What: An American Airlines Boeing 767-300 en route from Sao Paulo to Miami,FL Where: Sao Paulo When: Nov 18 2010 Why: After takeoff, the right engine made an explosive noise, suffered an engine surge and the pilots shut it down. The pilots returned to Sao Paulo and made a safe landing. Significant damage occurred in the engine, and it will have to be replaced.
What: Delta Airlines Boeing 767-300 en route from Atlanta to Los Angeles Where: Atlanta When: Nov 21 t 2010 Who: 262 passengers Why: While en route, the flight developed an engine problem and made an emergency return to Atlanta. The tail scraped on landing (damage unknown). Passengers were provided alternative flights.
What: Delta Airlines Boeing 767-300 en route from NY to Moscow Where: New York When: Nov 21, 2010 Who: 193 passengers, one of whom was Leonardo DiCaprio Why: Immediately after takeoff, the plane “lost” the left engine. (I am assuming the pilot shut it down. In spite of alarmist NYT twitters, there was no fire.) A flash on takeoff, and a flame out and smoke were reported by separate crews. The plane had to dump fuel and returned less than an hour later to land in NY with a hundred rescue crew on hand for what appears to be a routine handling of a possible stall.
What: Frandley Aviation Partnership Cessna 501 Citation I/SP en route from Belfast to Birmingham Where: Birmingham International Airport, UK When: Nov 19, 2010 Who: 2 aboard Why: On a mercy mission carrying a liver for transplant, the Cessna 501 Citation corporate jet was damaged while landing at Birmingham International Airport in heavy fog, striking the landing system glide path antennae and ending up 426 feet to the right hand side of the runway, while on fire. The plane was damaged beyond repair.
The crash closed the airport. 80 cancelled flights have affected up to 5000 passengers.
However, the liver was undamaged, and transplanted into the patient on Friday in a 4 hour operation at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The transplant patient is reported to be in stable condition.
The pilot and passenger were injured; the 58 year old pilot suffered injuries to the chest, abdomen and pelvis. The passenger in his thirties suffered a back injury and flash burns. The Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance pilot entered the burning plane to cut the fuel supply so the fire service could extract the pilot. The airport is closed.
Police provided an escort to the ambulance carrying the transplant to QE.
What: Delta Airlines Boeing 757-200 Philadelphia to Paris Where: Shannon Ireland When: November 20, 2010, 6:30 am Who: 152 passengers 7 crew Why: While over the Atlantic, the right engine developed problems. Pilots shut it down, and diverted to Shannon where they made a safe landing. Passengers were provided an alternative flight.
George’s Point of View
I usually try just to get the facts. But when people read these alerts, it is not just the plane. Like on this flight. Can you imagine being aboard this flight, over the Atlantic—as on the infamous Air France Flight 447—and losing an engine? Can you picture your feelings at the moment you realize the failure, and every moment thereafter, until you were safely on the ground? Even with a capable functioning plane, and competent crew. Even with the knowledge that the plane could afford to shut down an engine. Having to sit politely in your row, and believing on some level, that you were placidly waiting to die while strapped in like a trapped like a Chilean Miner in a snow globe hurtling through space toward who knows what fate? Even if I do not write it, behind these lines, there is always a human element.
What: Delta Airlines Airbus A320-200 en route from Minneapolis to Tampa Where: Minneapolis When: Nov 19th 2010 Who: 48 people on board Why: After takeoff from Minneapolis, the plane flew through birds. The frame of the plane incurred some damage. They returned to Minneapolis and made a safe landing on one engine. A replacement flight was provided for the passengers. (However, a KARE report said that there was no damage and the same plane left the airport with its passengers at 8:40 pm.)
What: Delta/Compass Airlines Embraer ERJ-175 N604CZ performing flight CP-5887/DL-5887 from Minneapolis,MN to Missoula,MT Where: Minneapolis When: Nov 15th 2010 Why: After takeoff from Twin Cities International, the plane incurred a bird strike, damaging the nose cone of the plane and one of the engines either quit or was shut down.
The airport is next to a wild life preserve. The Metropolitan Airport Commission traps Bald Eagles too close to the runway and relocates them; other birds are frightened off by fireworks.
Goose feathers from this bird strike were sent to the Smithsonian.
What: Delta Airlines Boeing 737-800 en route from Atlanta to Santa Ana Where: Dallas When: November 18, 2010 Why: While en route, the copilot’s windshield developed cracks. The pilots informed passengers that they were making an emergency landing in Dallas; and passengers were able to see the crack for themselves before they left the plane. A replacement Boeing 737 was provided.
What: British Airways Boeing 777-200 en route from London to Tel Aviv Where: Brussels When: Nov 18th 2010 Why: While en route, the crew received a fire alert. The flight diverted to Brussels a quarter of an hour after the alert occurred. A package was removed from the plane, and later returned to London where the cargo was transferred onto an alternative flight.
What: A First Air Boeing 737-200 en route from Norman Wells, to Inuvik Where: Inuvik When: Nov 15th 2010 Who: 22 aboard Why: After takeoff, the right engine’s warning light came on. The crew declared an emergency but continued to Inuvik to make a safe landing.
On examination, the overheat detection mechanism was faulty.
What: Cape Air Cessna 402 en route from Lebanon to Boston Where: Manchester-Boston Regional Airport When: 6:30 a.m. Who: 5 passengers Why: After the plane developed low oil pressure in the right engine, the pilot shut it down and made a safe landing at Manchester Boston Regional Airport.
What: JetBlue Embraer 190 en route from Charlotte, N.C., to Boston Where: Boston When: Nov 17, 2010, 9 a.m. Who: 25 passengers Why: While en route, the plane developed a problem with the flaps. After declaring an emergency, the pilot made it safely to Logan, landing without flaps.
* Note the photo of this plane in Boston last year.
What: Qantas Boeing 747 en route from Johannesburg to Australia Where: Johannesburg When: Nov 16, 2010, 7:20 p.m. Who: 171 passengers Why: After takeoff around 6pm, the Qantas jet—reportedly the same plane which turned back from Sydney to Buenos Aires on Nov 15 2010_ingested a bird into the number 2 engine,which caused a drop in power. The pilot made an emergency landing (80 minutes after takeoff) in Johannesburg with emergency vehicles on standby.
Passengers will be provided hotel accommodations and are expected to have flight accommodations on one of three options within 24 hours.
The damage to the number 2 engine is said to be limited to a turbine blade.
George’s Point of View
While it is no doubt that the media is overreacting to the current series of Qantas incidents, the airline’s reputation of being the world’s safest airline should be untarnished. Consider how their fleet is being squeezed by having to pull six A380 superjumbos because of the engine problem that Rolls Royce admits is their problem.
The rest of Qantas fleet must be scrambling to make up for the temporary loss of the A380s. Such is the perfect scenario-pushing the remaining fleet to the max-that will inevitably stress the “weakest links,” should there be any.
But a bird strike is a routine event, routine in the sense of being an inevitable phenomenon. Bird strikes happen. And when they do, so far, the Qantas pilots have been able to handle every contingency.
What: Jetstar Airbus A320-200 en route from Brisbane to Mackay Where: Brisbane When: Nov 16th 2010 Who: 164 passengers Why: After takeoff, Brisbane Airport crew noticed fluid on the runway, the Jetstar crew received a low fluid indication in one of three hydraulic systems and the gear would not retract.
The crew made a “standard air return” Brisbane to make a safe landing within a half hour of departure. Passengers were rebooked on a later flight with a scheduled arrival of 9:25 pm. The plane was pulled from service for maintenance and inspection.
What: British Airways Boeing 747-400 en route from Vancouver,BC to London Where: Vancouver When: Nov 13th 2010, 2:00 a.m. Who: 262 on board Why: While underway, the left engine surged and the temperature exceeded normal. The standard protocol is to shut down the surging engine and land. The crew returned to Vancouver where they made a safe landing with Richmond Fire and Rescue Services, BC Ambulance and emergency airfield services on standby. The plane safely taxied to the gate. Passengers were delayed overnight, accommodated in hotels and alternative flights.
What: American Airlines Boeing 737-800 en route from Washington DC to Dallas /Ft. Worth Where: Dulles International Airpor When: Nov 12th 2010 Why: After takeoff, a cargo fire alert convinced the pilots to divert to Dulles, where they made a safe landing; and passengers disembarked on to the tarmac. The passengers were transported to the terminal and provided alternative transportation. No actual fire was found.
What: Qantas Boeing 747-400 en route from Sydney Australia to Buenos Aires, Argentina Where: Sydney When: Nov 15th 2010 Who: 199 passengers, 21 crew Why: While en route, the plane developed smoke in the cockpit, according to Qantas, originating in the cockpit electronic display. The crew donned oxygen masks, and decided to return to Sydney. They dumped fuel, and landed safely–described by a passenger as a perfect landing.
The video interview of a passenger has his account of when the event, including when entertainment systems switched off, the second officer came through the cabin with an explanation; the captain explained later too, once they were on the ground. The passenger also makes a significant point about how the crew must be feeling about Qantas maintenance, and that possibly too many Qantas maintenance resources are being diverted to the A380 problem.
Passengers were scheduled on a flight with a 6 hour delay.
The interviewer says “The Qantas A380s are now being called 180s. They take off, go for ten minutes, make a 180 and go back where they started from.”
Rolls-Royce announced it will replace the A380 superjumbo engines with oil leaks in Qantas’s fleet.
Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/11/16/qantas-plane-makes-emergency-landing-after-cockpit-fills-with-smoke-115875-22720244/#ixzz15TQgHSrI
Go Camping for 95p! Vouchers collectable in the Daily and Sunday Mirror until 11th August . Click here for more information
Sydney, 15 November 2010
Qantas Flight 17 from Sydney to Buenos Aires today, operated by a Boeing 747, returned to Sydney after experiencing an issue with the aircraft’s electrical system.
The aircraft departed at 11:11am and landed safely back at Sydney Airport at 1:22pm. Priority clearance to land was gained from air traffic control, following procedure. There were 199 passengers, three flight crew and 18 cabin crew on board.
Engineers are inspecting the aircraft to determine the cause of the issue. Passengers have disembarked into the terminal building.
Reports that the aircraft lost pressure in the main cabin are incorrect. Oxygen supply to the cabin was unaffected.
The incident has been reported to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the Air Transport Safety Bureau.
The flight crew operating the service acted appropriately in line with their training and with Qantas’ safety-first approach. Qantas regrets the inconvenience to passengers and will seek to make contingency arrangements for those affected.
Further details will be released as they become available.
What: Qantas Boeing 767-300 en route from Perth to Melbourne Where: Perth When: Nov 12th 2010 3.15 pm Who: 234 passengers Why: After takeoff, while still near Perth, the left engine (GE) began emitting abnormal vibrations. The engine was not shut down, but the pilots decided on a a routine turnback, and returned to Perth and made a safe landing. Passengers were booked on to alternative flights with up to a five hour delay. This Qantas Boeing incident has nothing to do with the Qantas incidents related to a flaw in Airbus A380 engines.
What: Tulpar Air Yakovlev Yak-42 en route from Kazan to Moscow Where: Kazan When: Nov 12th 2010 Who: 41 passengers Why: Not long after take off, one of the engines had to be shut down. The pilot returned to Kazan where the plane made a safe landing. A replacement plane was provided for the passengers. This charter flight was to transport a soccer team, but they had to wait for the replacement jet.
What: Aegean Airlines Airbus A320-200 en route from Athens to Milan Where: Milan When: Nov 10th 2010 Who: 108 passengers, 6 crew Why: On touchdown in Milan, the plane generated a brake fault message. The return flight was cancelled, and the plane was pulled from service briefly for repairs.
What: First Air Avions de Transport Regional ATR-42-300 en route from Pangnirtung to Iqaluit Where: Iqaluit When: Nov 9th 2010 Who: 13 on board Why: North East of Iqaluit, low oil forced pilots to shut down an engine. The pilot dropped to a lower altitude and landed safely at Iqaluit.
What: Vueling Airbus A320-200 en route from Alguaire to Palma Where: El Prat Airport Barcelona When: Nov 12th 2010 Who: 72 passengers Why: After takeoff from Alguaire, the flight developed a hydraulic leak. The pilot diverted to Barcelona where they were attended by rescue vehicles, and landed safely, although needing a tow from the runway. The plane was removed from service for routine repairs.
Passengers were rebooked and provided dinner; some were booked on buses for part of their trip, and Air Europe, and Air Berlin.
What: Varig Logistica Boeing 757-200 freighter en route from Manaus to Sao Paulo Where: Manaus When: Nov 10th 2010 Who: 2 crew Why: While lining up for departure, a freighter loaded with 30 tons of goods to Sao Paulo got stuck on the runway when two main gear tires deflated. Rain and the beached plane effectively disabled most of the runway for several hours.
George’s Point of View
Maintenance, Maintenance, Maintenance
I find the timing of this incident extremely ironic, when noticing that today we have also received and published a press release highlighting how the “Goodyear Expert Cites Tips for Proper Aircraft Tire Maintenance,” a press release showcasing a Goodyear Tires Product Support Manager’s Tire maintenance manual. It even has photo sections for aviation “tire whisperers” who want to recognize what happened to a tire by the visible damage.
You would think that we would know tires get flat by now, if only from our experience of all the cars on the road.
What: Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-300 en route from Houston,TX (USA) to Moscow Domodedovo (Russia) Where: Houston When: Nov 8th 2010 Why: After takeoff, the plane could not fully retract the landing gear . As a result, the flight circled Houston attempting a fix, with the right hand main gear door open until they landed safely an hour after taking off. Passengers were booked on alternative flights.
What: American Airlines Boeing 767-300 en route from Santiago Chile to Miami, Florida Where: Santiago When: Nov 10th 2010 Who: 120 passengers and 12 crew Why: Shortly after takeoff, the plane experienced a hydraulic failure in the landing gear. The pilot returned to Santiago and made a safe landing. The flight was rescheduled.
What: Kuwait Airways Airbus A300-600 en route from Kuwait City (Kuwait) to Dhaka (Bangladesh) Where: Kuwait When: Nov 10th 2010 Who: 226 passengers and 12 crew Why: Just after takeoff, smoke was reported in the cabin. The plane returned to the airport and made a safe landing.
Passengers evacuated using emergency slides. Several passengers and a crew member were injured during evacuation.
