Japan

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    NTSB Sends Assistance

    On Jan 16, 2013, an ANA All Nippon Airways Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was en route from Yamaguchi-Ube Airport to Tokyo-Haneda Airport when smoke in the forward electrical compartment developed. Also, an unusual smell was detected.

    The flight made an emergency landing.

    There were 137 passengers aboard.One passenger was injured in the evacuation. The firefighters did not find any fire.

    The NTSB sent out a release that said “The National Transportation Safety Board is sending an investigator to Japan to assist in the investigation of an emergency landing of an ANA Boeing 787 that occurred yesterday. Initial reports indicate that the crew received multiple messages in the cockpit concerning the battery and other systems that were affected, and also reported smoke in the cockpit and an odor in the cabin. The airplane subsequently landed, and passengers and crew evacuated via emergency slides.”

    Investigator Lorenda Ward is the U. S. accredited representative to the JTSB’s investigation and will work alongside reps from the FAA and Boeing.

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    Boeing 787 in Tokyo Stops for Brake Repair


    On January 9, 2013. an All Nippon Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Ube Yamaguchi Japan was taxiing for takeoff to Tokyo when the plane developed brake problems. This was Boeing’s third Dreamliner incident in three days.

    In the cockpit of the All Nippon Airways 787, an error message indicated brake parts in the left undercarriage needed attention.

    The 98 passengers aboard the plane disembarked and were provided alternative transportation to Tokyo.

    All three events appear to be from different routine situations rather than stemming from a single issue. The brake issue and fuel spill are routine events, not on par with the lithium battery fire at Logan Airport, which is a problem which requires serious investigation.

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    All Nippon Airways Bounce-Landing, No Injuries


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

    What: All Nippon Airways Boeing 767-300 en route from Beijing to Tokyo
    Where: Tokyo
    When: June 20, 2012
    Who: 190 aboard
    Why: On nosegear touchdown, the jet received damage, bouncing before securing the landing and making it to the gate. No injuries were reported.

    The video below records the “bounce.”

    The skin of the jet developed several creases.

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    Japan Airlines Landing in High Winds Suffers Tail Strike, Go-Around, No Injuries

    What: Japan Airlines Boeing 777-200 en route from Shanghai Hongqiao to Tokyo
    Where: Tokyo
    When: Mar 31st 2012 4:08 pm
    Who: 296 passengers, 12 crew
    Why: On approach to Tokyo, the plane was just above the runway when gusty wind made the pilots chose to go around. On the go-around, the tail scraped the runway. In spite of significant damage to the plane, the second approach resulted in a safe landing about thirty minutes later.

    The Japan Safety board sent three inspectors on Sunday.

    The rear section of the plane’s body sustained scratches, and the pressure bulkhead between the cabin and tail was “slightly misshapen.” No injuries were reported.

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    Emergency Landing in Oita


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

    What: ANA All Nippon Airways Airbus A320-200 en route from Oita to Tokyo
    Where: Oita Japan
    When: Mar 2 2012
    Who: 85 passengers, 6 crew
    Why: The All Nippon Airways flight had taken off when the anti-ice system on the left engine failed.

    The pilots returned to the airport.

    Passengers were provided an alternative flight to Tokyo.

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    Japan: Tail strike and Go-around


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

    What: ANA All Nippon Airways Airbus A320-200 en route from Osaka Itami to Sendai
    Where: Sendai
    When: Feb 5th 2012
    Who: 166 aboard
    Why: The Airbus was landing when a sudden gust of wind caused pilots to abort the landing, and leaving scrapes of white paint on the runway.

    While performing the go-around, the tail of the plane struck the runway. Pilots circled and made a second approach, which resulted in a safe landing.

    Damage to the underside of the tail was significant, and the bulkhead was also damaged The local weather service did not have any indication of wind, and the investigation is underway.

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    JAL Business Class Fire over Tokyo


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

    What: A JAL Japan Airlines Boeing 777-200 en route from Tokyo to Sydney
    Where: Tokyo
    When: Jan 14th 2012
    Who: 260 aboard
    Why: About twenty minutes after takeoff, a passenger’s armrest caught on fire in business class. After the fire was put out, the pilots dumped fuel, and the flight returned to Tokyo where it made a safe landing.

    The fire has been attributed to a passenger’s lighter.

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    United Airlines/Star Gear Complication Returns Flight to Taipai


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

    What: United Boeing 777-200 en route from from Taipai to Tokyo
    Where: Taipei
    When: Jan 3rd 2011
    Who: 270 aboard
    Why: After the flight took off, the nose gear doors failed to close.
    Pilots circled for an hour and returned to make a safe landing.

    There were no injuries. The flight was cancelled.

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    China Takeoff Sans Clearance


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

    What: China Eastern Airlines Airbus A330-200 from Osaka Kansai (Japan) to Shanghai (China)
    Where: Osaka
    When: Nov 28th 2011
    Who: 245 people on board
    Why: The pilot was positioned for takeoff, and then took off without waiting for clearance.

    A chopper on approach was near the runway at the time.

    The airbus continued to Shanghai.

    An investigation is ongoing.

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    ANA Flight Emergency Landing


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

    What: ANA All Nippon Airways Airbus A320-200 en route from Nagoya to Sapporo
    Where: Nagoya
    When: Oct 20th 201
    Who: 169 aboard
    Why: On taking off from Nagoya, the pilots found a cabin pressure problem. They returned to Nagoya to make a safe landing. The plane was in the air less than half an hour.

    The error appears to have been the indicator. An investigation is underway.

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    ANA Turbulence over Japan


    Japan airways registration JA623J. The incident occurred on JA624A
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer ciel

    What: ANA All Nippon Airways Boeing 767-300 en route from Singapore to Tokyo
    Where: South China Sea
    When: Oct 9th 2011
    Who: 176 passengers and 10 crew
    Why: During breakfast, the flight encountered turbulence which injured five aboard. Those injured included three of the crew.

    Wake turbulence has been suggested. If so, details will show up in the investigation.

    The flight made a safe landing in Tokyo.

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    Door Switch Oops Rolls Nippon Flight


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

    What: All Nippon Airways Boeing 737-700 en route from Okinawa to Tokyo Haneda
    Where: Hamamatsu
    When: Sep 6th 2011
    Who: 2 crew injured
    Why: While en route, the co-pilot accidentally activated the rudder trim switch instead of the door mechanism.

    The plane descended 6000 feet and rolled, injuring a couple of flight attendants. The first officer—2400 hours— leveled off, and was able to admit the captain who was stuck outside the cockpit, waiting to get in.

    The flight continued without incident.

    In George’s Point of View

    If there is a problem, it comes out, eventually. My pilots tell me that after there is some kind of incident, we need to keep an eye on new incidents, reports, recalls, and especially advisories, directives and safety alerts. There can always be a relationship, no matter how obscure it seems at first glance.

    You know how everyone has been looking at Air France Flight 447 with a new eye, ever since examination into the Air France Flight 471 on July 22 apparently fooled the autopilot into quitting with a swift descent. And Airbus investigators looked at this event twice because you have two the same plane types doing something similar?

    Well, on the surface, this Nippon incident reminds me of Ethiopia Flight 409. It only reminds me because I saw a line drawing of the route of the plane as it spiraled out of control. It also was a 737.

    I’m not calling the situation identical. Certainly if one of the pilots were locked out on a bathroom break—not that a pilot would do this on takeoff!—it would turn up on the voice recorder.

    What if on Ethiopia Flight 409, someone had needed admission into the cabin?

    It just makes me wonder if it is possible that the cabin crew accidentally activated the rudder trim switch. The Ethiopian Airlines plane had just taken off; it would not have been high enough to drop 6000 feet before recovery.

    I know this thought is right out of the blue, and probably has no basis in anything but my wild imagination, but I am told by my pilots that although the switches are dissimilar, the door unlock switch is right next to the rudder trim. So, is it possible the trim switch could have been inappropriately engaged by accident on Flight 409?

    Some airlines rectify this by requiring a third party to open the door if someone leaves the cockpit, but I have to wonder if this could be a design problem.

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    ANA Boeing Encounters Turbulence


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

    What: ANA All Nippon Airways Boeing 767-300 en route from Miyazaki to Tokyo
    Where: Tokyo
    When: Apr 27th 2011
    Who: 111 passengers, 8 crew
    Why: 150 miles outside of Tokyo, the flight ran into clear air turbulence. Three flight attendants and two passengers were injured at 4:55 PM. One of the flight attendants suffered a broken bone (pelvis).

    The incident is currently under investigation.

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    Tsunami Closes Airports

    Sendai Airport in Northern Japan was inundated by a tsunami and remained shut down.
    Narita, which focuses on long international flights, was partially re-opened today.
    Haneda, Tokyo’s other airport, closed for much of the day

    Flights incoming to Tokyo were cancelled due to the quake and tsunami, and some diverted to U.S. Air Force’s Yokota Air

    Nasa Images


    Below is the TSUNAMI WARNING SUPPLEMENT for Hawaii Fri March 11
    000
    WEHW40 PHEB 111649
    TSUHWX

    HIZ001>003-005>009-012>014-016>021-023>026-111849-
    /O.CON.PHEB.TS.W.0001.110311T1649Z-000000T0000Z/

    BULLETIN
    TSUNAMI MESSAGE NUMBER 12
    NWS PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER EWA BEACH HI
    648 AM HST FRI MAR 11 2011

    TO – CIVIL DEFENSE IN THE STATE OF HAWAII

    SUBJECT – TSUNAMI WARNING SUPPLEMENT

    A TSUNAMI WARNING CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR THE STATE OF HAWAII.

    AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS

    ORIGIN TIME – 0746 PM HST 10 MAR 2011
    COORDINATES – 38.3 NORTH 142.4 EAST
    LOCATION – NEAR EAST COAST OF HONSHU JAPAN
    MAGNITUDE – 8.9 MOMENT

    MEASUREMENTS OR REPORTS OF TSUNAMI WAVE ACTIVITY

    GAUGE LOCATION LAT LON TIME AMPL PER
    ——————- —– —— —– ————— —–
    KWAJALEIN MH 8.7N 167.7E 1134Z 0.70M / 2.3FT 16MIN
    CHRISTMAS KI 2.0N 157.5W 1459Z 0.52M / 1.7FT 18MIN
    MANUS PG 2.0S 147.4E 1426Z 0.92M / 3.0FT 36MIN
    PAGO PAGO AS 14.3S 170.7W 1556Z 0.35M / 1.2FT 14MIN
    LUGANVILLE VU 15.5S 167.2E 1537Z 0.54M / 1.8FT 52MIN
    VANUATU 17.8S 168.3E 1532Z 0.69M / 2.3FT 20MIN
    DART 55012 15.8S 158.5E 1517Z 0.04M / 0.1FT 52MIN
    DART 46404 45.9N 128.8W 1440Z 0.11M / 0.3FT 18MIN
    KAPOHO HI 19.5N 154.8W 1408Z 0.06M / 0.2FT 14MIN
    HONOLULU OAHU 21.3N 157.9W 1329Z 0.68M / 2.2FT 32MIN
    HILO HAWAII 19.7N 155.1W 1357Z 1.32M / 4.3FT 24MIN
    KAHULUI MAUI 20.9N 156.5W 1340Z 1.82M / 6.0FT 28MIN
    LAHAINA HI 20.9N 156.7W 1335Z 0.50M / 1.6FT 64MIN
    MILOLII HI 19.2N 155.9W 1350Z 0.67M / 2.2FT 12MIN
    BARBERS PT HI 21.3N 158.1W 1323Z 0.65M / 2.1FT 06MIN
    HONUAPO HI 19.1N 155.6W 1340Z 0.04M / 0.1FT 32MIN
    HALEIWA HI 21.6N 158.1W 1329Z 1.09M / 3.6FT 38MIN
    MAKAPU`U HI 21.3N 157.7W 1312Z 0.49M / 1.6FT 52MIN
    KAWAIHAE HAWAII 20.0N 155.8W 1330Z 0.85M / 2.8FT 56MIN
    HONOKOHAU HI 19.7N 156.0W 1345Z 0.44M / 1.4FT 10MIN
    DART 51407 19.6N 156.5W 1322Z 0.17M / 0.6FT 44MIN
    NAWILIWILI KAUAI 22.0N 159.4W 1311Z 0.64M / 2.1FT 26MIN
    HANALEI HI 22.2N 159.5W 1306Z 0.85M / 2.8FT 28MIN
    TERN FR. FRIGATE US 23.9N 166.3W 1224Z 0.37M / 1.2FT 16MIN
    MALAKAL KOROR PW 7.3N 134.5E 1142Z 0.10M / 0.3FT 40MIN
    LEGASPI PH 13.1N 123.8E 1049Z 0.26M / 0.8FT 58MIN
    DART 46403 52.7N 156.9W 1128Z 0.09M / 0.3FT 60MIN
    DART 52402 11.7N 154.2E 0932Z 0.29M / 0.9FT 22MIN
    DART 46408 49.6N 169.9W 1030Z 0.14M / 0.5FT 18MIN
    DART 21414 48.9N 178.3E 0927Z 0.18M / 0.6FT 24MIN
    MIDWAY 28.2N 177.4W 1054Z 1.26M / 4.1FT 12MIN
    YAP FM 9.5N 138.1E 0951Z 0.18M / 0.6FT 92MIN
    WAKE US 19.3N 166.6E 0928Z 0.38M / 1.2FT 14MIN
    SAIPAN US 15.2N 145.7E 0916Z 0.66M / 2.2FT 30MIN
    TOSASHIMIZU SHIKOKU 32.8N 133.0E 0751Z 0.93M / 3.0FT 64MIN
    OMAEZAKI HONSHU JP 34.6N 138.2E 0660Z 0.99M / 3.2FT 72MIN
    DART 21418 38.7N 148.7E 0619Z 1.07M / 3.5FT 06MIN

    LAT – LATITUDE (N-NORTH, S-SOUTH)
    LON – LONGITUDE (E-EAST, W-WEST)
    TIME – TIME OF THE MEASUREMENT (Z IS UTC IS GREENWICH TIME)
    AMPL – TSUNAMI AMPLITUDE MEASURED RELATIVE TO NORMAL SEA LEVEL.
    IT IS …NOT… CREST-TO-TROUGH WAVE HEIGHT.
    VALUES ARE GIVEN IN BOTH METERS(M) AND FEET(FT).
    PER – PERIOD OF TIME IN MINUTES(MIN) FROM ONE WAVE TO THE NEXT.

    NOTE – DART MEASUREMENTS ARE FROM THE DEEP OCEAN AND THEY
    ARE GENERALLY MUCH SMALLER THAN COASTAL MEASUREMENTS.

    EVALUATION

    A TSUNAMI HAS BEEN GENERATED THAT COULD CAUSE DAMAGE ALONG
    COASTLINES OF ALL ISLANDS IN THE STATE OF HAWAII. URGENT ACTION
    SHOULD BE TAKEN TO PROTECT LIVES AND PROPERTY.

    A TSUNAMI IS A SERIES OF LONG OCEAN WAVES. EACH INDIVIDUAL WAVE
    CREST CAN LAST 5 TO 15 MINUTES OR MORE AND EXTENSIVELY FLOOD
    COASTAL AREAS. THE DANGER CAN CONTINUE FOR MANY HOURS AFTER THE
    INITIAL WAVE AS SUBSEQUENT WAVES ARRIVE. TSUNAMI WAVE HEIGHTS
    CANNOT BE PREDICTED AND THE FIRST WAVE MAY NOT BE THE LARGEST.
    TSUNAMI WAVES EFFICIENTLY WRAP AROUND ISLANDS. ALL SHORES ARE AT
    RISK NO MATTER WHICH DIRECTION THEY FACE. THE TROUGH OF A TSUNAMI
    WAVE MAY TEMPORARILY EXPOSE THE SEAFLOOR BUT THE AREA WILL
    QUICKLY FLOOD AGAIN. EXTREMELY STRONG AND UNUSUAL NEARSHORE
    CURRENTS CAN ACCOMPANY A TSUNAMI. DEBRIS PICKED UP AND CARRIED
    BY A TSUNAMI AMPLIFIES ITS DESTRUCTIVE POWER. SIMULTANEOUS HIGH
    TIDES OR HIGH SURF CAN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE TSUNAMI HAZARD.

    THE ESTIMATED ARRIVAL TIME IN HAWAII OF THE FIRST TSUNAMI WAVE IS

    0307 AM HST FRI 11 MAR 2011

    MESSAGES WILL BE ISSUED HOURLY OR SOONER AS CONDITIONS WARRANT.
    …SP…

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    Gear Controls Break off in Pilot’s Hand

    What: JAC Japan Air Commuter de Havilland Dash 8-400, en route from Amami O Shima to Kagoshima
    Where: Kagoshima Japan
    When: Jan 8th 2011
    Who: 74 passengers
    Why: On takeoff, the gear liver broke. The crew flew on to Kagoshima, landing under emergency conditions with rescue crew on standby. The flight made a safe landing, and was towed.

    At Kagoshima, the gear lever was replaced.

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    Air Busan Runway Incursion


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer JangSu Lee – Korea Aero Photos

    What: Air Busan Boeing 737-400 en route from Fukuoka (Japan) to Busan (South Korea)
    Where: Fukuoka Japan
    When: Dec 26th 2010
    Who: 153 aboard
    Why: When cleared for takeoff, the Air Busan flight was taxiing when it went performed a runway incursion as a Jal Express Boeing was on final approach. The incursion casued a collision hazard/ loss of separation with an aircraft taking off, intending to take off, landing or intending to land. The Jal had to perform a go-around, but landed safely less than half an hour later. Then the Air Busan flight took off normally.

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    All Nippon Network/Air Nippon Terrain Warning


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

    What: All Nippon Network/Air Nippon Boeing 737-800 en route from Nagoya to Asahikawa
    Where: Asahikawa Japan
    When: Oct 26 2010
    Who: 57 passengers and crew
    Why: A controller at the Sapporo Area Control Center apparently forgot about minimum altitudes and instructed pilots of the All Nippon Network/Air Nippon jet to drop to 1,500 meters.

    Area aircraft are not allowed below 3,000 meters.

    Thirty minutes outside of Asahikawa, the plane instigated a EGPWS terrain warning which directed the crew to climb. The pull-up alarm alerts 20-30 seconds prior to projected ground impact.

    The minimum safe altitude warning was triggered because over 2,197-meter Mt Pippu in Hokkaido. The plane corrected its height from (up to as close as) 220 meters above the peak to a greater clearance and made a safe landing thirty minutes later.

    The Japan Transport Safety Board is investigating the incident.

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    Air Nippon Receives Ground Clearance Warning over Mountain Range


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

    What: Air Nippon Boeing 737-800 en route from Nagoya to Asahikawa
    Where: Asahikaw
    When: Oct 26 2010
    Why: 16 nautical miles east of the airport, the flight received a ground proximity warning system warning. The pilot climbed to a safe height in the mountainous area, and continued to make a safe landing at the Asahikawa Airport.

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    Misdirected Landing Aborted at Narita


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

    What: Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300 en route from Tokyo Narita to Osaka
    Where: Osaka
    When: Aug 30th 2010
    Why: The Qatar Airways had a normal flight; however on approach to its destination, the plane headed for a runway which was closed. The flight did a go-round (if one would call it that?) and approached the open runway, and made a safe landing.

    Inquiring minds wonder at the source of the misdirection but so far, no one’s telling.

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    Japanese Coast Guard Helicopter Lost at Sea

    What: Japanese Coast Guard Bell 412EP “Akizuru”
    Where: off Kagawa, Shikoku Japan
    When: August 8 2010
    Who: 5 occupants 4 fatalities
    Why: Akizuru hit offshore power lines and crashed into the sea. The five member crew was missing; but the remains of 4 were found by searchers. One is still missing.

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    Flight Attendant Injured in Clear Air Turbulence.

    What: Delta Airlines Boeing 767-300 en route from Guam to Tokyo
    Where: Tokyo
    When: Jul 15th 2010
    Who: 192 passengers and 10 crew
    Why: While en route, the plane encountered turbulence over the Atlantic.
    A flight attendant was injured between Guam and Tokyo, about 100 minutes before landing in Tokyo. The plane made a safe landing in Tokyo


    Satellite photo of area annotated by A.H.

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    Thai Boeing Hits Turbulence


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

    What: Thai Airways Boeing 777-200 en route from Bangkok to Osaka
    Where: Kansai International Airport in the city of Izumisano in Osaka Prefecture
    When: Jun 20th 2010
    Who: 227 passengers and 17 crew, 4 injured
    Why: The flight encountered turbulence at 6:30 am over the Pacific Ocean off Kochi Prefecture

    The flight landed safely Osaka 15 minutes later. Three cabin crew and one passenger were hospitalized for injuries. The weather service says that the atmosphere was unstable due to a rain front.

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    Air Canada Cautionary Landing


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer “name withheld”

    What: Air Canada Boeing 767-300 en route from Tokyo to Calgary
    Where: Tokyo
    When: Apr 16 2010
    Who: 179 aboard
    Why: After takeoff, the plane developed problems with its right engine. The crew decided to return to the airport where they made a safe, cautionary landing.

    No word yet if a replacement flight was provided.

    George’s Point of View