Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Daniel Arroyo
What: JetBlue A320 en route from Salt Lake City to Long Beach
Where: Long Beach Municipal Airport
When: Aug 5th 2011
Who: 147 passengers, 5 crew
Why: On approach to Long Beach, the crew saw a hydraulics/ brake problem and aborted their first approach; instead of landing they burned off fuel, then made a safe landing (with an undescended wheel).
The pilots of Air France Flight 447 had already lost valid data before the Airbus A330 stalled. Fell for three minutes down into the Atlantic in June of 2009, carrying the 228 people aboard to their death. Fell, with pilots flying blind. Fell, with only erroneous data available. Fell with the warning system squawking confused messages. Yet the Bea report says this was was the pilot’s fault.
We want to know if this investigation will turn out to be deliberate persecution of the pilots instead of legitimate prosecution of Airbus flawed design?
It is no wonder that the families of the victims are crying foul that the report criticizes pilot performance but not the faulty stall alarms.
It is no wonder that pilot associations all over the world are protesting.
It is no wonder that the BEA is being accused of protecting Airbus.
Why would the recommendation to improve the warning system be removed from the report?
Why, if not to protect Airbus, scheming to avoid the legal and financial consequences of the crash?
Pilots say that the stall alarm tends to sound while simultaneously messaging the pilots to ignore the “superfluous” warning. Airbus denies this ever happens.
How valid can the report be if it is being skewed to protect Airbus and blame the pilots? Should the BEA be placed under criminal investigation alongside with Air France and Airbus?
Beirut’s Public Works & Transport Minister Ghazi Aridi says the joint investigation committee will be finally providing the public works minister the committee’s report on the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409. The crash occurred on 25 January 2010, carrying 90 people aboard to a watery grave, more than a year and a half ago.
The investigative committee is composed of Boeing representatives, plus Lebanese and Ethiopian representatives who say the report will take at least another month. An NTSB analysis of black spots were caused by hot oil, and one segment of a cockpit voice recorder was unsalvageable.
The Boeing turned after taking off from runway 21, was instructed to bank hard to the left, at which time it spiraled down 8000 feet.
Prior to the latest announcement, the last public announcement promised the Lebonese people that the report would be released before the end of July 2011. Of course, it is August now and it has not yet been made public.
On that flight, there were 23 young Ethiopian women returning home from an abusive stint hired as domestic workers.
The Ethiopian passengers in the crash were:
Addis Abera Demise (Ethiopia)
Bahrnesh Megersa (Ethiopia)
Kidist Wolde Mariam (Ethiopia)
Elisabeth Tilhum Habtermariam (Ethiopia)
Rahel Tadese (Ethiopia)
Etenesh Admasie (Ethiopia)
Woinshet Meugistu Melaku (Ethiopia)
Azeb Betre Kebede (Ethiopia)
Tigist Shikur Hajana (Ethiopia)
Hani Gebre Gembezo (Ethiopia)
Alunesh Tkele (Ethiopia)
Shitu Nuri (Ethiopia)
Selam Zigdaya (Ethiopia)
Yikma Mohamed (Ethiopia)
Seble Agezc (Ethiopia)
Aynalem Tessema (Ethiopia)
Eyerus Alem Desta (Ethiopia)
Mekiya Sirur (Ethiopia)
Lakesh Zeleke (Ethiopia)
Tigist Anura (Ethiopia)
Askalesh Soboka (Ethiopia)
Meselu Beshah (Ethiopia)
Kevin Graingur (UK)
Marla Sanchez Pietton (France)
Akram Jassem Mohammad (Iraq)
Mohammad Abdel-Rahman Saii (Syria)
The Lebanese passengers in the crash were:
Hanna Nakhoul Kreidi
Haidar Hasan Marji
Ali Youssef Jaber
Ali Ahmed Jaber
Abbas Mohammed Jaber
Mohammed Mustafa Badawi
Khalil Ibrahim Saleh
Hasan Adnan Kreik
Saeed Abdel Hasan Zahr
Hussein Ali Farhat
Ali Suheil Yaghi
Rawan Hasan Wazneh
Bassem Qassem Khazaal
Haifa Ahmed Wazneh
Ali Ahmed Tajeddine
Tanal Abdallah Fardoun
Mustafa Haitham Arnaout
Fouad Mahmoud al-Laqiss
Mohammed Kamal Akoush
Tony Elias al-Zakhem
Hamzeh Ali Jaafar
Hasan Mohammed Issawi
Hasan Kamal Ibrahim
Ghassan Ibrahim Qaterji
Haifa Ibrahim al-Farran
Hussein Youssef Hajj Ali
Fares Rashid Zibian
Farid Saad Moussa
Mohammed Ali Qatbi
Yasser Youssef Mehdi
Anees Mustafa Safa
Hussein Moussa Barakat
Antoine Toufiq al-Hayek
Elias Antonius Rafeeh
Tareq George Barakat
Khalil Nami al-Khazen (MTV official)
Rana Youssef al-Harakeh
Mohammed Abdel Hussein al-Hajj
Hussein Kamal Hayek
Asaad Masoud al-Fghali
Ziad Naeem Qosseifi
Rida Ali Mistokirdi
Albert Jirji Assal
Imad Ahmed Hather
Fouad Mohammed Jaber
Khalil Mohammed Madani
Hasan Mohammed Abdel Hasan Tajeddine
Yasser Abdel Hussein Ismail
Jamal Ali Khatoun
Afif Krisht (Lebanese-British)
Abbas Hawilli (Lebanese-Canadian)
Anna Mohammed Abes (Lebanese-Russian)
Julia Mohammed al-Hajj, 3
Mohammed Hasan Kreik, 4
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Agustin Anaya
What: American Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-83 en route from Los Angeles to Dallas Texas
Where: Abilene
When: Aug 2 2011, 11:30 pm
Who: 112 passengers
Why: While en route, the engine developed problems. The pilot diverted the flight to Abilene, and made a safe landing. Mechanics inspected the engine. Some passengers waited in the airport, and others at local hotels. The replacement jet arrived 11 hours later.
What: Air India Airbus en route from Delhi to Jammu
Where: Delhi
When: August 3, 2011
Who: 122 passengers
Why: After takeoff, the pilots noticed an emergency alert, and returned to Delhi where they made a safe landing. The plane was inspected, and the flight continued.
But according to reports, the alert was immediately determined to be false, and the plane went right back out to make the flight. Reputable airlines usually fly in a replacement plane to take over the flight so the plane with the problem is cleared.
So. Either this plane was sent out too soon, without a thorough inspection. Remember, Air India has an acknowledged safety problem. Are they playing Russian roulette with their passengers’ safety?
Or. The reportage does not make it clear that another plane was flown in.
Washington – The National Transportation Safety Board launched a team of investigators today to assist the government of Guyana with its investigation into yesterday’s accident at Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Georgetown, Guyana, involving a scheduled passenger flight.
On July 30, 2011, at approximately 1:25 am (EDT), Caribbean Airlines flight 523, (Trinidad & Tobago registration 9Y-PBM), en route from Trinidad to Guyana, overran the runway during landing at Cheddi Jagan International Airport in Guyana. Preliminary information from the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) indicated that one serious and multiple minor injuries were reported aboard the Boeing 737-800, carrying 156 passengers and six crewmembers.
The NTSB designated Bob Benzon as the U.S. Accredited Representative. He will lead the U.S. team, which includes seven NTSB staff with expertise in operations, meteorology, airworthiness, survival factors, and aircraft performance as well as representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing. The team is scheduled to arrive in Guyana this evening.
The Guyana CAA is leading the accident investigation. The accident aircraft recorders have been recovered and, at the request of the CAA, will be transported to NTSB headquarters in Washington, DC to be downloaded.
What: American Airlines MD 80 en route from Dallas Texas to Ontario, California
Where: Dallas Fort Worth Airport
When: July 26, 2011
Who: 133 passengers, 5 crew
Why: After eight minutes in the air, the plane indicated some kind of problem. Passengers reported hearing some kind of explosion. The crew confirmed this, declaring an emergency and reporting an engine failure.
What: American Airlines Boeing 777 en route from Dallas to Sao Paolo, Brazil
Where: Dallas
When: July 31, 2011
Who: 264 passengers, 14 crew
Why: Indicators convinced the pilots of Flight 963 that an engine caught on fire. The pilots returned to Dallas and landed the 777 safely. The brakes locked up and a tire blew out, but that kind of thing is not unusual for an overweight landing.
Onlookers saw the flight dumping fuel, described as fuel streaming from its jets. If they were alarmed, just think how the passengers felt.
WASHINGTON – The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a
photo availability on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 of the flight data recorder
and cockpit voice recorder from Caribbean Airlines flight 523, which
crashed during landing on Saturday July 30, 2011 in Georgetown,
Guyana.
Event: Photo Availability
Date/Time: Tuesday, August 2, 2011 at 11:30 a.m. (EDT)
Location: NTSB Headquarters
6th Floor
490 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, DC, 20594
Note: This is a photo availability only – no interviews will be conducted.
Guyana’s Civil Aviation Authority is leading the investigation.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
What: Caribbean Airlines Boeing 737-832(WL) en route from Trinidad to Timehri
Where: Cheddi Jagan International Airport,SYCJ,Georgetown,Guyana
When: July 30, 2011 1:30 am
Who: 162 aboard 157 passengers, six crews
Why: Landing in wet weather, the plane made a hard landing, overshot the runway 100 meters, smashed through a perimeter fence and on a perimeter road. It broke in two, the front section splitting ahead of the wing. There were 52 injuries who went to the hospital, 3 with serious injuries who were held over at the hospital, and no fatalities. The worst injury reported was a broken leg. The plane overshot the runway but stopped short of a ravine. Passengers smelled fuel, and opened a door, and climbed through to the wing and jumped down.
The airport is closed, causing incoming flights to have to divert elsewhere.
STATEMENT FROM CARIBBEAN AIRLINES
Port-of-Spain, 30 July 2011, 17.00 HOURS local time: Caribbean Airlines BW523 en route from Port of Spain, Trinidad to Georgetown, Guyana was involved in an incident at the Cheddi Jaggan International Airport at approximately 1:32am today 30 July, 2011.
There were 157 passengers and 6 crew members on board, all of whom were accounted for.
A Caribbean Airlines team consisting of technical support staff and executives was dispatched immediately to the accident site to assist passengers, and to work with the local authorities in the emergency response and investigations. The Caribbean Airlines executive team and technical support staff are at the scene to offer full support to the injured in Georgetown. A relatives/customer assistance hotline has been established at our emergency centre in Piarco, and counselling is being provided to passengers and family members.
A press conference was held earlier today in Georgetown just after midday. In attendance were Chairman- George M. Nicholas III, Head Corporate Communications- Mrs. Laura Asbjornsen, Vice President Operations – Captain Thomas Lawrence and Vice President Maintenance and Engineering – Mr Colville Carrington. It was confirmed that the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority will be spearheading the investigation and will be assisted by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in the U.S. and the Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority (TTCAA).
The team ensured that its CARE policy for affected passengers and crew was deployed in Georgetown. The airline has engaged the services of a company from the United States, together with regional personnel to implement in accordance with this policy.
All enquiries related to this specific incident should be directed to:-
Trinidad & Tobago: 1 868 669 2902
United States: 1 800 786 3891
Canada: 1 800 380 6057
Caribbean: 1 800 744 6453
The latest statements can also be accessed online at www.caribbean-airlines.com.
Caribbean Airlines will continue to release information as it becomes available.
The next press conference is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. local time at the AIRPORTS AUTHORITY OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, VIP Lounge, Piarco International Airport
This will be the first July 28 in history when these 152 people will not be living on this earth. We want to remember these people who lost their lives in such a tragic and unnecessary way. They deserve to be remembered.
Some remember those who are no longer with us by using symbols. Memorials like the one promised. There are other symbols, like the bird in flight that symbolizes a soul, or a chain with a broken link.
There is a tradition dating back to ancient times of placing rosemary by the graves of loved ones. “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray, love, remember;” Hamlet, (V.iv.124)
I was going to talk about more ways that people remember, but I must pause here. In ancient times they put rosemary by the graves of loved ones. Some people still do. But we cannot lay sprigs of rosemary for remembrance at the feet of our loved ones, because there are families still waiting for a memorial promised before the first anniversary of the crash. Waiting a year to lay their flowers and their grief.
Instead of a bouquet of flowers, we have a bouquet of broken promises. Shall we count them?
A broken promise to share the final investigative report.
A broken promise over the Monument at the crash site (they want it elsewhere); and a broken promise over the 72 unmarked graves.
A broken promise over Airblue being grounded for negligence, malpractice, manslaughter.
A broken promise to assist the families.
Or maybe we can call this a pending promise, as we wait for an independent inquiry board and a pending promise of greater safety in the skies over Pakistan.
We have our Rosemary for remembrance, but it is bittersweet.
Update
What: Spanair Flight JK5022, a 15-year-old MD-82 jet en route to Las Palmas in the Canary Islands.
Where: Madrid airport Terminal Four
When: Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2008 2:45pm
Who: Carrying 166 passengers and nine crew, at the time of this writing, the number of fatalities had mounted to 154 people.
Why: The jet swerved off the runway and caught fire during takeoff.
The final report of Spanair Flight JK5022 was released, it claims that the pilots failed to deploy the flaps for takeoff. The report blames the crash on “pilot error.” The automated voice warning to alert the crew did not sound.
Already more than one hour late, the flight experienced a technical issue with the plane (a sensor reporting excessive temperature in an air intake, and the temperature sensor was de-activated on the ground) that forced the first takeoff attempt to be aborted when there were failure signals taxiing away from the terminal. The aircraft was inspected and then tried to take-off for the second time, which ended in the crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board said that “that the probable cause of the accident was the flightcrew’s failure to use the taxi checklist to ensure the flaps and slats were extended for takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the absence of electrical power to the airplane takeoff warning system which thus did not warn the flightcrew that the airplane was not configured properly for takeoff. The reason for the absence of electrical power could not be determined.”
A similar disaster occurred in the Northwest Flight 255 in Detroit in 1987 when 154 people also died in an MD-82 due to incorrect flap settings.
As a consequence, Spanair and McDonnell Douglas now require a TOWS* system check prior to every flight.
The Interim Report is available here.
*The Take Off Warning System is part of CAWS. TOWS provides alert warnings on the following components involved in the configuration of the aircraft for takeoff: Flaps, Slats, Brakes, Auto brake, Auto spoilers, Spoilers and Stabilizer Trim.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Jason Wood
What: Egyptair Boeing 777-200 en route from Cairo Egypt to Jeddah Saudi Arabia
Where: Cairo
When: July 29 2011
Who: 291 passengers, 7 hospitalized
Why: After passengers boarded but before takeoff, the cockpit experienced a fire. Smoke leaked into the cabin, but luggage was intact.
Passengers exited via sides, with five injuries resulting. Two firemen were hospitalized with smoke inhalation.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Paul Carlotti
NTSB ASSISTS GOVERNMENT OF SOUTH KOREA IN AVIATION ACCIDENT
Washington – The NTSB is dispatching a team of investigators to assist the government of South Korea in its investigation of the crash of Asiana flight 991, a Boeing 747-400F cargo airplane.
On July 28, 2011 at about 4:12 a.m. local time, the airplane, en route from Seoul Incheon International Airport to Shanghai Pudong International Airport, People’s Republic of China, crashed into the East China Sea about 70 miles west of Jeju Island, South Korea, after the flight crew reportedly declared an emergency due to an in-flight fire. The two pilots are believed to have been killed.
The NTSB has designated air safety investigator John Lovell as the traveling U.S. Accredited Representative. Mr. Lovell will be assisted by an NTSB Operational Factors investigator and advisors from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
and Boeing.
The investigation is being conducted by the Korea Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board (ARAIB), which will release all information. The ARAIB phone number is: +82-2-6096-1030 / Fax: +82-2-6090-1031 and its email address is: webmaster@araib.go.kr.
Dissatisfied with the way the investigation is being handled, the family members are refusing to suffer in silence. They want transparency, and they want the investigation to continue. The family members have formed the Airblue Crash Victim’s Affectee Group, to give the 152 families the opportunity to join together and speak in one voice.
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Contact photographer
What: Air Mauritius Airbus A340-300 en route from Johannesburg S Africa to Mauritius
Where: Mauritius
When: Jul 28th 2011
Who: 65 passengers, 13 crew
Why: On approach to Mauritius, the flight encountered turbulence that injured 6 crew members and one passenger.
The injured were hospitalized.
The BEA sent this letter to the president of the Inquiry committee, the Ministries of Communications of Moroni, New technology, Transportation and tourism (Loosely translated. For the original, click the link below the letter):
Re: Yemenia Flight 626
Monsieur President,
I have read the first progress report on flight IY626 that crashed June 29, 2009 during the landing procedure at the airport in Moroni. This report is dated June 25, 2011 but has not, to my knowledge been released to date.
This report contains the facts that for the most part, were already available three months after the accident.
However, the BEA addressed you in May 2010 regarding the publication of a progress report in the context of the first anniversary of the accident. This note has been taken into consideration after a year.
No action improving safety of flights has been recommended by your Commission which is the Commission’s responsibility.
I recall that France, through the intermediary of BEA, has been deeply involved in this investigation. The underwater research was funded by France for $ 3 M.
The fact that the commission has not yet begun to use the information collected from its recorders, two years after reading them. This is inacceptible.
I urge you that the investigation that you lead henceforth be conducted with diligence and in accordance with international provisions.
I would be grateful for the Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry to please ensure that is has established a plan to lead to the publication of a final report within the best times.
In the meantime, I urge you to accept the assurances of my highest consideration.
Director of the BEA
Jean-Paul Troadec
The BEA has released the following document:
Safety Investigation into the accident on 1 June 2009 to the Airbus A330-203, flight AF447 which we have available in English as a PDF
This Interim report comes about after the readout of the flight recorders and breaks down the flight into three phases related to the CVR, autopilot and stall warning.
What: Air Canada Boeing 777 en route from Sydney to Toronto
Where: Sydney
When: Jul 27 2011
Who: 262 passengers
Why: The plane was en route when crew members smelled smoke in the aft galley. The pilots turned around and returned to Sydney where they made a safe landing.
Initial reports indicated fire but no fire was found. No injures were reported, and there was no need for Emergency services who were on standby as they were landing.
Crews are examining the plane.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Niki Kapsamunov
What: Asiana Boeing 747-400 Cargo plane en route from South Korea’s Incheon International Airport and to Pudong China
Where: southern resort island of Jeju, South Korea
When: July 27, 2011 3:05am local time
Who: two people
Why: At 7600 feet, the crew reported control problems, and the aircraft’s transponder transmitted the emergency code. Sixty-seven minutes after takeoff, the crew reported fire in the cargo hold and lost contact with ATC. They were planning to divert to Jeju, but instead the plane crashed off of Jeju island. There were strong winds at the time of the plane’s disappearance. The captain was 51 and the first officer was 44; and pilot, Choi Sang-ki, and co-pilot, Lee Jung-woong are still missing.
One wing of the plane has been recovered, then the rest of the wreckage was found by a coast guard patrol boat 67 miles west of Jeju city. The 58 tons of cargo included amino acid solution, synthetic resin, lithium batteries, paint and other potentially dangerous material. A search for the black boxes is ongoing.
What: Flybe/Loganair Saab 340B en route from Glasgow,SC to Stornoway,SC
Where: Stornoway
When: Jul 27th 2011
Who: 37 passengers
Why: On approach to Stornoway, the plane developed issues.
The crew shut down an engine and made a safe landing.
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Contact photographer Bnaf
What: Royal Moroccan Air Force Lockheed C-130H Hercules CNA-OQ en route from Dakhla Western Sahara to Goulimime Airport, Morocco (Flight global released the route as Agadir-Eyes-Dakhla)
Where: 6.3 miles East of Goulimime (Guelmim)Airport,Morocco
When: 26 JUL 2011 at 9 a.m.
Who: 80 aboard, (9 crew, 71 passengers) 80 fatalities
Why: The Royal Moroccan Air Force C-130 Hercules transport plane was in a mountainous area near Goulimime/Guelmim when it crashed into a mountain and was destroyed. The flight originated at Dakhla Airport, and was scheduled to land in Kenitra with scheduled landing in Goulimime.
Eighty occupants were killed; most were members of the Moroccan Armed Forces. The airplane carried nine crew members, 60 troops (including 9 RMAF flight crew) and 12 civilians. It operated on a flight from Dakhla to Kinitra with an en route stop at Goulimime.
Sixty troops were aboard, and a dozen civilians. According to some reports, there were three survivors; other reports say there were no survivors. Three survived the crash, but not the ride to the hospital. The remains have been taken to the military hospital at Guelmin.
Initially, the flight was reported as carrying 81, but one person did not board in Laayoune.
The crash has been attributed to inclement conditions.
Three days of national mourning were declared by King Mohammed VI.
What: Mi-8 helicopter
Where: Billings, Chukotka region Russia
When: July 25 2011
Who: 5 passengers, 3 fatalities
Why: On a standard operational flight on the Chukotka border, the Mi-8 helicopter developed engine problems and then one engine shut down. The pilot lost control of the helicopter and it crashed in Kamchatka, and caught on fire on impact.
Doctors and paramedics were flown in to the site.
One crew member and two passengers died on the scene. There were two survivors, the crew commander and the co-pilot.
THe chopper is reported by news agencies as belonging to a local airline.
What: United Airlines en route from New York to Los Angeles
Where: McCarran International Airport
When: July 23, 2011 1:30 pm
Who: 111 passengers
Why: While en route, a light indicated a mechanical emergency, leading the crew to divert to Los Angeles. They made a safe landing at McCarran International Airport.
Firefighters said there was a problem with the cooling equipment.
The plane’s departure was delayed.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Richard Vandervord
What: Sunexpress Boeing 737-800 en route from Antalya Turkey to Aarhus Denmark
Where: Antalya
When: July 14 2011
Who: 180 passengers
Why: While en route, the plane developed vibration.
The crew returned to Anatalya and made a safe landing. The issue was reported by official spokesmen as being a hydraulic problem (hydraulic pump failure), although a hydraulic problems would not cause vibration.
Passengers were provided an alternative flight.
