Carrier

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    Indian Rescue Chopper Crashes During Flood Evacuation


    On Jun 25, 2013, an Indian Air Force Mil Mi-17 V5 newly acquired helicopter was on a rescue/medical mission assisting victims of floods in Northern India when it crashed in bad weather (rain and fog). An Indian newspaper says there were 19 aboard, including NDRF, ITBP and IAF personnel.

    The helicopter was from Barrackpore Air Force Station in West Bengal under the Eastern Air Command.

    The helicopter crashed near the pilgrimage site of Gaurikund. Flash floods in the area are having dire consequences.

    According to one report, eight bodies were recovered, five of whom were crew. There appear to be no survivors of the crash.

    At the time of the crash, the helicopter was on it’s third run. more than 7,500 people are reported as being still stranded by the flooding in the hills of Uttarakhand. Buildings are being washed away, and roads flooded.

    A court of Inquiry has been convened to investigate the cause of the helicopter crash. The flight recorder has been recovered.

    A later report amends 19 to 20 aboard. Twenty bodies have been recovered. The air chief marshal offered condolences on the death of 5 IAF, 6 Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) 9 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel who died.

    Air Force officials said their personnel on the chopper that crashed were: Wg Cdr Darryl Castelino, Flt Lt. K Praveen, Flt Lt Tapan Kapoor, JWO A.K. Singh and Sgt Sudhakar Yadav.

    The NDRF personnel were: Commandant Nitya Nand Gupta, 48, resident of Kanpur; Inspector Bhim Singh, 49, resident of Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir; Sub Inspector Satish Kumar, 44, resident of Bhiwani in Haryana; Constable K. Vinaygan, 28, resident of Chitoor in Andhra Pradesh; Constable Bassavaraj Yaragatti, 31, resident of Gadag in Karnataka; Constable Santosh Kumar Paswan, 24, resident of Koderma in Jharkhand; Constable Sanjiva Kumar, 27, resident of Balia in Uttar Pradesh; Constable Shashi Kant Ramesh Pawar, 31, resident of Dhulia in Maharashtra; and Constable Ahir Rao Ganesh, 32, resident of Jalgaon in Maharashtra.

    The six ITBP personnel were: Commandant Nand Ram, 27, Sub Inspector Jayender Prasad, 55, Constable Jomon P.G., 26, Constable Bibhuti Roy, 26, Constable Sarvesh Kumar, 31, and Constable Ajay Lal, 23.

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    Dominican Republic Flight Cancelled with a Bang

    On a takeoff run, an Airbus 330 en route from Manchester to the Dominican Republic suffered an engine explosion.

    The pilot aborted the takeoff. None of the 325 passengers aboard the Thomas Cook A330 were injured.

    Passengers disembarked and the plane was inspected and for half an hour, the runway was closed. Emergency services were deployed.

    How passengers were accommodated was not released.

    See Video Below

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    Thomson Airways Boeing Grounded after Bird Strike

    A Thomson Airways Boeing 787-8 sustained a bird strike on a Manchester—Cardiff—Shannon flight on the Cardiff-Shannon leg.

    On taking off from Cardiff, the bird strike occurred. The pilot reported that all systems appeared operational. Pilots continued to Shannon and made a safe landing with emergency services on standby.

    On the ground, the flight did not need to be towed but continued under its own power.

    Maintenance did confirm evidence of damage in the jet’s right side engine. The training flight was cancelled and crews worked on the damaged engine.

    This is listed as a training flight of a recently delivered jet.

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    Delta: Flight delayed by Mud

    Delta Flight 1763 McDonnell Douglas MD-88 en route from Washington DC to Minneapolis was on the tarmac when the right gear left the pavement and got mired in a foot of mud.

    160 passengers had to disembark on to the runway. They were bussed back to the terminal, and their takeoff was delayed.

    Meanwhile airport crews had to get the plane unstuck.

    Passengers scheduled on the 2:53 flight were put on a delayed flight that arrived in Minneapolis/St Paul Intl at Gate G19 at 8:13 p.m..

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    United Boeing Dreamliner Flies Houston to Houston


    photographer Greg Kieca

    On June 24, 2013, a United Boeing 787 Houston to Denver flight developed an issue with the brakes (or brake indicator) and made an emergency landing. Details about the specific problem were not released.

    The flight left Houston at 9.12am and arrived in in Houston at 11:58 a.m.

    None of the 219 passengers and 13 crew members sustained any injury. Maintenance examined the plane. The plane was returned to service.

    Stranded passengers were provided travel solutions by a Boeing field service representative.

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    Sydney Birdstrike

    On June 21, 2013, a Business Aviation Solutions Citation was en route to Sydney when it made an emergency landing after a birdstrike. One engine was damaged.

    The plane took off at 5 am, suffered the bird strike and had to make an emergency landing returning to Coolangatta. There were two crew aboard and no passengers, and no injuries.

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    Fishtail Air Crashes in Nepal

    June 19, 2013
    A Fishtail Air helicopter with six aboard crashed in Nepal 250 miles nw of Katmandu.
    The helicopter crashed for unknown reasons in rainy and foggy conditions at 4:25 pm. It was enroute from Hilsa, near the China border.

    One passenger died in the crash, and four were injured, including the Italian pilot and Nepali co-pilot. The injured were taken by medical helicopter to hospitals near Muchu village.

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    TWA Flight 800 report Questioned

    James Kallstrom, who headed up the investigation into the 1996 crash for the FBI says the original report is legitimate.

    But six retired investigators from TWA, the National Transportation Safety Board, and the Air Line Pilots Association say the final report of the 1996 accident, “TWA Flight 800” was falsified. They say the accident was either a terrorist attack or a failed military operation. The cadre of retired investigators are calling for a new investigation by the feds. Others argue that there’s no question the explosion was an accident. 230 people died after Flight 800 took off from JFK.

    Originally there were several theories put forward: a missile theory ,a bomb-on-the-plane theory, a meteor strike theory. All of these theories were discarded when an exploding fuel tank was concluded to be the cause.

    The retirees have appealed to families to ask for the case to be reinvestigated. Many family members are disturbed by the idea of renewal of the case which they believe is simply hype to push a new documentary “TWA Flight 800.”

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    Mokulele Iki Inc Piper Dunked in Ocean

    During salvage of the Mokulele Iki Inc Piper PA-28-181 Archer II that made an emergency landing50 yards from Waiehu Beach on Maui, the Pacific helicopter doing the heavy lifting dropped the Piper Cherokee it was hauling into the ocean. The wind was blowing 20 to 25 mph. Witnesses believed the helicopter was going to follow the plane into the ocean.

    None of the four men aboard the Piper were hurt during the emergency landing on the 16th, and no one was injured during the attempted salvage on the 20th.

    Now the owner, the insurance company and the coast guard have to figure out what to do next.

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    United Airlines Passenger Poisoner

    June 17 2013 2pm
    On an United Airlines Flight 116 from Tokyo to Newark, a passenger got up during the flight and yelled to fellow passengers that he’d poisoned everyone.

    The flight landed at 1:30 pm in Newark, and was taken into custody by the FBI and Port Authority Police. No one became ill but he was hospitalized. He is reported to be mentally disturbed.

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    Egyptian overrun

    June 15, 2013
    A six year old Boeing 373-86N # SU-BPZ leased from an Egyptian company was providing flight 921 en route from Novosibirsk Russia to Thessaloniki Greece when it skidded off the runway.

    The plane stopped past the end of pavement. There were 160 aboard, including 5 crew, none of whom were injured.

    The cause of the incident has not been released.

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    Virgin Australia Emergency Landing

    June 18, 2013
    A Virgin Australia plane en route from Brisbane to Adelaide could not land due to foggy conditions, and diverted to Midura where they could not land due to foggy conditions, then made two aborted attempts to land (during foggy conditions) when they nailed the landing on the third try.

    I expect all 85 passengers exited the plane as quickly as their little feet would carry them. (I know I would.) The airline said they would get the passengers from Midura to Adelaide but did not indicate if a plane, bus, or carrier pigeon was going to be employed.

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    Piper Cherokee Crash in Maui

    June 16, 2013
    A Piper Cherokee N9160Q, on a flight from Honolulu to Maui declared mayday with engine problems three miles from the airport at 5:40 p.m. and made an emergency landing on Maui, Hawaii a quarter-mile down the beach from Pakele Place.

    Witnesses said the plane “was 50 to 75 feet in the air, rocking the wings and his engine was off.” None of the four men aboard were injured. The passengers were in Maui after playing in a U.S. Tennis Association tournament on Oahu. The plane sustained some damage. A local described firemen, police, rescue crew and tennis players traipsing through their house from the crash scene near the beach.
    Video below

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    Plane Crash Investigation Reveals Cause

    On April 29, we reported the National Air Cargo flight that crashed when it’s load shifted and the plane stalled. Federal investigators and Boeing experts went to Afghanistan to to assist in the investigation.

    On Jun 2nd 2013, the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation of Afghanistan investigation announced officially that it was the weight of three armored vehicles and two mine sweepers 80 tons––of shifting cargo that caused the plane to crash.

    The wiring in the back of the plane was cut by impact with the cargo, leaving the pilots helpless to control the plane.

    There were no survivors.

    As a result of the April Crash, on May 17, 2013 Boeing issued the following SAFO:

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    Small Plane Crashes Into Virginia Building


    An Aerial Photographers LLC Cessna 177B Cardinal en route from Philadelphia to Manassas with two people aboard ran out of fuel and crashed into the living room of Virginia apartment. The pilot William Larson, passenger Tache L. Alejandro, and an apartment resident were injured when the plane ran out of fuel and crashed in David Ventura’s apartment.

    The plane displaced 20 tenants.

    The Red Cross is assisting the families.

    A crane removed the plane from the building. The photo at the top of our screen was posted on Twitter.

    Video

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    Teenager Sues Masturbation Airlines


    Seventeen year old Monica Amestoy was flying home from a debate in New York—a six hour flight—and witnessed an unwanted exhibition: a man across the aisle was masturbating. She pointed out the incident to Flight attendants.

    After nothing was done to stop the man, seventeen year old Monica Amestoy returned home to California to file a lawsuit against United Airlines.

    The incident happened last year.

    Although Monica complained to a flight attendant, United failed to safeguard Monica. Subsequently, United took no action and are surely guilty of neglecting the welfare of their passengers.

    On landing in Los Angeles, UA failed to immediately report the criminal activity. Monica reported the incident to her father and he contacted law enforcement. After the investigation, the FBI prosecuted and convicted the perpetrator.

    Gloria Allred filed the suit in Los Angeles county superior court.

    Video

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    Passengers denied fair compensation’ by British Airways


    Here’s the situation–after the problematic Oslo flight, British Airways paid for food and hotel accommodation for stranded passengers who had been on the flight, but they deny further compensation. This is apparently British Airways attitude in regard to “thousands of passengers” impacted by the closures caused by the BA flight, according to Travel Weekly.

    BA’s cancellation of 200 flights after the Oslo flight issue led to Heathrow’s brief closure (of two runways.) 200 flight cancellations affects a whole lot of people.

    In this case, the European Commission’s new guidelines are going to be tested. Clyde and Co. said if the closure was a bird strike, BA would probably be off the hook, but if it was due to faulty maintenance, that’s their responsibility.

    In my opinion, BA deserves all the ass kicking they get and a whole lot more for their laxity in accepting responsibility. I hope the passengers all sue for their damages. Maybe, just maybe a lawsuit will send a message to the operators of huge airline companies.

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    Diversion to Nagpur

    On May 27 2013, an Air India Flight 452 A321 en route from Visakhapatnam to Delhi was in the air for an hour and a half when alerts indicated engine fluctuations.

    Pilots diverted to Nagpur where they made a safe landing at Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport at 11:00 a.m.. None of the 174 passengers and crew reported injury.

    Passengers were provided alternative flights to Delhi.

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    Brazilian Air Force Jet Engine Catches Fire


    On May 26, 2013, a FAB Força Aérea Brasileira Boeing KC-137 (707-324C) developed problems during takeoff from the airport in Port au Prince, Haiti, bound for Manaus. The flight was making a takeoff run when its engine caught on fire.

    The plane veered off the runway, with the landing gear broken off.

    Twelve crew and 131 passengers were bound for a peacekeeping mission in Haiti. No one was injured.

    The official statement came from Air Brigadier Kanitz Marcelo Damasceno, Head of the Center of Social Communication of Aeronautics

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    Official Czech Airbus Glass Cracks


    A Czech Air Force Airbus A319-115X CJ was en route in Belarus when the cockpit glass cracked—just the front top cover glass The Airbus was on an official flight with prime minister Petr Ne?as and minister of industry Martin Kuba aboard.

    Pilots had to descend to a safe altitude and continued to Moscow.

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    BA Airways emergency landing with Engine fire


    A British Airways Airbus A319-100 was en route from London to Oslo when it developed an engine problem.

    Passengers heard a loud explosion, and saw smoke from the right engine. Apparently the engine doors blew off.

    During takeoff, the casing of the left engine ‘came away’ and the right engine exploded when the plane made a quick return, landing in London.

    Good thing that Emergency services were on standby to extinguish the engine fire.

    Passengers and crew made an emergency evacuation via emergency slides.

    None of the 5 crew and 75 passengers were injured.

    The ABC News video below suggests a birdstrike that is purely speculative

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    Helicopter Crash in Hickory County

    A helicopter failed to return from a flight on May 24 2013 in Missouri. The flight took off at 5:45 p.m.

    The Lucas Oil Products-owned helicopter was located crashed, and two people died in the crash.

    The NTSB will arrive on site Sunday to begin the investigation. The pilot was flying passenger 21-yearold Missouri State University student Catalina Richard around the perimeter of a Lucas Oil Speedway event. The pilot’s name has hot been released as of this posting.

    The helicopter crashed in rural Cross Timbers Missouri.

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    Domestic Squabble and Bomb Threat on Pia Flight


    Flight Aware
    On May 24, 2013, a Pakistan International Airlines Boeing 777-340ER was en route from Allama Iqbal Int’l to Manchester when a stewardess told the Captain Nadeem Sufi that a passenger had threatened to bomb the plane. Sixty miles east of their destination, the pilot diverted to Stansted Airport with a British fighter escort.

    Mr. Mohammad Shafqat and Ms. Ammara Ashraf had been fighting with eight family members, and when the argument escalated, the two were taken into custody and then released.

    During the domestic fight, two men who approached the cockpit were also arrested aboard the plane, handcuffed, and taken into custody to the police station at Stansted. The case is being treated as a criminal rather than terror case.

    There were 11 crew and 297 passengers aboard.

    Although the Pakistani High Commission blames the pilot for making a decision that puts PIA in a bad light, we believe that the fact that because Captain Sufi landed the plane without injury or loss of life, then he made the right decision.

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    Chopper Crashes in Kidnap Rescue Attempt


    On 23-MAY-2013 two engineers were being held hostage. A Venezuelan police MBB Bo 105M a survey chopper was on a surveillance mission as part of “a new anti-crime initiative”. The chopper was engaged to surveil a car with two engineers being held hostage when the helicopter crashed on a road in El Junquito in the suburb of Caracas.

    Everyone aboard the helicopter died in the crash: pilot, co-pilot, a technician and two soldiers of the Police Tactical Group.

    Before the accident, there was low visibility produced by a early morning fog; afterwards, heavy clouds of smoke blanketed the area.

    Police successfully rescued the kidnapped engineers. The kidnapper did not survive.

    See video

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    Stormy Weather Leads to Emergency Landing in Tocumen

    On May 21, 2013, a Copa Airlines Boeing 737-7V3 a flight from Guayaquil, Ecuador landed in the rain at Tocumen International Airport in Panama.

    The plane skidded off the runway, and sustained damage getting mired in soft ground.

    Engine 2 sustained damage as the right engine impacted soft ground

    The plane was towed to the gate.

    107 passengers were aboard the flight, and none of them were seriously injured, according to paramedic teams that responded to the accident. The incident also caused delays at the airport, forcing at least one flight to divert to another airport.