runway

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    Hazards of Winter: Another Ground Crew Death

    What: Turkish Airlines Airbus A340-300 from Istanbul Ataturk Turkey to Bangkok
    Where: Istanbul
    When: Jan 24th
    Who: assistant de-icer
    Why: After de-icing, the airplane’s wing hit the de-icing hydraulic lift, struck the vehicle’s operator and knocked the lift on the assistant who died on the scene.

    George’s Point of View

    De-icing isn’t something we normally think about. Not for planes. Maybe those of us who have wintered in Chicago or New York have considered it. Those of us who have had to get up extra early to scrape the outer skin of ice and snow off of the car, even those of us who have had the forethought to stack a layer of cardboard over the windshield to limit the ice buildup, who turn on the heat inside so the commute will be tolerable. But frankly, scraping the windshield with the ice scraper, or knocking snow off headlights–with a car, it is usually not that hazardous–albeit sometimes slippery. Obviously de-icing a plane is significantly more dangerous. After all, the instructions on the back of an ice scraper fit on the ice scraper.

    The aircraft ground anti-icing operations manual available from ICAO runs 37 pages and cost $25. So there are 37 pages worth of established procedures to follow.

    News of a death makes me remember the ground crew who is working out there de-icing the plane while the passengers sit inside, all warm and cosy. It’s cold out there; and dangerous. More dangerous than we think about, but maybe we should.

    It’s only by learning from our mistakes, in aviation, and in every other industry that we progress. It’s too late for these two ground crewmen, one in Calgary, one in Thailand. But it’s not too late for us to learn from our mistakes–if mistakes there were.

    It has been just over a month since another de-Icing crew member in Calgarydied on the job. In that case, it was a Servisair ground worker who fell out of a cherry picker.

    In this latest instance, we haven’t really heard much yet. We know that the death occurred in Thailand, and that it was snowing heavily. The investigation will reveal the details of what happened. Who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. If the operator or crewman weren’t following guidelines–or the flight crew. The investigation will reveal who acted carelessly, or if it was simply an accident, and the plane just following the path of least resistance.

    I respect winter.

    And I respect ground crews. They brave the elements, just to make plane travel just a little bit safer. When you think about it, it’s a little bit heroic, and maybe a little bit sad how the ground crew works on plane after plane. It’s a little bit like a pastry chef who makes delicacy after delicacy, but never gets to eat them himself. The ground crew stays behind when the plane soars away.

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    Aeromexico Embraer Emergency Landing


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

    What: Aeromexico Connect Embraer ERJ-145 en route from Hermosillo to Tijuana
    Where: 36 passengers and 3 crew
    When: Jan 21st 2010
    Who: 36 passengers 3 crew
    Why: On landing, the Embraer veered off the runway and came to a rest on the ground.

    Several passengers were reported to be in shock, but there were no other reported injuries. The plane’s fuselage incurred damage.

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    Fog Entrenched Boeing Lands On Maintenance Van


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

    What: Cargolux Boeing 747-400 freighter en route from Barcelona, to Luxembourg
    Where: Luxembourg
    When: Jan 21st 2010
    Why: While landing in low visibility due to foggy conditions, the Cargolux 747’s tires went through the roof of a maintenance truck whose crew was working on the runway ground lighting. The van’s driver was not hurt; the van was damaged by being landed on by the 747 (no doubt!), and the Boeing’s tires were damaged after going through the van’s roof. No one, however, was hurt, although the maintenance person was hospitalized for shock.

    George’s Point of View

    I would be shocked too, if a Boeing landed on my roof while I was working. If it were I who’d been landed on, I’d have to change my name to Chicken Little, because I’d never again trust that the sky wasn’t falling. (I hope this guy is well insured, because even if he’s physically ok, he’s going to need therapy.)

    On the other hand, that is why I don’t work on a runway. (And if I did, it would be in Thousand Oaks, California, not Luxembourg.)

    One does wonder if the maintenance vehicle was cleared, or precisely who was supposed to be where at that exact moment. Perhaps the maintenance was going on specifically because of the foggy conditions. It does sound like someone was not exactly in the right place at the right time. Or perhaps, someone in HR did not like the maintenance guy very much, and their brother-in-law was in line for that position if it opens up.

    Luxembourg is investigating to see what what wrong, and how and why. (Luxembourg is 998.6 sq mi in area. Rhode Island is 1,545 square miles. I know size doesn’t matter, but Luxembourg is still smaller than our smallest state. Bigger than DC though.)

    The Administration of Technical Investigations is determining the cause of the accident in order to recommendation measures to avoid a reoccurrence. (See 4 rules below.)

    The Directorate of Civil Aviation will conduct an investigation regarding compliance with established procedure. (If the procedure is not to stay out of the path of incoming planes, I recommend changing established procedure.)

    The Administration of Air Navigation is doing an internal administrative investigation. I.E. Where will the hammer fall.

    Hello. To avoid a plane landing on somebody, follow these simple rules:

    • Rule Number One. Stay off the runway.
    • Rule Number Two. If you’re landing a plane, and they tell you to land on a runway, make sure there’s no one on it so you don’t land on them.
    • Rule Number Three. If you’re not landing a plane, don’t go on the runway unless you work there. Even if you work at the airport, and they tell you to fix the runway lights, make sure no one is going to use that runway while you’re fixing the lights.
    • Rule Number Four. If the visibility is low and you can’t tell if the runway is clear, and you’re supposed to land on the runway but you can’t see it, tell ATC that if it is humanly possible, they have to find you someplace to land where there’s enough visibility to see to land.
    • Rule Number Four-C. (otherwise known as the Life is Not a Cartoon rule). If something is directly behind you, get out of the way. This means moving left or right, out of the path of the incoming vehicle, not moving forward. If something motorized is directly behind you running directly in front of it WILL NOT HELP. ( Even the roadrunner and Wiley Coyote knew this.)

    Not that aviation is actually that simplistic. It will be months before a legitimate opinion clears the committees. And of course, it is a good day when everyone gets out alive.

    Boeing is the world’s leading aerospace company and the largest manufacturer of commercial jetliners and military aircraft combined. It is still headquartered in Chicago and California

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    Kiev: Snow and Snowbound Planes


    Pictured: AeroSvit Airlines Boeing 737-529 Moscow
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Denis Lyaskovskiy

    What: Aerosvit Boeing 737-500 en route from Tbilisi Georgia to Kiev Ukraine
    Where: Kiev
    When: Dec 28th 2009
    Who: not available
    Why: While landing during heavy snow, the plane ran off the runway and mired in a snow bank. The runway was closed. As snow continued, the other runway also closed.

    The current weather in Kiev:
    Kyiv, UR (Airport)
    Updated: 9 min 23 sec ago

    28 °F
    Light Snow Blowing Snow
    Windchill: 15 °F
    Humidity: 80%
    Dew Point: 23 °F
    Wind: 20 mph from the West

    Pressure: 29.56 in (Steady)
    Visibility: 3.7 miles
    UV: 0 out of 16
    Clouds:
    Overcast 2300 ft
    (Above Ground Level)
    Elevation: 551 ft

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    Armenia: S7 Passengers Held in Plane

    What: S7 flight from Moscow to Yerevan
    Where: Sochi
    When: Dec 24, 2009
    Who: not available
    Why: After the plane was unable to land at Zvartnots for an undisclosed reason, the passengers were held without food or drink for three hours on the plane, before being asked to debark into a customs check.

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    Plane Struck on Runway


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

    What: Air India Boeing 747-437 to Copenhagen
    Where: Indira Gandhi International Airport
    When: Dec 17, 2009 2:30 pm
    Who: Prime Minister
    Why: While on the tarmac, the Boeing 747 “Agra” was struck by a food delivery vehicle.

    The plane involved in the incident was the Indian Prime Minister’s plane. Subsequent to the incident, the Prime Minister departed from Delhi on an alternate plane.

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    GoAir Airbus: Landing on the 3rd Try


    Pictured: A GoAir Airbus A320-214
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer

    What: GoAir Airbus A320-200 en route from New Delhi to Mumbai
    Where: Mumbai
    When: Nov 3rd 2009
    Who: 154 passengers
    Why: After the Airbus was cleared to land, reconstruction work apparently impeded the flight’s landing, and sent crews running for cover. The second approach also failed, but the plane landed safely on the third pass. The incident is under investigation.

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    Runway Fire Damages Boeing

    What: NACL B747-400 en route from Mumbai to Riyadh
    Where: Mumbai
    When: Sept 4 2009, 5:30
    Who: 229 aboard
    Why: NACIL B747-400 aircraft was en route from Mumbai to Riyadh with 213 passengers and 16 crew members onboard. While taxing for takeoff, the controller informed the aircraft that there was a heavy fuel leak from the left side of the aircraft and instructed to switch off the engines immediately as the fire had developed. The crew carried out the emergency shut down for all the engines. The Cabin crew ordered evacuation. Passengers and crew evacuated the aircraft safely through slide chutes. Fire services reached the aircraft and put off the fire.

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    Washington State: De Havilland Dash 8-400 Runway Overrun


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Richard Austen

    What: Horizon Air de Havilland Dash 8-400 (Alaska Airlines) en route from Seattle Bellingham
    Where: Bellingham
    When: Aug 16th 2009 11:50PM PDT (arrival)
    Who: 76 passengers and 4 crew
    Why: There were no reported problems during the 32 minute flight; however, while landing at Bellingham, the plane overran the runway. No injuries were reported and the plane was towed to the terminal after a delay of 6-8 hours.

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    Bad Landing in Bangkok, Casualty Reports Vary


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Rui Miguel

    What: Bangkok Airways Aerospatiale ATR-72-500,en route from Krabi to Koh Samui Thailand
    Where: Koh Samui Thailand
    When: Aug 4th 2009
    Who: 68 passengers and 4 crew
    Why: While landing in heavy rain, the plane skidded off runway 35 at Koh Samui and into an old unused control tower. Public reports vary (between one and 41 deaths, including the captain).

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    Mumbai: Airbus Wing Runway Accident


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    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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    Airbus Diverts for hole in the road


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Lukas Bluth

    What: Lufthansa Airbus A330-300 en route from Frankfurt to Kolkata, India
    Where: Hyderabad
    When: Jun 8th 2009
    Who: 225 passengers
    Why: When the pilot spotted a hole in the runway, strong winds prevented it from landing at the other runway, so the approach was aborted. The airbus circled, then diverted to Hyderabad where it landed safely.

    After the runway was repaired, the plane returned with 174 passengers.

    George’s Point of View

    I’ve talked about Aircraft maintenance before, but not that much about airport maintenance. It’s obviously important that runways be kept in tip-top shape. Taking them for granted results in accidents like the the TAM disaster.

    Lufthansa is to be commended for NOT having an accident–in spite of the Kolkata airport’s disrepair.

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    Taca A320 Overrun in Tegucigalpa


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Mario J Craig

    What: Taca A320 en route from San Salvador (El Salvador) to Tegucigalpa (Honduras)
    Where: Tegucigalpa
    When: May 30th 2008
    Who: 124 passengers and 11 crew
    Why: On landing at Tegucigalpa, the A320 overran the runway of Tegucigalpa Toncontin Airport’s runway 2. The crash occurred in bad weather. Overrunning the runway, the plane continued to crash into a store and cars.