| |

AGENDA ANNOUNCED FOR NTSB FORUM ON LITHIUM ION BATTERIES


April 8, 2013
WASHINGTON – The National Transportation Safety Board today released the final agenda including the participants’ names, affiliations, and biographies for the forum on lithium ion batteries in transportation.

The forum, scheduled for Thursday and Friday, April 11-12, starts at 9 am and will be held in the NTSB Board Room and Conference Center in Washington, DC.

Representatives from government, industry and academia will serve as panelists during the forum and will address issues related to lithium ion battery technology and how it is used across transportation modes.

To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.

Similar Posts

  • | | |

    NTSB Sends Assistance

    On Jan 16, 2013, an ANA All Nippon Airways Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was en route from Yamaguchi-Ube Airport to Tokyo-Haneda Airport when smoke in the forward electrical compartment developed. Also, an unusual smell was detected.

    The flight made an emergency landing.

    There were 137 passengers aboard.One passenger was injured in the evacuation. The firefighters did not find any fire.

    The NTSB sent out a release that said “The National Transportation Safety Board is sending an investigator to Japan to assist in the investigation of an emergency landing of an ANA Boeing 787 that occurred yesterday. Initial reports indicate that the crew received multiple messages in the cockpit concerning the battery and other systems that were affected, and also reported smoke in the cockpit and an odor in the cabin. The airplane subsequently landed, and passengers and crew evacuated via emergency slides.”

    Investigator Lorenda Ward is the U. S. accredited representative to the JTSB’s investigation and will work alongside reps from the FAA and Boeing.

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • | | | | |

    Two Passenger Planes ‘Nearly Collided’ Midair in New Jersey Says NTSB’s Report

    According to a preliminary report released by the NTSB, two passenger planes ‘nearly collided’ mid-air last month near Newark Liberty Airport, New Jersey.

    The incident happened on April 24 when a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, registered to United Airlines was about to land at the airport while an Embraer ERJ145 aircraft belonging to ExpressJet flight was taking off. At about 3pm, the distance between the two planes was recorded to be only 200 feet laterally, and 400 feet vertically.

    The report revealed that “The local controller recognized that the spacing was insufficient and instructed the B737 to go around. He provided traffic advisories to both the B737 and the ERJ145 pilots and instructed the ERJ145 pilot to maintain visual separation from the B737. The ERJ145 pilot responded that he was going to keep the aircraft’s nose down. The B737 overflew the ERJ145 at the intersection of runways 29/4R”.

    There were 47 passengers and 3 crew members aboard the ExpressJet flight while the United flight was flying with 155 passengers and 6 crew members on board.

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • | | | | | | |

    Automation at Fault?


    Here’s the question: do pilots rely too much on automation? This question has been on my mind since hearing the parallels between the UPS Cargo jet crash and the Asiana passenger jet crash. This is on my mind not only as one who works toward aviation safety but also as a very frequent flyer. You can only imagine how my work carries me into international situations. I don’t fly as frequently as a pilot, but sometimes I fly internationally several times a month. I am on these planes frequently. I rely on them.

    So I find it disturbing that the NTSB’s hearing Thursday revealed parallels between the crash of UPS Flight 1354 and Asiana Filght 214. While I don’t know the answers, I can only hope the investigation shines light on ways to deal with this problem. What is the solution? Less reliance on Automation? Better training for pilots?

    On the other side of the coin, some parties will want even more automation, but I am reluctant to go in that direction. The idea of even more reliance on automation is anathema to me because the engineers and advocates of reliance on even more automation will not be on those even-more automated planes. While the technology and/or training will be on the chopping block, their actual necks won’t be.

    What I don’t find disturbing is the professionalism of the hearings. The webcast is well worth watching.

    The hearing webcast is recorded here: http://ntsb.capitolconnection.org/022014/ntsb_archive_flv.htm

    Note the NTSB cautions participants in the hearing not to engage the media and to stick to the facts.

    Or the recorded captions (unformatted) are here.
    https://airflightdisaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ntsb022014.htm.pdf

    bio docket: https://airflightdisaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/biodocket.pdf

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • | |

    447 History Uncovered, Black Box Memory Secured


    In April, most of the Airbus jet was found, including the motors and some of the bodies. On April 27, we reported that the empty case was recovered after the Ile de Sein came in on the 26th from Senegal to assist in performing recovery operations in the current phase of Air France flight 447 project.

    At that time, the Remora 6000 robot found the chassis of the CSMU but not the actual CSMU memory module, which (after the human remains) is the key prize wanted in this search, being the one thing that can shed light on what occurred on June 21 2009.

    An hour ago (May 1, 2010) the news was released that the missing memory was located partially buried in the sand. The memory unit is now aboard the Ile de Sein.

    BEA experts are cautiously optimistic about data recovery, and cite two years of water pressure as a disturbing factor.

    In the search, the robot sends images up to the crew, who examines the transmissions for signs of the wreckage.

    The official BEA statement is
    “The investigation team localized and identified the memory unit from the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) at 10 h UTC this morning. It was raised and lifted on board the ship Ile de Sein by the Remora 6000 ROV at 16h40 UTC.”

    Now the question remains if the data will be recoverable.

    * images and information are from Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • | | |

    Beech Crashes House in Miami Gardens

    What: Beech 18 (N18R)
    Where: near Opa-Locka Airport, Miami Gardens Florida
    When: May 2, 2010
    Who: pilot Harry Trauffer
    Why: Right after takeoff, the pilot of the twin engine Beechcraft 18 cargo plane that was carrying household goods to the Bahamas radioed he was going down, before he clipped trees, crashed through a fence and 2 cars and into a residential yard. Neighbors were at home at the time of the crash, and witnessed it.

    More than 90 Miami-Dade firefighters were on the scene. Although we saw reports that the fire only caused smoke damage to the exterior of the home, and that it did not strike the building, it is clear in the video that the house was breached by the plane, and there were several areas of the house that were on fire. The family is staying elsewhere and no one in the house was injured.

    and was toxic while burning,
    The pilot who was killed in the crash was 64 year old Harry Trauffer, who regularly flew clothing, bedding and auto parts to the Bahamas.

    Near the accident site on 38th Avenue and 150th Street., the NTSB is holding a 3:00 PM press briefing conducted by NTSB Investigator-in-Charge, Todd Gunther

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • | |

    NTSB Assisting Dana Air Crash Investigation


    The NTSB is dispatching an investigator to assist the government of Nigeria in its investigation of the crash of a Dana Air Boeing MD-83 airplane, Flight # 0992.

    On June 3, 2012 at about 11:51 a.m. local time, the airplane, en route from Abuja to Lagos Nigeria, crashed outside the airport into a two story building. All 153 passengers and crew onboard were fatally injured, and an undetermined number of ground fatalities and injuries also occurred.

    As the state of design and manufacture of the Boeing MD-83, the NTSB has designated Senior Aviation Accident Investigator, Mr. Dennis Jones, as the traveling U.S. Accredited Representative. Mr. Jones will be assisted from NTSB headquarters by investigative staff specializing in operational factors, powerplants, and airworthiness as well as advisors from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Boeing, and Pratt & Whitney.

    The investigation is being conducted by the Nigerian Accident Investigation Bureau.

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.