France

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    Australian Victims Named in French Airbus Crash

    What: Airbus A320 maintenance flight leased by Germany charter airline XL Airways and was due to return to service for Air New Zealand next month; flying from Perpignan airport
    Where: off France’s southern coast in the Mediterranean as it was approaching the Perpignan airport
    When:
    Who: 7 on board: Two German pilots, Another pilot and three engineers from Air New Zealand were also on board, as well as an aircraft inspector from the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority. 2 bodies were recovered at sea
    Why: 150-passenger plane, which was delivered to Air New Zealand in July 2005, had accumulated approximately 7,000 flight hours. The plane is in several pieces. A witness told a radio station that “he saw the Airbus dive abruptly and plunge into the sea.” Six French and two German aviation accident investigators have been sent to investigate. Search teams on Friday found the flight recorders.


    The search is being hampered by 30 knot winds and rain and a sea temperature of about 13C.
    Two German Pilots were aboard.
    5 Australians are listed below:
    Captain Brian Horrell, 52, from Auckland
    Engineer Murray White, 37,from Auckland
    Engineer Michael Gyles, 49, from Christchurch.
    Civil Aviation Authority airworthiness inspector Jeremy Cook
    Air New Zealand Engineer Noel Marsh, 35

    Status: Preliminary – official
    Date: 27 NOV 2008
    Time: 16:46
    Type: Airbus A320-232
    Operating for: XL Airways Germany
    Leased from: Air New Zealand
    Registration: D-AXLA
    C/n / msn: 2500
    First flight: 2005-06-30
    Total airframe hrs: 7000
    Cycles: 2800
    Engines: 2 IAE V2500-A1
    Total: Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7 crewmembers
    Airplane fate/damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
    Location: 7 km (4.4 mls) off Saint-Cyprien (France)
    Phase: Approach (APR)
    Nature: Test
    Departure/Destination airport: Perpignan Airport (PGF/LFMP), France
    Narrative:
    Airbus A320 D-AXLA had been leased by XL Airways Germany since May 2006. The airplane was due to be returned to its owner, Air New Zealand, on December 1, 2008. The Airbus was ferried to Perpignan (PGF) where it underwent maintenance at EAS Industries. It was also repainted in full Air New Zealand livery, but retained the registration D-AXLA. French newspaper Midi Libre reported that the airplane carried out a test flight on the morning of November 27. D-AXLA departed Perpignan in the afternoon for a second test flight. On board were two XL Airways pilots, a senior Air New Zealand pilot, three Air New Zealand engineers, and a N.Z. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) inspector.
    On approach back to Perpignan radio contact was lost while the A320 was at 3500 feet. A radar controller reportedly saw the airplane descending fast in a left hand turn. It struck the sea and broke up.

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    Airbus Lost at Sea

    What: Airbus A320 maintenance flight leased by Germany charter airline XL Airways and was due to return to service for Air New Zealand next month; flying from Perpignan airport
    Where: off France’s southern coast in the Mediterranean as it was approaching the Perpignan airport
    When:
    Who: 7 on board: Two German pilots, Another pilot and three engineers from Air New Zealand were also on board, as well as an aircraft inspector from the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority. 2 bodies were recovered at sea
    Why: 150-passenger plane, which was delivered to Air New Zealand in July 2005, had accumulated approximately 7,000 flight hours. The plane is in several pieces. A search is underway for the flight data boxes.

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    Eight Die In Italian Helicopter Crash

    What: Search and Rescue Italian Sikorsky HH3F Pelican Helicopter en route from Dijon to Florent-en-Argonne
    Where: field in eastern France near the town of near the town of Vaubecourt in the Meuse department and L’Isle-en-Barrois
    When: Thursday 1430 local time
    Who: Eight Italian military personnel on board all died
    Why: The helicopter crashed in flames, 4.30 pm local time (1430GMT) in open countryside not far from Strasbourg . The weather was clear. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation

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    Ryanair Denies Non-working Masks

    What: Ryanair en route from Bristol, England, to Gerona, Spain
    Where: central France
    When: Aug 26
    Who: 141 British and 27 Spanish passengers plus six crew members
    Why: cabin suddenly depressurized. The plane lost 26,200 feet (8,000 meters) of altitude”Urgent landing in Limoges” 26 people were hospitalized.; 16 people “complaining of ear ache” were taken to hospital. Although Ryanair brought in a second plane to carry passengers the rest of the way, fewer than twenty of them chose non-aviation transportation.

    Some passengers said the oxygen masks had not worked properly. Ryanair denies that there had been any problem with the oxygen supply except that passengers had expected a rush of gas instead of the steady stream the masks actually deliver.

    “The oxygen masks were working, the correct safety procedures were followed”