What: An Air India Airbus A-320 en route from Delhi to Hyderabad to Tirupati
Where: Delhi
When: Jun 29th 2009 1141 hours
Who: 68 passengers, 6 crew
Why: Thirty minutes into the flight, the control panel indicated a hydraulic problem. The pilot requested to return to Delhi, where passengers debarked safely. Passengers were provided an alternate plane to complete their flight.
No further details were available about the hydraulic problem.
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Contact Photographer Roger Oldfield
What: PIA Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A310-300 en route from Quetta to Karachi
Where: Pakistan
When: Jun 28th 2009 2:15 pm
Who: 166 passengers 12 crew
Why: While still over Quetta, the cockpit filled with smoke. One source reports the fire apparently reportedly began in the AC system. (again.) Another says an electrical problem sparked a small fire in the cockpit.
In any case, the crew requested an emergency landing, and landed safely. No injuries were reported. The passengers resumed their flight 3 hours later.
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Contact Photographer Kyle Donagher
What: Scandinavian Airlines Airbus A330-300 en route from Newark to Copenhagen (Denmark), diverted to Bangor Maine
Where: Bangor Maine
When: Jun 27th 2009
Why: Less than an hour after takeoff, the Scandinavian Airbus filled with smoke and the crew was forced to request an emergency landing. The flight landed safely in Maine. No cause could be determined for the smoke, and three hours later, while in preparation for the rescheduled flight, the smoke reappeared, and the plane was grounded again.
update:After getting input from a passenger, we would like to note the following: “The cabin DID NOT fill with smoke… a circuit breaker blew out on one of the air circulation systems and it smelled like something might be burning.
Many thanks to shartkopf for the valuable input. Read the comments below for the full story.
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Contact Photographer Sushank Gupta- Indian Aviation Photographers
What: Kingfisher Airbus A320-200 en route from Bagdogra to New Delhi (India)
Where: Baghdogra Airport
When: Jun 27th 2009 4:35pm
Who: 178 passengers and 6 crew (This number varies on different accounts of the incident)
Why: While taxing for takeoff, the Airbus was making a half turn when one wing stuck what is described as a “military bunker.” Damage to the wing caused the flight to be cancelled but there was no fuel leakage. The plane was taxied and passengers debarked.
Last year, a tractor hit a Kingfisher plane just prior to takeoff from Mumbai Airport.
George’s Point of View
Two words: Driving lessons.
Or an alternative two words: Traffic control.
It’s always refreshing to see an accident on the ground where no one is hurt.
However, one does wonder if this points to some underlying problem, either with training or airport design. (Camouflaged military bunker ON the runway? Excuse me? Whose idea was THAT? )
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Contact Photographer Ronald J Stella
What: US Airways Boeing 737-400 en route from Philadelphia to Tampa
Where: Tampa
When: Jun 27th 2009
Who: 138 passengers and 5 crew
Why: After a normal flight, on landing, both nose gear tires blew. Nose gear wheels and strut were damaged.
Passengers disembarked via roll-up stairs thru the back of the plane. No injuries were reported. It took 8 hours to clear the runway after the incident. Mechanics are looking at a landing gear problem as the cause of the incident.
Billy Mays was interviewed after debarking.
George’s Point of View
Maintenance, Maintenance, Maintenance! Or was it a fast landing?
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Contact Photographer Tommy Desmet
What: British Airways Airbus A319-100 en route from London Heathrow UK to Oslo Norway
Where: en route
When: Jun 27th 2009
Who: 70 passengers, 6 crew
Why: 40 minutes from London, the flight experienced a loss of cabin pressure, so they turned back and made a safe landing. British Airways rebooked the passengers for a flight Sunday and provided hotel accommodations.
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Contact Photographer Mark Kryst
What: Air Canada Embraer ERJ-190 en route from Orlando to Montreal
Where: Montreal
When: Jun 21st 2009
Who: 85 people on board
Why: After a normal lift-off and flight, on approach to Montreal, birds struck the plane’s right wing lodging the flaps in an extended position. Despite the slat problem, the plane landed safely within 20 minutes of the strike.
What: Delta Airlines Boeing 757-200 en route from Atlanta GA to Ontario CA
Where: Ontario
When: Jun 23rd 2009
Who: 190 passengers
Why: Forty minutes before landing, the Boeing’s right engine ingested ice from the fuselage and started vibrating. The crew shut down the right engine, descended to a lower altitude and flew on the left engine successfully to Ontario.
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Contact Photographer Marc Kirchhofs
What: Northwest Airlines Airbus A330-300 en route from Hong Kong China to Tokyo Narita Japan
Where: East China Sea
When: Jun 23rd 2009
Who: n/a
Why: The crew noted a sharp drop in outside temperature, then lost the air data reference system. The autopilot and autothrust system disconnected. This was followed by loss of speed and altitude data. Using standby systems, the crew managed to restore data stream and landed safely in Narita.
George’s Point of View
This looks suspiciously like what happened to Airbus Flight 447…Let’s see what the NTSB says.
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Contact Photographer Jorge Abreu
What: Thomson Airways Boeing 757-200 en route from Boa Vista Cape Verde to Manchester England
Where: Porto Santo
When: Jun 22nd 2009
Who: 230 passengers
Why: The pilot experienced a fuel leak in the right engine, shut it down, and diverted to Madeira for a safe landing.
George’s Point of View
That must have been harrowing flying on one engine and having to land on one of the Madeira islands. I wonder how they were alerted to the fuel leak–or if they just ran out of gas. Whatever the circumstances, all the more power to the flight crew for managing safely. Let’s hope maintenance can fix the problem in short order. They’ll probably have to fly a crew in.
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Contact Photographer Frank Schaefer
What: Korean Airlines Airbus A300-600 en route from Jeju South Korea to Nagoya Japan
Where: Nagoya
When: Jun 23rd
Who: 164 on board
Why: The plane lost cabin pressure 40 minutes prior to landing. The pilot took the plane to a lower altitude, and oxygen masks were dispensed. The plane landed safely, with no injuries. Investigation regarding the pressure loss is ongoing.
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Contact Photographer Mark Kryst
What: (Jetlink) Continental Express Embraer en route from Cincinnati to Newark, N.J
Where: Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
When: Sunday June 21 5 pm
Who: (not released)
Why: After takeoff, the landing gear would not retract, so the pilot landed the plane at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and passengers transferred to another plane.
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Contact Photographer Zach Chelsky
What: UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 468 AIRBUS A320
Where: SEATTLE, WA
When: 06/22/2009
Who: (not released)
Why: UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 468 AIRBUS A320 AIRCRAFT WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING WHILE INFLIGHT, POST FLIGHT INSPECTION REVEALED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT ELEVATOR
George’s Point of View
Statistically, a large plane is hit by lightning an average of once every three years.
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Contact Photographer Rui Miguel
What: BMI British Midland Airbus A319-100 en route from London Heathrow to Edinburgh
Where: London
When: Jun 21st 2009
Who: 126 passengers,
Why: After the scent of smoke was detected in the cabin, the plane returned to London. The plane was replaced, but no source of smoke or fire was ever found.
George’s Point of View
When I read of accounts like this one, sometimes I wonder if someone snuck a smoke in the bathroom. Not that I would defend such a thing, but if that were the case, it would be better than there being an on-going problem with the electrics.
What: Qantas Airbus A330-300 en route from Hong Kong China to Perth Australia
Where: Perth
When: Jun 22nd 2009
Who: 206 passengers and 13 crew
Why: A Qantas Airbus (like the one in the Air France crash) was off Borneo when it encountered turbulence that made it lose 800 feet in altitude, and injured a dozen passengers and one crew member aboard. Passengers reported that the turbulence sent crew, passengers and carts flying.
Although web reportsby word of mouth include statements that crystals formed on the Airbus instruments, there’s no credible source collaborating the allegation; the crew reported the turbulence as a purely meteorological event. Lightning flashes were seen but the plane did NOT fly through a thunderstorm.
George’s Point of View
Is this the boy who cried wolf? Or a case of “where there’s smoke, there’s fire?”
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Contact Photographer Marcelo Magalhaes
What: Azul Linhas Aereas Brasileiras Embraer ERJ-190 en route from Navegantes,SC to Porto Alegre Brazil
Where: Navegantes,SC
When: Jun 19th 2009
Who: 100 passengers
Why: On takeoff, the engine “exploded.”
The left hand engine backfired or otherwise made some explosive sound, and the crew immediately aborted takeoff. Mechanics confirmed a compressor stall. Passengers boarded a replacement jet for their flight.
*Full authority digital Engine control consists of a digital computer interface system (EEC or ECU) “electronic engine control” or “electronic control unit” and components managing engine performance.
What: Virgin Galactic’s WhiteKnight Two four-engine, twin-fuselage “mother ship.” (experimental plane owned by Richard Branson) en route from Mohave, California to Las Cruces, N.M
Where: Mesa
When: Friday Jun. 19, 2009
Who: 2 pilots
Why: The plane landed unexpectedly in Mesa after a cockpit alarm sounded.
Plans to launch the plane into space in 2012 are intact.
George’s Point of View
Smart Cookie
What: Pinnacle Airlines Canadair CRJ-200 on behalf of Northwest Airlines, flight from Nashville to Memphis,TN
Where: Diverted to Jackson’s McKellar-Sipes Airport
When: Jun 19th 2009
Who: 31 passengers
Why: A sensor reported a fire in the cargo bay, but after the plane diverted to Jackson, no smoke or fire was found.
The plane will continue to Memphis on Saturday.
The temperature in Jackson was 93, and the heat index was 101.`
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Contact Photographer Matthias Bindseil
What: Tarom Romanian Air Transport Airbus A310-300 en route from Bucharest Otopeni (Romania) to Tenerife Sur Reina,CI (Spain)
Where: Madrid
When: Jun 18th 200p
Who: 201 passengers and 10 crew members
Why: En route the windshield cracked, and the flight was diverted safely to Madrid. No injuries were reported though the cockpit depressurized.
What: Air India Boeing 747-400 en route from Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) to Mumbai
Where: Riyadh
When: May 27th 2009
Who: 300 Passengers
Why: After takeoff, the crew could not retract the landing gear. Air Control told the crew to fly to Mumbai with the gear down.
The captain refused and returned to Riyadh for a safe landing. Then Air India grounded the captain and stopped his salary.
George’s Point of View
This captain is something of an unsung hero, but he was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Even though the captain’s job was to ferry the plane, he refused to do so.
However, a ferry flight with gear down in night conditions is not permitted.
So he lost his job for doing the right thing.
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Contact Photographer Joseph Wagner
What: United Airlines Boeing 757-200 en route from Denver,CO to Sacramento,CA
Where: Denver
When: Jun 10th 2009
Who: 186 passengers and 6 crew
Why: On startup, the right hand engine experienced a fire burning the tailpipe, which also damaged the wing. Passengers debarked before takeoff.
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Contact Photographer Martin Hartmann
What: Ryanair Boeing 737-800 en route from Stansted UK to Krakow
Where: Frankfurt
When: Jun 15th 2009
Who: Not listed
Why: The plane encountered turbulence and was struck by a lightning, after which it diverted to Frankfurt Hahn (Germany), where it landed safely.
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Contact Photographer Joe Statz
What: AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 1317 MCDONNELL DOUGLAS MD 80 en route to WASHINGTON-DULLES AIRPORT
Where: WASHINGTON-DULLES, Chantilly Va
When: 06/15/2009
Who: No injuries
Why: The flight reported an engine problem but landed without further incident. The engine damage was minor.
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Contact Photographer Martin Woudstra
What: Northwest Airlines Airbus A330-300 en route from Rome Fiumicino Italy to Atlanta,GA
Where: Shannon, Ireland/Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky
When: Jun 12th 2009
Who: 285 people on board
Why: En route, smoke developed in the cabin supposedly from the galley. On landing, Shannon fire services sprayed the right hand main gear. Passengers debarked and re-embarked. The flight reached Atlanta but after circling, weather-caused traffic congestion in Atlanta forced the flight to land in Cincinnati.
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Contact Photographer Michael Schmidt
What: SATA International Airbus A310-300 en route from Lisbon Portugal to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
Where: Lisbon
When: Jun 15th 2009
Who: 222 passengers
Why: After takeoff, an oil leak was detected in the Airbus and it returned to the airport. Passengers debarked and eventually took an alternative airbus. One passenger was ill.
