Airbus

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    Turkish Airlines Jet Skids Off Runway at Kathmandu Airport

    Turkish airlinesA Turkish Airlines passenger jet, operating flight # TK726, skidded off the runway at Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, on March 4.

    The accident happened in dense foggy conditions, when the Airbus A330, carrying 224 people, was coming from Istanbul, Turkey.

    The plane ended up on its nose and the passengers had to use emergency slides to exit.

    None of the passengers and crew members sustained serious injuries.

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    Thomas Cook Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Portugal after Shoe Hits a Passenger

    Thomas CookA medical emergency prompted Thomas Cook flight TCX 4125 to make an unscheduled landing in Lisbon, Portugal on January 10.

    The flight was en-route from Fuerteventura to Birmingham when a 79-year-old female passenger Hilda Holland became ill after getting hit by a falling shoe. According to Hilda’s husband John,“The woman sitting behind Hilda decided to get a cardigan from the locker but she pulled a shoe out with it…That came down and hit her on the back of the head and the ear….Ten minutes later I looked over and she was shaking and pale…I thought she wasn’t going to make it, I had never seen her like that.”

    The Airbus A321-211 made a safe emergency landing and the couple was rushed to a hospital.

    They left the hospital next day and were transported to Birmingham through another flight.

    An airline spokesperson said, “Our operations control centre contacted Mr and Mrs Holland at the hospital and offered assistance within a few hours of their arrival… Mr Holland was grateful for the call and advised that he would make arrangements through his insurers and we ensured he had direct contact number for Thomas Cook… Our welfare team have been in touch with the Hollands following their return and we hope Mrs Holland makes a full recovery.”

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    United Airlines Flight Makes Emergency Landing at LAX

    United airlinesUnited Airlines flight 401 had to make an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport, California, on January 11.

    The Airbus A319, travelling from Denver, Colorado, declared emergency due to a suspected mechanical problem.

    The plane landed uneventfully and all 120 passengers aboard remained unharmed.

    The nature of mechanical problem is not clear at the moment.

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    Vietnam Airlines Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Hong Kong

    Vietnam airlinesVietnam Airlines flight VN350 had to make an emergency landing in Hong Kong, at around 4:10 a.m. on January 4.

    The airline confirmed that the Airbus 321, heading from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to Fukuoka, Japan, was forced to land in emergency due to a technical fault in ventilation system.

    The plane landed uneventfully. All 184 passengers and crew members remained unharmed.

    The passengers were accommodated in another flight.

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    Investigation On for Air Asia Indonesia Airbus A320-200, PK-AXC, flight QZ-8501

    It is good to hear the journalists being corrected here, because this incident does not yet seem to resemble the Air France or Malaysia Airlines events. Perhaps the journalists did not closely follow the excruciating Air France 447 search–YEARS spent scouring the Atlantic for the wreckage–long after initial debris and was found. So early in this investigation, journalists should be warning the world that EVERYTHING is speculation at this point.

    What is not speculation?

    • The pilots requested to deviate around bad weather, right before contact ceased.
    • The last radio contact was at 06:16 local time.
    • Transponder contact was lost at 06:18 local time.
    • The captain had a total of 20,537 flying hours, 6100 hours of which were for Indonesia Air Asia.
    • The first officer had 2,275 hours with Indonesia Air Asia.
    • The crew was mostly French, so the BEA will be investigating. (Countries which have nationals aboard normally participate in the investigation.) The passengers’ list of nationalities has changed several times but currently the passengers aboard were allocated as follows: 155 Indonesian, 3 S. Korean, 1 Malaysian, 1 French, 1 British and 1 Singaporean. Some may hold multiple citizenships.
    • A number of countries are contributing to the investigation, including Indonesia, Singapore, and the BEA. The USA and Australia have also offered to assist. 12 Indonesian navy ships, five planes, three helicopters and a number of warships were talking part, along with ships and planes from Singapore and Malaysia.
    • Indonesia’s Ministry of Transport published the load sheet. (See below.)


    The search is being hindered by weather, visibility and the fact that it is currently night-time. Unlike Air France 447, the plane was being tracked by a local navy base so it was not completely off radar; unlike MH370, the area it seems to have disappeared seems to be known in real time and not hours after the fact. We have not yet heard if the beacon is audible, but IT IS STILL TOO EARLY To MAKE ASSUMPTIONS. Let’s let the investigation tell the story, rather than rampant theorizing. The Java sea where the plane lost contact is shallower than where Malaysia Airlines flight 370 appears to have gone down. Unlike MH370, nothing by INMARSAT is being tracked aboard the missing Airbus.

    Let’s wait and see what the investigation finds, and in the meantime, pray for the families of those aboard.

    Read More about Air Asia 8501

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    #BreakingNews Air Asia Flight Goes Missing


    AirAsia flight QZ8501–an Airbus A320-200 with the registration number PK-AXC–en route from Surabaya Indonesia to Singapore went missing. Air traffic control lost contact when the plane was believed to be in an overcast area.

    A fully fueled A320 has a range of 1,700 to 6,500 mmi.

    Singapore civil aviation is assisting Indonesia in the search that is now underway, utilizing two C-130 planes and at least six ships. The first reports say there are six or seven crew and 155 passengers — 138 adults, 16 children and a baby. An engineer is aboard.

    Currently it is believed to have gone missing under cloud cover at 6.17 a.m. local time over the Java Sea between Kalimantan and Java islands.

    According to a Transport Ministry official, before ATC lost contact, the plane had requested an unusual route, possibly deviating due to adverse weather conditions.

    AirAsia has established an Emergency Call Center for family or friends of those aboard. The number is: +622129850801.

    Latest statement from Air Asia

    [News Update] AIRASIA INDONESIA FLIGHT QZ8501
    December 27, 2014 at 9:41pm
    AirAsia Indonesia regrets to confirm that flight QZ8501 from Surabaya to Singapore has lost contact with air traffic control at 07:24hrs this morning.

    At the present time we unfortunately have no further information regarding the status of the passengers and crew members on board, but we will keep all parties informed as more information becomes available.

    The aircraft was an Airbus A320-200 with the registration number PK-AXC.

    At this time, search and rescue operations are in progress and AirAsia is cooperating fully and assisting the rescue service.

    AirAsia has established an Emergency Call Centre that is available for family or friends of those who may have been on board the aircraft. The number is: +622129850801.

    AirAsia will release further information as soon as it becomes available. Updated information will also be posted on the AirAsia website, www.airasia.com.

    Airbus Statement

    AIRASIA INDONESIA FLIGHT QZ 8501
    Airbus regrets to confirm that an A320-200 operated by AirAsia Indonesia lost contact with air traffic control this morning, 28th December 2014. The aircraft was operating a scheduled service, Flight QZ 8501, from Surabaya to Singapore.
    The aircraft involved is MSN (Manufacturer Serial Number) 3648, registered as PK-AXC and was delivered to AirAsia from the production line in October 2008. Powered by CFM 56-5B engines, the aircraft had accumulated approximately 23,000 flight hours in some 13,600 flights. At this time no further factual information is available.
    In line with the ICAO Annex 13 international convention, Airbus will provide full assistance to the French safety investigation authority, BEA, and to the authorities in charge of the investigation.
    The Airbus A320-200 is a twin-engine single-aisle aircraft seating up to 180 passengers in a single-class configuration. The first A320 entered service in March 1988. By the end of November 2014, over 6000 A320 Family aircraft were in service with over 300 operators. To date, the entire fleet has accumulated some 154 million flight hours in some 85 million flights.
    Airbus will make further factual information available as soon as the details have been confirmed and cleared by the authorities.
    The thoughts of the Airbus management and staff are with all those affected by Flight QZ 8501.
    Contacts for the media:
    For further information, please contact:
    AIRBUS – MEDIA RELATIONS
    Tel.: (33) 05.61.93.10.00

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    Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses

    Flight QZ8501 on 28 December – Airbus A320-200 – registered PK-AXC

    INFORMATION ON 28 DECEMBER 2014 – 14.10

    A team of two safety investigators is leaving for Jakarta (Indonesia) this evening. They will be accompanied by two technical advisers from Airbus.

    INFORMATION ON 28 DECEMBER 2014
    Following this morning’s announcement by the Indonesian authorities of loss of contact with the Airbus A320-200 registered PK-AXC, and the launch of search operations, the BEA is in contact with the Indonesian authorities to provide them with assistance.

    The aeroplane, operated by AirAsia Indonesia, was flying the Surabaya (Indonesia) to Singapore route and was scheduled to arrive at Changi Airport Singapore at 08 h 30 local time.

    The BEA is the French Civil Aviation Safety Investigation Authority. Its investigations are conducted with the sole objective of improving aviation safety and are not intended to apportion blame or liability. BEA investigations are independent, separate and conducted without prejudice to any judicial or administrative action that may be taken to determine blame or liability.

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    United Flight Diverts to Spokane due to Engine Problem

    new-united-logoUnited Airlines flight 273 had to divert and make an emergency landing in Spokane, Washington, shortly before 7 p.m. on December 21.

    The flight, en-route from Seattle to Newark, NJ, was diverted after the Airbus A320 lost power to one of its two engines.

    The plane landed uneventfully and no one aboard was injured.

    An alternate aircraft was arranged for the passengers.

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    Plane Experiences Technical Issue, Vietnam Airlines Pilot Accidentally Sends Hijacking Signal

    Vietnam airlinesVietnam Airlines flight VN1266 had to make an emergency landing at Noi Bai international airport in Hanoi, Vietnam, on the afternoon of December 16.

    The pilot of the flight, en-route from Ho Chi Minh City to Vinh, sought permission for emergency landing after the cabin began de-pressurizing and oxygen masks deployed. However, instead of sending the ’general emergency’ code 7700, the pilot mistakenly sent code 7500 which means ‘unlawful interference’.

    Emergency services were ready at the scene to handle hijacking situation when the Airbus A321-200 landed safely. None of the 140 people aboard was harmed.

    The situation later got cleared and the airline released a statement confirming that the emergency landing was due to a technical issue and there was no hijacking incident.

    The incident is under investigation.

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    Faulty Air-Conditioning System Prompts Qantas Jet to Make Priority Landing in Perth

    QantasQantas flight QF2 had to divert and make a priority landing at Perth Airport, Australia, on December 8.

    The Airbus A380 was on its way from Dubai to Sydney when a fault in its air-conditioning system was noticed. The pilot then quickly descended to 10,000 feet and sought permission for a priority landing in Perth.

    The plane landed safely and no one was hurt.

    An airline spokesperson said, “It was a fault with the air-conditioning so the engineers are having a look at that now.”

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    US Airways Flight Makes Emergency Landing after 2 Passengers, 14 Crew Members Fall Sick

    US AirwaysU.S. Airways flight US797 had to make an unscheduled landing at Fiumicino Airport in Rome, Italy, at around 1:38 a.m. Local time on December 6.

    The Airbus A330, carrying 129 passengers and 14 crew members, was en-route from Tel Aviv, Israel to Philadelphia when a foul odor started to sicken the passengers and crew members.

    Authorities said the pilot had to divert to Rome after 2 passengers and all 14 crew members suffered from red eyes and started vomiting midair. The plane landed uneventfully and all 16 of them were given medical treatment.

    According to the airline, “The aircraft is being evaluated by our maintenance team to determine what may have caused the odor.”

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    Avianca Airlines Jet Returns to San José, Costa Rica

    AviancaAn Avianca airlines flight had to return and make an emergency landing at Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José, Costa Rica, at around 2 p.m. on November 24.

    The plane had just taken off for El Salvador when the pilot reported issues with one of the engines and a suspected explosion in a turbine. The authorities then advised him to return for an emergency landing.

    The plane landed uneventfully. The airline later said it was a transfer flight carrying some crew members and there was no passenger in the plane at the time of incident.

    The examination of aircraft showed no signs of fire however, an engine was damaged due to a bird who got stuck in a turbine.

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    Thomas Cook Flight Diverted to Bermuda due to Drunk Passenger

    Thomas CookA Thomas Cook flight had to make an unscheduled landing in Bermuda, at around 6 p.m. on November 24.

    The flight was on its way from Manchester, England, to Cuba when a British man, identified as Mohammed Khelya, started threatening the flight crew, passengers and even his new wife. The pilot decided to divert to Bermuda while the crew members handcuffed the unruly passenger and kept him restrained at the back of the aircraft.

    The Airbus A330 safely landed at LF Wade International Airport where the security officials arrested Khelya.

    An airline spokesperson said, ‘Thomas Cook Airlines can confirm that flight TCX244 from Manchester to Holguin, Cuba, diverted to Bermuda and a customer was removed from the aircraft and detained by local police…We operate a zero-tolerance policy towards any behaviour on board our aircraft that affects the safety and welfare of our customers and crew.”

    Khelya was presented in Bermudan court on Tuesday where Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo fined him $3000.

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    Unusual Odor in Cockpit Forced Lufthansa Flight to Divert

    LufthansaLufthansa flight LH2505 made an emergency landing at Stuttgart Airport, Germany, on November 13.

    The flight heading from Manchester to Munich wad forced to land in emergency after an unusual odor was discovered in the cockpit.

    Ambulances and fire services were put on alert at the airport when the Airbus A321-231 landed uneventfully. All 82 passengers aboard remained unharmed.

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    4 Crew Members Injured as Air France Plane Faces Severe Turbulence

    Air FranceAir France flight AF006 had to return to the Charles de Gaulle airport, France, on the afternoon of November 4.

    The flight, heading to New York’s JFK airport, was turned back after 4 crew members got injured midair due to severe turbulence. According to a statement released by Air France, the aircraft faced bad weather during the initial cruise phase.

    The Airbus A380 superjumbo aircraft landed uneventfully and medical aid was provided immediately to the injured crew members.

    All the passengers remained unharmed.

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    British Airways Flight Forced to Change Direction Due to Spanish Military Jet

    British airwaysBritish Airways flight A490 was forced to change its direction due to a Spanish military surveillance jet flying nearby in Gibraltar, on October 31.

    According to the authorities, the Ejército del Aire P3 aircraft, which was flying ahead of the British Airways plane, ‘suddenly reversed its direction and took another course’, entering the flight path of Airbus A320. The air traffic controllers then asked the British Airways plane, which was around 10 to 15 miles from landing in Gibraltar, to change direction in order to maintain safe distance.

    According to a statement released by Gibraltar authorities on Monday, “The Government of Gibraltar is waiting for a full report on the incident, which will clarify whether the Spanish military plane made an incursion into the airspace over British Gibraltar territorial waters.”

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    Two US Airways Flights in Emergency Landing in Charlotte

    US AirwaysTwo US Airways flights made emergency landing at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, North Carolina, on October 11.

    In the first incident, flight 745, en-route from New York’s LaGuardia airport to Charlotte, declared emergency during descent shortly before 7 p.m., after the Airbus A320 developed a pressurization issue and oxygen masks got deployed. US Airways spokesman Matt Miller confirmed that the plane landed uneventfully and all 146 passengers and 5 crew members remained unhurt.

    Shortly afterwards, US Airways Express flight 5782, operated by Republic Airways, requested emergency landing at the airport. According to Miller, the Charlotte-bound Embraer 175 aircraft was coming from Greensboro, North Carolina, when a hydraulic problem was reported by the crew. The plane landed safely at about 7:45 p.m. and none of the 28 passengers and 4 crew members was injured.

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    Emirates Plane Pulled Off the Runway due to Smoke

    Emirates

    Emirates Airlines flight EK 609 was pulled off the runway at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, just before takeoff at about 7:45 p.m. on October 4.

    The Airbus 320 was ready to depart with 82 passengers aboard when the pilot detected smoke in the cockpit and called for emergency assistance. All the passengers and crew members were safely evacuated through chutes.

    “All the passengers and crew members were evacuated and the plane has been parked on one side. No one was hurt,” said Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) spokesperson Pervez George.

    The airline said that the passengers were accommodated in another flight and the cause of smoke is being investigated.

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    Philippine Airlines Express Flight Returns to Manila due to Landing Gear Problem

    A Philippine Airlines Express flight had to return and make an emergency landing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila, Philippines, shortly after 7 a.m. on September 23.

    The flight PR-2811, which was headed to Davao, Philippines, was returned after a problem in the aircraft’s landing gear was discovered.

    The Airbus 320 landed uneventfully and no injuries were reported.

    According to the initial investigation, the problem was in the nose landing gear of the aircraft.

    The plane again departed for Davao shortly after 8 a.m.

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    JetBlue Flight Returns to Long Beach Airport

    jetBlueJetBlue flight 1416 had to return and make an emergency landing at Long Beach Airport, California, at about 9:30 a.m. on September 18.

    According to airport spokesperson, Kerry Gerot, the plane, heading to Austin, Texas, was diverted for landing back after its second engine got overheated and the pilot reported smoke in the cockpit.

    The Airbus A320 landed uneventfully and all 142 passengers and 5 crew members exited through emergency slides.

    According to local fire department officials, 4 passengers suffered from medical issues and one of them was shifted to hospital with complaint of shortness of breath.

    Actor Jackson Rathbone was also aboard the flight along with his wife and son. He tweeted “I grabbed my son and jumped down the inflated ramp, my wife following… We left all our personal effects onboard. Who cares. We were alive.”

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    Engine Trouble Prompts KLM Emergency Landing at Shannon Airport

    KLMKLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight KL-765 had to make an emergency landing at Shannon Airport, Ireland, on September 17.

    The twin-engine Airbus A330-200, heading from Bonaire to Amsterdam, was diverted for emergency landing after some problem was discovered in its left engine and the crew had to shut it down.

    The emergency teams were put on alert at the airport when the plane safely touched the runway at 9:37 a.m. All 224 passengers aboard remained unharmed.

    According to an airline spokesperson, “Due to a technical problem the KL-765 landed safely at Shannon, Ireland. Passengers and crew were not in danger. The passengers travelled to Amsterdam Schiphol with another KLM airplane.”

    The aircraft was taken for examination.

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    EgyptAir Passenger jet with Cracked Windshield Landed Safely

    EgyptAirThe windshield of the EgyptAir Airbus A320-200, registration SU-GBC, cracked midair due to hail storm on September 8.

    The flight MS-859, heading from Cairo, Egypt to Juba, South Sudan, continued its journey and landed safely at its scheduled destination.

    None of the 76 passengers aboard were injured, however, the aircraft’s nose cone sustained some damage.

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    Air China Flight in Emergency Landing at Gatwick Airport

    Air ChinaAir China flight CA852, en route from London to Beijing, made an emergency landing at Gatwick Airport, West Sussex, UK, at around 3:20 p.m. on September 7.

    The decision for emergency landing was made after the aircraft’s landing gear became jammed shortly after it took off at 1:30 p.m.

    The Airbus landed safely after circling over Sussex for around 2 hours to shed extra fuel. No injuries were reported.

    The runway at Gatwick airport remained closed for 20 minutes after the landing.

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    Novair Flight Makes Emergency Landing on Suspicion of Flat Tire

    NOVAIRA Novair flight en-route to Chania on Greek island of Crete made an emergency landing at Gardermoen airport in Oslo, Norway, on the night of August 31.

    The crew suspected flat tire after taking off and decided to divert for emergency landing. The Airbus A321 circled around the airport for 3 hours to shed extra fuel before it safely landed. No one was injured.

    Most of the 191 passengers on board were Norwegian citizens.

    The passengers were provided an alternate flight on the morning of September 1.

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    EasyJet Airbus in Emergency Landing at Gatwick Airport

    easyjetAn EasyJet flight en route from Liverpool to Naples had to divert and make an emergency landing at Gatwick airport in West Sussex, United Kingdom, at around 7:20 a.m. on August 28.

    The Airbus A320 aircraft carrying 157 passengers was diverted after crew reported smoke in the cockpit.

    According to an EasyJet spokesperson, “The plane landed safely at Gatwick and the passengers remained calm. At no point was the safety of passengers threatened…We now want to make sure we get the passengers to Naples as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, the plane is being inspected.”

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    Engine Failure Prompts Air India Flight to Make Emergency Landing

    airindia2Air India flight AI-019, form Delhi to Ahmedabad, landed in emergency at Sanganer Airport, Jaipur, India, on August 22, after its left engine failed.

    According to an ATC official, “The pilot informed Jaipur air traffic controller (ATC) about some technical problem in the aircraft after which it was diverted.” One of the passengers said, “We got message from the captain that the left engine has failed and the plane will land at Jaipur.”

    The Airbus-321 safely touched the runway at 7:25 a.m. None of the 104 people aboard reported any injuries.

    The aircraft was grounded for examination and repair.