Privilege Style flight EC-ISY had to divert and make an emergency landing at Brindisi Airport, Italy, on May 5th.
The Boeing 757-200 flying from Corfu, Greece, to Leipzig, Germany, had to divert due to loss of cabin pressure.
The plane landed safely.
All 164 people aboard remained safe.
After a crash, the stories always come out that put faces on the “seats.” The one that has, so far, struck me the most in the Dana Air crash is a tale of mixed blessings.
First Omonigho Akinsanya had come to visit, and now she was waiting in the crowded, overheated Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport to catch a plane to take her home. She, with her 5-year-old son Moyo, and her sister had been waiting in line, trying to travel back home.
The airport, which is undergoing renovations is reportedly hot and crowded, and Omonigho Akinsanya had her son to manage. She was understandably upset when a man broke in line and took the last seat in the crowded airplane that her sister had already boarded.
His breaking in line saved her life. But she cannot rejoice in the luck, fortune, Karma, coincidence that left her alive. Her sister was one of the victims.
This is her sister’s sad story, and her own too, because it is a terrible loss and a close call. But it is only one of 153+ losses (not forgetting the families on the ground who were minding their own business in their own apartments when a plane fell on their heads.)
It is hard to sift rumor from fact. One rumor is that the flight had been diverted or delayed due to Dame Patience Jonathan, the first lady, but that rumor has been discounted; she was at an event on Sunday when the crash occurred, and nowhere near the airport. There was a rumor of a bird strike, stemming from an official speculating on the cause. And then of course, everyone is studying the plane’s history, and wondering if it was airworthy.
The MD-83 belonged to Alaska Airlines from 1990 when it was new until 2007, when the plane’s title went to North Shore Aircraft LLC (probably the financier) and leased back for a year. Before it was retired in 2008, it had gone through a diversion on Nov 4 2002 due to an overheated light ballast; on August 20, 2006 due to a “chafed wire bundle.” And as Dana Air 5N-RAM it suffered a bird strike on April 19, 2010.
The pilot, Peter Waxtan, was an American, and the first officer was Mike Mahendra, from India. Captain Waxton called a double engine failure. The pilot had requested to land on Murtala Muhammad Airport’s longer runway 18R before calling air controllers back a few minutes later to report a total emergency.
There has been some negative buzz regarding maintenance of this MD83 in the hands of Dana Air, and a recent discussion of Dana Air crew being reluctant to fly in this plane, due to mechanical difficulties on a recent flight, even that Dana Air execs insisted the plane be flown. Plus, it was overloaded.
It is still so soon after the crash that we hardly know which questions to ask first. There are so many questions. But if Dana Air was putting faulty aircraft in the air, they will have to answer for it. Too bad it will be too late for those who were aboard.
What: VIRGIN Australia Boeing en route from Brisbane to Los Angeles
Where: Los Angeles
When: August 27, 2012
Who: 416 passengers
Why: The flight made an emergency landing in LA when it developed problems with its landing gear.
Emergency services were on standby during the landing. Fortunately, pilots made a safe landing with no injuries reported.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Giovanni Verbeeck
What: Air New Zealand Boeing 767-300en route from Auckland to Perth,WA
Where: Auckland
When: Jun 9th 2011
Who: 206 passengers, 10 crew
Why: Just after takeoff, while climbing, the left hand engine shot flames and emitted engine backfire and banging noises. The pilots described an interruption to the airflow through the left hand engine. The pilot shut down the engine and returned to Auckland where they made a safe landing. No bird strike was found, although that was initially assumed to be the cause. The engine’s electronic control has been replaced, and the engine is being tested; and the engine’s electronic control has been shipped to the manufacturer for testing.
Passengers were provided an alternative flight to Perth. Some of them were shaken, although the airline says they were never in any danger.
American Airlines flight AA-153 had to return and make an emergency landing in Chicago, Illinois, on July 9th.
The Boeing 787-800 plane took off for Tokyo Narita Airport, Japan, but had to turn back due to a cracked windshield.
The plane landed safely. All one hundred and sixty-four passengers and thirteen crew members remained unharmed.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Baires Aviation Photography
What: Aerolineas Argentinas McDonnell Douglas MD-88 en route from Buenos Aires to Trelew, Argentina
Where: Trelew
When: Mar 25th 2009
Who: 41 passengers
Why: On approach to Trelew, an electrical problem caused the cabin to fill with smoke. After the safe landing, passengers debarked via slides. One flight attendant was treated for smoke inhalation.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Paul Spijkers
What: Lion Air Boeing 737-900
Where: Jakarta Indonesia
When: August 24, 2012, 3:35 a.m.
Who: no fatalities
Why: The right wing of Lion Air Boeing 737-900(PK-LFL) grazed the tail of (PK-OCU)Airfast Indonesia MD 82 which was improperly parked. (The incident appears to be due to negligent parking.)
The Lion Air plane had been scheduled to take-off at 5:20.
An investigation is underway.
