What: Air Zimbabwe Boeing 737 en route from Victoria Falls Where: Harare Airport, Zimbabwe When: December 6, 2010 Who: not released Why: Passengers coming back from Victoria falls got a surprise today as, en route, the plane’s fire alarms went off.
The pilots made a safe emergency landing at Harare. The cause of the alarm is being investigated, and there’s no indication of whether passengers were provided transportation, housing or if they had to wait until the plane was examined/repaired.
What: Lufthansa Airbus A319-100 en route from LH-2557 from Tbilisi to Munich Where: Tbilisi Georgia When: Dec 6th 2010 Who: 66 passengers Why: While en route, the pilots found the cabin pressure was inconsistent. They returned to Tbilisi and made a safe landing. Passengers were provided alternative transportation.
What: Porter Airlines Where: Ottawa Airport When: Dec 6 2010 8:40 am Who: 28 aboard Why: The pilot informed the airport that he was having problems with his landing gear, and did a flyby to confirm the issue. But the plane landed safely with the gear down.
What: Aeromexico Boeing 777-200 en route from Mexico City (Mexico) to Madrid,SP Where: Santa Maria When: Dec 4th 2010 Why: Initially, the flight diverted to the Azores Islands due to a Spanish strike, but later said there were problems with the right engine. After the plane landed, passengers were provided hotel accommodations. Another plane brought spare parts to Santa Maria, and the flight continued the next day after repairs were completed.
What: Dagestan Airlines/South East Airlines Tupolev Tu-154 en route from Vnukovo to Makhachkala Russia Where: Domodedovo airport When: Saturday December 4, 2010 Who: 168 aboard including 8 crew (also reported as 155) Why: Shortly after South East Airlines Flight 372 took off from Moscow, two of the Tupolev’s three engines failed (14:28). At 14:41, the pilot requested an emergency landing, initially at Vnukovo then at Domodedovo airport. The third engine failed as the plane was attempting to land in snow and freezing rain. The plane overshot the runway, and is reported to have struck buildings although missing a fence. Passengers say the plane broke apart when the plane hit a hill. The plane’s nose smashed and the fuselage broke into three sections. No fire or explosion occurred.
The pilot Zakarzhi Zakarzhaev has flown 17 thousand hours and is considered the most professionally trained commander of Dagestan, likely one reason there are survivors.
Passengers did not evacuate via emergency chute or ladder. They had to jump from the cabin to the ground to evacuate the wounded.
Engine failure has been conjectured to be attributed to flawed aviation fuel (filters clogged with debris or ice) or lack of maintenance. The 18-year old tri-jet is powered by Soloviev D-30KU engines.
Two were killed on impact, 83 injured were taken to 5 hospitals. 19 of these were very severe injuries—the number of fatalities has increased to 12 and may rise higher.
The mother of a constitutional court judge, Gadisa Gadzhyeva, died in the accident; the brother of Dagestan President Magomedsalam Magomedov has been hospitalized. Seven of the victims taken to the central regional hospital. Three victims were delivered to the Clinical Hospital N83 Federal Medical-Biological Agency of Russia and one to CITO Pirogov Health Ministry of Russia. 25 victims were directed to the medical institutions of the Department of Health in Moscow. There were two children, one of them taken to the Morozov Children’s Hospital, the second is in children’s emergency surgery Roshal. Others are in Institute of Emergency Care Sklifosovsky, and in various Municipal Hospitals (64th, 7th, 13th, etc…)
Russian Prosecutor General Yury Chaika took on a special control of the investigation. Photos were forbidden, and a criminal case was opened. An interview of Federal Service for Supervision of Transport of Russia supervisors indicated that they will be looking into the administration of Dagestan Airlines.
In November 2009, a Dagestan engine failed; and in August 2008 an engine caught fire. Dagestan Airlines has adopted the brand name ‘South East Airlines.’ Dagestan Airlines is an airline based in Makhachkala, in Russia’s North Caucasus region. The airline’s scheduled, charter and cargo services operate domestic and international routes from its hub at Uytash Airport.
The Moscow hotline is Moscow: 363-61-01; Emergency psychological assistance for victims families is (495) 626-37-07.
The investigation shows that at an altitude of 9000 meters engines #1 and #3 failed. Analysis of the flight data recorder confirms the initial fluctuations in fuel supply to all three engines at an altitude of about 9000 meters, wjem engines 1 (left) and 3 (right) failed, Engine #2 was unstable as well recovered and ran until landing. First touchdown occurred at a vertical acceleration of 3.5G and vertical accelerations over 5.0G.The fuel pumps system is being dismantled, fuel samples were taken from the left engine and left fuel tank and are being analysed.
What: Jetblue Airbus A320-200 from Hartford to Fort Lauderdale Where: Fort Lauderdale When: Dec 2nd 2010 6:10 pm Why: The flight was landing in Fort Lauderdale when there was a bird strike which damaged the flaps. A replacement plane was provided for the return flight.
What: United Airlines/Skywest Canadair CRJ-200 en route from Denver to Casper Where: Casper/Natrona County Airport When: 10:30 am Who: 43 passengers Why: On approach, the plane developed a mechanical problem with its wing flap. The plane landed safely, and was sent to maintenance for work on the wing flaps.
What: Frontier Airlines/Chautauqua Airlines Embraer ERJ-135 en route from Saint Louis to Milwaukee Where: Milwaukee When: Nov 30th 2010, arriving in Milwaukee at 10:02 a.m. Who: 26 passengers, 3 crew, 6 injuries Why: While en route, the plane encountered turbulence which injured five passengers and a flight attendant. Rescue services were waiting when the plane landed. The Embraer aircraft incident is out of service for repairs.
Frontier officials commented that passengers should keep their seat belts fastened.
What: TransPac Aviation Academy Piper PA-28-181 training flight from Deer Valley Airport Where: Wittmann, Arizona When: Dec 1, 2010 Who: student pilot Why: A student pilot from Transpac Aviation academy was airlifted to John C Lincoln hospital with minor injuries after landing so hard in the desert that the wheels disengaged. The cause of the incident is unknown but under investigation.
In January, 24 year old Chinese TransPac student pilot Amy Zhai was killed in a 2002 single-engine Piper Archer crash near Deer Valley Airport.
What: Delta Airlines Airbus A330-300 en route from Paris Charles de Gaulle France to Atlanta,GA Where: Stephenville When: Nov 30 Who: 1 passenger Why: Due to a passenger apparently having a stroke, the flight diverted to Stephenville Canada where a passenger was rushed to Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital. ATC suggested Saint Johns, but the weather was not permitting. The medical emergency delayed the arrival in Georgia by four hours. The ill passenger arrived at the hospital in critical condition
What: Flybe de Havilland Dash 8-400 en route from Jersey to Guernsey Where: Guernsey When: Nov 28th 2010 Who: 66 passengers Why: On approach to Guernsey, the plane’s nosecone was struck by lightning. The plane made a safe landing and no one was injured. The nose cone received some visible damage. Subsequent to the strike, the plane was grounded for inspection.
What: American Airlines Boeing 737-800 en route from Dallas Ft. Worth,TX to Montreal Where: Montreal When: Nov 30th 2010 Who: 105 passengers and 6 crew Why: After landing safely, the plane missed the turn to the proper taxiway and ended off the pavement, described as the front tires sliding “off the runway at low speed” Passengers disembarked via stairway with no injuries, and only minor injury to the plane.
What: Austrian Airlines Fokker 100 en route from Vienna to Minsk Where: Minsk When: Nov 29th 2010, 02:39 Who: 81 passengers, 4 crew Why: On landing in Minsk Belarus, the crew reported an unsafe indication, later determined to be caused by a fauly sensor.The crew made an accommodation and made a safe landing. No injuries were reported.
What: Air New Zealand/Mount Cook Avions de Tranport Regional ATR-72-500 en route from Wellington to Dunedin New Zealand Where: Wellington When: Nov 29 2010 Who: 59 passengers Why: After takeoff, the crew reported smoke in the cockpit. They returned to make a landing (termed “no emergency landing” by New Zealand officials) in Wellington, with emergency services (euphemistically called airport services) on standby.
What: BMI Airbus A321-200 en route from London to Beirut Where: Bucharest Romania When: Nov 28 2010 Why: While over Bucharest, the plane indicated smoke in 2 cargo holds. On making an emergency landing in Bucharest, no smoke or fire was located. Passengers disembarked and were provided hotel accommodations, and an alternative flight on the 29th.
What: Air Baltic de Havilland Dash 8-400 en route from Riga Latvia to Brussels Where: Riga When: Nov 29th 2010 Who: 73 passengers and 4 crew Why: Before takeoff, the flight was delayed due reportedly to overweight baggage. Then en route, the Dash 8 developed cabin pressure problems. The flight circled for an hour to burn fuel, then the flight returned to Riga to make a safe landing. Passengers were provided ( 1.50 lats, about $2.78 US) meal vouchers and provided a replacement jet. Krišj?nis Kari?š and Sandra Kalniete (European Parliament members) were aboard the flight.
What: NARZ Mi-8T helicopter RA-22376 en route from Kyshtovka Where: n the vicinity of the Krapivin oil field of OAO Tomskneft VNK in the Kargasoksky district When: November 25, 2010 12:12 Who: Eight killed, three injured Why: The helicopter carrying shift workers and 1.6 tons of cargo had been hovering over the landing site when an uncontrolled rotation of the aircraft began. The Mi-8 drifted for about 50 meters, tipped over to its side, collapsed and caught fire. A criminal case has been initiated, a violation of traffic safety and air transport operation regulations, entail the death of two or more persons by negligence.
The black box, previously reported as being missing, has been found.
What: Beechcraft A65 Queen Air en route from Basco, Batanes to Tuguegarao in Cagayan Where: Cagayan province in northern Luzon, Philippines When: Nov 29, 2010, 1:30 pm Who: 13 aboard Why: Pilots Captain Agustin Jose and Captain Benedict Dela Cruz manned the Beechcraft when both of the engines stopped at 300 feet. They crashed along the Cagayan River in Barangay San Vicente in Iguig town around 1:30 p.m. The flight skidded through a corn field into the Cagayan River shallows, landing 19 kilometers from the airport where it was was scheduled to gas up.
The plane landed on water, and like another flight we all remember, everyone got out of the plane and stood on the wings. Rescue arrived via boat within 20 minutes.
Passengers included Rustom Hontonia, Jack Castaño, Jovani Pahodpod, David Batan, Benedict John Acebes, Mae Jane Agcaoili, Harold Agito, Kate Vallentes, Mika Horkajo, Hana Horkajo and Yale Mark Elep. Agito, Acebes and Pahodpod are Boy Scouts. (Elementary students and their teachers were traveling to a Philippines activity in Cabugao, Ilocos Sur. ) Mika and Hana were five and three years old.
No one was hurt in the crash, which is under investigation.
What: Cathay Pacific Boeing 747-400 en route from Amsterdam to Hong Kong Where: Karaganda When: Nov 28 2010 Who: 306 passengers and 20 crew Why: While en route, the cabin suffered a loss of pressure. Oxygen masks were released and the crew descended to a lower altitude as they diverted to Karaganda Kazakhstan. The plane landed at the nearest airport, and were served breakfast aboard the plane while “emergency visa exemptions” were secured for the passengers. Hours later, passengers were taken to hotels to await the arrival of another flight.
Cathay Pacific confirmed the air pressure problem related to outflow valve assemblies they are replacing on their fleet.
What: Egypt Air Express Embraer ERJ-170 en route from Budapest (Hungary) to Cairo Where: Cairo When: Nov 23rd 2010 Why: On approach to Cairo, the crew reported problems with the jet’s hydraulics. The flight made a safe landing but could not exit the runway under its own steam and required a tow to the gate.
What: American Airlines Boeing 757 en route from Boston to Dallas to Los Angeles Where: Little Rock National Airport, Arkansas When: November 28, 2010 Who: 165 passengers, 2 pilots, 4 flight crew Why: While en route, the plane made 15 explosive bangs, jerking with the impact of each. The engine stalled, and pilots landed the plane safely in Little Rock. When the jet was grounded for maintenance, Passengers transferred to another plane that continued without a problem.
The issue with the plane is being compared to a car backfire. Unlike a car, a 757 has 2 engines. Normal procedure when an engine is having issues, is to shut down that engine and land with the one remaining engine.
What: Berjaya Air de Havilland Dash 7-100 en route from Tioman Malaysia to Singapore Where: Singapore When: Nov 28 2010 Why: On approach to Singapore, the flight developed a problem with the right engine and had to shut it down. The flight landed safely.
What: Finnair Airbus A340-300 en route from Hong Kong China to Helsinki Finland Where: Hong Kong When: Nov 27 2010 Who: 256 passengers Why: The flight rejected takeoff due to some unexplained anomaly and at “low speed.” The plane braked safely on the runway, and took off again about an hour later.
What: Continental Airlines Boeing 757-200 en route from Newark to Glasgow, SC Where: Glasgow When: Nov 24th 2010 Who: 158 passengers, 8 crew Why: On approach to Glasgow, a fuel leak was discovered in the right engine. The pilot landed safely in Glasgow, but the return flight was cancelled, and the plane was scheduled for maintenance.
