passengers heard the right engine make an explosive noise. In the plane, passengers panicked as they dropped for several seconds—screaming, crying, praying, panic attacks.
The plane rolled right, then straightened.
After a few moments, the pilot came out and reassured the passengers, explaining that they’d lost an engine, but it was a routine procedure they practiced all the time and that everything was under control.
Pilots diverted to Hamilton, where they made a safe landing. As passengers exited, the pilot told them “this was the first time an Air New Zealand 737 had had a total loss of engine.”
Passengers were bused or rented cars to go back to Auckland and engineers examined the downed plane.
