fog

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    5 Die in Mountainous Crash in Andorra, 1 Burned Crewman Struggles For Survival

    What: Inaer/Helland Helicopter en route to Juclar
    Where: Estany de Juclá – Canillo, Andorra
    When: June 15, 2011
    Who: 6 aboard, 5 fatalities, 1 serious injury
    Why: At 10:30 am, a flight transporting equipment and supplies to Juclar crashed in a mountainous area near the Andorran town of Canillo. Four bodies were immediately being recovered; one was missing, having been ejected from the chopper. One individual survived with serious burns on 70% of his body, and was evacuated to Barcelona by chopper to the Hospital Vall d’Hebrón de Barcelona..

    The helicopter is reported to be of French origin and registered in Spain. Forensic and technical experts are on scene; and the investigation will include Spanish officials, and representatives of the French helicopter buildern.

    A field hospital has been set up to care for the victims’ families whose names were not released but were all reported to be “members of the crew.”

    Inaer, the company which owns the helicopter, stated the accident is due to bad weather and low visibility due to foggy conditions.

    Although the original report lists one as missing, the body of the missing person was found.

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    Iran Air Boeing Crashes in Terman village


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

    What: Iran Air Boeing 727-200 en route from Tehran Mehrabad to Uromiyeh
    Where: Uromiyeh Iran
    When: Jan 9th 2011 7:45pm
    Who: 94 passengers and 12 crew (alternately reported as 93 passengers and 11 crew)
    Why: The weather was foggy and it was snowing. While on final approach to Urmia Airport runway 21 the crew had to perform a go-around, but five miles from the airport struck the mountainous area of Terman village.

    The Deputy Minister of Roads and Transportation reported this as a crash during a forced landing outside the airport.

    The impact shattered the plane. 33 were rescued by emergency responders and hospitalized. 73 bodies were recovered, including all 12 crew members. There are 77 confirmed dead (currently), 42 of whom have been identified.

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    Helicopter Crash in Ukraine Kills 4


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

    What: Aerospatiale SA-341G Gazelle en route from Odessa to Nikolaev.
    Where: Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine
    When: Dec 26, 2010
    Who: 40 year old Pilot and 3 passengers
    Why: While flying in thick fog, the helicopter crashed, killing the occupants. The passengers were girls between the ages of 18 and 22. The helicopter performed private flights for a luxury chalet in Dnipropetrovsk.

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    Organ Transplant Flight Crashes; 4000-5000 affected


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

    What: Frandley Aviation Partnership Cessna 501 Citation I/SP en route from Belfast to Birmingham
    Where: Birmingham International Airport, UK
    When: Nov 19, 2010
    Who: 2 aboard
    Why: On a mercy mission carrying a liver for transplant, the Cessna 501 Citation corporate jet was damaged while landing at Birmingham International Airport in heavy fog, striking the landing system glide path antennae and ending up 426 feet to the right hand side of the runway, while on fire. The plane was damaged beyond repair.

    The crash closed the airport. 80 cancelled flights have affected up to 5000 passengers.

    However, the liver was undamaged, and transplanted into the patient on Friday in a 4 hour operation at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The transplant patient is reported to be in stable condition.

    The pilot and passenger were injured; the 58 year old pilot suffered injuries to the chest, abdomen and pelvis. The passenger in his thirties suffered a back injury and flash burns. The Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance pilot entered the burning plane to cut the fuel supply so the fire service could extract the pilot. The airport is closed.

    Police provided an escort to the ambulance carrying the transplant to QE.

    George’s Point of View

    Bravo!

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    Fog Diverts Delhi Flight to Patna

    What: Go Airways en route from Lucknow to Delhi
    Where: Patna
    When: October 22, 2010
    Why: While en route, weather (fog) developed in Delhi, and the flight diverted to Patna where it made a safe landing. There were no injuries. However the passengers were upset, as they pressured for information about when they would be able to continue to Delhi.

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    San Francisco Helicopter Crash

    What: crop-dusting helicopter
    Where: SF Bay Area near the Municipal Airport in Salinas, Highway 101 south of Airport Boulevard
    When: September 3, 2010
    Who: pilot
    Why: The pilot took off from Salinas Airport but became disoriented due to the fog, and lost control of the helicopter. No fatalities were reported.

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    Singapore Airlines In a Scrape

    What: Singapore Airlines (SIA) Boeing 777-200
    Where: Beijing Capital International Airport
    When: July 31, 2010
    Who: 248 passengers
    Why: While taxiing in reduced visibility because of fog, the Singapore plane’s right wing tip raked the tail of an Air China Boeing 737-800 which was stationary but awaiting takeoff. The rate of speed was so low, passengers did not feel the impact.

    The flight was cancelled. Passengers on the Air China flight to Ulan Bator were provided with an alternative flight. Passengers on the SIA flight were provided hotel accommodations. There were no injuries.

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    Antonov Crash in Kabul

    What: Pamir Airways Antonov AN-24 en route from Kundus to Kabul Afghanistan
    Where: Kabul on May 17th 2010
    When: May 17th 2010
    Who: 38 passengers and 6 crew
    Why: Lost connection with ATC 40 minutes from the airport. The wreckage, found at Salang Pass, displayed no sign of life.

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    $1.2 Million Helicopter Settlement

    What: Midwestern Air Services LLC, Robinson R44 II, Raven, four-place, two-bladed, single main rotor, single-engine helicopter en route from Horseshoe Casino Heliport to Kenosha Regional Airport
    Where: Kenosha, Wisconsin
    When: September 21, 2008
    Who: pilot Alan Sapko and passenger Joan Anzalone
    Why: The National Transportation Safety Board ruled pilot error. A judge ruled that the pilot’s estate will pay the heirs of Joan Anzalone 1.2 million.

    The report of the crash states that the helicopter:
    “… was destroyed when it impacted an occupied house and terrain near Kenosha, Wisconsin. A ground fire subsequently occurred. The personal flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. The private pilot and a passenger were fatally injured. The five occupants in the house were uninjured. The flight originated from the Horseshoe Casino Heliport (2IG3), near Whiting, Indiana, about 0507, and was destined for the Kenosha Regional Airport (ENW), near Kenosha, Wisconsin, when the accident occurred.

    According to information provided by Horseshoe Casino, the pilot landed at 1907 on September 20, 2008. The pilot and passenger had dinner, they observed a concert, and gambled. The pilot had a glass of wine with his dinner about 1930. About 0139 on September 21, 2008, a beverage confirmed to be a Captain Morgan’s and diet Coke in a short glass was given to the pilot. About 0146, another Captain Morgan’s and diet Coke in a tall glass was given to the pilot. About 0213, the pilot set the first glass down empty. About 0423, the pilot took a drink from the second drink glass. The glass was about half full. The pilot gambled until about 0449 and then he and his passenger departed for 2IG3. The pilot and passenger departed from 2IG3 about 0507.

    A Wisconsin State Patrol Trooper who was outside the weight facility on Interstate 94 at the Illinois and Wisconsin State Line about six miles south of the accident site heard a helicopter heading north at a “very low altitude” and estimated it at 500 feet. He did not see the helicopter or its lights due to the “dense fog.” He stated that the visibility there was about 300 to 500 feet.

    A witness who lived near the accident site gave a statement to the Kenosha Police Department. The witness stated that a low flying helicopter was heard. It circled once then went away and came back. The witness saw an orange flash through the window and heard a “boom.” The witness said the helicopter sounded “really low” and the “engine sounded like it was at low RPMs.”

    A witness from the occupied house on the northwest corner of 97th Avenue and 70th Street that was impacted by the helicopter gave a statement to the police department. The witness, in part, reported:

    My family and I were fast asleep in our residence when I heard and
    felt a loud bang like thunder, and then a cloud of debris came
    [through] our bedroom door. My wife and I were in the southeast
    bedroom. Our two sons were in the northeast bedroom and our
    daughter was the bedroom over the garage. We got our kids and
    [with] the help of our neighbors made it down the stairs and outside.
    None of us were injured. I saw the flames across the street and one
    of our neighbors told me a helicopter hit our house.

    The pilot held a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) private pilot certificate. He held a FAA third-class medical certificate issued on April 3, 2006, with no limitations. At the time of that medical, he reported 60 hours total flight time to date and 30 hours in the six months prior to that examination. The pilot’s logbook indicated that the pilot had accumulated 329 hours of total flight time. The pilot recorded 37.25 hours of night flight time.

    A certified flight instructor (CFI) that instructed the accident pilot indicated that two previous CFIs had instructed the accident pilot and had endorsed the accident pilot for solo flight training operations. According to the CFI, the two previous CFIs believed that the accident pilot was flying in violation of his solo privileges and the CFIs removed the accident pilot’s solo endorsement. The CFI stated that he had no problems with the accident pilot’s training and solo activities.

    The accident pilot’s medical certificate and student pilot certificate had a solo endorsement with “revoked” written across it.”

    No one in the house was injured.

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    New Zealand Helicopter Accident

    What: Royal New Zealand Air Force Bell UH-1H Iroquois en route from Ohakea Air Base in Manawatu to Anzac Day commemorations in Wellington
    Where: 40km NE of Wellington New Zealand
    When: Apr 25 2010
    Who: 4 aboard, 3 fatalities
    Why: The helicopter crashed in rugged terrain near Pukerua Bay, in fog, killing 3 aboard (Flight Lieutenant Hayden Peter Madsen, pilot, 33; Officer Daniel Stephen Gregory, pilot, 28, and Corporal Benjamin Andrew Carson, helicopter crewman, 25) and injuring one.

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    Merpati Crashes in West Papua NG


    Click to view full size photo at Airplane-pictures.net
    Contact photographer chaity

    What: Merpati Nusantara Airlines Boeing 737-300 en route from Sarong to Manokwari West Papua. (Sorong-Dominique Edward Osok Airport to Rendani Airport)
    Where: Rendani Airport, Indonesia
    When: 12 April 2010
    Who: 97 passengers ( 76 men, 21 women, three children and three infants) 6 crew
    Why: While landing at Rendani in heavy fog and rain, the flight overshot the runway and/or hydroplaned on the wet runway, lost a wing in a forest at the end of the runway and partially ended up with the tail suspended in river shallows. The fuselage split in two. No one was trapped; everyone got out alive. Reports of injury vary, from 80 minor injuries to 20 individuals who sustained varying degrees of injury (broken bones and head injury), one who had facial injury and trouble breathing.

    Merpati is on the banned list. Nevertheless, Merpati spokesmen say this was entirely due to weather and not pilot error.


    View Manokwari Crash in a larger map

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    No Survivors in Deadly Anniversary Flight


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

    What: Polish Air Force Tupolev TU-154M
    Where: Smolensk
    When: Apr 10th 2010
    Who: 88 passengers and 8 crew
    Why: On approach to Smolensk North Airport in dense fog, the plane impacted a forest, coming to rest short of the runway. There are conflicting reports leading up to the decision to land at Smolensk (versus Minsk or Moscow), holding pattern, the number of approaches.

    Everyone aboard the flight was lost, including Polish President Lech Kaczynski, his wife Maria, the national bank president, deputy foreign minister, army chaplain, head of the National Security Office, deputy parliament speaker, Olympic Committee head, civil rights commissioner and at least two presidential aides and three lawmakers.

    Partial list of those lost in the crash:
    1. Lech Kaczynski, President of the Republic of Poland

    2. Maria Kaczynska, the president’s wife

    3. Ryszard Kaczorowski, head of Poland’s London-based government-in-exile during the communist period

    4. General Tadeusz Buk, Head of Polish Land Forces

    5. Leszek Deptula, MP

    6. Grzegorz Dolniak, MP

    7. Katarzyna Doraczynska, President’s Chancellery

    8 Janina Fetlinska, Senator

    9. General Franciszek Gagor, Chief of Staff

    10. Grazyna Gesicka, MP

    11. Przemyslaw Gosiewski, MP

    12. Mariusz Handzlik, Minister at the President’s Chancellery

    13. Izabela Jaruga-Nowacka, MP

    14. Sebastian Karpiniuk, MP

    15. Admiral Andrzej Karweta, Head of Polish Navy

    16. Mariusz Kazana, Foreign Ministry

    17. Janusz Kochanowski, Poland’s Ombudsman

    18. Stanislaw Jerzy Komorowski, Deputy Defence Minister

    19. Andrzej Kremer, Deputy Foreign Minister

    20. Janusz Kurtyka, National Remembrance Institute head

    21. Tomasz Merta, Deputy Culture Minister

    22. Aleksandra Natalli-Swiat, MP

    23. Piotr Nurowski, head of Polish Olympics Committee

    24. Krzysztof Putra, Deputy Speaker of parliament

    25. Arkadiusz Rybicki, MP

    26. Slawomir Skrzypek, head of Poland’s central bank

    27. Wladyslaw Stasiak, head of Kaczynski’s Chancellery

    28. Aleksander Szczyglo, head of the National Security Bureau

    29. Jerzy Szmajdzinski, Deputy Speaker of parliament

    30. Jolanta Szymanek-Deresz, MP

    31. Izabela Tomaszewska, President’s Chancellery

    32. Anna Walentynowicz, former Solidarity activist

    33. Zbigniew Wassermann, MP

    34. Wieslaw Woda, MP

    35. Edward Wojtas, MP

    36. Pawel Wypych, Minister and Kaczynski’s Chancellery

    37. Stanislaw Zajac, Senator


    Click to play video

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    Brazil Cessna Crash

    What: Cessna 310R en route from Leopoldina to Pampulha
    Where: Serra do Curral, Minas Gerais Brazil
    When: Feb 26 2010
    Who: 2 fatalities
    Why: After takeoff, the plane crashed in conditions of fog and low visibility. The mountainous crash site was 5 meters below the top of Serra do Curral mountain range. The plane apparently blew up on impacting a “wall” of mountain.

    A local fire department helicopter spotted the wreckage.

    The victims were identified as Tanus Sales and Rafael Tanus Pascoal Sales. Rafael was the pilot.

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    Fog Entrenched Boeing Lands On Maintenance Van


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

    What: Cargolux Boeing 747-400 freighter en route from Barcelona, to Luxembourg
    Where: Luxembourg
    When: Jan 21st 2010
    Why: While landing in low visibility due to foggy conditions, the Cargolux 747’s tires went through the roof of a maintenance truck whose crew was working on the runway ground lighting. The van’s driver was not hurt; the van was damaged by being landed on by the 747 (no doubt!), and the Boeing’s tires were damaged after going through the van’s roof. No one, however, was hurt, although the maintenance person was hospitalized for shock.

    George’s Point of View

    I would be shocked too, if a Boeing landed on my roof while I was working. If it were I who’d been landed on, I’d have to change my name to Chicken Little, because I’d never again trust that the sky wasn’t falling. (I hope this guy is well insured, because even if he’s physically ok, he’s going to need therapy.)

    On the other hand, that is why I don’t work on a runway. (And if I did, it would be in Thousand Oaks, California, not Luxembourg.)

    One does wonder if the maintenance vehicle was cleared, or precisely who was supposed to be where at that exact moment. Perhaps the maintenance was going on specifically because of the foggy conditions. It does sound like someone was not exactly in the right place at the right time. Or perhaps, someone in HR did not like the maintenance guy very much, and their brother-in-law was in line for that position if it opens up.

    Luxembourg is investigating to see what what wrong, and how and why. (Luxembourg is 998.6 sq mi in area. Rhode Island is 1,545 square miles. I know size doesn’t matter, but Luxembourg is still smaller than our smallest state. Bigger than DC though.)

    The Administration of Technical Investigations is determining the cause of the accident in order to recommendation measures to avoid a reoccurrence. (See 4 rules below.)

    The Directorate of Civil Aviation will conduct an investigation regarding compliance with established procedure. (If the procedure is not to stay out of the path of incoming planes, I recommend changing established procedure.)

    The Administration of Air Navigation is doing an internal administrative investigation. I.E. Where will the hammer fall.

    Hello. To avoid a plane landing on somebody, follow these simple rules:

    • Rule Number One. Stay off the runway.
    • Rule Number Two. If you’re landing a plane, and they tell you to land on a runway, make sure there’s no one on it so you don’t land on them.
    • Rule Number Three. If you’re not landing a plane, don’t go on the runway unless you work there. Even if you work at the airport, and they tell you to fix the runway lights, make sure no one is going to use that runway while you’re fixing the lights.
    • Rule Number Four. If the visibility is low and you can’t tell if the runway is clear, and you’re supposed to land on the runway but you can’t see it, tell ATC that if it is humanly possible, they have to find you someplace to land where there’s enough visibility to see to land.
    • Rule Number Four-C. (otherwise known as the Life is Not a Cartoon rule). If something is directly behind you, get out of the way. This means moving left or right, out of the path of the incoming vehicle, not moving forward. If something motorized is directly behind you running directly in front of it WILL NOT HELP. ( Even the roadrunner and Wiley Coyote knew this.)

    Not that aviation is actually that simplistic. It will be months before a legitimate opinion clears the committees. And of course, it is a good day when everyone gets out alive.

    Boeing is the world’s leading aerospace company and the largest manufacturer of commercial jetliners and military aircraft combined. It is still headquartered in Chicago and California

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    Helicopter Crash in Mexico Kills 6

    What: Saba Group Helicopter en route from Toluca to Mexico City
    Where: Mina Vieja in Cuajimalpa, near La Marquesa
    When: Jan 10, 2010
    Who: Fatalities included Moises Saba Masri, 46, his father, Alberto Saba Raffoul, and Umberto Saba, also Capt. Armando Fernandez and Judith Casal and Yadel Toachi.
    Why: The helicopter crashed during foggy weather; the tail struck a residence at 85 Melchor Ocampo Street, and the blades struck a tree. Two vehicles were damaged but no one on the ground was injured.

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    Medical Rescuers Rescued off Norfolk Island Australia


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

    What: Pel-Air Aviation IAI 1124A Westwind II en route from Samoa to Melbourne
    Where: Norfolk Island Australia
    When: Nov 18, 2009
    Who: pilots, patient, accompanying spouse and two medical crew
    Why: Pel-Air Aviation CareFlight medical evacuation flight en route to Norfolk Island for refueling encountered thick fog and made a controlled landing on on the water off the coast of Norfolk Island. Everyone aboard evacuated safely thanks to the skill of pilot Dominic James, were rescued by boat and taken to Norfolk Island hospital.

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    Faucett Crash in Peru


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer AirNikon Collection-Pima Air and Space Museum

    What: Faucett Boeing 737-222 en route from Lima to Arequipa Peru
    Where: Mountainous terrain 2.5 miles west of runway 9
    When: February 29, 1996
    Who: 117 passengers, 2 flight crew, 4 cabin crew
    Why: Faucett flight 251, Boeing 737-222 crashed about 2015 eastern standard time on VOR?DME approach to runway 9 at Rodriguez Ballon Airport, Arequipa Peru. The flight was en route from Lima International and had 117 passengers, 2 flught crew, 4 cabin crew, all fatally injured. The flight crew made no indication to problems to ATC and impactd near the top of a ridge 2.5 miles west of runway 9 The main fuselage carried over the initial ridge and impacted ner the top of the second ridge 1/3 mile east. The empennage fell to an arroyo in between. Factors that contributed to the crash were poor night time visibility, darkness and the heavy fog.