Cause

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    Turbulence Over Florida

    What: American Airlines Boeing 737-800 en route from Miami to Washington
    Where: Charleston SC
    When: August 9, 2011
    Who: 152 passengers, six injuries
    Why: After encountering turbulence over Florida, the pilots diverted to Charleston. Two flight attendants and one passenger were injured by turbulence, plus several others were hospitalized.

    Diversion delayed the flight as mechanics examined the problems aboard the plane.

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    Another Antonov Crash In Russia, Engine Fire, Cargo Flight, 11 lost


    Pictured: A KNAAPO Antonov An-12BP like the one that crashed

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

    What: Avis Amur AN12 AN-12 en route from Magadan to Keperveyem
    Where: Magadan
    When: Aug 9th 2011
    Who: 11 crew
    Why: While en route, the plane developed an engine fire and radioed that they would be returning to Magadan. The fire is being attributed to a fuel leak. The flight crashed on the way back, disappearing from radar. Fog and adverse weather prevented rescue teams from being able to fly in. The 9 crew and 2 attendants have been reported missing. The plane was carrying 16 tons of food.

    The cargo plane was being leased from KnAAPO. Rescuers took a ground route to the area of the crash. The emergency beacon went off 10 kilometers from the Omsukchan village. No survivors were found.

    Avis-Amur is being investigated for a maintenance of safety violations, and there may be criminal charges pending.


    Click to view full size photo
    Contact photographer Pavel Azernikov

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    Chopper Crash Kills 10

    What: PT Nyaman Air Bell 412 Chopper chartered by PT Nusa Halmahera Minerals en route from Manado Sulawesi Island in Indonesia to the Gosowong Mine
    Where: Manado, Bitung, North Sulawesi
    When: August 2, 2011, 2:30
    Who: 10 aboard, (8 employees and 2 flight crew)
    Why: The helicopter PK-FUG flown by pilot Edi Purnomo crashed into Mount Dua Saudara while en route. Nine aboard died in the crash, including two Australians, two South Africans and four Indonesians were passengers on the flight. The crew were Indonesian.
    The flight was missing initially. Foggy weather hampered the search until it was finally found at 2 a m August 3, with one survivor, who died en route to the hospital. Work has been suspended at Newcrest’s Gosowong gold mine in North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

    The chopper took off at 4:26 a.m. and lost contact with ATC shortly after takeoff.

    The chipper was a joint venture between Australia’s Newcrest Mining and Indonesian company Aneka Tambang.
    Contact information for the families:

    Callers from Australia – 1800 267 616 Callers from PNG – 0008 661 164 Callers from Indonesia
    o Landline – +62 21 7884 6956 ext 4005
    o Mobile – +62 816 237002 Callers from other countries
    o Landline – +61 3 9522 5562 o Mobile – +61 419 654 092

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    Airblue 202 A Year Later


    India’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has issued a statement which they are calling an interim report. It is not what we would call an interim report, but appears to be a report that there is a report that restates the facts as they were known already, not containing actual investigation output. The media has already highlighted the findings of the interim report several times. The report notes that the investigation covered system issues, fire, bird strikes, etc but does not mention causes or place responsibility, and promises a release when component manufacturers have responded.

    So basically, the families have waited a year for the Air Blue Interim report, on the July 28 flight from Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport to Benazir Bhutto International Airport and still have no satisfactory answers.

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    Antonov Overshoots Runway in Rough Weather

    What: IrAero Antonov An-24RV en route from Chita to Blagoveshchensk
    Where: Blagoveshchensk Airport, Russia
    When: August 08, 2011
    Who: 35 passengers, 5 crew, 10+ injuries
    Why: On approach to Blagoveshchensk airport, the plane encountered rough weather and overshot the runway.

    The plane encountered wind shear on approach, injuring ten passengers. The plane lost a wing in the landing, and the fuselage was damaged, coming to rest 200 meters from the runway. Three children were aboard.

    A passenger said (loosely quoted) “We were sitting closer to the wing. As soon as the plane touched the ground, it started to shake. Panic among the passengers, nobody knew what was happening. I heard children crying. When the plane finally stopped, I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God, still alive!”


    Link to photographer, Sergey Makarov
    Email Sergey Makarov

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    Emergency Landing in Long Beach CA


    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).

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    American Airlines Jet Marooned in Abilene—for Eleven Hours


    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.

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    Air India: False alarm?

    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.

    In George’s Point of View


    This alert may be an indication of bad reportage, or bad aviation safety practices; I don’t know which, but it is one or the other. When there is an alert, reputable airlines usually go over the plane with a fine toothed comb until the problem is located.

    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.

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    NTSB launches team to assist government of Guyana in aviation accident

    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.

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    American Airlines Engine Failure over Dallas Ft Worth (again)

    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.

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    American Airlines Emergency Landing in Dallas, Engine alert, Tire Pop

    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.

    In George’s Point of View


    At least they survived. For what they put the passengers through, what will the airline operator do? Will they hand out to the passengers a free drink voucher? A hundred dollar voucher for future use?
    I want to know.

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    NTSB Photo Opportunity with Caribbean Black Boxes

    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.

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    Caribbean Airlines Boeing Crashes in Georgetown Guyana


    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



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    Spanair JK5022: Final Report

    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.

    Final report (Spanish).PDF

    *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.

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    Fire in Cockpit Cancels Flight


    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.

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    Air Canada Returns to Sydney after Smoke Aboard

    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.

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    Asiana Cargo Jet Lost at Sea



    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.

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    Ash Cloud Buenos Aires

    The eruption of Mt Puyehue Cordon Caulle volcano in Chile spewing volcanic ash is continuing to disrupt flights across Australia, New Zealand and South America.

    The second week of eruptions of the Puyehue volcano in southern Chile’s Andes mountains is alarming authorities who anticipate the ash cloud will cause further flight delays as it lingers in the atmosphere. All flights from Buenos Aires are suspended. Flying through the ash cloud damages engines.

    The airspace over Perth and Tasmania are also being affected by the ash plume.

    Some flight services across the Tasman Sea also remain suspended.

    Flight delays are still being experienced across South America including Chile, Argentina and Uruguay.

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    Moroccan AF Plane Down, 80 fatalities


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    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.





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    Vegas Diversion

    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.

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    Sun Express Vibration and Hydraulic Failure in Antalya


    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.

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    Antwerp Cargo Flight Cancelled by Fire Indication


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

    What: Air France/Cityjet Fokker 50 en route from Antwerp to Manchester
    Where: Antwerp
    When: July 20 2011
    Why: On takeoff out of Antwerp the flight developed complications.

    The crew made an emergency landing, due to a cargo fire alarm, and the flight
    was cancelled.

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    American Eagle Succumbs to Emergency Landing in Yampa.

    What: American Eagle Embraer ERJ-135 en route from Denver CO to Los Angeles
    Where: Hayden
    When: July 19 2011
    Who: 36 passengers and 3 crew
    Why: While en route, the crew detected an electrical odor. They reported the issue to ATC.

    The flight made a safe landing at Yampa Valley Airport. Maintenance is examining the plane.

    Passengers were provided bus transportation to Denver where they were provided alternative flights.