What: Auman T-51 Where: De Kalb, IL When: Dec 11, 2012 Who: pilot Why: After taking off from De Kalb Airport, the Auman T-51 developed engine trouble, losing altitude and emitting smoke.
Pilot James L Auman landed the plane in a field, then bounced and flipped. Plane and pilot both sustained substantial damage. Auman had to be extricated, then was taken by medical chopper to St. Anthony Hospital.
What: Alaskan Airlines Boeing 737 en route from Seattle to Las Vegas Where: Sacramento When: Dec 10, 2012 4:42 Who: 152 passengers and crew Why: While the flight was en route, smoke “unidentified fumes in the plane “developed in the cabin. Pilots diverted to Sacramento where they made a safe landing at 4:42 pm. with emergency services on standby.
There were no injuries although there was a report of a crew member getting oxygen.
Passengers said the problem appeared to be electrical, and that a stewardess had “burning in her eyes and throat.”
Passengers disembarked and were provided an alternative flight. The affected plane is slated for a Tuesday return to Seattle.
What: Learjet 25 en route from Monterrey to Toluca Where: Los Tejocotes When: December 9 20123:30 Who: 7 aboard Update: IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 345MC Make/Model: LJ25 Description: LEARJET 25
Date: 12/09/2012 Time: 0630
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Fatal Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Destroyed
LOCATION DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO A MOUNTAINOUS AREA, THE 7 PERSONS ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED, 61 MILES FROM MONTEREY, MEXICO
INJURY DATA
Total Fatal: 7
# Crew: 7 Fat: 7
NTSB Assists Government of Mexico in Aviation Accident
December 10
Washington – The NTSB is dispatching investigators to assist the government of Mexico in its investigation of the crash of a Learjet LJ25.
On December 9, 2012 at about 3:30 a.m. local time, the airplane crashed about 70 miles south of Monterrey, Mexico, due to unknown circumstances while en route to Mexico City, Mexico. All 7 persons on board were fatally injured including Latin singer Jenni Rivera.
NTSB Chairman Deborah A. P. Hersman has designated David Helson as the traveling U.S. Accredited Representative. Mr. Helson will be assisted from NTSB headquarters by investigative staff specializing in airplane airworthiness and flight crew operations as well as advisors from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Learjet.
What: Sky Blue Helicopters Robinson R44 Helicopter Where: Theodore Roosevelt Lake in Gila County When: Dec 7 2012 Who: 3 aboard Why: Two men and one woman were aboard a helicopter on a sightseeing tour when it crashed in Theodore Roosevelt Lake in Gila County. The water where the helicopter crashed was 60 feet deep. Boaters pulled the passengers from the water.
The two men and one woman were hospitalized in Phoenix. Julie Barba, 49, remains in the hospital, but Fred Cleeves, the 62-year-old pilot, and George Riedel, 64, were released from Scottsdale Healthcare Osborne Medical Center.
Gila County Sheriff’s Office Divers attached a buoy to the helicopter to mark its location before removal.
What: Cathay Pacific Boeing 777-367ER en route from Hong Kong International Airport to Heathrow Where: Wuhan China When: Dec 9 2012 Who: 235 passengers, 12 crew Why: The flight was en route when the captain detected smoke in the cockpit at 1:45 a.m.. The pilot diverted to Wuhan Tianhe International Airport. The flight landed at 2:07 a.m. with emergency services on standby, nine fire engines, three ambulances.
Passengers disembarked by stairs. No injuries were reported.
Alternative transportation was provided.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China and the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department will be investigating
What: Egyptair Airbus A320-200 en route from Cairo to Kuwait Where: Egypt When: Dec 3, 2012 Who: 90 aboard Why: We have avoided this report for as long as possible, but finally decided to get it out of the way, since our mailboxes and emails are FULL of reports of: “Snake on a plane forces emergency landing”
“Cobra Forces EgyptAir Flight to Make Emergency Landing”
“Flight Crew Finds reptile”
“Real Life Snake on a plane”
“Egyptian Cobra Bites Akram Abdul Latfi, Egypt Air Passenger”
“Cobra upgraded to First Class on Flight**”
Here’s the story: Akram Abdul Latif who was aboard this Egyptair flight was bitten by a snake. Actual snake on a plane, not the terrible movie. The Jordan Times says the snake was a cobra and that Latif owns a reptile shop where he was taking it. The snake had gotten out and the pet shop owner was bitten in the hand while trying to return the snake to the carry-on (as so many are theoretically and realistically bitten while trying to get anything back in the bag.)
The flight was diverted to Al Bahr Al Ahmar where first aid was administered to the man, and apparently none to the snake, who died. Actually, the snake did not die; it apparently was with Latif when he was refusing medical treatment. Some of the reports infer Latif was allowed to bring the snake to his shop in Kuwait. Without a crystal ball, I can’t say whether or not reports will be full of “Kuwait Reptile Store Owner Jailed for Smuggling” but according to “Newsfix” the cobra was corralled and confiscated by the cops. No one indicates if the snake was returned to Latif, or if a snake license, fine or a “snake coralling fee” was levied.
One can not help but picture the plane landing, a bouncer tossing Latif, his bag and beast out on their respective keisters*, the plane closing up and zipping down the runway before Latif can get back on.
* For the sake of the paragraph, we are endowing both the snake and the bag with honorary keisters, as they are not provided their own by nature.
** Honors for the best title of an article about the snake on a plane
*** The snake photo is clipped from the youtube video
**** No snakes were harmed in the writing of this article
*****[insert your own] Etc.
What: Air India Airbus A321 en route from Kozhikode in Kerala to Sharjah Where: Kozhikode Who: 168 passengers Why: The pilot of an Air India flight alerted Kozhikode Air traffic control that there was a problem with the plane, and diverted back to Kozhikode shortly after takeoff.
The air conditioning inside the plane was shut down, and there were sparks noted from one of the engines. Whether or not the cause of the engine sparking was a bird strike has not been confirmed.
According to passengers, the plane “started vibrating as soon as it took off from the runway.”
Passengers also said they were not provided a hotel, but promised a flight at 12 pm, then at 4:40 a.m, and finally were provided an actual flight at 5:40 a.m.
What: L2 CHC Scotia Super Puma en route from to the Awilco-owned WilHunter rig in the North Sea Where: Aberdeen Airport When: Dec 7 2012 Who: 16 passengers 2 crew Why: The pilot was flying to the Wilhunter platform when a warning light came on in the plane.
The flight made an emergency return to Aberdeen, with the Scottish Ambulance Service on standby.
The helicopter is being examined for the nature of the problem that caused the warning. No injuries were reported.
Monterrey and Sierra Madre Oriental, Mexico What: Learjet 25 en route from Monterrey to Toluca Where: Los Tejocotes When: December 9 20123:30 Who: 7 aboard Why: The 300 meter debris field of a plane wreckage discovered near the town of Iturbide in Mexico’s Sierra Madre Oriental is believed to be that of the plane taken by Rivera’s party to Toluca. Forensic experts recovered Rivera’s California Driver License and the Mexican passport of Miguel Perez Soto, confirming the hypothesis.
Jenni Rivera, “La Diva de la Banda” is from Long Beach, California and recently divorced former Major League Baseball pitcher Esteban Loaiza.
What: 1980 Cessna 421 en route from Lantana airport Where: John Prince Park in Lake Worth When: December 8, 2012 Who: 1 fatality Why: The Cessna slammed into a stand of palm trees at 1:30 p.m. on the south shore of Square Lake, exploding at John Prince Park, west of Lake Worth, on Saturday afternoon. The pilot died in the impact.
The park is located between Palm Beach State College and Lantana airport. People who were at the park who witnessed the crash described the explosion and black smoke. THey immediately tried to help but the plane burst into flames.
The plane was registered to SDSEF Leasing of Miami Lakes.
Thirty minutes after impact, Palm Beach County sheriff’s cars and Palm Beach County Fire Rescue vehicles arrived and secured the area.
What: Robinson 44 helicopter Where: Mudgee Australia When: Dec 9, 2012 Who: 1 fatality Why: A 48 year old man on an agricultural flight was flying a Robinson helicopter and crashed in steep and rugged bushland at Grattai in New South Wales. Emergency services responded to the scene at 11:00 a.m.
The pilot is thought to have been spraying for weeds.
The pilot was pronounced dead at the scene. The Australian ATSB is investigating.
What: Piper PA-32-301 Saratoga
Robin DR.400/180 Regent Where: Near Wölfersheim, Hessen When: Dec 8 2012 Who: 5 + 3 fatalities Why: A Piper PA-32-301 Saratoga (D-EUEU) and a Robin DR.400 (D-EHJP) both crashed following a mid-air collision near Wölfersheim, Hessen, Germany. All five occupants of the Saratoga and all three aboard the DR.400 were killed. Four adults and four children.
Shortly after 2 pm Saturday when it was still daylight, the two small planes collided in the air over Wölfersheim-Melbach and Dorheim. Police, fire and rescue services were up all night in freezing temperatures, hampered by falling snow while recovering the fatalities and processing the scene.
The debris field is described as huge, crossing two adjacent fields near the village of Melbach and a couple of meters from the Reichelsheim airfield.
Two adults and three children were on the Piper Saratoga to Aschaffenburg. Two adults and a child were in the Robin.
The federal Office of Aircraft Accidents Investigation will be investigating. Witnesses who may have observed the collision at Wölfersheim on Saturday afternoon are being asked to call 06031 – Report to 6010.
What: Nordwind Airlines Boeing 767 en route from Krasnoyarsk to Phuket Where: Krasnoyarsk Airport When: Dec 9 2012 Who: 279 passengers Why: While en route, the Boeing flight from Krasnoyarsk to Phuket developed flaps problem. After an alarm indicated the problem, the pilot returned to Krasnoyarsk and made a safe landing at 15:35. The plane was examined, and passengers were “sent to the Phucket reserve board.” (We take this to mean they were pointed to alternative flights to their destination.)
There were no reported injuries. The incident is under investigation by the Yenisei transport office.
What: SpiceJet Boeing 737-800 en route from Delhi to Hyderabad Where: Delhi-Indira Gandhi International Airport When: Dec 6 2012 Who: 142 aboard Why: During taxi, the plane’s wing struck a lamp post, canceling the flight for 142 passengers. A damaged wing will require inspection before the plane can return to service.
Spicejet issued a statement that the accident was minor.
According to reports, 142 passengers were aboard at the time, many of them quite disturbed by the incident. The collision damaged a wing.
An inquiry has been ordered. Action may be taken against the pilot and those who were directing the pilot. Spicejet’s attitude is that this is a minor incident. That attitude is being interpreted by officials that the safety of passengers is not of primary concern to Spicejet. This may be considered a case of negligence.
What: RV6 two-seat airplane Where: Crabtree When: Nov 26, 2012 Who: 2 aboard Why: The preliminary report on the Nov 26 crash of a 2 seat kit plane says a witness saw one wing fold upward during a turn, and the wing apparently hit the canopy, shattering its glass.
A wing was lost in flight and found thousands of feet from the location of the wreckage.
Aircraft owner Timothy Dean Carter of Portland and commercial pilot Jeff Earl Kropf of Halsey were killed in the crash.
What: South African military Douglas C-47TP Dakota Where: Drakensberg mountains When: Dec 5, 2012 Who: 11 crew and passengers Why: A military plane that took off from Pretoria crashed in the Drakensberg (trans. Dragon Mountain) mountains killing everyone aboard. Soldiers located the wreckage near Ladysmith in KwaZulu-Natal province.
Six crew members and five passengers were on the flight, which encountered bad weather. The deceased include a major, a captain, four sergeants, four corporals and one lance corporal.
The accident occurred 17 miles north of Qunu, where Mandela lives. It has not been reported if the crew was connected with Mandela or his medical care. It has been speculated that the crash was weather related.
South Africa’s Defense Department will be investigating.
What: NordStar Airlines ATR 42–500 Where: Tolmachevo Airport Russia When: Dec 5, 2012 Who: 31 aboard 4 crew, 27 passengers Why: The press service of the West Siberian Transport Prosecutor’s Office reported a hard landing of the NordStar Airlines ATR 42–500.
The plane had taken off normally but the gears would not retract. THe pilot informed ATC and returned to the airport where pilots made a safe landing (though reported as a “crash” landing.) No one was injured.
The West Siberian Transport Prosecutor’s Office will be investigating.
What: British Airways Airbus A320-200 Where: Stockholm Arlanda Sweden When: Dec 5, 2012 Who: 0 fatalities Why: The British Airways Airbus A320 by an icing truck. Fortunately the Airbus was on the ground at the time.
Tweets say that heavy snowfall at the Arlanda Airport has passengers waiting for flights for hours
There was apparently no visual damage to the plane, but as it must be inspected prior to flying, the flight was cancelled.
What: Helitrans Eurocopter AS 350 Ecureuil en route from Lübeck, Germany to Halmstad Sweden Where: Baltic Sea When: Dec 5, 2012 Who: 2 aboard Why: The Helitrans Eurocopter has been missing since December fifth over the Baltic Sea. The emergency beacon located by a German Navy vessel off the coast of Fehmarn island appears to have been a false alarm. Danish air ATC lost radar contact with the helicopter at 13:56 Swedish time, about 10 minutes after takeoff into what should have been a 2 hour flight.
The pilot is a Norwegian employee of Heli Trans. The other has foreign citizenship and is not employed by Heli Trans.
The search operation for the missing Norwegian helicopter was suspended overnight from 10 o’clock p.m. on Dec 5 but rescue centers in Denmark, Norway and Sweden have been involved. Nine search vessels are in the area east of Neustadt in Holstein. See German Link here:No traces of fuel or oil in the water have been found, and the beacon that was located by the German ship appears to have been a lost cell phone. It was not in the expected flight path.
The air search has resumed, with a German Sea King helicopter now searching. Recent snowfall is impeding search more difficult.
The passenger’s name has not been released but the next of kin have been informed.
What: Armada de México Fuerza Aeronaval Zlín 242L Where: La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico When: Dec 5, 2012 Who: 2 aboard, 2 fatalities Why: The flight departed from the Naval aviation school in La Paz; it was a training flight. The two Mexican aviators aboard, Mexican Navy flight instructor Lieutenant Commander Adrian Ignacio Gonzalez Vargas, and Mexican Air Force flight instructor Major Alfonso Barajas Jesus Verduzco, died in the crash.
The Moravan Zlin 242L single engine aircraft crashed at 11:30 a.m., 36 kilometers southeast of La Paz
What: United Airlines 787 Dreamliner en route from Houston to Newark Where: New Orleans When: December 4, 2012 Who: 184 aboard Why: The Houston to Newark UA Dreamliner flight was over the Mississippi River, forty minutes after takeoff when it had to divert and make an emergency landing in New Orleans. The plane received “multiple flight-system error messages.” Flight 1146 landed safely at at 9:25 a.m. and without incident, with 174 passengers and 10 crew.
Emergency services was on standby. Passengers disembarked without incident and were provided an alternative flight to Newark.
What: Goma Air Cessna 208B Grand Caravan Where: Dolpa Airport, Nepal When: Dec 2, 2012 Who: 2 aboard, no fatalities Why: A Goma Air Flight from Nepalganj Airport to Dolpa suffered a blown tire when landing at 10:00 a.m. at Jufal Airport.
The plane was carrying cargo from Nepalgunj.
Two crew members, Sanjiv Shrestha and Prajjwal Bhattarai were aboard the flight. There were no passengers aboard and the plane suffered slight damage. Goma Air sent in flight engineers to make repairs. Airport services were temporarily suspended while the plane was on the runway.
A blown tire is more along the lines of a hard landing rather than a “crash” as we have seen reported.
What: Yakutia Boeing 737-86-N en route from Rimini Italy to Rostov Russia Where: Rostov Airport When: Dec 1, 2012 Who: 120 aboard Why: The Yakutia flight was landing at Rostov Airport and skid off the runway when the pilot applied brakes.
Passengers disembarked safely with no injuries.
It took half an hour to tow the plane the ten yards back to the runway with a 20 ton truck.
No injuries were reported. Passengers exited the plane via “ladder.” (Possibly a mistranslation!) The plane stopped on soft ground off the runway while it was raining.
What: Piper PA-46-350P Malibu Mirage en route from Destin to Greensburg Where: 1-1/2 miles south of the Greensburg Airport, Indiana When: Dec 2, 2012 Who: 4 aboard, 4 fatalities Why: A plane registered to Donald P. Horan of Greensburg was found wrecked south of the airport on Sunday. There were four fatalities associated with the wreckage. The crash was reported by locals who heard the impact at 6:19 p.m on Dec 2.
At 6:30, the pilot of the plane was communicating with flight controllers at the Indianapolis International Airport when they lost contact. The FAA called Greensburg.
Greensburg Fire Department, Greensburg Police Department and Decatur County Sheriff’s Department were searching the area. Fog prevented the deployment of a helicopter or an air search but six teams of ground crews made up of six to eight people searched a grid south of the airport on ATVs. The plane was located after 10:30 at night.
What: Aero-Services for Trans Air Congo Ilyhushin IL-76T freighter en route from Pointe Noire to Brazzaville Where: Brazzaville When: Nov 30 2012 Who: 32 fatalities, 14 injured Why: The Armenian crew fatalities of the crashed Trans Air Congo cargo jet have been named:
Varazdat Balasanyan, born in 1949 (captain of the crew)
Ara Tovmasyan,
Andranik Gevorgyan
Edgar Avetyan,
Tadeos Hovhannisyan
