fire

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    UPS Boeing Crashes in Dubai


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

    What: United Parcel Service Boeing 747-400 cargo plane en route from Dubai to Cologne
    Where: Dubai inside an Emirati air base between Dubai’s Emirates Highway and nearby Al-Ain Road 10 miles southeast of Dubai’s international airport
    When: September 3 2010, noon New York time
    Who: Two pilots
    Why: After takeoff, the pilots declared an emergency over Bahrain airspace, with a cockpit fire. The pilots dumped fuel and immediately attempted to return to the airport, unable to see their instruments due to the smoke. The plane crashed, and both pilots were killed. The crew reported fire on board as they were approaching the airport. Witnesses report hearing a boom, and seeing fire and smoke.

    Statement on Aircraft Incident
    Atlanta, September 03, 2010

    Atlanta, September 03, 2010
    A UPS cargo plane has been involved in an accident in Dubai.
    Updated 6:30 PM EDT

    At approximately noon EDT on Friday, Sept. 3, UPS received a report that one of its cargo aircraft had crashed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. UPS can confirm that Flight 6, a 747-400, took off from Dubai at approximately 1500 Zulu, bound for Cologne, Germany. UPS records indicate that two UPS employees were aboard. There are no known survivors.

    “This is a terrible tragedy and all of us at UPS extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the victims,” said Scott Davis, UPS’s chairman and CEO. “We are doing our best to learn exactly what happened.”
    UPS is aware of news reports concerning possible events that led to the incident, but we are unable to confirm these reports. UPS Airlines is cooperating with government authorities on the scene, and we have dispatched our own investigation team to the site to assist.

    The safety and security of our employees and our customers and the public are our highest priorities. We will not rest until a determination has been made concerning the causes and implications of this tragedy.
    We will release more information as it becomes available, in cooperation with government authorities. Until then, we ask for your patience in this difficult time.

    Updates on the situation will be provided to the news media and via the Internet at pressroom.ups.com.

    A media information hotline has been established at (502) 329-0110. A recorded message will provide any updates; the system also will allow reporters to leave messages if they would like a return call.

    About UPS UPS (NYSE: UPS) is the world’s largest package delivery company and a global leader in supply chain and freight services. With more than a century of experience in transportation and logistics, UPS is a leading global trade expert equipped with a broad portfolio of solutions. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., UPS serves more than 215 countries and territories worldwide. The company can be found on the Web at UPS.com and its corporate blog can be found at blog.ups.com. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.
    # # #

    For More Information Contact:

    UPS Public Relations
    404-828-7123

    UPS Airlines Media Hotline
    502-329-0110

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    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.

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    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!

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    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.

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    Planes, Equipment Up In Smoke

    HELENA-WEST HELENA, AR—Although under control by 6 a m, the hanger fire in West Helena Arkansas consumed seven planes, two trucks, a number of tools and repair equipment, and a tractor. The hanger is one of three, and the only one that burned.

    The owner of South Delta Aviation said while the planes were insured, the other items were not. According to locals, some tools had been operating in the hanger for twenty-thirty years. The business plans to stay open.

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    Small Plane Crash in Phoenix

    What: Cirruss S-R 22 single-engine plane in Phoenix
    Where: Deer Valley Commerce Park, near 19th Avenue and Deer Valley Road
    When: August 4 2010 6:00 a m
    Who: pilot
    Why: The pilot of the plane was in contact with Deer Valley air controllers prior to the accident but did not radio for help. Apparently the engine had caught fire, and the plane lost altitude. On impact, the plane was engulfed in flame.

    The plane with only the pilot aboard crashed not long after takeoff.

    The plane was registered to Magneto Investments of Phoenix.

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    UA Boeing Evacuated During Fire


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

    What: United Airlines Boeing 767 en route from London to Chicago
    Where: Chicago
    When: August 4, 2010
    Who: 178 passengers and 12 crew, 7 injuries
    Why: On landing in Chicago, the left main gear caught on fire. As the plane waited on the runway, the fire was put out by fire crews who sprayed the gear and surrounding areas with fire retardant.

    Emergency slides were deployed, and half the passengers evacuated via them, which is where the injuries occurred. After the fire was out, the slides were no longer used. About five were hospitalized after suffering minor injuries during the evacuation. Some individuals were treated at the airport and released.

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    Monarch Nails Emergency Landing in Birmingham


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

    What: Monarch Airlines Airbus A321-200 en route from Birmingham to Tenerife
    Where: Birmingham
    When: Aug 3rd 2010
    Who: 213 passengers
    Why: After takeoff from Birmingham (UK), the left engine made an explosive noise, and began streaming fire and smoke. The crew turned off the engine and made an announcement to the passengers that they were going to make an emergency landing.

    Although it was less than a quarter hour later that passengers were safely on the ground, they had plenty of time to be terrified. In an interview, a passenger told reporters that after the announcement the entire plane went silent except for the sobbing.

    A replacement plane was sent from Gatwick.

    George’s Point of View

    As traumatic as it must have been, any landing where you make it out alive, is a good landing.

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    Transaero Engine Fire


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

    What: Transaero Airlines Boeing 767-200 en route from St. Petersburg to Larnaca
    Where: Larnaca
    When: Jul 31st 2010
    Why: On landing, the engine was found to be on fire. The engine was shut down, and on board measures were inadequate to suppress the flame. Emergency services succeeded in putting out the fire. The plane was towed off the runway.

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    Lufthansa Freighter Splits and Burns


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

    What: Lufthansa Cargo MD-11 freighter
    Where: King Khaled International Airport, Riyadh
    When: July 27 2010
    Who: piloted by 2 German crewmembers
    Why: Observers report seeing smoke coming from the plane as it approached the runway. On landing, the plane burst into flames in the mid-section where the hull broke. The plane split in two and collapsed.

    The pilot and copilot have been hospitalized. No deaths are reported, but the plane is a total loss. It was carrying 80 tons of freight.

    The Lufthansa press release on the crash is titled “Lufthansa Cargo plane crash in Riyadh, 27 Jul 2010.”

    “According to the latest reports, a Lufthansa Cargo MD-11 freighter crashed this morning at 11.38 a.m. (local time) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The aircraft, coded Flight LH 8460, was on a flight to Riyadh from Frankfurt, Germany. The plane was piloted by a two-man crew, according to initial reports. Both pilots are being treated in hospital. On board Flight LH 8460 were 80 tonnes of freight. It is not yet known exactly what type of freight it was or which customers are affected. The cause of the accident is still being investigated. At the moment, we have no further details. We will communicate any further information immediately. Updates are also available at www.lufthansa-cargo.com.

    The next press release will be published at 2 p.m. CET.”

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    S African Helicopter Crash, 7 lost


    Pictured: A SAPS
    MBB BO-105CBS-4
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Lonell Swatton

    What: South African Police Service MBB-BK 117-B1 Helicopter
    Where: Open field about 4km from Witbank, Mpumalanga, South Africa
    When: 23-JUL-2010
    Who: 7 fatalities
    Why: 5 National Intervention Unit police officers, a pilot and a crew member died in a crash whose details are sketchy. The helicopter was one of two that were en route to assist local police in Witbank where armed thieves had just robbed a local supermarket. One helicopter arrived safely and ended up in a gun battle. The other, according to witnesses, exploded in mid-air and crashed.

    Paramedics from ER24 were dispatched to an open field where the helicopter was already burned beyond recognition.

    A piece of the tail was found 150 meters from the wreckage.

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    LOT Brake Fire in Chicago


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

    What: LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 767-300 en route from Warsaw to Chicago
    Where: Chicago
    When: Jul 17th 2010
    Why: The flight made a safe landing in Chicago. However, after landing, the left brakes and tires were smoking and on fire. The captain told passengers that the brakes had fractured and caused damage to the hydraulic lines leading to the fire.

    Emergency services put out the fire while on the runway–it is not mentioned if passengers disembarked, before, during or after emergency services were deployed.

    Although the left tire and brake were replaced, on return to Warsaw on the 18th, the same plane suffered another brake fire on landing.

    George’s Point of View

    I know I’m being a back seat driver again, because it’s impossible to know from my armchair in California what’s happening on the ground in Chicago and Warsaw, but it seems to me that there is obviously something going on.

    Either the wrong brakes were replaced, or the brakes were not replaced, or the pilot consistently lands too fast, or the wrong (i.e. flammable) grease lubricating the brakes caught fire, or the thrust reverser is flawed or something else is going on that caused the brake fire to repeat on the return flight. Let’s hope LOT’s home base in Warsaw will get to the bottom of it before the plane has to land on a tabletop runway like Mangalore, or an unsurfaced runway like TAM Airlines Flight 3054 at Congonhas-São Paulo International Airport.

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    Air Canada Fire Discovered AFTER Flight


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

    What: Air Canada Jazz de Havilland Dash 8-300 en route from Kelowna,BC to Vancouver,BC
    Where: Vancouver
    When: Jul 19th 2010
    Who: 52 people aboard
    Why: After making a safe landing at Vancouver, the Vancouver ground crew discovered evidence of a small fire and a fluid leak. Maintenance discovered a fuel line perforation, where the wiring harness abraded it, causing arcing and a small fire and a loose, leaking oil line fitting.

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    American Airlines Precautionary Landing in Amarillo a False Alarm

    What: American Airlines Boeing 777 cargo plane en route from Alaska to Dallas
    Where: Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport.
    When: July 13 2010 7 pm
    Who: 21 crew
    Why: While en route, the plane’s fire indication light indicated there was a cargo fire. The pilot landed at the closest airport (Amarillo.) The crew disembarked on landing. After inspection by firefighters, the fire was deemed a false alarm, and the flight continued on to Dallas.

    Earlier this week another American Airlines flight (N777AN) had a cargo fire indication during a demanding transcontinental flight; however, that plane was configured and operating as a passenger plane.

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    Cargo Fire on American Airlines flight diverts to remote air station


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

    What: American Airlines Boeing 777-200 en route from Dallas to Tokyo
    Where: Bering Sea
    When: Jul 11th 201
    Who: 211 aboard
    Why: While en route, the plane received an indicator of a cargo fire. The pilot diverted to Shemya Island where they made a safe landing on Eareckson Air Station in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands.


    View Larger Map

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    United Flight Diverts to Sioux Falls

    What: United flight en route from San Francisco to Chicago
    Where: Sioux Falls
    When: July 5 2010
    Who: about 200 passengers
    Why: After leaving San Francisco thirty-five minutes late, the United plane’s left engine caught on fire and the plane diverted to Sioux Falls where they made a safe landing. Passengers anticipate being rerouted and facing multiple layovers before reaching their destination.

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    Continental Airlines Emergency Landing


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

    What: Continental Airlines Boeing 737-800 en route from Seattle to Newark
    Where: Hector International Airport
    When: June 25, 2010
    Who: 160 passengers
    Why: While en route, a fire in a galley oven forced the pilot to divert to Fargo. Flight attendants put out the fire, but the plane was delayed in Fargo for several hours. The flight reached Newark eight and a half hours late.

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    Helicopter fire in CA

    What: private helicopter crash en route from Paso Robles to Benecia
    Where: Paicines area field
    When: June 22, 2010
    Who: 4 aboard
    Why: The pilot and adult passenger were taking their daughters to choir practice. After the cockpit began to smell of smoke, the pilot landed in the field. Just prior to landing, flames erupted from the motor. The pilot and adult passenger quickly exited with their daughters, and a few moments later, the helicopter was engulfed in flames.

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    Cloud Nine Emergency Landing, Palm Beach

    What: Cloud 9 Helicopters Flight Training School Robinson 22
    Where: Palm Beach Gardens, North Palm Beach County
    When: June 19 2010
    Who: Pilot and trainee
    Why: On a training flight, equipment caught on fire and the helicopter had to make an emergency landing on Aviation Boulevard. The helicopter flipped but both the pilot and trainee “walked away.”

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    Alitalia Hot Landing in Boston

    What: Alitalia Airbus 330 en route from Boston to Rome
    Where: Boston
    When: June 15, 2010
    Who: 250 passengers and crew
    Why: After takeoff, the Airbus made an emergency landing at Logon Airport after the number one engine caught on fire.

    The flight made a safe landing.

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    In Denial: Transaero Landing Gear Fire


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

    What: Transaero Boeing 737-400 from Novosibirsk to Moscow
    Where: Novosibirsk Russia
    When: Jun 7th 2010
    Who: 124 passengers 6 crew
    Why: While en route, the plane indicated there was a fire. The crew indicated there was no fire but returned to the airport. On landing (after burning off fuel, maintenance determined that the landing gear had been on fire.

    Something fishy in the state of Novosibirsk? Can a crew just decide “there’s no fire?” Obviously not, since they did return to the airport. Fortunately, they did, since the landing gear apparently was on fire.

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    False Alarm in Travel Service Boeing, Sharm el Sheikh


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

    What: Travel Service Boeing 737-800 en route from Sharm el Sheikh Egypt to Prague
    Where: Cairo
    When: May 17th 2010
    Who: 160 passengers
    Why: While en route, the flight crew found indication of a wheel well fire and diverted to Prague. The flight landed safely, and the indication proved to be groundless, causing only a minor delay at the airport.

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    UA Cockpit Fire; Plane Diverts to DC


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

    What: United Airlines Boeing 757-200 en route from New York to Los Angeles
    Where: Washington
    When: May 16th 2010
    Who: 105 passengers and 7 crew
    Why: While en route, the crew discovered a fire in the cockpit in the power wires to the windshield heaters. The crew put out the flames, and diverted to Dulles where they made a safe landing. No mention of how the passengers were handled; but this is a known problem with the windshield heaters.

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    American Airlines Galley Fire

    What: American Airlines Boeing 737-800 en route from Cali Colombia to Miami
    Where: Cali Colombia
    When: Apr 16 2010
    Who: 95 passengers
    Why: While en route, a fire developed aboard the galley. The crew decided to return to Cali where they made a safe landing. A couple of hours later, after inspection, the plane was returned to service.