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Contact photographer Augustas Didzgalvis
What: Air Baltic Boeing 737-500 en route from Riga to Berlin
Where: Palanga Lithuania
When: Dec 16th 2009
Who: not available
Why: While en route, the plane experienced generator failure. The crew declared emergency and returned to Riga where they made a safe landing.
A replacement jet was flown in fewer than 4 hours later.
Delta Airlines flight DL-1941 made an emergency landing in Little Rock, Arkansas, on June 14th.
The Boeing 757-200 plane heading from Atlanta, Georgia, to Santa Ana, California, was diverted after smell of smoke was noticed in the aft cabin.
The plane landed safely. All passengers and crew members remained safe.
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Contact photographer Michael Nikel
What: RAK Airways Airbus A320-200 en route from Ras Al Khaimah to Kozhikode
Where: Ras Al Khaimah
When: Mar 10th 2012 11.30pm.
Who: 141 passengers
Why: While en route, the plane developed problems with an engine and had to shut it down.
Pilots returned to Ras Al Khaimah where they made a safe landing.
A replacement jet was provided for the passengers. It left for Calicut 6.40am Saturday.
Turkish Airlines flight TK-415 had to return for an emergency landing in Moscow, Russia, on January 12th.
The Boeing 737-900 plane took off for Istanbul, Turkey, but its tail hit the runway during rotation.
The crew subsequently returned to Moscow where the plane landed safely.
Everyone aboard remained unharmed.
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Contact photographer Dan Miclea
What: Virgin America Airbus en route from San Francisco to New York City
Where: Grand Junction Colorado
When: September 8, 2011, 2:00 a.m.
Who: 111 passengers and 6 crew
Why: While en route, the Virgin America flight experienced problems, described by one passenger as “the engine quit” and by another as “a giant flame from the engine.” While en route, passengers were awakened by a loud noise, and according to one passenger, flight attendants rushed to the cockpit.
Pilots shut the engine down and continued the flight. Individuals with military experience were asked to assist in case of emergency.
(We don’t usually get this much detail, but it is clear that the passengers were terrified. Pilots always say these huge jets with multiple engines are built to fly without one, in case of emergency; but personally I can relate more to the anxiety of the passengers than the confidence of pilots in their machines. Though one has to admit, knowing a pilot confident in his plane is flying is more comforting to a passenger than a pilot who is hysterical.)
Pilots explained the situation to the passengers. Forty minutes later landed safely in Grand Junction.
Passengers were provided hotel accommodation, $150 for another flight, and another flight was provided within ten hours. The incident is under investigation.
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Contact photographer Thomas Posch
What: Iran Air Boeing 727-200 en route from Chah-Bahar to Zahedan
Where: Iran
When: Oct 23rd 2009
Who: Not available
Why: While enroute, the cabin pressure dropped rapidly. Oxygen masks were deployed, and the plane began an emergency descent to height where a safe pressure could be maintained. The flight continued on to its destination and landed safely.
The crisis is speculated to be due to a malfunctioning or blocked valve in the air conditioning system.
Iraqi Airways flight IA-443 had to divert and make an emergency landing in Kuwait City, Kuwait, on July 31st.
The plane heading from Basra, Iraq, to New Delhi, India, was diverted due to an engine malfunction.
The plane landed safely. Everyone aboard remained unharmed.
