Air New Zealand flight NZ-621 had to divert and make an emergency landing in Christchurch, New Zealand, on May 20th.
The Airbus A320-200 plane heading from Auckland to Queenstown, New Zealand, was diverted after it suffered a lightning strike.
The plane landed uneventfully. Everyone aboard remained safe.
Another Air New Zealand flight had also suffered a lightning strike around the same time. See: Air New Zealand Flight Diverts to Christchurch After Lightning Strike
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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.
An abandoned small plane was found in a pasture in Washington County, Oregon, on January 5th.
Authorities said the land-owner found the aircraft when he went to feed his cattle in the pasture.
The troopers contacted the pilot who told them he had to make an emergency landing due to mechanical issues and that he was not injured. He said he was making arrangements to bring a mechanic to the plane.
What: Piper PA-28R-180 Arrow en route from Mammoth Lakes to Palomar Airport
Where: I-15 & W. El Norte Pkwy, Escondido, CA
When: July 22, 2012, 11:25 p,
Who: 4 aboard
Why: After the plane was rented, it ran out of gas en route. The pilot, Pilot Ken Gheysar, managed to make a safe landing on a highway in light traffic.
No one was injured, but a 1996 Dodge Dakota pickup clipped the plane’s left wing while the plane was sitting on the shoulder.
The pilot and his family were returning home from a weekend in Mammoth Lakes.
It was towed by 8:20 a.m. with damage too severe to fly out.
Three flights made emergency landings at LaGuardia Airport, New York, after they were separately hit by birds within a period of 4 hours on September 3.
ExpressJet Flight 5400 reported bird strike shortly after 7 a.m., while it was turning to land on Runway 31. In the second incident, ExpressJet Flight 5432 was hit by the birds at about 8:53 a.m. while taxiing to the ramp and after less than 3 hours, the Air Canada 706 reported bird strike at about 11:15 a.m. while it was some 12 miles northeast of the airport.
All three planes made safe emergency landings and no injuries to personnel or damage to property was reported.
The FAA is investigating the incidents.
Germanwings flight 4U-8990 made an emergency landing at Berlin Tegel Airport, Germany, on July 19th.
The plane took off for Domodedovo International Airport, Russia, but had to return shortly afterwards due to a hydraulic issue.
The plane landed uneventfully. There were 131 people aboard at the time; all of them remained unharmed.
The airline arranged a replacement plane for the passengers.
Aer Lingus flight EI-644 suffered a lightning strike near Prague, Czech Republic, on October 29th.
The incident happened when the Airbus A320-200 plane flying from Dublin, Ireland, was on approach to Vaclav Havel Airport Prague.
The plane continued for a safe landing. All passengers and crew members remained uninjured.
