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Emirates Airlines Plane makes Safe Landing in Australia after Descending Below Assigned Altitude

EmiratesEmirates Airlines flight EK-407 made a safe emergency landing at Melbourne Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on July 14th.

The Airbus A380-800 en-route from Auckland, New Zealand was on approach to Melbourne’s runway when it was descended below the minimum assigned altitude, and climbed back after receiving instruction from the ATC.

The plane landed successfully. All people onboard remained unharmed.

An investigation regarding the occurrence has been initiated.

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Small Plane Crashed onto Long Island Rail Road Tracks; 1 Killed, 1 Injured

madridcrashA Hawker Beechcraft BE35 plane crashed onto Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) tracks at the crossing between Hicksville and Bethpage stations on Long Island, New York, on August 16.

The plane was heading from Francis S. Gabreski Ariport, Westhampton Beach to Morristown when the pilot reported difficulty in maintaining altitude. Authorities said he was attempting to make an emergency landing at Republic Airport, Farmingdale but could not make it to there.

The pilot was killed in the crash while his only passenger, identified as Carl Giordano, 55, of New Vernon, New Jersey, sustained injuries. He was taken to Nassau County University Medical Center.

The FAA and the NTSB are investigating.

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Regional Airliner Diverts to DuPage for Emergency Landing

United ExpressA SkyWest flight, operating as a United Express, had to make an emergency landing at DuPage County Airport, Illinois, on October 20.

Flight 5290, carrying 44 passengers and 3 crew members, was heading from Asheville, North Carolina to Chicago O’Hare International Airport, when the crew reported problems in maintaining the altitude and taking right turns.

The Canadair regional jet CRJ-200 aircraft was then diverted to DuPage where it made a safe emergency landing. SkyWest spokesperson Marissa Snow said, “The flight landed safely and customers were transported to O’Hare.”

The incident remains under investigation by the FAA.

Sarasota Seaplane Crash
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Sarasota Seaplane Crash


On 12-JAN-2013 at 3:30 pm, a single engine SEAWIND 3000 seaplane was taking off from Sarasota for Venice Airport when it crashed after takeoff.

The pilot died in the collision; the passenger survived with injuries. The seaplane did not gain enough altitude and struck a couple of trees. It impacted near the New College of Florida campus. The passenger, a 63-year-old man from Michigan was taken by medivac to Tampa General Hospital.

Witnesses say the plane made a sound like a gunshot before it lost altitude, missed power lines and reached a grassy field owned by USF New College. One witness saw the plane on fire before it hit the ground.

No one on the ground was injured.

Video

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Westjet Flies with Cabin Pressure Problem


Pictured: A WestJet Boeing 737-7CT Vieux Fort St. Lucia
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Gianni Deligny

What: Westjet Airlines Boeing 737-700 en route from Victoria to Calgary
Where: Victoria
When: Dec 30th 2009
Who: not available
Why: After takeoff, the plane developed a problem with cabin pressure. The flight flew at a lower altitude and continued on to Calgary where it landed safely.

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Air China Boeing Lands in AK


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

What: Air China Boeing 747-400 en route from New York to Beijing China
Where: Ticonderoga
When: Dec 18th 2009
Who: unknown
Why: Thirty minutes into the flight, the cabin developed pressurization problems and requested to fly at a lower altitude. Over Canada, the crew requested to fly even lower. 7 hours into the flight, the plane made an emergency landing in Anchorage.

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Alitalia Ferry Flight Decompresses over Minsk


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact Photographer Dave Chapman

What: Alitalia Airbus A321-100 en route from Moscow to Rome
Where: Minsk
When: Aug 20th 2009
Who: 0 passengers, 6 crew
Why: While en route to Rome, the flight lost cabin pressure. The flight descended to a safe level and landed safely at Minsk.

George’s Point of View

I suppose that ferry flights are an unavoidable reality of aviation; but in these days of conservation and high fuel prices, one wonders at the reasoning behind flying 1475 miles in an Airbus with 6 crew. If they’re flying in for repairs, isn’t there a danger for the crew? Is this the best possible management of vehicle, fuel, and manpower?

No wonder Alitalia reported a $385 million loss so far this year.

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Fighter Escorts Primera Air to Rome


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact Photographer Sergio Domingos

What: Primera Air Boeing 737-700 en route from Zakinthos Greece to Dublin
Where: Rome Italy
When: Jul 10th 2009
Who: 153 passengers and 6 crew
Why: While en route, the Primera flight requested an emergency landing. It lowered altitude without declaring an emergency, which upset air traffic control. Fighter jets (Eurofighter) were deployed as an escort. The flight landed safely in Rome (after refusing Naples and burning off fuel.)

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Cessna Lands in Marsh

What: twin-engine Cessna 310
Where: marshy area near Pitt Street bridge Mt. Pleasant
When: Saturday afternoon April 25, 2009 2:56 pm
Who: Arthur Parker and (approx) ten year old son
Why: When something “popped” on the plane and he could not turn and started losing altitude, Arthur Parker did the only thing he could, and landed in the Mount Pleasant marsh. He and his son walked out on the wing and waded through the marsh, then walked to a local house. Police officers met them, but Parker declined police and medical assistance.

Now his biggest problem is how to retrieve his plane from the marsh…

George’s Point of View

Just call Triple A?

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Airbus A330-300 Turbulence Shakes UP Qantas

What: Qantas plane en route from Singapore to Perth in Western Australia when it was
Where: forced to land at Learmonth airport near the remote coastal town of Exmouth, 745 miles north of Perth
When: 1:45 p.m. local time.
Who: 303 passengers, 10 crew members. Half of the passengers were from Australia, the other half from China. Thirty-six people suffered broken bones and other injuries (spinal, broken noses, broken limbs, lacerations, etc)
Why: A “mid-air incident” forced the plane to make an emergency landing. sudden change of altitude caused problems while the Airbus A330-300 was traveling in what is known as “level flight.” Passengers and crew sustained injuries, including fractures and lacerations, on board QF72. Australian Transport Safety Bureau said it is sending seven investigators to work on the investigation. Confidence in Qantas sterling safety reputation is falling.