What: An-24 en route from Taraz to Almaty.
Where: Taraz airport
When: Sunday May 17
Who: 27 passengers and 4 crew members
Why: When the plane experienced engine failure, the crew was forced to have an emergency landing back at the airport of origin. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
What: Air Canada Embraer ERJ-190 en route from Calgary to Los Angeles,CA
Where: Los Angeles
When: May 18th 2009
Who: 58 passengers and 5 crew, 4 minor injuries
Why: The flight experienced a few minutes of moderate in-flight turbulence but landed as scheduled. Several passengers were treated at the airport.
What: Turkish Airlines Airbus A320-200 en route from Konya to Istanbul
Where: Konya
When: May 16th 2009
Who: 140 passengers
Why: After a bird strike, the flight returned to Konya. Two passengers were taken to the hospital.
What: Lufthansa en route from Duesseldorf to Budapest
Where: Prague’s Ruzyne airport
When: May 15 at 1400 hrs.
Who: 35 update: 30 passengers; 5 crew
Why: When smoke was detected in the luggage compartment, the flight was diverted to Prague where they made a safe landing. No injuries were reported.
If we are apprised of more details, we will update.
All 30 passengers were able to continue to Budapest at 1700 hrs on another flight.
What: Airbus 320 en route from LAX to Dulles
Where: LAX
When: Friday, May 15, 2009 2:42 p.m.
Why: The plane developed a hydraulic leak and returned to LAX for an emergency landing. No Injuries were reported.
What: crop dusting helicopter
Where: 1778 Richvale Highway, Richvale, Butte County California
When: Wednesday May 13
Who: pilot Craig Compton
Why: The pilot (and business owner of Avag ) was moving the plane when it crashed into a building. Compton was flown to Enloe Medical Center in Chico.
AVAG’s business is aerial seeding.
What: Colgan Airlines/ Continental Q400 Bombardier turbo-prop en route from Newark to Buffalo
Where: Buffalo International Airport
When: May 12 6 pm
Who: 73 on board
Why: On landing, part of the wheel assembly disengaged. A passenger video shows the tire assembly coming to pieces on landing. One tire of the two-tire assembly comes off; the remaining tire sustains the landing.
George’s Point of View
Notably, the wheel assembly had been recently serviced, but whether or not the problem lies with Colgan maintenance or the established fact that the tire assembly on the Q400 Bombardier is well renowned for problems is as yet undetermined. At the end of the tape above, take a look at the shot of the 2007 Denmark incident where the Q400 Bombardier’s right landing gear collapsed. There were 8 such landing gear failures in the Q400 Bombardier in 2007 alone.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Art Brett
What: United Airlines Boeing 757-200 en route from Baltimore MD to Chicago O’Hare,IL
Where: Runway 23 Right at Indianapolis International Airport
When: May 15, 7:15 am
Who: 140 people aboard.
Why: While en route to Chicago, the 757 cockpit filled with smoke and requested an emergency landing at Indianapolis.
As you can see in the silent digital recording above, the plane lands safely, although we do not see the passengers debarking.
What: Six-seat twin engine plane en route from the La Aurora to Belize bound for the neighboring country of Belize.
Where: Guatemala City 200 yards (meters) from the airport
When: Thursday 1942 GMT
Who: Passengers included four Francisco Marroquin University professors; pilot Hector Ramos, and passengers Rafael Araneda, Claudia Porras of Araneda, Joseph Godoy, Juan Roberto Brenes and Helmuth Wintzer
Why: The crash destroyed a home, and parts of the wreckage also ended up in a swimming pool. The cause of the crash is under investigation but bad weather is thought to be responsible. The pilot was attempting a turn when he crashed at 15th Avenue and 20th Street area near the 13th Air Force. The plane fell on house 20-21.
Four people inside the house were shocked by the noise, but no one was hurt.
George’s Point of View
We offer our condolences to the families of Hector Ramos, Rafael Araneda, Claudia Porras, Joseph Godoy, Juan Roberto Brenes and Helmuth Wintzer
What: Egypt Air flight MF 968 en route from Cairo to Kuala Lumpur
Where: Mumbai international airport
When: Emergency landing 3 am on Friday; transport to hospital Monday May 11
Who: Ojo Joshua Oladele
Why: The passenger exhibited violent behavior while aboard the Cairo-Kuala Lumpur flight. (He assaulted the crew and bit the air marshall.) When his behavior became uncontrollable, the plane landed in Mumbai, where the passenger was escorted to Cooper Hospital suffering the throes of withdrawal. Because the Nigerian passenger did not have an Indian Visa, he was held in the airport in the custody of “security.” According to officials, when his condition improves, he will be sent back to Nigeria.
George’s Point of View
I wonder what the status is of his visa now?
What: Bulgaria Air Boeing 737-300 en route from Tel Aviv to the Bulgarian city of Burgas on the Black Sea.
Where: Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv
When: May 14
Who: 146 passengers
Why: When a crack was discovered in a window, the plane returned to Tel Aviv. There were no injuries. Passengers were provided replacement transportation.
Pictured: Kenyan Mi-17
Contact photographer Guido Potters
What: Russian-made Mi-17 helicopter
Where: Rift Valley province, Kenya
When: Monday May 11
Who: 28 on board, including Kenyan Internal Security Assistant Minister Orwa Ojode, Police Commissioner Maj. Gen. Mohammed Ali, Rift Valley Provincial Commissioner Hassan Noor Hassan and journalists suffered injuries. Fifteen injured were taken to Nairobi Hospital.
Why: When the helicopter developed mechanical problems and lost power, it crash landed in the Rift Valley. Fuel, flight voice and data recorders have been collected, and the Russian plane builders have been invited to join the investigation.
(unverified) Popular opinion is that the helicopter was too old to still be in service.
George’s Point of View
Air safety in Kenya, especially for government officials, seems to be an oxymoron.
Hungarian Malev Airlines Q400 Bombardier
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Adam Samu
What: Hungarian Malev Airlines Q400 Bombardier en route from Varna to Budapest
Where: Bulgarian coastal town of Varna
When: 5:25 am on May 12
Who: 30 passengers
Why: The plane experienced an undisclosed technical problem and turned back almost as soon as it was in the air. The plane that turned back is the same as the Colgan Air plane that crashed in Buffalo NY. This plane, however, was not flying with ice on its wings.
What: Air Do (AKA Hokkaido International Airlines) flight en route from Tokyo to Sapporo
Where: Sapporo
When: 4:40 p.m. Wednesday
Who: 182 passengers aboard. Three passengers and a cabin attendant injured.
Why: The airplane encountered turbulence en route over Ibaraki Prefecture, resulting in minor injuries. One woman was taken to the hospital.
George’s Point of View
All of a sudden there is more on turbulence.
Need to stay buckled up. It’s a pain on a long flight, but, more safe.
Contact photographer Galen Burrows
What: Air Canada Jazz de Havilland Dash 8-100, en route from Sudbury to Pearson,ON
Where: Sudbury
When: May 12th 2009 21:07 (eighteen minutes)
Who: 21 on board
Why: While en route, the oil pressure and ITT indicators came on for engine number two just before it made a big “bang.” The pilot shut down engine two and returned to Sudbury for a safe landing
George’s Point of View
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Michael Carter
What: Air Canada Airbus A320-200 en route from Toronto,ON to Winnipeg,MB
Where: Winnipeg
When: May 3rd 2009
Who: 148 people on board
Why: When the flight crew discovered low hydraulics fluid, they turned off the system, declared an emergency and flew on to Winnipeg without hydraulics. Just prior to landing, the hydraulics were re-initiated and the plane landed safely. According to the the Aviation Herald’s May 04 report, the “O-ring on the brakes servo valve needed to be replaced. ”
George’s Point of View
It’s difficult to argue with a safe landing.
Though it is impossible from our perspective to say whether this dangerous situation occurred due to maintenance failure or regular wear and tear, the Air Canada flight crew is to be commended for successfully landing without any injuries, and handling the situation in such a practical manner.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Giovanni Francisco Rodriguez Bravo
What: Single Engine Cessna 172 en route from Santa Cruz
When: May 11
Who: four people were killed: pilot Martyshev Basil, his wife and two children
Why: The plane took off from Santa Cruz 20 minutes after the expiry of the permitted duration of flights.
50 minutes after takeoff the plane fell from the sky. No cause is yet noted.
Apparently Martyshev was Russian and had U.S. citizenship, while his wife and children were citizens of Bolivia.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Carlos De Oliveira
What: Air Austral Boeing 777-200 en route from Saint Denis to Dzaoudzi
Where: Saint Denis (2x)
When: May 8th 2009
Why: When there was a problem with the brakes, the plane returned to Saint Denis twice for repairs, before the flight was ultimately cancelled
George’s Point of View
Maintenance! Maintenance! Maintenance!
What: Jetblue Embraer ERJ-190 en route from Austin,TX to New York JFK,NY
Where: JFK,NY runway 22L diverted to runway 31L
When: May 7th 2009
Who: 80 people on board
Why: After a missed approach, the Jet Blue crew announced a “little issue.” THe little issue turned out to be a nose gear steering fault. The plane landed safely under emergency status; no one was injured. And the plane did require a tow after landing.
This plane–unlike several others at the same time frame at JFK–did NOT incur a bird strike.
George’s Point of View
JetBlue goes back and forth across the country.
Maintenance! Maintenance! Maintenance!
Contact photographer Mark Kwiatkowski
What: Lufthansa A321-100, registration en route from Munich Germany to Lisbon Portugal
Where: Diverted to Geneva Switzerland
When: May 9th 2009
Who: 147 passengers
Why: En route, the airbus was hit by clear air turbulence. Twelve passengers were injured, and 2 crew members. 5 were taken to the hospital.
George’s Point of View
Turbulence does not necessarily result in a plane being taken out of commission. The passengers were delayed for five hours while replacement transportation was procured. There is no indication why.
This makes me question why the passengers had to switch planes.
- Was this just a precaution?
- Was the turbulence so bad that it damaged the plane?
- Did they get jostled around much the galley contents (or during mealtime) that it made a 5+ hour mess?
- Did something on the plane go on the fritz before during or after?
Inquiring minds want to know…
Update: Meal service was in progress at the time of the turbulence.
What: small propeller-driven, six-seater Beechcraft BE95 twin-engine plane en route from the Minden-Tahoe Airport (500 yards south of Mottsville Lane, three miles west of State Route 88)
Where: western Gardnerville Nevada
When: Saturday afternoon about 4:10 p.m.
Who: five people aboard: four men and one woman. All died of blunt force trauma.
Why: Witnesses say the plane nose-dived into an open field. Witnesses said “The right wing of the plane dropped down and it appeared that the pilot had stalled”
The cause is under investigation.
What: ROBINSON R22 ROTORCRAFT
Where: WINTER HAVEN, FL
When: 05/07/2009
Who: pilot
Why: A ROBINSON R22 ROTORCRAFT owned by “NOVEMBER ALPHA LLC” at 5657 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 330, REPORTED AN ENGINE FAILURE AND FORCE LANDED ON A PARKING LOT.
What: Beechcraft 35 Bonanza owned by James BREAZEAL of Florida
Where: LANTANA, FL
When: 05/06/2009
Who: Two fatalities, pilot and passenger: Jack Henderson of Lake Worth and James Breazeal of Windermere were killed in the crash.
Why: AIRCRAFT, ON LANDING MISSED THE RUNWAY AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED AIRCRAFT, THE TWO PERSONS ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED, LANTANA, FL, Air worthiness Date: 08/18/1959
Although the airport is saying a new engine was recently installed, investigators believe that engine failure caused the plane to crash. The plane clipped parked planes and collided with a trailer, with the engine dislodging on impact. Apparently the rest of the plane “crumbled” on impact with the hanger.
What: Lufthansa Airbus A340-600 en route from Munich Germany to San Francisco,CA
Where: on far approach to San Francisco
When: May 5th 2009
Why: After reporting nose gear issues, the airbus was towed off the runway after landing, and it’s return flight was cancelled.
What: Windjet Airbus A320-200 en route from Catania to Rome Fiumicino (Italy)
Where: Catania
When: May 4th 2009
Who: 111 passengers
Why: This plane returned to Catiana not once but twice. First, an unsafe gear indication turned them back for repairs; on the second try, retraction of the gears resulted in vibrations of the airframe, so they returned to Catiana a second time. The flight left for Rome seven hours later–on a different plane.
George’s Point of View
Can’t you just feel the response of the passengers? Not just the anxiety the first time around, but imagine the second attempt when those gears went up and that anxiety was topped off by terror when the plane started vibrating. There’s not a person on board that plane who wasn’t relieved when that plane made it safely to the runway.
