Agency

Public, government, national and international agencies

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    Intra-Agency UAS Surveillance Drone-Detecting Testing at JFK

    http://nuairalliance.org/media/album/14
    ©NUAIR Alliance drone test April 19, 2016
    The FY 2016 Appropriations law mandates that the FAA continue research into detection of UAS in airport environments.

    Because the FAA has received reports about unmanned aircraft systems (UAS, or “drones”) around JFK, the FAA is developing drone detecting technology. FAA Senior Advisor on UAS Integration, Marke “Hoot” Gibson, said “This effort at JFK reflects everyone’s commitment to safety.” The FAA, FBI, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Justice, Queens District Attorney’s Office and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey participated in recent tests. U.S. Government is expanding on efforts to identify and deploy countermeasures to neutralize any threat posed by rogue UASs.

    At JFK, five rotorcraft and fixed wing UAS participated in system evaluations this May. Approximately 40 tests took place. The JFK tests follow up on research performed at Atlantic City International Airport. Griffiss International Airport test site in Rome, NY, provided the flight commander, and expertise in planning the individual tests.

    The NUAIR Alliance was part of the largest test of NASA’s UAS traffic management (UTM) research platform on April 19, 2016. That test consisted of 22 drones flying simultaneously at six different FAA UAS test site locations around the country.

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    FAA Moves Up Allegiant Air Audit from 2018 to 2016

    AllegiantThe FAA has confirmed that it is moving the routine audit of Allegiant Air from 2018 to 2016.

    According to a statement, “The FAA is conducting a routine National Certificate Holder Evaluation of Allegiant Air. We do these on each U.S.-certificated airline every five years. We moved up the date for Allegiant’s evaluation from 2018 to 2016 to ensure that work the carrier is doing to address various internal issues has resulted in the desired improvements. We expect to have the evaluation done by late June.”

    The evaluation schedule was moved due to a series of recent incidents. Recently, at least two Allegiant flights made emergency landings due to shortage of fuel. Furthermore, last week an Allegiant plane made an emergency landing in Phoenix due to engine failure.

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    MAK says the FlyDubai Pilots got into a fatal nosedive and couldn’t get out

    rostovblackbox
    The Interstate Aviation Committee investigation of the Boeing 737-800 registered A6-FDN operated by FlyDubai has updated their report. The information below is directly from that report.

    Mak indicated in a press release that two dimensional aircraft mockups and selected assemblies and units were examined to check the longitudinal control system operability. The units were delivered to the Interstate Aviation Committee, their condition assessed. Operation reports of weather, wreckage, Air Traffic Control, avionics, powerplants, structures and systems were prepared and reviewed.

    Airport Weather

    The weather information examination has revealed that the actual weather at Rostov-on-Don Airport at the time of the accident was consistent with the weather forecast. The weather measuring equipment used for weather observations at Rostov-on-Don Airport was calibrated, operable and functional. The weather information service provided to the FlyDubai Boeing 737-800 registered A6-FDN conducting Flight FDB981 Dubai – Rostov-on-Don – Dubai that crashed while landing at Rostov-on-Don Airport was in compliance with the applicable regulations and manuals.

    Preliminary Flight Data Analysis

    Preliminary flight data analysis indicates the crew was approaching to land manually with autopilot disconnected, in difficult weather conditions; cloud base was at 630 meters, wind 230 degrees 13 meters per second maximum 18 meters per second, light shower rain, mist, severe turbulence on straight-on and moderate windshear.

    On the initial approach at 22:42 UTC at a height of 340 meters, after getting a windshear alert, the crew decided to go around, and then continued on holding pattern waiting for improved weather conditions.

    On a second, manual approach, the crew decided to go around again at a height of 220 meters 4 km before the runway, and initiated climb setting the engine to takeoff thrust. At a height of 900 m there was a simultaneous control column nose down input and stabilizer 5-degree nose down deflection, resulting in abrupt descent with negative vertical acceleration of -1g. The following crew actions to recover did not allow to avoid an impact with the ground. The impact occurred with a speed of over 600 km/h over 50 degrees nose down.

    The IAC is in the process of reproducing the circumstances of the accident. Airline pilots and test-pilots from the Russian Federation, the USA and the UAE have been engaged in the investigation to assess the status and actions of the crew. The involved pilots were holding valid pilot licenses and other pertinent papers, had undergone required training and had sufficient flight experience.

    Transcript of two hours of cockpit voice recorder data is being completed. The investigative team is planning to engage investigators from the UAE, the USA and Spain to proceed at the IAC laboratory with clarifying the content of the CVR transcript, translating it from English and Spanish and identifying the speakers.

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    Four Killed after Small Plane Crashes in Idaho

    A small plane crashed near China Beach on the Palisades Reservoir in Idaho, on March 13th.

    The Cessna 182 aircraft crashed and burst into flames around 1 mile north of Alpine Airport, from where it departed.

    There were four people aboard at the time; all of them were killed in the crash. They were identified as the pilot Jerry “David” Anderson, 40, his wife Jessica Ann Anderson, 38, Thomas “Brook” Summers, 39, and his wife Heidi Summers, 36. All of them were residents of Idaho Falls.

    The FAA and the NTSB are investigating the incident.

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    Two Dead after Small Plane Crashes in New Mexico

    A small plane crashed near Ohkay Owingeh Airport in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, on March 11th.

    The single-engine Remos GX light sport airplane went down around 50 feet from the outer fence of the airport.

    There were two people aboard the plane, including the pilot Karen Ann Young, 46, and the co-pilot Thomas Spickermann, 47; both of them were killed in the crash.

    The FAA is investigating.

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    Lufthansa: Safekeeping Profits or Passengers?

    crash site image

    Accident to the Airbus A320-211, registered D-AIPX and operated by Germanwings, flight GWI18G, on 03/24/15 at Prads-Haute-Bléone

    According to the BEA, they will release the final report on Germanwings 9525 on Sunday, March 13, 2016 during a press briefing. I plan to be there.

    Although the public has not seen the final report, and indeed, as the investigation has not yet even been completed, the world already understands what happened aboard this tragic flight. What we really do not understand—and perhaps never will—is what drove Germanwings co-pilot Andreas Lubitz to research cockpit door security and methods of committing suicide. We do not know what drove a depressed human being to impel the plane and all the lives in his safekeeping into the side of a French mountain, condemning every soul aboard that plane to death. We do not know the devils that hounded him into this cold-blooded act. We only mourn, perhaps, his loss of humanity, as we mourn alongside the grieving families who have been robbed of their loved ones and their rightful lives.

    All passenger/families received a total of 8 million euros, divided equally among them. Media reports on what passengers received from Lufthansa varies.

    In the German media, the Rheinische Post claimed officials of the German airline said families of the 144 passengers have obtained different compensation amounts. It is also reported that Lufthansa group has paid 11.2 million euros ($12.48 million) to the families. Additional “uncalculated” compensation in “property damages” is still coming from Lufthansa to the families.

    This compensation…coming from Lufthansa, whose 2014 profit was declared “flat” at a mere $31.7 billion, announced in October of 2015 a nine-month net profit of €1.75 billion ($ 1.97 billion), up 262.7% from €482 million. The tragedy which destroyed 150 lives, and crippled all of their families appears to have left Lufthansa’s bottom line untouched.

    Do we also mourn and grieve and condemn Lufthansa? The depth of the ethics and principals of this many billion dollar company—the largest airline in Europe—remains to be seen. We can ask ourselves if this is a high-principled company of good repute, of sterling honor. We need not conjecture long. A tangible answer will be obvious when these decisions are made. We will see where lie their priorities when we learn how they treat the families whose lives hang in the balance in their custodianship.

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    Jan 18: TAM Airbus Emergency was Slow Suffocation

    Image of A320 Interior
    Image of A320 Interior
    On January 18, 2016, a TAM Linhas Aereas Airbus A320-200 was on a scheduled flight from Brasilia to Aracaju Brazil when the pilots decided to return to Brasilia. They made a safe landing and were in the air ten minutes short of an hour. Incident investigations always take time. So it was a couple weeks later, on Feb 5th when the BEA reported this notice. (Note that the BEA is Le Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses pour la Sécurité de l’Aviation, France’s Governmental aviation authority.) The BEA reported Brazil’s CENIPA notice why the pilots decided to return.

    The Airbus was climbing. Cabin crew told the flight crew that passengers and cabin crew were suffering from significant hypoxia. Hypoxia means inadequate oxygenation of the blood, or deficiency in the amount of oxygen delivered to the body tissues. Web MD says this about hypoxia:

    “When your body doesn’t have enough oxygen, you could get hypoxemia or hypoxia. These are dangerous conditions. Without oxygen, your brain, liver, and other organs can be damaged just minutes after symptoms start.”

    “Hypoxemia (low oxygen in your blood) can cause hypoxia (low oxygen in your tissues) when your blood doesn’t carry enough oxygen to your tissues to meet your body’s needs. The word hypoxia is sometimes used to describe both problems. Symptoms can vary from person to person, the most common hypoxia symptoms are Changes in the color of your skin, ranging from blue to cherry red, Confusion,Cough, Fast heart rate, Rapid breathing, Shortness of breath, Sweating, Wheezing. If you have symptoms of hypoxia, call 911.”

    On the Tam flight in question, the flight crew manually released the passenger oxygen masks. After returning to Brasilia, the incident was rated serious. CENIPA is investigating. CENIPA’s acronym is in Portuguese: Centro de Investigação e Prevenção de Acidentes Aeronáuticos. CENIPA is a unit of the Brazilian Air Force that investigates aviation accidents and incidents in Brazil.

    The flight under investigation was JJ-3538 flown by the Airbus registered as #PR-MAA on a standard flight from Brasilia,DF to Aracaju, SE in Brazil.

    Brazil investigates incident
    BEA reports on BEA2016-0061
    Serious incident, Brasilia Federal District, on 18 January 2016, AIRBUS – A320, PR-MAA; click to enlarge image

  • Airports Stepping Up to Prevent Spread of Zika Virus: ICAO

    Airports are enhancing the pest control measures in order to prevent the spread of Zika virus, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) said in a statement on February 11.

    According to the statement, “The management of the outbreak is currently focused on reducing the populations of the Aedes mosquito that transmit the virus at airports (vector control).”

    The ICAO also urged the airlines to follow WHO guidelines regarding testing and use of insecticides for the airplanes.

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    SkyWest Airlines Plane Returns to Tucson International Airport

    A United airlines flight had to return and make an emergency landing at Tucson International Airport in Arizona, on February 7th.

    The plane, operated by SkyWest Airlines, took off for Los Angeles, California, but had to return shortly afterwards after the cabin filled with smoke.

    The plane landed uneventfully. All 73 passengers and 4 crew members were safely evacuated.

    The FAA is investigating.

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    Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing at Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport

    A small plane had to make an emergency landing at Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport, Texas, on January 3rd.

    Authorities said the single-engine Cessna 210, carrying 3 people, landed gears up on the north-south runway.

    All occupants of the plane remained uninjured.

    The plane is registered to Kenneth W. Isom, of Idalou.

    The FAA is investigating the incident.

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    Four Killed as Small Plane Crashes in Somerset, UK

    small planeA six-seater light plane crashed near Churchinford village in Blackdown Hills, Somerset, United Kingdom, on November 14.

    The plane went down while it was heading from Surrey to Devon.

    There were four people aboard the plane, including two men and two women; all of them were killed in the crash.

    The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) will investigate the cause of crash.

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    Allegiant Air Allegedly Fires Pilot for Making Emergency Landing

    AllegiantA pilot’s union claims that the pilot of the Allegiant Air flight 864 that made an emergency landing at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, Florida, on June 8 has been fired.

    The pilot decided to make an emergency landing due to reports of smoke in the Maryland-bound aircraft’s cabin. Four passengers and a crew member sustained minor injuries while exiting through evacuation slides.

    The airline told the FAA that the mechanics could not find any problem in the aircraft.

    The president of the Airline Professionals Association Teamsters Local 1224, Dan Wells, said, “Believe me, the message was intentional and loud and clear: Don’t you dare push the safety stuff too far.”

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    Small Plane Crashed at Granbury Municipal Airport; 2 Killed

    A single-engine plane crashed at Granbury Municipal Airport in Hood County, Texas, on September 24.

    Authorities said the plane went down and burst into flames just a few hundred yards from Granbury High School.

    There were 2 people aboard at the time; both of them were killed in the crash.

    The NTSB and the FAA are investigating.

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    Two Killed in Madison County Plane Crash

    CessnaA single-engine Cessna 150 crashed in Eaton, Madison County, New York, on September 20.

    The plane, carrying 2 Colgate University students, went down shortly after taking off from Hamilton Municipal Airport.

    Both occupants of the ill-fated plane were killed in the crash. They were identified as Cathryn Depuy, 18, and Ryan Adams, 18.

    The FAA is investigating.

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    Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing in Orange County

    A small Piper Cherokee plane made an emergency landing at Red Hill and McGaw avenues in Irvine, Orange County, California, on September 16.

    Authorities said the plane, owned by Orange Coast College, came to rest at MacArthur Boulevard near John Wayne Airport.

    There were 2 people, including a student pilot and an instructor, aboard at the time; none of them reported any injuries.

    The FAA is looking into the cause of crash.

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    2 Injured as Small Plane Crashes in College Station

    A single-engine Cessna 172 plane crashed in a parking lot in College Station, Texas, on September 17.

    Authorities said the plane, travelling from Edgewood to Port Aransas, lost power before it went down around 10 miles south of Easterwood Airport.

    There were 2 people aboard, including the pilot Daniel Albert Fox and his wife Charlynn. Both of them sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to College Station Medical Center.

    The DPS and the FAA are investigating.

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    3 Killed, 7 Injured as Plane Crashes in Alaska

    crashA small floatplane plane crashed north of Iliamna Airport in Iliamna, Alaska, on September 15.

    The DeHavilland DHC-3T Turbine Otter aircraft, carrying 10 people, went down while it was taking off from East Wind Lake.

    Three people were killed in the accident. They were identified as 80-year-old Tony W. Degroot, of Hanford, California, 69-year-old James Specter, of Shavertown, Pennsylvania and 70-year-old James P. Fletcher, of Clovis, California.

    Seven others were injured and were shifted to hospitals.

    The plane belonged to Rainbow King Lodge.

    The NTSB is investigating.

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    Small Plane Crashes in Camden County; Pilot Killed

    Plane crashA Cessna 150 crashed into woods in Camden County, New Jersey, on September 12.

    Authorities said the plane, that took off from Camden County Airport, went down behind the homes on Jackson Road, Atco section.

    The pilot, who was the only one aboard, was killed in the crash. He was identified as 65-year-old David Sees, of Marlton.

    The FAA is investigating the cause of crash.

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    Cessna Makes Emergency Landing on US Highway 301

    emergencyA Cessna aircraft made an emergency landing on US Highway 301 in Manatee County, Florida, on the morning of September 11.

    Authorities said the pilot was attempting to land at Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport but could not make it. According to airport spokesperson Lionel Guilbert, “He descended. He said his engine started sputtering and at about 900 feet. The engine just quit altogether.”

    The plane landed without incident. The pilot, identified as flight instructor Thomas Frick, remained unhurt.

    The FAA is investigating.

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    Single-Engine Beechcraft Crashed in North Carolina; 3 Killed

    Beechcraft BonanzaA single-engine plane crashed and caught fire near Horneytown, in the south of Kernersville, Forsyth County, North Carolina, at 12:12 P.M on September 7.

    The Beechcraft A36 was en-route to Piedmont Triad International Airport, North Carolina, from Sarasota, Florida, at the time.

    The airport’s director Kevin Baker said the pilot was communicating a problem to ATC before the crash, but could not explain it.

    The FAA and NTSB were investigating the crash.

    According to an NTSB spokesperson, 3 people lost their lives in the accident.

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    Small Plane Crashed in Colorado Mountains; 5 Killed

    mountainA twin-engine plane crashed in San Juan Mountains, in the north of Silverton, Colorado, at around 4:15 P.M on September 6.

    The immediate cause of Cessna 310 crash is not yet known.

    At least 5 people lost their lives in the crash.

    San Juan County Sheriff’s office and NTSB are investigating.

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    Plane Crashed while Practicing for New York Air Show; Pilot Killed

    airshowA stunt plane crashed near Stewart international airport in New Windsor, New York, on August 28.

    Authorities said the Cornell W F/Sahakian JA Jr. Giles G 202 experimental plane went down while practicing for the New York Air Show, which is scheduled for this weekend.

    The pilot, who was the only one aboard, was killed in the crash. He was identified as Andrew Wright, of Texas.

    The FAA and the NTSB are investigating.