Carrier

  • | | |

    Papua New Guinea Plane Crash Kills 4

    What: Australian Reef Pilots (ARP) Chartered plane
    Where: Misima Airport,Milne Bay Province Papua New Guinea
    When: Aug 31, 2010
    Who: 5 aboard, 4 fatalities (THREE Australians and one New Zealander)
    Why: The weather had been wet and windy all day—after landing, the plane skidded into some trees off the edge of the runway, and burst into flames. The pilot is in critical condition.

    ARP assists navigating vessels and provides emergency and temporary pilots consultancy.

  • | | | | |

    TransAsia Airways Rolls Along in Taiwan


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

    What: TransAsia Airways Aerospatiale ATR-72-500 en route from Kaohsiung to Taiwan
    Where: Taiwan
    When: Aug 27 2010
    Who: 65 passengers, 4 crew
    Why: After a normal flight and a safe landing, on the runway, the left nose wheel rolled off by itself.

    Imagine being a passenger on that plane, watching your wheel roll off. Actually, that happened to me in a car, once.

    George’s Point of View

    Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance

  • | | |

    Shanghai Airlines returns to Shanghai


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

    What: Shanghai Airlines Boeing 757-200 en route from Shanghai to Hong Kong
    Where: Shanghai
    When: Aug 30 2010
    Who: 131 passengers
    Why: After takeoff, the air conditioning began smoking. Passengers were provided wet towels to breathe through to filter out the smoke; and oxygen masks were deployed, apparently unannounced. The smoke was dense enough to impair vision; and the crew attempted to use the fire extinguisher without success.

    The flight returned to Shanghai, where emergency vehicles were waiting; and the flight made a safe landing at 11:53 am.

    Most passengers were booked to Hong Kong on alternative flights.

  • | |

    Delta Airlines Cautionary Landing in Miami

    What: Delta Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-88 en route from Miami to New York City
    Where: Miami
    When: Aug 30 2010
    Who: 142 passengers, 5 crew
    Why: After takeoff, the cabin lost pressure. The flight returned to Miami, made a safe landing, and passengers were booked on an alternative flight.

  • | | | |

    Frontier Emergency Landing in Denver


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

    What: Frontier Airlines Airbus A319-100 en route from Denver,CO to Phoenix,AZ
    Where: Denver
    When: Aug 29th 2010
    Who: 62 passengers
    Why: While en route, the plane got an alert that the left engine was low on oil. The pilots shut down the engine and returned to Denver where they made a safe landing.

    Maintenance handled the problem, and the flight took off again an hour late.

  • | | |

    Emergency Landing at Tucuman


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

    What: Aerolineas Argentinas/Austral McDonnell Douglas MD-88 en route from Tucuman to Buenos Aires
    Where: Tucuman
    When: Aug 28th 2010
    Why: While en route, the plane developed an unidentified problem involving a flyby and returned to Tucuman where it made a safe landing.

    The problem turned out to be a false alarm and the flight again departed Tucuman. The plane made a safe landing in Buenos Aires two hours later.

  • | | |

    Canadair Cracked Windshield Emergency Landing


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

    What: US Airways/PSA Airlines Canadair CRJ-200 en route from Washington to Nashville
    Where: Charlotte-Douglas International Airport
    When: August 28 2010, 10:30 a.m.
    Who: 14 passengers and three crew
    Why: While en route, the windshield cracked. The flight diverted to Charlotte and made a safe landing. Passengers took an alternative flight, arriving three hours later.

  • | | | | | |

    Emergency Landing: Airbus A330 Hydraulic Delay


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

    What: Brussels Airlines Airbus A330-300 en route from Brussels to Dakar
    Where: Brussels
    When: Aug 25th 2010
    Why: While en route, the flight developed a hydraulic problem reflected by an unsafe gear alert. The crew returned to Brussels where they made a safe landing. After repairs, the flight resumed, with a delay of about four hours.

  • | | | | |

    Bird Strike in India


    Pictured: AnIndiGo Airbus
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer

    What: IndiGo Airbus A320-200 en route from Bhubaneshwar to Delhi
    Where: Biju Patnaik Airport, Bhubaneshwar
    When: Aug 28th 2010
    Who: 140 passengers and 6 crew
    Why: On takeoff, the Airbus suffered a bird strike. Ground crew witnessed a part or parts falling. The crew decided to return to Bhubaneshwar where they made a safe landing.

    A replacement jet is being flown in to complete the Hyderabad-Bhubaneswar-New Delhi flight.

  • | | | |

    Jet Airways Emergency Takes off in Mumbai. But the plane does not…


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

    What: Jet Airways Boeing 737-800 en route from Mumbai to Chennai
    Where: Mumbai
    When: Aug 27th 2010
    Who: 140 passengers, 6 crew
    Why: While taxiing for takeoff, off duty crew reported smoke near the left wing; procedures were not followed (i.e. fire suppression system was not engaged.)

    The flight was evacuated; 26 passengers were injured, and the plane received damage from exiting passengers via the overwing exit.

    India suspended he six crew members as well as 4 additional crew aboard.

    No fire was found.

  • | | |

    Third Iranian Incident

    What: Iran Aseman Fokker 100 en route from Tehran Mehrabad to Tabriz
    Where: Tabriz Airport
    When: Aug 26 2010
    Who: 103 passengers, 7 crew
    Why: While landing during a storm, the plane overran the runway and ended up nose cone down in a ditch, well past the pavement. (An alternative source said the plane lost control after having a flat on landing.) Passengers described landing, then skidding after landing. The runway was slippery with rain. The plane was evacuated on site, and passengers taken to the gate. Two passengers had minor injuries.

  • | | | | |

    Instructional Flight Fatal


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

    What: AeroHorizontes Escuela de Vuelo Cessna 150G
    Where: Maica Area Chica, behind Jorge Wilstermann Airport, Cochabamba Bolivia
    When: August 27 2010
    Who: Two fatalities: pilot/instructor José Gonzalo Grosveger Zegarra and passenger/student José Ignacio Guzmán
    Why: During this instruction flight, the student was practicing “touch and go” maneuvers when the plane crashed. The school’s operations could be suspended pending investigation.

  • | | | | | | |

    Comoros: Crash Averted


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

    What: Yemenia Airbus A330-200 en route from Djibouti to Moroni Comoros
    Air Austral Boeing 777-200 en route from Lyon to Saint Denis
    Where: Moroni, Comoros
    When: Aug 24 2010
    Who: 350 passengers aboard the Boeing
    Why: Both flights were in the air, the Airbus flying at a higher altitude. The Airbus unexpectedly descended without ATC clearance.

    The Boeing received a TCAS resolution advisory, to which they immediately responded, averting a collision.

    George’s Point of View

    I am reminded of the sad and tragic events of June 30, 2009, when Air Yemenia failed to make a safe landing and killed everyone aboard but Bahia Bakari.

    Confusion again reigns in Moroni, Comoros airspace. I am grateful for the successful TCAS resolution/response. Apologies if the date is in error, as we find different dates published for this averted catastrophe.
    http://lexpress.mu/story/14905-collision-evitee-de-justesse-en-plein-vol-entre-un-appareil-d-air-austral-et-un-vol-d-air-yemenia.html
    http://www.zinfos974.com/Deux-avions-d-Air-Austral-et-de-la-Yemenia-manquent-de-se-percuter_a20567.html

    http://info.sfr.re/faits-divers/articles/-Deux-avions-d-Air-Austraet-de-la-Yemenia-manquent-de-se-percuter,146146/

  • | | | | |

    Jetblue A320 at Sacramento on Aug 26th 2010, brake fire on landing


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

    What: Jetblue Airbus A320-200 en route from Long Beach,CA to Sacramento,CA
    Where: Sacramento
    When: Aug 26th 2010
    Who: 86 passengers and 5 crew
    Why: On making a “hard” landing at the Sacramento airport, a brake problem developed (brakes locked?).

    The main gear tires blew, and caught afire. Emergency services on hand responded to the fire.

    Passengers evacuated by slide with 15 injured.

  • |

    American’s Reply to FAA

    These events happened more than two years ago, and we believe this action is unwarranted. We plan to follow the FAA’s process and will challenge any proposed civil penalty. We are confident we have a strong case and the facts will bear this out. Receipt of the FAA proposed penalty will give us the chance to present the facts, which will support our actions taken back in early 2008. American Airlines has always maintained its aircraft to the highest standards, and we continue to do so. We assure our customers there was never a safety of flight issue surrounding these circumstances more than two years ago.

  • | | | |

    Another Airbus Diverts to Istanbul


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

    What: Iran Air Airbus A300-600 en route from Tehran to Stockholm
    Where: Istanbul
    When: Aug 26th 2010
    Who: 236 aboard
    Why: While en route, the plane developed engine trouble. The crew had to shut down an engine, and divert to Istanbul. The flight made a safe landing.

    No indication is made of passenger accommodations or if another plane was flown in.

  • | | | | | |

    Airbus Engine Fire in Istanbul


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

    What: Mahan Air Airbus A300-600 en route from Tehran to Dusseldorf
    Where: Ataturk Airport
    When: Aug 26th 2010
    Who: 209 passengers and 18 crew
    Why: When the left engine caught on fire, the pilot diverted to Ataturk Airport where they made a safe landing. There’s no indication of accommodations for passengers, or if a replacement flight has been sent.

    George’s Point of View

    Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance!

  • | | | | | | |

    Mauritania: Engine Fire, Emergency Landing


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

    What: BMI/Astraeus Boeing 757-200 en route from Freetown Sierra Leone to London
    Where: Nouakchott Mauritania
    When: Aug 25 2010
    Who: 110 aboard
    Why: While en route the plane developed engine problems. One account says the pilot saw an engine on fire and contacted ATC for immediate clearance for an emergency landing.

    The official report says that the plane was experiencing engine surges.

    What matters is that the plane landed safely, with no casualties. A replacement plane was flown in.

  • | | |

    Crash update: Henan Airlines

    Lindu airport: The black box flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder of the Embraer ERJ-190 plane in the crash been recovered. Henan Airlines closed down all flights Wednesday, dismissed its president Li Qiang and apologized to the public. The two-year old Embraer 190 was leased from RBS Aviation Capital.

    Although this is the first fatal Embraer crash, broken turbine plates and flight control system errors have been noted as previous issues. And also, the year old Lindu Airport was not considered safe for night landings.


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

    What: Shenzhen Airlines/Kunpeng/Henan Airlines Embraer ERJ-190 en route from Harbin to Yichun China
    Where: Yichun China
    When: Aug 24th 2010
    Who: 91 passengers (including 5 children) and 5 crew; 43 immediate deaths, 3 serious injuries and 50 minor injuries
    Why: The plane overran the runway—and departed the runway on landing—at Lindu airport in Yichun city in Heilongjiang province at 10:10 p.m, split on impact, exploded, and burst into flames.

  • | |

    Vietnam Airlines and Boeing Team to Enhance 777 Passenger Experience

    SEATTLE, Aug. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Boeing (NYSE: BA) and Vietnam Airlines have teamed on a key initiative to upgrade the level of comfort for Vietnam Airlines’ passengers, unveiling the carrier’s latest cabin interior modernization on four of the airline’s 777-200ERs. Vietnam Airlines will improve its passenger service with an increased focus on the overall passenger experience and comfort while continuing to expand the network and add new destinations.

    In support of Vietnam Airlines’ goals, Boeing Commercial Aviation Services developed a cabin layout that meets the discerning needs of the airline and its passengers, and also provided the engineering services and program integration as well as managing the worldwide group of suppliers that Vietnam Airlines selected for the program.

    Boeing produced the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration-certified service bulletin and kit of parts to accommodate the relocation of business class seats; installation of new deluxe economy and economy class passenger seats; and revisions to the in-flight entertainment system, in-seat power and cabin cooling systems. Boeing also relocated and updated lavatories, galleys, ceilings, sidewalls, lighting, plumbing and the lower lobe attendant crew rest modules to enable the expanded service planned for these 777s.

    The first aircraft was recently completed and Vietnam Airlines has proudly re-introduced the aircraft into service.

    “We are very pleased to have selected Boeing to be our partner in developing and delivering this interior upgrade program,” Vietnam Airlines Executive Vice President of Technical Nguyen Van Hung said. “Our interior modernization program is a key part of our efforts to provide market leading services and passenger comfort, further affirming Vietnam Airlines’ position as a major carrier in the Southeast Asian region, especially after we joined the SkyTeam alliance.”

    “As the original designer and builder of the 777, Boeing is proud to be selected by Vietnam Airlines for this important interior upgrade program. Boeing is uniquely positioned with experience and expertise to engineer, certify and manage modification programs for our customers,” said Dennis Floyd, vice president, Fleet Services for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “This interior upgrade will support Vietnam Airlines’ aggressive plan to continue to compete among the world’s leading carriers.”

    As a full-service integrator, Boeing can perform as much of an airline interior upgrade as required, including management of all aspects of the project through certification.

    About Vietnam Airlines
    As the national flag carrier of Vietnam, headquartered in Hanoi, Vietnam Airlines flies 75 routes to 20 domestic and 26 international destinations with more than 290 daily flights. Operating the young fleet of 70 modern aircraft, the airline expects to further expand its fleet to 115 and 165 aircraft by 2015 and 2020, respectively. www.vietnamairlines.com.

  • | | | |

    Emirates Airbus Emergency Landing


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

    What: Emirates Airbus A330-200 en route from Thiruvananthapuram to Dubai
    Where: Thiruvananthapuram
    When: August 24, 2010
    Who: 278 passengers
    Why: After a hydraulic probelm developed in the landing gear of the Airbus, the pilot intended to divert to Mumbai, but instead made an emergency landing back at Thiruvananthapuram. It was a safe landing and there were no injuries.

    A replacement jet was provided.

  • | | | | |

    Henan Crash in China, 91 Aboard, 43 fatalities


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

    What: Shenzhen Airlines/Kunpeng/Henan Airlines Embraer ERJ-190 en route from Harbin to Yichun China
    Where: Yichun China
    When: Aug 24th 2010
    Who: 91 passengers (including 5 children) and 5 crew; 43 immediate deaths, 3 serious injuries and 50 minor injuries
    Why: The plane overran the runway—and departed the runway on landing—at Lindu airport in Yichun city in Heilongjiang province at 10:10 p.m, split on impact, exploded, and burst into flames. 53 people were rescued, three of whom with serious injuries.

    Ten survivors were transferred Yichun Rehabilitation Hospital, which has burn specialists. eight survivors were taken to Yichun Forestry Hospital.

    The plane was a two-year old Embraer 190 leased from RBS Aviation Capital. Mesa Air Group was a financial partner in Kunpeng Airlines. The airline is now called Henan Airlines, is based in Henan province and is partially owned by Air China.

  • | | | | | |

    All Lost in Agni Air Crash, Nepal


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

    What: Agni Air Dornier 228-101 en route from Katmandu to Lukla
    Where: Bastipur, ~18nm SSW of Kathmandu, Nepal
    When: Aug 24, 2010
    Who: 14 aboard, 14 fatalities. 11 passengers, 3 crew (At one point there was an announcement of an additional passenger whose nationality was unknown. This is unconfirmed.)
    Why: Due to poor weather conditions in Katmandu, the crew diverted to Simara Airport. ATC lost contact at 7.30 am. The plane’s generator had been causing problems and it failed, then the backup generator failed. Without a generator, the pilot is flying blind, without avionics. The flight crashed at 9000 feet in a hillside near Bastipur in Shikhapur.

    Other reports say the engine failed.

    The casualties were Capt. Lucky Shah, co-pilot Sophia Singh, flight attendant Sahara Sherpa, and passengers R Rijal, P Humagain, P Bhote, K Rai and P Sherpa.

    Six foreigners were aboard:four Americans: Irina Shekhets (30), Levzi Cordoso (49), Heather Finch (40), and Kendra Fallon (18), one Japanese: Yuki Hayashe (19) and a Brit: Jeremy Taylor (30) .
    This is monsoon season, and the area is remote, and roads many roads are blocked due to landslides. Villagers report scattered plane parts and body parts, and rescue teams are en route.

  • |

    Qantas Grounds Q400s

    After Flybe found problems with undercarriage fittings on its Bombardier Q400s, Qantas followed suit today and grounded 5 of its oldest Bombardiers on finding fittings issues.

    It is projected that two QantasLink Bombardiers will be back in service this weekend, with four weeks allocated for completed repairs and return to service.

  • | |

    Missing Plane and Pilot

    What: RV-7 aircraft en route from Ohio to Georgetown, Texas.
    Where: (missing in the) Ark-La-Tex area
    When: August 22, 2010
    Who: pilot Charles Miller
    Why: The pilot took off from El Dorado Arkansas Thursday and has not been seen again.