What: US Airways Boeing 737-300 en route from Reno, to Phoenix
Where: Las Vegas
When: May 1st 2011
Who: 90 passengers
Why: After takeoff, the right engine developed problems. The pilot shut down the engine and diverted to McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas where they made a safe landing.
Passengers were provided alternative flights. There were no injuries.
Frontier Airlines flight F9-917 had to divert and make an emergency landing at Jacksonville International Airport, Jacksonville, Florida, on December 9.
The Airbus A319-100, flying from Trenton, New Jersey, to Orlando, Florida, had to divert due to an issue with one of its engines.
The plane landed safely.
All 140 passengers and 5 crew members remained safe.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Andrew Compolo
What: Continental Airlines Boeing 737-800 en route from Port of Spain ,Trinidad/Tobago to Houston,TX
Where: Port of Spain
When: Aug 16 2011
Who: 155 passengers and 6 crew
Why: After takeoff, the crew noted an indication that a door was open.
The flight crew elected to return to the airport where they made a safe landing.
The door was closed, and the flight took off again and continued normally, arriving several hours late, but safely.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Michael Priesch
What: Austrian Airlines Boeing 767-300 en route from Vienna Austria to Washington DC
Where: Vienna
When: May 27th 2011
Why: After takeoff, the gear would not retract.
The pilot returned to make a safe landing in Vienna; repairs were made and the flight left again less than an hour later.
Anonymous Expert Opinion
One common occurrence in Commercial Aviation is when a maintenance person forgets to remove the Landing Gear Safety Pin that is connected before starting the push back procedure during the aircraft start-up. It happens that that pin prevents the hydraulic system to actuate the nose gear allowing the tractor to freely steer the aircraft free from the gate. However that pin also locks the landing gear in the “down” position preventing the hydraulic system to retract in when commanded by the pilots. The result is that the aircraft is prevented from retracting its landing gear (one pin prevents them all) and returning is mandatory.
If the airplane is engaged in an intercontinental flight (thus carrying a huge amount of fuel) the crew invariably must dump a great amount of fuel in order to reduce the weight to within the manufacturer’s certified maximum landing weight in order to perform a safe landing. After dumping the fuel as the aircraft’s weight reaches its maximum allowed for landing the crew land the airplane. Unfortunately it causes delays and it is a nuisance, although not a harmful one. The worst part is for the maintenance crew whom was responsible for the tow out procedure to explain to his (or hers) superiors the quite expensive forgetfulness.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Carlos De Oliveira
What: Air Austral Boeing 777-200 en route from Saint Denis to Dzaoudzi
Where: Saint Denis (2x)
When: May 8th 2009
Why: When there was a problem with the brakes, the plane returned to Saint Denis twice for repairs, before the flight was ultimately cancelled
George’s Point of View
Maintenance! Maintenance! Maintenance!
FedEx flight FX-3022 had to divert and make an emergency landing in Wichita, Kansas, on May 3rd.
The freight plane, heading from Oakland, California, to Newark, New Jersey, was diverted after the crew reported a hydraulic failure.
The plane landed safely. There were 2 crew members aboard at the time; both of them remained unhurt.
Jet Airways flight 9W-118 was intercepted by two fighter planes due to loss of communication on February 16.
The Boeing 777-300 plane was heading from Mumbai, India, to London, England, when it lost communication with the ATC.
Two fighter jets intercepted the aircraft and subsequently, the communication was restored.
The plane continued for a safe landing. All passengers and crew members remained unharmed.