Aircraft

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    British Airways Engine Shut Down Response Draws Fire


    Pictured: The plane in question at Sao Paulo – Guarulhos International (Cumbica) (GRU / SBGR) Brazil, June 12, 2010
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Junio Gracielo

    What: British Airways Boeing 747-400 en route from Hong Kong to London
    Where: Copenhagen
    When: Jul 30th 2010
    Why: While en route over Russia, the plane developed engine problems and had to shut down. The crew decided to continue instead of return to Hong Kong, and diverted to Copenhagen where they made a safe landing. The plane spent some thirty plus hours on the ground and on the return to the UK has not yet been returned to service.

    The report of the UK’s Air Accident Investigation said windmilling of the engine without engine oil supply over an extended period of time increased engine damage and recommended that regulators review engine shut down policy.

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    Boeing Relocating C-130 AMP, B-1 Program to Oklahoma City

    LONG BEACH, Calif., Aug. 2, 2010 — The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced it will relocate the C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) and B-1 Program from Long Beach to Oklahoma City. The move will begin with C-130 AMP starting in the first quarter of 2011 and conclude by the end of 2012 with the move of the B-1 Program.

    Both programs are part of the Maintenance, Modifications & Upgrades (MM&U) division of the Global Services & Support (GS&S) business unit of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. The programs now employ approximately 800 people in Southern California. About 550 positions will be relocated to Oklahoma City. The remaining positions will be reduced from the programs over the next two years as contracts are fulfilled.

    MM&U Vice President and General Manager Mark Bass said relocating the programs will help Boeing provide a more competitive cost structure for customers.

    “Making a decision like this is never easy, but as we reviewed our anticipated operating costs for the next several years, it became clear that Boeing needs to take major actions on these programs in order to remain affordable for our customers,” Bass said. “We remain committed to maintaining the excellent record of performance that our employees deliver for our U.S. Air Force B-1 and C-130 AMP customers during this transition.”

    During the move, some employees will be relocated, while other positions will be posted and hired locally in Oklahoma City. Company managers are determining which employees will be offered relocation to Oklahoma City. Boeing will provide assistance for workers who do not make the transition, including help in searching for other potential positions within the company.
    “We will communicate openly and often with our employees throughout this process,” Bass said.

    C-130 AMP brings commonality to the C-130 fleet by offering flexibility in assigning aircrew, regardless of the model design type, and reducing aircraft operating costs while addressing obsolescence and providing for future capability growth. The program recently was approved by the Air Force for low-rate initial production.

    The Boeing B-1 Program is modernizing the B-1 Lancer bomber to further enhance its conventional munitions capability. Multiple upgrades are being tested this year to improve the bomber’s capabilities.

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    Russian Passenger jet Crashes in Igarka


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

    What: Katekavia Antonov 24RV passenger jet en route from Krasnoyarsk to Igarka
    Where: Eastern Siberia
    When: August 2 2010
    Who: 3 crew and 11 passengers (also listed as 5 crew 10 passengers)
    Why: 700 meters from the landing at Igarka, the plane the plane veered to right and crashed before the runway, in bad weather conditions. (Night time landing, thunderstorms, limited visibility) 11 fatalities have been reported. The plane shattered and caught fire.

    Three crew members and one passengers were hospitalized initially–the only ones pulled alive from the plane– but now only 3 crew members remain fighting for their lives.

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    PIA Engine Vibration Cancels Flight


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

    What: Pakistan International Airlines Boeing 747 en route from Karachi to Islamabad
    Where: Karachi
    When: Aug 2nd 2010
    Who: 215 passengers
    Why: After take off, the pilot detected a vibration in the left engine and returned to the airport to make a safe landing. The origin of the engine vibration may be the bird strike that occurred on July 30.

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    Singapore Airlines In a Scrape

    What: Singapore Airlines (SIA) Boeing 777-200
    Where: Beijing Capital International Airport
    When: July 31, 2010
    Who: 248 passengers
    Why: While taxiing in reduced visibility because of fog, the Singapore plane’s right wing tip raked the tail of an Air China Boeing 737-800 which was stationary but awaiting takeoff. The rate of speed was so low, passengers did not feel the impact.

    The flight was cancelled. Passengers on the Air China flight to Ulan Bator were provided with an alternative flight. Passengers on the SIA flight were provided hotel accommodations. There were no injuries.

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    Air Blue Black Box Recovered

    A six member committee will be investigating the crash of the Air Blue Airbus flight ED-202. 152 people on board the Airbus A321 aircraft were killed when it slammed into a hill on July 28. The black box and cockpit voice recorder which was in the tail of the plane was recovered in the wooded Margalla hills after a three day search by twenty rescuers who had been hampered by heavy rain and inaccessibility. Major accidents are investigated jointly by the international aviation community; and the box appears to be in adequate condition, soon to be decoded in either France or Germany.

    The box holds crucial details which will help determine the cause of the crash, and will be examined by international experts.

    Pilot Pervez Iqbal Chaudhry was 61 years old, and suffering from diabetes and hypertension, and possibly suffering fatigue if he had observed prayers of the holy day preceding the crash.

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    All West Freight Fairchild C-123 Crashes in Denali PK, AK


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Aad van der Voet

    What: All West Freight twin-engine cargo Fairchild C-123
    Where: south-facing slope of Mount Healy, Delta Junction, Alaska
    When: August 1 2010
    Who: 3 crew
    Why: Witnesses told a news crew that the pilot “was flying kind of low, and he banked hard to the left and went straight down we saw the fire ball come up from the back side of the mountains.”

    The crash started a forest fire in Denali National Park which has been contained by Alaska Fire Service smokejumpers and Denali wildland fire fighters. The deceased are owner and pilot 61-year-old Bill Michel of Delta Junction; 52-year-old John Eshleman of Wasilla, and 66-year-old Paul Quartly of Wasilla.

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    Swiss Airbus with Wonky Electrics Diverts to Shannon


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Jens Breuer

    What: Swiss Airbus A340-300 en route from Miami to Zurich
    Where: Atlantic Ocean
    When: Jul 30th 2010
    Who: 227 passengers
    Why: Three/fourths of an hour out of Shannon, the flight developed various electrical problems with the circuit breakers affecting cabin lighting and the inflight entertainment system. With cabin lighting off, they diverted to Shannon, where the flight made a safe landing.

    Passengers were provided alternative flights, albeit not on several different planes.

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    Alitalia Bird Strike on Rumanian Runway


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Szabo Gabor

    What: Alitalia Airbus A320-200 en route from Bucharest Romania to Rome
    Where: Bucharest
    When: Jul 31st 2010
    Who: 92 passengers
    Why: The Alitalia Airbus rejected takeoff after one engine ingested a hawk. The plane returned to the gate and after passengers disembarked, they were provided accommodations until the replacement flight takes off tomorrow.

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    Transaero Engine Fire


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

    What: Transaero Airlines Boeing 767-200 en route from St. Petersburg to Larnaca
    Where: Larnaca
    When: Jul 31st 2010
    Why: On landing, the engine was found to be on fire. The engine was shut down, and on board measures were inadequate to suppress the flame. Emergency services succeeded in putting out the fire. The plane was towed off the runway.

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    Twinstar Engine Failure


    Pictured: A Diamond Aircraft Industries Diamond DA-42 Twin Star, Farnborough England
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Rez Manzoori

    What: Diamond Twinstar en route from Jersey to Vendee France
    Where: Jersey Airport
    When: July 30 2010 1220 BST
    Who: Pilot
    Why: While en route, the plane developed engine trouble. The pilot returned to Jersey Airport, made a safe landing, and was towed to the gate.

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    Boeing Statement on C-17 Globemaster III Airlifter Crash at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska


    ST. LOUIS, July 29, 2010 — A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III airlifter crashed on the evening of July 28 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Four crewmembers are reported to have been killed in the crash. The Boeing Company today released the following statement:

    “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the four crewmembers who were lost aboard the Pacific Air Forces C-17 that crashed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, last night. Boeing stands ready to provide technical assistance to the U.S. Air Force with the investigation into this tragedy.”

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    Boeing Press Release: Boeing Completes Acquisition of Narus

    ST. LOUIS, July 29, 2010 — Boeing today announced it has completed its acquisition of Narus, a leading provider of real-time network traffic and analytics software used to protect against cyber attacks and persistent threats aimed at large Internet Protocol networks.

    Narus, headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., will operate within Boeing’s Network & Space Systems business as a wholly owned subsidiary.
    Terms of the transaction, announced on July 7, are not being disclosed.
    A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world’s largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.

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    LA: Near Collision


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Peter Nowacki

    What: Westjet Airlines Boeing 737-700 en route from Vancouver to Los Angeles
    Where: Los Angeles
    When: Jul 24th 2010
    Who: 115 aboard
    Why: After an averted landing, the pilot was positioning to circle for a second approach (revectoring) and the flight crew received a TCAS warning to climb.

    The Cessna 182 was on its same altitude. The Boeing climbed and successfully achieved lateral separation.

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    Another AIRBUS smoke alarm


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Malcolm J.Bezzina

    What: Lufthansa Airbus A340-300 en route from Frankfurt to Dallas
    Where: Frankfurt
    When: Jul 29th 2010
    Why: After takeoff, smoke was detected in the cockpit. The returned to Frankfort where they made a safe landing, by which time (less than a half hour later) the smoke was gone. A replacement flight was provided. The cause of the smoke has either not been determined or not been released.

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    Manchester: Flybe “Precautionary” Landing


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Darren Wilson

    What: Flybe de Havilland Dash 8-400 en route from Manchester to Bournemouth
    Where: Manchester
    When: Jul 25 2010
    Who: 40 passengers
    Why: While en route, the pilot announced to the passengers they were undergoing a technical problem. That problem worsened, and eventually necessitated shutting down one engine and returning to Manchester. Passengers were provided a flight to Southampton, and a bus to Bournemouth.

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    Eurocopter Medevac Crew Perishes in AZ Neighborhood


    Pictured: A LifeNet Eurocopter AS-350B-3 Ecureuil. The one in the crash is
    registration # N509AM
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer David J Transier

    What: AirMethods American Eurocopter AS 350B3 Ecureuil en route from Marana to Southeast Arizona Medical Center
    Where: Near Park and 1st Avenue, Tucson, Arizona
    When: July 28, 2010, 2 pm
    Who: pilot, flight nurse and paramedic
    Why: On a medical helicopter service LifeNet Arizona flight, the crew had recently spoken to ATC when the helicopter crashed in a residential neighborhood behind a house. A witness said the pilot directed the helicopter away from the house; and that the engine made “popping noises” before it went silent. It’s rotors stopped, and it fell from the sky. No patients were aboard, but the crew died on the scene.

    Video

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    Air Canada Jazz Falling Parts


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Galen Burrows

    What: Air Canada de Havilland Dash 8-300 en route from Vancouver,BC to Kelowna,BC
    Where: Vancouver
    When: Jul 25th 2010
    Who: 35 aboard
    Why: While en route after takeoff, observers witnessed a piece of the plane fall off the plane and on to the runway. The part was determined to be a hydraulic hand pump handle. The decision was made to continue to Kelowna, where the plane landed safely and was examined.

    Maintenance discovered the right engine nacelle missing. After maintenance, on return to Vancouver, the missing parts were replaced.

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    Boeing Skids off Rainy Guinea Tarmac

    What: Mauritania Airways Boeing 737-700 en route from Nouakchott to Dakar Senegal to Conakry
    Where: Conakry
    When: Jul 28th 2010, 1:30 am
    Who: 91 passengers and 6 crew, ten injuries.
    Why: While landing in Conakry Guinea in heavy rain, the pilot landed halfway down the runway, resulting in an overran; they came to a dead stop off the tarmac in scrub land.

    Passengers evacuated via emergency services. Reports vary, but between 2 and 12 had minor injuries.

    Mauritania Airways is 51% owned by Tunisair; 49% by investors and the Mauritanian government.

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    Airblue Crash in Pakistan


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Gary Culpan

    On 28 July 2010 after taking off from Karachi at 0241 UTC (0741 PST)on a domestic flight to Islamabad, Airblue Flight 202 (AP-BJB), an Airbus A321, executed a circling approach for RWY-12 at Islamabad, crashed into the Margalla Hills nine and a half miles north-east of Islamabad apparently due to bad weather. One hundred and forty-six people were aboard, and six crew. One hundred forty-six passengers and all six crew members died. The plane was a total loss. It is the first fatal accident involving an Airbus A321 and Pakistan’s worst air disaster.

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    No Survivors in AirBlue Airbus Crash in Pakistan


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Richard Vandervord

    What: AirBlue Airbus A321-200 en route from Karachi to Islamabad Pakistan
    Where: Margalla Hills about 10nm north of Islamabad
    When: Jul 28th 2010
    Who: 146 passengers and 6 crew
    Why: While on approach to Islamabad in poor weather conditions during monsoon rain and low visibility, radio contact was lost (at 09:45) and the plane impacted the terrain.

    Helicopters flew into the mountainous area, which is difficult to access. Initial reports were that there were no survivors then helicopters were reported to have flown five survivors to hospitals. Six bodies have been recovered including the pilot but there are no survivors (in spite of the video report.)

    Video

    Airbus Press Release

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    Airbus Press Release: Airblue flight ED 202 accident in Islamabad

    First Release
    28 July 2010

    Airbus regrets to confirm that an Airbus A321 operated by airblue was involved in an accident shortly after 9.45 am local time. The aircraft was operating a scheduled service, Flight ED 202, from Karachi to Islamabad, Pakistan.

    The aircraft involved in the accident, registered under AP-BJB, was MSN (Manufacturer Serial Number) 1218, initially delivered from the production line in 2000. The aircraft is leased to airblue in January 2006. The aircraft had accumulated approximately 34,000 flight hours in some 13,500 flights. It was powered by IAE V2533 engines. At this time no further factual information is available.

    In line with international convention, Airbus will provide full technical assistance to the Authorities of Pakistan, who will be responsible for the investigation into the accident.

    The A321 is a twin-engine single-aisle seating 185 passengers in a standard two-class configuration. The first A321 entered service in January 1994. To date, some 610 A321’s are in service with nearly 70 operators. The entire fleet has accumulated some 10.6 million flight hours in some 5.8 million flights. The A321 is part of the A320 Family which has achieved over 50 million take offs and landings since the first model, the A320, entered commercial service in 1988. Today, more than 4,300 aircraft are in operations to some 310 customers and operators worldwide.

    Airbus will make further factual information available as soon as the details have been confirmed.

    The concerns and sympathy of the Airbus employees go to the families, friends and loved ones affected by the accident of Flight ED 202.

    * * *

    For further information, please contact:
    AIRBUS – MEDIA RELATIONS
    Tel.: (33) 05.61.93.10.00

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    Lufthansa Freighter Splits and Burns


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

    What: Lufthansa Cargo MD-11 freighter
    Where: King Khaled International Airport, Riyadh
    When: July 27 2010
    Who: piloted by 2 German crewmembers
    Why: Observers report seeing smoke coming from the plane as it approached the runway. On landing, the plane burst into flames in the mid-section where the hull broke. The plane split in two and collapsed.

    The pilot and copilot have been hospitalized. No deaths are reported, but the plane is a total loss. It was carrying 80 tons of freight.

    The Lufthansa press release on the crash is titled “Lufthansa Cargo plane crash in Riyadh, 27 Jul 2010.”

    “According to the latest reports, a Lufthansa Cargo MD-11 freighter crashed this morning at 11.38 a.m. (local time) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The aircraft, coded Flight LH 8460, was on a flight to Riyadh from Frankfurt, Germany. The plane was piloted by a two-man crew, according to initial reports. Both pilots are being treated in hospital. On board Flight LH 8460 were 80 tonnes of freight. It is not yet known exactly what type of freight it was or which customers are affected. The cause of the accident is still being investigated. At the moment, we have no further details. We will communicate any further information immediately. Updates are also available at www.lufthansa-cargo.com.

    The next press release will be published at 2 p.m. CET.”