Carrier

  • | | | |

    American Airlines Hysteria Aboard

    illustration

    What: American Airlines Dallas to Chicago
    Where: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
    When: March 9 2012
    Who: 1 flight attendant
    Why: While American Airlines Flight 2332 was on the runway, a flight attendant gave a fifteen minute rambling dialogue on the public address system just before she had a meltdown, and started screeching about the plane crashing. (see passenger’s raw video youtube below.) The fight attendant is apparently bi-polar and had not taken her medication.

    Among other things, she said, “We are not taking off. We’re having technical difficulties. We are heading back to the gate.”

    Passengers and crew cooperated in restraining her.

    Wisely the pilot did not take off with her aboard but returned to the gate and dropped her where she was detained by police. Two flight attendants were injured and hospitalized. (Reports do not say if this number included the bipolar attendant.)

    The 8:25 flight did not take off till 10:00.

  • | | | | | |

    Qantas Bird Strike over Sydney


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Mehdi Nazarinia
    What: Qantas Airbus A330-200 en route from Sydney to Melbourne
    Where: Sydney
    When: Mar 6th 2012
    Why: The flight was taking off when the plane suffered a bird strike. Passengers inside the plane heard a “bang” and an engine began vibrating.

    Pilots the plane safely in Sydney, where passengers disembarked and waited less than three hours for a replacement plane.

    Passengers commended the Qantas crew for handling the situation efficiently.

    In George’s Point of View


    On a side note, we are also studying the cruise emergency response of the Costa Concordia, the cruise ship that went aground off of an Italian island.

    One gets the impression that a Qantas flight crew emergency response is the direct opposite of the chaotic endangerment response of the Costa Concordia (cruise) crew. Not at all the same situation, and yet, in many ways, similar. In both situations, the lives of the passengers are dependent on the efficiency and emergency response of the captain and crew.

  • | | | | | |

    Aeroflot Airbus Lightning Struck over Sochi Russia


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Robert Kolek – Lojza
    What: Aeroflot Airbus A321-200 en route from Moscow Sheremetyevo to Sochi
    Where: Sochi
    When: Mar 7th 2012
    Who: 148 passengers
    Why: The flight was on approach to Sochi when it was struck by lightning.

    Pilots made a safe landing in Sochi, with visible damage to the plane.

  • | | | | |

    Engine Shut Down over Texas

    What: Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-300 en route from Phoenix to Fort Lauderdale
    Where: Austin
    When: Mar 6th 2012
    Who: 134 passengers, 5 crew
    Why: While en route, the right engine developed problems. The Southwest Airlines crew shut down the right engine and diverted to Austin Texas where they made a safe landing with emergency services on standby.

    Passengers were provided alternative transportation.

  • | | | | |

    BA Instrument Failure over Calgary


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Phil Debski
    What: British Airways Boeing 767-300 en route from London Heathrow to Calgary
    Where: Calgary
    When: Mar 5th
    Why: On approach to Calgary, the crew of British Airways Boeing G-BNWY lost most of their instruments. The data stream loss appears to have been related to the pitot tubes.

    With assistance from ATC, the pilots made a safe landing.

  • | | | | |

    Netherlands Emergency Landing

    What: Vueling A320 en route from Amsterdam to Bilbao
    Where: Amsterdam
    When: Mar 8 2012
    Who: not available
    Why: The flight was en route when it developed problems with the hydraulics. A “3-VOC” message was sent out from Schiphol Airport.

    Pilots returned to Amsterdam and made a safe landing with emergency services on standby. Local television was already interviewing passengers before the plane stopped on the runway.

  • | | |

    Ill-Run PIA Approaching EU Banned List

    Forty uncertified defects found on PK-734 operated by A310 at Paris on 9 Aug 2011 leads the European Union to declare CAA regulatory control “unreliable.” A ban will likely be imposed in March 2012.

    DGAC France has been authorized to perform routine inspections on PIA on behalf of EASA since November and has found and documented problems. Pia’s poorly maintained fleet of old Boeing 747 and A310 fleet is already banned. The supposedly penniless airline is making payments on new Boeing 777s and is arranging financing of 1.5 billion for 5 more, and possible 5 more after that.

    Flakey and unreliable scheduling of flights has resulted in bad credibility and lack of confidence in the national airline; and that lack of credibility is trickling down to the financing. As recently as March 2, a flight was delayed over 24 hours, and the scene at the airport was described as pure chaos.

  • | | | | | | | |

    The Silk Air Airbus Hits Fiery Fast Brakes In Solo


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

    What: Silkair Airbus A319-100 en route from Singapore to Solo Indonesia
    Where: Solo
    When: Mar 6th 2012
    Who: 124 passengers and 7 crew
    Why: On landing at Solo, the plane touched down with the left main gear afire.

    Passengers evacuated by way of emergency slides. There were no injuries reported.

    The cause of the gear fire is under investigation although SilkAir says the smoke originated in overheated breaks and that there was no fire.

  • | | | | | |

    Skywest/United Airlines/Continental Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Texas

    What: SkyWest en route from Houston to Toronto
    Where: East Texas Regional Airport in Gregg County
    When: March 6, 2012, 10:02 PM,
    Who: 58 passengers, 2 pilots, 2 flight attendants
    Why: While en route, a small fire in a cockpit printer sent the smell of smoke though the flight deck. The fire was reported to ATC and the plane made an emergency landing at East Texas Regional Airport in Gregg County.

    The 58 passengers disembarked without emergency, and were bussed to Dallas where another plane was scheduled to take them the last leg of their journey.

    AP reported this as a United Express jet. SkyWest operates the flight as a codeshare with United Airlines and Continental.

  • | | | | |

    Air China Flight Diverted, Delayed Due to Fire Cracker Search


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

    What: Air China Boeing 737-800 en route from Sanya to Beijing (China)
    Where: Nanning
    When: Mar 6th 2012
    Why: When a passenger found a string of fire crackers and turned them over to the flight attendants, the plane divert to Nanning where everyone disembarked with their luggage, and had to go through scans again. Everyone then re-entered the plane, and it continued to make a safe landing in Beijing.

    One does wonder how the fire-crackers made it aboard to begin with.

  • | | | |

    Airbus Emergency Trans Atlantic Landing in Terceira Island, Azores


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

    What: Air France Airbus A340-300 en route from Paris to Bogota Colombia
    Where: Atlantic
    When: Mar 5th 2012
    Why: While en route, the plane indicated smoke in the crew rest area.

    Pilots diverted to Lajes Airport on Terceira Island, Azores where they made a safe landing.

    The plane is expected to embark on the last leg of the journey within 24 hours.

  • | | | | | |

    Engine Problems Land Plane in Little Rock instead of Memphis


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

    What: American Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-82 en route from Dallas to Memphis
    Where: Little Rock Arkansas
    When: Mar 5, 2012
    Who: 129 passengers, 5 crew
    Why: While en route, one of the plane’s engines developed an oil pressure issue. Pilots diverted to Little Rock and made a safe landing there. Another plane took passengers from Little Rock to Memphis.

  • | | | | |

    Emergency Landing in Oita


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

    What: ANA All Nippon Airways Airbus A320-200 en route from Oita to Tokyo
    Where: Oita Japan
    When: Mar 2 2012
    Who: 85 passengers, 6 crew
    Why: The All Nippon Airways flight had taken off when the anti-ice system on the left engine failed.

    The pilots returned to the airport.

    Passengers were provided an alternative flight to Tokyo.

  • | | | |

    Transavia Emergency Landing in Rotterdam


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Luis carlos vieira

    What: Transavia Boeing 737-700 en route from Rotterdam to Malaga, Spain
    Where: Rotterdam
    When: Mar 4th 2012
    Who: 62 passengers
    Why: Over France,Transavia Flight HV-5023 developed engine and hydraulic problems.

    The crew returned to Rotterdam where they made a safe landing.

    A replacement flight was provided.

  • |

    Spice Jet Emergency at Srinagar International Airport

    What: Spice Jet en route from Srinagar to Jammu
    Where: Srinagar
    When: Mar 3, 2012
    Why: The Spice Jet flight took off, but immediately after lift-off, the flight developed a problem. The plane failed to gain height near Banihal and descended ‘dangerously.’ The on board crew returned successfully to the Srinager Airport and made a safe landing.

    Passengers included state ministers, government officials, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, Minister of State for Home Nasir Aslam Wani.

    Officials disembarked and took a later flight.

  • | | | |

    British Airways Emergency Landing in Amsterdam


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Rafael Alvarez Cacho

    What: British Airways Airbus A321-200 en route from London to Amsterdam
    Where: Amsterdam
    When: Mar 2nd 2012
    Why: While landing in Amsterdam, communications became disrupted between two landing pilots.

    The crew of the British Airways flight made a cautious safe landing ten minutes after radio problems began.

    The plane was able to perform the return flight as scheduled.

  • | | | | | |

    Piper Crashes in Chile


    An Aero Hein plane in flight.

    What: Aerohein Piper PA-31-325 Navajo en route from Melinka to Quellón
    Where: Quellón Chile
    When: Mar 1 2012
    Who: 8 aboard, 7 fatalities
    Why: On a 20 minute flight, ATC lost contact with the plane six minutes into the flight. Air Force and Navy planes searched where the emergency signal beacon issued a single alarm before the aircraft crashed into the sea.

    The plane’s wreckage was located by passengers in a boat in the Gulf of Corcovado off Chiloe island on Piedra Blanca at the mountain’s base. Occupants of the stricken plane included a businessman, his son and company divers and pilot Ricardo Hein. The list of dead includes Richard Hein, Genaro Barrientos Barria, Christopher Barria, Carlos Muñoz, Juan Gonzalez de La Fuente, Onofre Uribe Soto, and Pablo Briceño.

    Five of those aboard have been found.

  • | | | |

    TAAG Lost Communication, Emergency Landing in Lisbon


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Tiago Palla – Portugal Spotters

    What: TAAG Angola Airlines Boeing 777-300 en route from Lisbon (Portugal) to Luanda (Angola)
    Where: Lisbon
    When: Feb 27th 2012
    Who: 197 passengers
    Why: On departure from Lisbon, ATC said that the frequency was blocked. The pilots began responding to Lisbon on the wrong frequency, squawking loss of communication.

    Communication was restored, then was lost again, intermittently. ATC directed that the other radio be turned off and changed to the correct frequency. The radio began blocking frequencies again, and pilots returned to Lisbon for a safe landing.

    Eighty minutes after departure (ten minutes after the safe landing) the airport resumed normal operations.

    All airlines out of Angola are on the EU banned list, banned from flying in the European union, with the exception of 3 Boeing 777-200s, 2 Boeing 777-300 and 4 Boeing 737-700s of TAAG Angola Airlines.

  • | | | | | |

    Atlanta Emergency Landing with Jammed Nose Wheels


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

    What: United/Shuttle America Embraer ERJ-170 en route from Atlanta,GA to Newark,NJ
    Where: Newark
    When: Feb 27th 2012 6:20 p.m
    Who: 69 passengers and 4 crew
    Why: While on approach to Newark, the crew received a gear disagreement msg, and aborted their approach. Fire and other rescue crews were on the scene; ground crews sprayed the plane with foam fire retardant.

    While circling, the crew attempted to fix the problem and performed a flyby. The flyby indicated that the nose gear was not down. ATC is recorded as saying “You got no nose gear… Door might have opened. Saw a little bump.”

    The pilots replied “Even if you see that nose wheel down, we’re not going to know it’s completely down and locked. I would like to go ahead and declare an emergency at this time. And request fire rescue when we get there, assuming we stop on the runway.”

    The pilots landed on the second approach and performed a belly landing.

    As the plane filled with smoke, passengers evacuated via slides and were bussed to the gate. They were well prepared; passengers were alerted to the impending rough landing when the plane was 45 minutes out.

    Note: “Examination found that the nose wheels were found turned perpendicular in the wheel well, impeding extension.” The problem may have originated with the hydraulics.


  • | | | | |

    Guatamalan Rescue Chopper Crashes after Attempted Rescue


    What: Guatemalan air force helicopter Bell UH1H
    Where: Quebrada Seca, Petén Guatemala
    When: Feb 28 2012 10 am
    Who: 10 fatalities
    Why: After a civilian chopper crashed, the Guatemalan air force helicopter on a regular Tuesday mission went to assist in the rescue but crashed en route. The seven officers and three air force specialists diverted from their mission “to supply some detachments are located in the Laguna del Tigre,” and died in the crash in bad weather in the mountainous area. It appears that when the military chopper reached the scene of the first crash, the rescue had already been handled, so they elected to continue on their mission, and it was on the continuation of the journey to Peten that the accident occurred.

    According to eyewitnesses, the helicopter lost power near the village of Quebrada Seca, in the vicinity of the town of San Luis.

    Three were crew—two lieutenants and a specialist—and the seven passengers were a flight lieutenant, two second lieutenants of aviation, a second lieutenant of infantry, two specialists and an aére-military policeman. (José Everardo Portillo Salazar, Manuel Ovalle Garcia and Armando Barrientos Mynor, the lieutenants Jose Alejandro Rodriguez and Flores Be Zechariah, Amilcar specialist Humberto Leon and Manuel Escobar Axpuac, Emerson Reyes and Paolo Rivera Martinez Galindo Elbu Stuart, One person was unidentified.)

    Pilot Lieutenant Everaldo Portillo had more than 700 flight hours.

    The first chopper apparently hit power lines which apparently helped break the fall. It crashed in the El Guarumo in Semox village on Guatemala’s Caribbean coast ( Livingston, Izabal). Three injured survivors of the original crash were taken to del Hospital Roosevelt in Morales, Izabal. The survivors of the first crash were listed as Carlos Larios Aguilar, 48, the pilot of the ship John Paul Moran, 52, and mechanic Jose Gomez, 28. The first chopper was #TG-SAN, also out of Petén.

  • | | | |

    Five Lost in Military Chopper Collision

    What: USMC HMLA-469 Bell UH-1Y Venom
    Where: Yuma, AZ
    When: Feb 22, 2012, 8 pm
    Who: 5 aboard, 5 fatalities
    Why: The helicopter was engaged in night flight exercises on February 22nd near Yuma, AZ when it collided with a smaller two person chopper. Service members with the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing were involved.

    The crash happened west of the Chocolate Mountains in California.

    The names of the five fatalities have not been released.