Cause

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    Polish Cargo flight Emergency Landing

    What: DHL-chartered/Polish transport firm Exin Co twin-engine Antonov AN-26 turboprop cargo plane en route from Tallinn to Helsinki
    When: August 25, 2010
    Who: 4 crew members
    Why: The landing gear retracted before the plane was airborne and made an emergency landing on a frozen lake—apparently not the first time this has happened.

    An Estonian politician asked the Estonian Civil Aviation Authority “how it is possible that the same company with a same type of plane could fall victim to two almost identical accidents at the same airport within a short time.”

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    Another Airbus Diverts to Istanbul


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

    What: Iran Air Airbus A300-600 en route from Tehran to Stockholm
    Where: Istanbul
    When: Aug 26th 2010
    Who: 236 aboard
    Why: While en route, the plane developed engine trouble. The crew had to shut down an engine, and divert to Istanbul. The flight made a safe landing.

    No indication is made of passenger accommodations or if another plane was flown in.

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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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    Crash update: Henan Airlines

    Lindu airport: The black box flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder of the Embraer ERJ-190 plane in the crash been recovered. Henan Airlines closed down all flights Wednesday, dismissed its president Li Qiang and apologized to the public. The two-year old Embraer 190 was leased from RBS Aviation Capital.

    Although this is the first fatal Embraer crash, broken turbine plates and flight control system errors have been noted as previous issues. And also, the year old Lindu Airport was not considered safe for night landings.


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

    What: Shenzhen Airlines/Kunpeng/Henan Airlines Embraer ERJ-190 en route from Harbin to Yichun China
    Where: Yichun China
    When: Aug 24th 2010
    Who: 91 passengers (including 5 children) and 5 crew; 43 immediate deaths, 3 serious injuries and 50 minor injuries
    Why: The plane overran the runway—and departed the runway on landing—at Lindu airport in Yichun city in Heilongjiang province at 10:10 p.m, split on impact, exploded, and burst into flames.

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    Embraer Crash in Bahia Brazil, NO fatalities


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

    What: Passaredo Linhas Aéreas Embraer ERJ-145LU en route from Sao Paulo to Vitória da Conquista, Bahia, Brazil
    Where: Brazil
    When: August 25, 2010
    Who: 24 passengers and 3 crew
    Why: The plane had a normal approach. This sounds like the merging of several versions:

    The crew was attempting a belly landing, after the landing gear were not responding properly.

    Prior to the runway, the plane had a tail strike and went out of control.

    The flight touched down short of the runway and the landing gear ripped free and the plane skidded out of control.

    What is indisputable is that after the plane skidded to a stop, the right engine briefly caught fire. Two passengers had minor injuries. From the photos, this looks like a miracle that no one was killed.

    The Embraer sustained substantial damage and is considered a total loss.

    George’s Point of View

    I am marking this as unresolved. Of course ALL crashes we report are unresolved because the final report may not be out for YEARS. But this one seems contradictory. If the flight was making a belly landing, ATC would not be considering this a normal approach.

    So this looks to me like the plane just landed short of the runway and sheared off its landing gear. But I am not in Bahia, Brazil and will have to wait on the report to know what really happened.

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    Congo: Filair Crash kills 21

    What: Filair Let 410 en route from Semendwa to Bandundu
    Where: Bandundu Congo
    When: August 25 2010
    Who: 21 aboard (18 passengers 3 crew), 20 fatalities
    Why: The preliminary information says that the plane was unable to land, and ran out of fuel. Landing short of the runway, the plane struck a building, killing two children inside.

    The Let is a Czeck turboprop.

    The Filair is based in Kinshasa. It’s fleet is reputed to be poorly maintained and is on the nofly list. The plane’s owner Danny Philemotte was piloting and died in the crash.

    19 bodies were recovered and two survivors. One survivor died in the hospital. One survivor is hospitalized and in critical condition.

    A survivor said that the crew had been told to land on a “reserve strip” beside the main runway. The passengers panicked, running to one side and unbalancing the plane, and the pilot lost control. Apparently fuel was not the issue (150 liters liters recovered from the crash.)

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    Emirates Airbus Emergency Landing


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

    What: Emirates Airbus A330-200 en route from Thiruvananthapuram to Dubai
    Where: Thiruvananthapuram
    When: August 24, 2010
    Who: 278 passengers
    Why: After a hydraulic probelm developed in the landing gear of the Airbus, the pilot intended to divert to Mumbai, but instead made an emergency landing back at Thiruvananthapuram. It was a safe landing and there were no injuries.

    A replacement jet was provided.

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    Henan Crash in China, 91 Aboard, 43 fatalities


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

    What: Shenzhen Airlines/Kunpeng/Henan Airlines Embraer ERJ-190 en route from Harbin to Yichun China
    Where: Yichun China
    When: Aug 24th 2010
    Who: 91 passengers (including 5 children) and 5 crew; 43 immediate deaths, 3 serious injuries and 50 minor injuries
    Why: The plane overran the runway—and departed the runway on landing—at Lindu airport in Yichun city in Heilongjiang province at 10:10 p.m, split on impact, exploded, and burst into flames. 53 people were rescued, three of whom with serious injuries.

    Ten survivors were transferred Yichun Rehabilitation Hospital, which has burn specialists. eight survivors were taken to Yichun Forestry Hospital.

    The plane was a two-year old Embraer 190 leased from RBS Aviation Capital. Mesa Air Group was a financial partner in Kunpeng Airlines. The airline is now called Henan Airlines, is based in Henan province and is partially owned by Air China.

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    All Lost in Agni Air Crash, Nepal


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

    What: Agni Air Dornier 228-101 en route from Katmandu to Lukla
    Where: Bastipur, ~18nm SSW of Kathmandu, Nepal
    When: Aug 24, 2010
    Who: 14 aboard, 14 fatalities. 11 passengers, 3 crew (At one point there was an announcement of an additional passenger whose nationality was unknown. This is unconfirmed.)
    Why: Due to poor weather conditions in Katmandu, the crew diverted to Simara Airport. ATC lost contact at 7.30 am. The plane’s generator had been causing problems and it failed, then the backup generator failed. Without a generator, the pilot is flying blind, without avionics. The flight crashed at 9000 feet in a hillside near Bastipur in Shikhapur.

    Other reports say the engine failed.

    The casualties were Capt. Lucky Shah, co-pilot Sophia Singh, flight attendant Sahara Sherpa, and passengers R Rijal, P Humagain, P Bhote, K Rai and P Sherpa.

    Six foreigners were aboard:four Americans: Irina Shekhets (30), Levzi Cordoso (49), Heather Finch (40), and Kendra Fallon (18), one Japanese: Yuki Hayashe (19) and a Brit: Jeremy Taylor (30) .
    This is monsoon season, and the area is remote, and roads many roads are blocked due to landslides. Villagers report scattered plane parts and body parts, and rescue teams are en route.

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    Pilot rescued from San Diego Bay

    What: Helicopter en route from Fifth Avenue Terminal
    Where: San Diego Bay
    When: August 22, 2010 6:20 p.m
    Who: Pilot
    Why: When his helicopter suffered power loss, the helicopter pilot attempted landing on the Coronado Bridge. Persons on the bridge were in fear of a bridge collision, but those on the bridge need not have worried; the helicopter ended up instead in San Diego Bay.

    Flotation devices kept the helicopter from sinking, and harbor police rescued the pilot. Rescuers needed every moment as the the pilot canopy was “broken in around him” which I take to mean he was pretty well entrapped. After retrieving the pilot, he was treated at UCSD Medial Center.

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    Missing Plane and Pilot

    What: RV-7 aircraft en route from Ohio to Georgetown, Texas.
    Where: (missing in the) Ark-La-Tex area
    When: August 22, 2010
    Who: pilot Charles Miller
    Why: The pilot took off from El Dorado Arkansas Thursday and has not been seen again.

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    American Airlines Encounters Turbulence


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

    What: American Airlines en route from New York to Brussels
    Where: Boston
    When: August 22, 2010
    Who: 159 passengers, 9 crew
    Why: While en route, twenty minutes into the flight, they encountered severe turbulence stemming from thunderstorms in the eastern seaboard. The situation at JFK was problematic.

    The pilot diverted to Logan Airport in Boston where they made a safe landing.

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    Air Canada Aborts Flight in Vancouver


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

    What: Air Canada Boeing 767-300 en route from Vancouver to Shanghai
    Where: Vancouver International Airport
    When: August 21, 2010
    Who: 166 passengers and 9 crew
    Why: Twenty minutes after leaving, the pilot returned to Vancouver after detecting a whistling sound from a cockpit window. The flight entered a holding pattern, then made a safe landing.

    Passengers were provided an alternative plane while this plane was scheduled for maintenance.

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    Delhi Flight Diverts to Lucknow

    What: Air India en route to Delhi
    Where: Amausi airport, Lucknow
    When: AUG 21, 2010
    Who: 137 passengers
    Why: On takeoff, one of the flights tire’s burst.

    The crew diverted the plane to Amausi airport where they made a safe landing.

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    Vueling Airbus Diverts to Seville


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

    What: Vueling Airbus A320-200 en route from Granada to Barcelona
    Where: Granada
    When: Aug 22 2010
    Who: 138 passengers, 6 crew
    Why: On departure from Granada, the Airbus suffered a failure in the nose wheel steering. The crew diverted to Sevilla and made a safe landing. The plane was towed. Maintenance determined that the problem developed as a result of hydraulic system failure.

    Passengers were booked on alternative flights.

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    Annoying Alarm Causes Diversion to Cologne


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

    What: Lufthansa Airbus A340-600 en route from Munich to Los Angeles,CA
    Where: Netherlands
    When: Aug 20th 2010
    Who: 302 passengers, 17 crew
    Why: While en route, a smoke detector went off. The crew diverted to Cologne where they made a safe landing. The fire apparently originated in the hold though it was a lavatory alarm. No indication if the fight was continued on the same plane or if the passengers were rebooked on an alternative flight.

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    Spanair Airbus Engine Shut down over Madrid


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

    What: Spanair Airbus A321-200 en route from Las Palmas to Madrid
    Where: Las Palmas
    When: Aug 19 2010
    Who: 194 people on board
    Why: After take off, the flight was underway when the engine made a big bang, and an engine began sparking. The pilot shut down the engine and returned to Las Palmas where they made a safe landing. A replacement jet was provided.

    George’s Point of View

    It was good to hear the Spanair jet made it back to Las Palmas safely. I could not help but be reminded of Spanair flight JK 5022, which crashed with 172 aboard.

    Although the CIAIAC, the Civil Aviation Accidents and Incidents Investigation Commission, published their opinion on 6 October 2010, the final conclusion did not discuss why the alarm did not go off for its abnormal takeoff configuration, why one thrust reverser was deployed and other abnormal and/or pre-existing abnormalities. A cause of that incident may have been Trojans in Spanair’s central computer. La computadora no operaba correctamente por unos programas ‘troyanos’.

    For the 194 aboard the Las Palmas flight, they at least had a safe landing. Not so for the 172 victims of Spanair flight JK 5022.

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    Tunis Air: Armed Escort over France


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

    What: Tunis Air Airbus A300-600 en route from Tunis to Paris
    Where: French Airspace
    When: Aug 19 2010
    Why: Over France, the Tunisian flight was met and escorted to Orly by French Fighters. Then there’s a discrepancy: Tunis Air says they were in contact with Air Traffic Control the entire time, but the airport, apparently did not get a response on the radio, which brought in the “big guns.” Or to be exact, “There was a concern for communication, the aircraft was flying a little low and not responding to radio, the alert was triggered.” The incident was called a “miscommunication.” Air Tunis was taken completely by surprise.

    George’s Point of View

    It will be interesting to see what the BEA makes of all this.

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    Struck by Lightning: Thomas Cook Scandinavia


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

    What: Thomas Cook Scandinavia Airbus A330-300 en route from Stockholm Sweden to Antalya Turkey
    Where: Arlanda
    When: Aug 17 2010
    Who: 409 passengers and 14 crew
    Why: According to Susanne Rundström of the airport’s press office, shortly after take-off, the plane was twenty miles from the airport when it was struck by lightning. The pilots made a “mayday” call.

    The flight returned to Arlanda and made a safe landing. At the airport, the plane was submitted to a routine inspection and pronounced airworthy to fly on the 18th.

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    Andes Lineas Aereas Lands Safely with Load of Brazilian Tourists


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    Contact photographer

    What: Chartered Andes Lineas Aereas McDonnel Douglas MD-82 (also reported as -83) en route from Bariloche Argentina to Buenos Aires
    Where: Neuquen Argentina
    When: August 17 2010
    Who: 152 Brazilian tourists
    Why: While the chartered jet was transporting Brazilian tourists home from a skiing trip, the plane suffered sudden depressurization. Oxygen masks were deployed, and the plane made an emergency landing in Neuquen.

    The pilot made a safe landing in Neuquen. The incident occurred shortly after takeoff. Passengers were provided two replacement planes by the carrier.

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    Thai Helicopter Crash Kills 5


    Pictured: A Eurocopter AS-350B-2 Ecureuil owned by Thailand – Bureau of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation (KASET)
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer M Radzi Desa

    What: Thai Eurocopter AS 350 helicopter en route from Phitsanulok province to take the officials to the inauguration of a river basin development project
    Where: remote area of jungle in Na Muen district of Nan province northern Thailand
    When: August 18 2010
    Who: 5 passengers including Permanent Secretary for natural resources and environment Saksit Tridech, inspector-general of the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department and a senior adviser to the Royal Household Bureau. The pilot who worked for the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry was Major Jenwit Arunsawat. Sergeant Withoon Thienngern, who was the machinist, also aboard.
    Why: While flying over a remote jungle in stormy weather, the helicopter disappeared from radar. The search involved 350 rangers, soldiers, forestry officials, village headmen and villagers. Ground search of 17 separate search parties led by local guides and four search helicopters were utilized to find the wreckage which was located Wednesday, three kilometers from the closest settlement. The helicopter crashed into a mountainside at 1,500 meters. There was no fire.

    Wednesday, rescue teams encountered steep terrain, making the recovery of the remains difficult but the five bodies were recovered.

    Funeral services will be at Wat Phra Si Maha That in Bangkok.

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    NZ Bird Strike


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

    What: Air New Zealand Boeing 737-300 en route from Wellington to Auckland
    Where: Wellington Airport
    When: Aug 18 2010
    Who: 102 passengers
    Why: After takoff, the plane developed engine trouble and had to shut down an engine. They returned to the airport and made a safe landing.

    The engine trouble was due to ingesting a bird.

    A replacement jet was provided.

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    Zamboanga Helicopter Lost at Sea; Pilots Missing; US to aid Search

    What: Philippine Navy Volco 411 helicopter performing routine maneuvers
    Where: 1,500 yards from Great Santa Cruz Island Philippines
    When: August 17 2010
    Who: 5 aboard, two missing pilots: First Lieutenant Cristan Corpuz and First Lieutenant Gerald Tamayo
    Why: The crew was engaged in documenting a Special Operations unit Amphibious Small Boat exercise; they were taking aerial photos and videos when they seemed to have engine trouble–although the actual cause will be a mystery until the investigation.

    The US is going to assist in recovery with their towed sonar. The crash site us 8 to 9 fathoms deep.

    Petty Officers Abdon Martinez, Noel Ridad and Rodolfo Pataweg are the survivors.