Boeing

  • | | | |

    Engine Fire at Dulles, Three Evacuation Injuries


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Ronald J Stella

    What: United Airlines Boeing 757-200 en route from Washington DC to San Francisco,CA
    Where: CHANTILLY Virginia
    When: Sep 14th 2011
    Who: 179 passengers and 6 crew
    Why: Before taking off, while still at the airport on ramp for departure, the plane developed immediate problems.

    Smoke was reported coming from the right engine. Pilots stopped, the emergency slides were deployed, and passengers, three of whom were injured on the slides, evacuated from the plane.

    Emergency services were on standby. On inspection, no fire was found.

  • | | | | |

    TWO Pia Bomb Hoaxes

    What: PIA Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A310-300 en route from Lahore Pakistan to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
    Where: Kuala Lumpur
    When: Sep 7th 2011
    Who: 176 passengers
    Why: While en route, Pakistan International Airlines received an email there was a bomb aboard the flight.

    The plane landed safely in Kuala Lumpur. No bomb was found.

    What: PIA Pakistan International Airlines Boeing 777-300 en route from Lahore (Pakistan) to Manchester,EN
    Where: Istanbul
    When: Sep 7th 2011
    Who: 378 passengers
    Why: While over the black sea, the airline received an email claiming bombs were planed on the flight. The pilots diverted to Istanbul, where the flight was inspected and no bomb was found.

    After immediate evacuation, both planes underwent thorough examination.

  • | | | | |

    Door Switch Oops Rolls Nippon Flight


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Andrew Bowden

    What: All Nippon Airways Boeing 737-700 en route from Okinawa to Tokyo Haneda
    Where: Hamamatsu
    When: Sep 6th 2011
    Who: 2 crew injured
    Why: While en route, the co-pilot accidentally activated the rudder trim switch instead of the door mechanism.

    The plane descended 6000 feet and rolled, injuring a couple of flight attendants. The first officer—2400 hours— leveled off, and was able to admit the captain who was stuck outside the cockpit, waiting to get in.

    The flight continued without incident.

    In George’s Point of View

    If there is a problem, it comes out, eventually. My pilots tell me that after there is some kind of incident, we need to keep an eye on new incidents, reports, recalls, and especially advisories, directives and safety alerts. There can always be a relationship, no matter how obscure it seems at first glance.

    You know how everyone has been looking at Air France Flight 447 with a new eye, ever since examination into the Air France Flight 471 on July 22 apparently fooled the autopilot into quitting with a swift descent. And Airbus investigators looked at this event twice because you have two the same plane types doing something similar?

    Well, on the surface, this Nippon incident reminds me of Ethiopia Flight 409. It only reminds me because I saw a line drawing of the route of the plane as it spiraled out of control. It also was a 737.

    I’m not calling the situation identical. Certainly if one of the pilots were locked out on a bathroom break—not that a pilot would do this on takeoff!—it would turn up on the voice recorder.

    What if on Ethiopia Flight 409, someone had needed admission into the cabin?

    It just makes me wonder if it is possible that the cabin crew accidentally activated the rudder trim switch. The Ethiopian Airlines plane had just taken off; it would not have been high enough to drop 6000 feet before recovery.

    I know this thought is right out of the blue, and probably has no basis in anything but my wild imagination, but I am told by my pilots that although the switches are dissimilar, the door unlock switch is right next to the rudder trim. So, is it possible the trim switch could have been inappropriately engaged by accident on Flight 409?

    Some airlines rectify this by requiring a third party to open the door if someone leaves the cockpit, but I have to wonder if this could be a design problem.

  • | | | |

    Southwest Airlines Flight 871 Cockpit Fire

    What: Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 en route from Dallas to Little Rock to Baltimore
    Where: Little Rock Arkansas
    When: Sept 7 2011,
    Who: 103 aboard
    Why: While en route, an overhead light fixture in the Flight 871 cockpit caught on fire.

    The crew put out the fire and informed Little Rock Airport ATC to assemble emergency teams as they made an emergency landing in Little Rock.

    The plane made a safe landing with no injuries.

    An alternative flight was arranged for the next leg of flight to Baltimore.

  • | | | | |

    5-50 (?) Passengers Injured in Pia Turbulence


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Paul Spijkers

    What: PIA Pakistan International Airlines Boeing 747-300 en route from Jeddah Saudi Arabia to Lahore Pakistan
    Where: Lahore Pakistan
    When: Aug 30th 2011
    Who: 5 injured
    Why: On approach to Lahore, the flight encountered turbulence.

    Five passengers were injured during the turbulence. The flight made a normal (safe) landing. Published reports say the five injured passengers were not transported to the hospital, and that they were transported to the hospital.

    Pia spokesmen say the injured ignored the seat belt instructions. (We believe this.)

    The report that said there were 50 injured said they refused medical treatment.

    Some received treatment at the airport.

    The report that said there were 5 injured said they went to the hospital.

  • | | | | |

    First Air Jet Crash Update


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Gilbert Hechema

    What: First Air Boeing 737-210C en route from Yellow Knife to Resolute
    Where: near Resolute Airport, Nunavut, Canada
    When: August 20, 2011
    Who: 4 crew, 11 passengers, 12 fatalities
    Why: After the First Air jet was on final instrument landing system approach to 35T but failed to update its position.

    The fog obscured its location, but shortly afterwards, lifting fog revealed the burning wreckage broken into three pieces, and the scattered 2,250 kilograms of food the flight was carrying. That food has been of interest to hungry polar bears, and a trial to forensic crews protecting the evidence.

    Remains of the passengers have been recovered. Eleven individuals were flown to Ottowa for identification. The black boxes have been recovered and taken to an Ottawa lab.

    The Air Line Pilots Association has been declared an official observer of the crash.

    Note: CFIT is a “Controlled flight into terrain,” an accident in which an airworthy aircraft under pilot control is unintentionally flown into an obstacle.

  • | | | | | |

    Kelona Flightcraft Makes Hot Landing with Wrong Engine On Fire


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Mark Kryst

    What: Kelowna Flightcraft Boeing 727-200 en route from Edmonton,AB to Hamilton,ON
    Where: Edmonton Canada
    When: Aug 19th 2011
    Who: flight crew on freight flight
    Why: After takeoff, the crew got an indication that one engine was hot.

    The crew shut down the engine before fire suppression engaged.

    They returned to Edmonton and made a safe landing, if a landing can be called safe with flames shooting out of an engine.

    The emergency crews dealt with the engine that had been reported on fire, but actually it was another engine entirely which had been the source of the flames.

    We aren’t entirely sure whose wires were crossed, the flight system or a human reading the flight system. What matters for the time being, is that there were no injuries. It will be interesting hearing how the investigation goes on this.

  • | | | |

    Emergency Diversion and Tire trouble

    What: American Airlines Boeing 757-200 en route from Lousiville to Los Angeles
    Where: Los Angeles
    When: Aug 21st 2011
    Who: 197 aboard
    Why: This was a double trouble flight, en route from Boston to Los Angeles, when they had to divert to Louisville when a passenger had an emergency. After three hours in Louisville, the plane was back in the air. However, on approach to LAX, the crew experienced gear problems and performed a flyby.

    Tower observers noted a main gear tire was missing.

    The crew continued to make a safe landing, with the tireless gear shooting sparks. There were no injuries reported.

    But…where’s the tire?

  • | | |

    False Cargo Fire leads to False Start over San Jose Cabo

    What: VivaAerobus Boeing 737-300 en route from San Jose Cabo to Monterrey
    Where: San Jose Cabo
    When: Aug 21st 2011
    Why: On takeoff, flight systems indicated there was a cargo fire.

    The flight returned to San Jose Cabo where it made a safe landing. Examination proved there was no fire, and the flight was delayed, but continued on to Monterrey.

  • | | | | | |

    Mystery Boeing Crash in Nunavut Canada


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Gilbert Hechema

    What: First Air Boeing 737-210C en route from Yellow Knife to Resolute
    Where: near Resolute Airport, Nunavut, Canada
    When: August 20, 2011
    Who: 4 crew, 11 passengers, 12 fatalities
    Why: On approach to Resolute Bay Airport, the plane impacted the hillside. The wreckage was found five miles from the airport.

    Three survivors were recovered. There were twelve fatalities, including the entire crew. Two survivors (a seven year old and a 48 year old) were taken to Ottawa hospital, and the third (a 23 year old woman) is reported to be stable at Qikiqtani General Hospital in Iqaluit where all of the survivors were originally taken. Two forensic teams are on the scene (one to identify the bodies, and one for accident investigation), and the black boxes have been recovered.

    The weather at the time of the crash was he weather was rainy with a low cloud ceiling, and reported to be patchy fog. A mock rescue military exercise was going on with 700 military personnel when the crash was reported. They responded to the crash with helicopters and medical personnel. Eleven RCMP personnel were also part of the rescue unit. The senior administrative officer, Ralph Alexander, said it wasn’t foggy enough in Resolute at the time of the crash to have caused the accident, and that planes landed there in worse visibility. However there have been reports of locals hearing the impact but not seeing anything because of dense fog. The charred wreckage is in three parts with smaller plane parts and remains scattered.

    The crash site is less than two kilometres west of Resolute, a small tight-knit community with many individuals directly affected by the twelve fatalities.

    The passenger manifest has not yet been made public but the owner of South Camp Inn, Aziz (Ozzie) Kheraj, reportedly lost a granddaughter on the crash, and one survived.

    First Air held a news conference at in Kanata, Ontario on Sunday at 11 a.m. ET.

    Transport Canada issued the following release:


    At approximately 12:30 EST, First Air Flight 6560 from Yellowknife to Resolute Bay crashed on approach to Resolute Bay. There were 15 passengers on board. At this time, 12 people are thought to be dead and three injured. Our thoughts go out to those affected by this tragic accident.

    Transport Canada has appointed a Minister’s Observer, who will keep TC informed of the investigation’s progress. We will cooperate fully with the Transportation Safety Board who is currently on site investigating this accident.

    The Canadian Armed Forces are in Resolute Bay for Exercise Operation Nanook 2011 and are responding in support of emergency operations to the situation.

    Contacts:

    Media Relations
    Transport Canada, Ottawa
    613-993-0055

    First Air published this:

    On Sunday August 21, 2011, First Air Vice President of Marketing and Sales, Chris Ferris, made the following statement to the media from the First Air Head Office in Kanata:

    As you are aware, yesterday at 12:40pm First Air experienced a tragic loss of
    charter flight 6560. We are deeply saddened by this tragedy and offer our sincere condolences to the families.

    The details we have at this time are as follows: a First Air Boeing 737-200 combi travelling from Yellowknife to Resolute Bay, went down 5 miles from the airport. The flight was carrying 11 passengers and four crew. There were 12 fatalities including all four crew members.

    Our first priority has been contacting and looking after the families of passengers and crew. Out of respect for the passengers, our crew, and their families, we are not releasing any names or passenger details.

    The three injured passengers were Medivac’d to Iqaluit for further treatment last evening. Two of the three passengers have since been moved to Ottawa, while the third remains in Iqaluit in stable condition.

    At this time the cause of the accident is unknown. The Transportation Safety Board is conducting their investigation and First Air is cooperating fully.

    Our thoughts and focus are with the families and friends of the passengers and crew; and the community of Resolute Bay. Field teams including counsellors, have been deployed to provide support in Resolute Bay, Yellowknife and other main stations in our network.

    We would like to thank the Canadian Military whose on-site presence and immediate response was instrumental in the rescue efforts.

    We will be providing further updates as they become available.

  • | | | | | | | |

    British Court Sentences Woman in Airborne Biting case


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Fred Seggie

    What: Thomson Boeing 767-300, en route from Manchester to to Punta Cana Dominican Republic
    Where: Bermuda
    When: Occurred:Nov 5th 2010
    Sentenced: Aug 19th 2011
    Who: 45 year old British Citizen
    Why: While Charity worker Carol Close’s flight had been delayed for 30 hours in Manchester with technical problems, the depressed woman passed the time by drinking beer and two mixed drinks. Probably not a good idea.

    Six hours into the November 5, 2010 flight, the woman attacked her husband and other individuals aboard the flight. Her husband moved to another seat to get away from her, and Close then bit and kicked a flight attendant (or two) who attempted to restrain her. Then she started yelling.

    The captain diverted to Bermuda where Carol Close was arrested.

    On Aug 19th 2011, Close pleaded guilty to “two charges of assault and one of affray.”

    British Court sentenced her to a suspended 6-months jail term, £2700 British Pounds. (£200 compensation to cabin crew, plus £2,476 to Bermuda Police)

  • |

    787 Dreamliner Certified

    The flight marked the completion of flight tests required for type certification of the 787 Dreamliner with Rolls-Royce engines. The 787 test fleet has flown just over 1,700 flights. The Dreamliner was put through hundreds of stalls to certify it can recover.

  • |

    Boeing Provides Airplane Health Management Prognostics for JAL Boeings

    AHM (Airplane Health Management) is Boeing’s software system that monitors, collects and analyses aircraft data for maintenance. Japan Airlines has ordered AHM in 35 787 Boeings ordered. The system will also be running on its 777s.

    The system transmits in-flight info to ground services for diagnosis and operational decisions.

    Airplane Health Management prognostics uses real-time airplane data to provide enhanced fault forwarding, troubleshooting and historical fix information to reduce schedule interruptions and increase maintenance and operational efficiency. It delivers valuable information when and where it’s needed. When an airplane arrives at the gate, maintenance crews can be ready with the parts and information to quickly make any necessary repairs. AHM also enables operators to identify recurring faults and trends, allowing airlines to proactively plan future maintenance. The primary benefit provided by AHM is the opportunity to substantially reduce schedule interruption costs such as delays, cancellations, air turnbacks, and diversions.

  • | | | | | |

    VivaAerobus Loses Engine over US


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer André Du-pont

    What: VivaAerobus Boeing 737-300 en route from Monterrey to Las Vegas, NV
    Where: Las Vegas
    When: Aug 17 2011
    Why: More than half an hour prior to landing, the left engine began banging and vibrating.

    The crew shut down the engine, and continued on to land in Las Vegas minus the engine.

    The crew made a safe landing. No indication was made if the flight ingested a bird or if there was an other mechanical problem.

  • | | | | |

    Ajar Door Disrupts Continental Flight


    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.

  • | | | |

    Webjet Engine Trouble over Belo Horizonte, Brazil

    What: Webjet Boeing 737 en route from Belo Horizonte to Sao Paulo
    Where: Belo Horizonte
    When: Aug 10, 2011
    Who: 108 passengers
    Why: After takeoff, the pilots received indications of problems with the right engine.

    Passengers reported hearing noise from the engine, which jarred the plane.

    Pilots shut down the engine and diverted back to Belo Horizonte where they made a safe landing. There is no indication if it was a bird strike or some other type of mechanical problem.

  • | | | |

    Batavia Lands Flat in Pekanbaru

    What: Batavia Boeing 737-400 en route from Jakarta to Pekanbaru
    Where: Pekanbaru Airport
    When: Aug 15 2011
    Why: On landing at Pekanbaru, the plane blew out its tires.

    Hard landing? Fast landing? We do not know. We do know the plane had to be towed off the runway. Injuries were not reported.

  • | | | |

    AeroSur Flat in La Paz


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Mauricio Rocco Silva Sato

    What: AeroSur Boeing 737-400 en route from Santa Cruz to La Paz Bolivia
    Where: La Paz
    When: Aug 10th 2011
    Who: 147 passengers, 6 crew
    Why: On landing in La Paz, the right main gear tire blew out.

    Emergency services responded to the disabled plane stranded on the runway. Damage included a hydraulic leak. The plane was towed to the gate.

  • | | | |

    Belavia Diverts to Belarus


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Matteo Stella

    What: Belavia Boeing 737-500 en route from Batumi Georgia to Minsk Belarus
    Where: Sochi
    When: Aug 12th 2011
    Why: While en route to Belarus, the plane lost cabin pressure. The cabin was not sealed.

    THe pilots descended to a safe level, and then obtained permission to divert to Sochi. The pilots made a safe landing in Sochi with emergency services on standby. No injuries were reported.

    A replacement 737 was provided.

  • | | | |

    Turbulence Over Florida

    What: American Airlines Boeing 737-800 en route from Miami to Washington
    Where: Charleston SC
    When: August 9, 2011
    Who: 152 passengers, six injuries
    Why: After encountering turbulence over Florida, the pilots diverted to Charleston. Two flight attendants and one passenger were injured by turbulence, plus several others were hospitalized.

    Diversion delayed the flight as mechanics examined the problems aboard the plane.

  • | | |

    Ethiopia Flight 409: More Promises and Procrastination

    Beirut’s Public Works & Transport Minister Ghazi Aridi says the joint investigation committee will be finally providing the public works minister the committee’s report on the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409. The crash occurred on 25 January 2010, carrying 90 people aboard to a watery grave, more than a year and a half ago.

    The investigative committee is composed of Boeing representatives, plus Lebanese and Ethiopian representatives who say the report will take at least another month. An NTSB analysis of black spots were caused by hot oil, and one segment of a cockpit voice recorder was unsalvageable.

    The Boeing turned after taking off from runway 21, was instructed to bank hard to the left, at which time it spiraled down 8000 feet.

    Prior to the latest announcement, the last public announcement promised the Lebonese people that the report would be released before the end of July 2011. Of course, it is August now and it has not yet been made public.

    On that flight, there were 23 young Ethiopian women returning home from an abusive stint hired as domestic workers.

    The Ethiopian passengers in the crash were:
    Addis Abera Demise (Ethiopia)
    Bahrnesh Megersa (Ethiopia)
    Kidist Wolde Mariam (Ethiopia)
    Elisabeth Tilhum Habtermariam (Ethiopia)
    Rahel Tadese (Ethiopia)
    Etenesh Admasie (Ethiopia)
    Woinshet Meugistu Melaku (Ethiopia)
    Azeb Betre Kebede (Ethiopia)
    Tigist Shikur Hajana (Ethiopia)
    Hani Gebre Gembezo (Ethiopia)
    Alunesh Tkele (Ethiopia)
    Shitu Nuri (Ethiopia)
    Selam Zigdaya (Ethiopia)
    Yikma Mohamed (Ethiopia)
    Seble Agezc (Ethiopia)
    Aynalem Tessema (Ethiopia)
    Eyerus Alem Desta (Ethiopia)
    Mekiya Sirur (Ethiopia)
    Lakesh Zeleke (Ethiopia)
    Tigist Anura (Ethiopia)
    Askalesh Soboka (Ethiopia)
    Meselu Beshah (Ethiopia)
    Kevin Graingur (UK)
    Marla Sanchez Pietton (France)
    Akram Jassem Mohammad (Iraq)
    Mohammad Abdel-Rahman Saii (Syria)

    The Lebanese passengers in the crash were:

    Hanna Nakhoul Kreidi
    Haidar Hasan Marji
    Ali Youssef Jaber
    Ali Ahmed Jaber
    Abbas Mohammed Jaber
    Mohammed Mustafa Badawi
    Khalil Ibrahim Saleh
    Hasan Adnan Kreik
    Saeed Abdel Hasan Zahr
    Hussein Ali Farhat
    Ali Suheil Yaghi
    Rawan Hasan Wazneh
    Bassem Qassem Khazaal
    Haifa Ahmed Wazneh
    Ali Ahmed Tajeddine
    Tanal Abdallah Fardoun
    Mustafa Haitham Arnaout
    Fouad Mahmoud al-Laqiss
    Mohammed Kamal Akoush
    Tony Elias al-Zakhem
    Hamzeh Ali Jaafar
    Hasan Mohammed Issawi
    Hasan Kamal Ibrahim
    Ghassan Ibrahim Qaterji
    Haifa Ibrahim al-Farran
    Hussein Youssef Hajj Ali
    Fares Rashid Zibian
    Farid Saad Moussa
    Mohammed Ali Qatbi
    Yasser Youssef Mehdi
    Anees Mustafa Safa
    Hussein Moussa Barakat
    Antoine Toufiq al-Hayek
    Elias Antonius Rafeeh
    Tareq George Barakat
    Khalil Nami al-Khazen (MTV official)
    Rana Youssef al-Harakeh
    Mohammed Abdel Hussein al-Hajj
    Hussein Kamal Hayek
    Asaad Masoud al-Fghali
    Ziad Naeem Qosseifi
    Rida Ali Mistokirdi
    Albert Jirji Assal
    Imad Ahmed Hather
    Fouad Mohammed Jaber
    Khalil Mohammed Madani
    Hasan Mohammed Abdel Hasan Tajeddine
    Yasser Abdel Hussein Ismail
    Jamal Ali Khatoun
    Afif Krisht (Lebanese-British)
    Abbas Hawilli (Lebanese-Canadian)
    Anna Mohammed Abes (Lebanese-Russian)
    Julia Mohammed al-Hajj, 3
    Mohammed Hasan Kreik, 4

  • | | | | |

    NTSB launches team to assist government of Guyana in aviation accident

    Washington – The National Transportation Safety Board launched a team of investigators today to assist the government of Guyana with its investigation into yesterday’s accident at Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Georgetown, Guyana, involving a scheduled passenger flight.

    On July 30, 2011, at approximately 1:25 am (EDT), Caribbean Airlines flight 523, (Trinidad & Tobago registration 9Y-PBM), en route from Trinidad to Guyana, overran the runway during landing at Cheddi Jagan International Airport in Guyana. Preliminary information from the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) indicated that one serious and multiple minor injuries were reported aboard the Boeing 737-800, carrying 156 passengers and six crewmembers.

    The NTSB designated Bob Benzon as the U.S. Accredited Representative. He will lead the U.S. team, which includes seven NTSB staff with expertise in operations, meteorology, airworthiness, survival factors, and aircraft performance as well as representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing. The team is scheduled to arrive in Guyana this evening.

    The Guyana CAA is leading the accident investigation. The accident aircraft recorders have been recovered and, at the request of the CAA, will be transported to NTSB headquarters in Washington, DC to be downloaded.