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    Southwest Airlines: Smoke scented Vegas to San Jose Flight


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

    What: Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 en route from Las Vegas to San Jose
    Where: Mineta San Jose International Airport
    When: July 3, 2012, 10:30 am
    Who: 99 aboard, 3 crew
    Why: 25 miles east of the airport, the pilot declared emergency. There was no smoke visible but there was the smell of smoke.

    The plane taxied to the gate, where passengers disembarked.

    Twenty firefighters remained at the scene in case of escalation, as investigators went through the plane.

    In George’s Point of View

    I fly Southwest and I know enough about aircraft to say that the planes are wearing out.

    They are made to take off and land and not stop, but aging planes need extra maintenance. Most of these planes gotta go in for real hard look.

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    Melted Tarmac Traps, Delays DC Flight

    What: U.S. Airways en route from Reagan National Airport to CHarleston SC
    Where: Washington DC
    When: July 6, 2012
    Who: 35 passengers, 3 crew
    Why: As the jet was on the runway, it sank into the hot tarmac, and got stuck. THe cart could not pull the plane with the tires embedded. Everyone aboard disembarked so the jet could get unstuck. Efforts delayed the flight for three hours.

    A passenger reported online that there was a jerking motion going back and forth as if something was stuck and preventing the craft from moving, and then passengers waited 45 minutes on the tarmac fir a bus to the terminal.

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    Alouette Crashed in Romania, 4 lost

    What: Romanian Air Force AR 316B Alouette III
    Where: Buzau, Romania
    When: July 5, 2012
    Who: 4 aboard
    Why: Captain Commander Docuz Mitica who was piloting the Alouette when it went down had over 1700 flight hours; and his copilot Viorel Cojocaru had 650 hours. Topoliceanu Catalin had more than 1,100 flying hours, Student Steven Corope?chi also died in the crash. One of the mechanics aboard might have been taking a flying lesson.

    The Air Force School of Boboc lost radio contact with the helicopter at around 12:00 shortly before the helicopter crashed in Buzau County in the area known as Cross Comsoaiei right near the highway E85.

    Rescue vehicles including water and foam trucks and ambulances responded but all four aboard died.

    A committee of Air Force Staff will be investigating the crash and the findings made public.

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    UTAir Crashes on 4th, killing 4 in Lensk


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

    What: UTAir Aviation Aérospatiale AS 350 B3 Ecureuil en route from Lensk to Talakan
    Where: Lensk, Russia
    When: July 4, 2012 18:11
    Who: 4 aboard, 4 fatalities
    Why: Four people were aboard the UTAir helicopter when it crashed near Lensk Russia, killing the pilot and copilot and two passengers just moments after the pilots lost contact with ATC.

    Initial reports said there were only three aboard. The helicopter normally performed a regular shuttle flight.
    https://airflightdisaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/aerorussiautair.jpeg

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    Commission of Inquiry to Begin

    What: Kenya Police Air Wing Eurocopter AS 350B3e Ecureuil
    Where: Ngong Hills, near Nairobi Kenya
    When: June 10, 2012
    Who: 6 aboard
    Update: The Kenyan Commission of Inquiry established to look into the June 10 helicopter crash in the Kibiku Forest in Kenya is set to hold its first formal session on July 16. The container holding the wreckage will be stored at the Kenya Police Air-Wing facility at the Wilson Airport.

    The Kenya Police Airwing Unit Commandant Rodgers Mbithi will be appearing as the first witness.

    The pilots involved, Captain Nancy Gituanja and Luke Oyugi, underwent pilot training in the Ukraine in April 2009.

    According to commission members, the intent of the commission is “…not to apportion blame, but to prevent occurrence.”

    Fatalities included Minister of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security George Saitoti and his permanent secretary Orwa Ojode, pilots Luke Oyugi and Nancy Gituanja and bodyguards Inspector Joshua Tonkei and Sergeant Thomas Murimi.

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    NC National Guard Firefighting Plane


    What: MAFF 7 C-130
    When: July 1, 2012 6:30 p.m. Sunday night
    Who: Six aboard, including Lt. Col. Paul Mikeal and Master Sergeant Robert Cannon
    Why: The tanker made at least two drops of fire retardant on the White Draw fire before it crashed around 6 p.m, the first SUCH crash in the 40-year history of the MAFFS program, a joint Defense Department and U.S. Forest Service program. MAFFS is the Forest Service’s self-contained aerial firefighting system. It can discharge 3,000 gallons covering an area a quarter of a mile long by 100 feet wide in less than five seconds.

    Three firefighters were transported by ambulance to a Rapid City hospital. North Carolina state flag have been lowered to half-staff at all state facilities from sunrise to sunset(Tuesday, July 3) to honor the N.C. National Guard members who died.

    Charlotte mayor Anthony Foxx said. “On behalf of the City of Charlotte, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the families and friends of the Airmen who lost their lives Sunday night in South Dakota, and wish the Airmen who were injured a full and speedy recovery,

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    Sedona Breakfast Flight Ends in Tragedy

    What: Chopper II LLC Aérospatiale AS 350B Astar en route from from Sedona to Scottsdale.
    Where: Sedona AZ
    When: June 30, 2012
    Who: 4 aboard, 4 fatalities
    Why: A Aérospatiale AS 350B Astar, N729DP that was reported overdue on Saturday was found by a private pilot at 8:45 a..m. Sunday crashed into the Verde river south of Camp Verde, Arizona. According to FAA reports, “THE 4 PERSONS ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED.”

    The wreckage was consistent with a pilot flying at low speed and low altitude.

    The remains were found of the pilot, 70-year-old Raymond Perry of Phoenix, 68-year-old passenger Karen Stinn of Cave Creek and 63-year-old Mike Dunaway and 64-year-old Linda Dunaway of Glendale. They were taken to Yavapai County Medical Examiner’s Office. Perry is the CEO of the Arriba Mexican Grill restaurant chain.

    A helicopter mechanic reported that it looked as if the chopper nose-dived and the blades from the chopper and the transmission tore through the main cabin where the pilot and passengers were sitting. Wind may have factored in. The helicopter was found in the Verde river.

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    SD: More Firefighting Tragedy Strikes

    What: USAF Lockheed C-130H Hercules
    Where: Edgemont SD
    When: 1 July 2012
    Who: 6 aboard, 4 fatalities
    Why: A C-130 transport aircraft en route to support firefighting missions crashed in South Dakota. The crew was part of the fight against the White Draw Fire.

    The USAF Release said:

    PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) — At approximately 6 p.m. MDT July 1, a Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System equipped C-130 aircraft supporting firefighting missions crashed in the southwest corner of South Dakota. The aircraft was supporting the efforts against the White Draw Fire.

    The cause of the crash is not known and the incident is under investigation. There are no details on the status of the aircrew available at this time.

    MAFFS is a joint DoD and U.S. Forest Service program designed to provide additional aerial firefighting resources when commercial and private airtankers are no longer able to meet the needs of the forest service.

    MAFFS is a self-contained aerial firefighting system owned by the U.S. Forest Service that can discharge 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in less than 5 seconds, covering an area one-quarter of a mile long by 100 feet wide. Once the load is discharged, it can be refilled in less than 12 minutes.

    Media outlets made this update:
    .CHARLOTTE NC – The crash of a North Carolina-based Air National Guard cargo plane that was fighting wildfires in South Dakota has left at least one crew member dead.The family of Lt. Col. Paul Mikeal of Mooresville confirmed they were notified early Monday that he had died in the C-130 crash on Sunday. The 42-year-old married father of two was a veteran of deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.Lt. Col. Rose Dunlap of the 145th Airlift Wing in Charlotte says six crew members were aboard.The North Carolina Air National Guard confirmed that lives were lost in the crash. Other crew members who were injured were taken to Rapid City Regional Hospital. Names and conditions have not been released.The plane went down about 6 p.m. in the southwest corner of South Dakota where it had been dropping flame retardant on the White Draw Fire.The cause of the crash is under investigation and all other MAFFS-equipped C-130s have been grounded.

    In George’s Point of View


    So many heroes.
    So many tragic deaths.

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    Attempted Hijacking foiled

    What: Tianjin Airlines Embraer ERJ-190 en route from Hotan to Urumqi
    Where: Hotan
    When: Jun 29th 2012
    Who: 9 crew, 92 passengers
    Why: Right after takeoff, six passengers on the flight announced a hijacking.

    Apparently three were in the front of the plane, and three were in the back.

    Passengers and Sky Marshals subdued the hijackers.

    Two flight police officers were seriously injured. Two attendants and seven passengers were slightly injured. The six who attempted to hijack the flight were taken into police custody when the captain returned to the airport within sixteen minutes of takeoff.

    b>In George’s Point of View

    What a tragic, yet heroic story.

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    Russian Pilots Bail out of Sukhoi Jet

    What: Sukhoi Su-27UB (“Flanker-C”) 2nd Air Group, 7000th Airbase, Russian Air Force
    Where: Besovets, Prionezhsky district, Karelia Republic, Russia
    When: June 28, 2012
    Who: 2 aboard, 0 fatalities
    Why: Col. E. Oleynik and Major general K. Botashov, ejected from a Sukhoi jet before it went down in Besovets village. The air force suspended Sukhoi flights pending investigation. It is not known if the engine ingested a bird or if a flight control system failed.

    The jet had been on a routine weather check and training flight.

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    Hunan Airlines Crash Report Released; Captain and 19 Others Blamed

    The report of the Henan Airlines crash suggests that Henan Airlines be fiend $795,000 due to safety issues and suggests the chief pilot should have his pilot’s license revoked, be removed from his post and expelled from the Communist Party, and should also face criminal charges.

    The report says “says chief pilot Qi Quanjun did not locate the runway before landing.” The jet crashed 2260 feet short of the runway. The pilot crash landed under conditions of poor visibility, then left the plane, failed to evacuate the passengers and rescue the injured. The report names 19 people in all as contributing to the accident. Airline officials and local civil aviation authorities are also cited in the report and may be subject to “disciplinary penalties, be demoted or dismissed.”


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

    What: Shenzhen Airlines/Kunpeng/Henan Airlines Embraer ERJ-190 en route from Harbin to Yichun China
    Where: Yichun China
    When: Aug 24th 2010
    Who: 91 passengers (including 5 children) and 5 crew; 43 immediate deaths, 3 serious injuries and 50 minor injuries
    Why: The plane overran the runway—and departed the runway on landing—at Lindu airport in Yichun city in Heilongjiang province at 10:10 p.m, split on impact, exploded, and burst into flames. 53 people were rescued, three of whom with serious injuries.

    An investigation in 2008 revealed 100 pilots employed by Henan Airlines’ parent company had falsified their flying credentials; and about a hundred pilots flying for other airlines were found to have done the same thing.

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    Two Fatalities in Portuguese Cessna Crash on Training Flight

    What: Cessna 152
    Where: Matarraque, S. Domingos de Rana Portugal
    When: June 26, 2012 22:33
    Who: 2 fatalities
    Why: A pilot of the Leávia flight school and a student pilot had made one pass at the runway at Tires aerodrome in Cascais, and had circled to make another pass when they crashed on a training flight. The plane impacted between residences in Matarraque, Sao Domingos de Rana, Portugal.

    Judging by proximity, investigators conjecture that the pilot may have been intending to make an emergency landing on the A5. The plane ended up in a yard between two houses on Saudade street about two miles from the airfield. The plane crashed but did not burn. There were no casualties on the ground. Emergency responders included corporate volunteer firefighters and and an ambulance from the National Institute of Emergency Medicine.

    The instructor was 45 and his student was in her twenties.

    Witnesses say they heard the engine stop before the plane crashed. The “Gabinete de Prevenção e Investigação de Acidentes com Aeronaves” is investigating.

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    Cessna Lands in Canadian Marsh

    What: Cessna 337 en route from Fort McMurray to Buffalo Narrows, Sask.
    Where: Fort McMurray
    When: June 28, 2012 3:45 pm
    Who: 2 aboard
    Why: When the Cessna they were in developed engine trouble, the pilots made an emergency landing in a marsh south of Fort McMurray. No injuries were reported.

    Canada’s TSB is investigating.

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    Tianjin Airlines Flight 7554


    Two hijackers died from injuries after six Uyghur men armed with aluminum crutches and explosives attempted to hijack Tianjin Airlines Embraer ERJ-190, registration B-3171. Six minutes after takeoff, they attempted to get into the cockpit. Passengers and crew overcame the hijackers who were dressed as Tianjin Airline staff. Thirteen were injured: seven passengers, two air marshal security officers. two flight attendants, two hijackers. The flight was scheduled from Hotan to Ürümqi in China’s Xinjiang Autonomous Region. As a consequence of this attempted hijacking, security measures and airport security was beefed up.
    The separatist World Uyghur Congress claimed the incident did not happen and that the incident was an excuse to lock up Uyghurs.

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    Cape Elizabeth Crash near Lighthouse under investigation


    On a sunny day, the small plane just 100 yards from shore crashed near a historic lighthouse in a park in full sight of park visitors. The plane which remains in ocean waters at the ocean bottom in 60 feet of water, off Fort William but is not expected to cause environmental damage. The pilot was identified as Dr. Louis Hanson of Durham, who escaped the plane but was reported “unresponsive.”

    IDENTIFICATION
    Regis#: 39443 Make/Model: S10 Description: STINSON S108
    Date: 06/24/2012 Time: 1700

    Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Fatal Mid Air: N Missing: N
    Damage: Unknown

    LOCATION
    City: CAPE ELIZABETH State: ME Country: US

    DESCRIPTION
    AIRCRAFT LOST POWER AND CRASHED INTO OCEAN. NEAR CAPE ELIZABETH, ME. 1 FATAL.

    INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 1
    # Crew: 1 Fat: 1
    WEATHER: 30009 10SM CLR 26/12 A2989

    OTHER DATA
    Activity: Pleasure Phase: Cruise Operation: OTHER

    The NTSB is investigating the power loss and subsequent crash of the four-seat Stinson S108 that occurred in Cape Elizabeth.

    Serial Number 108-13 Type Registration Individual
    Manufacturer Name UNIVERSAL STINSON Certificate Issue Date 11/21/2002
    Model 108 Expiration Date 03/31/2013
    Type Aircraft Fixed Wing Single-Engine Status Valid
    Pending Number Change None Type Engine Reciprocating
    Date Change Authorized None Dealer No
    MFR Year 1946 Mode S Code 51112245

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    Austrian Training Flight Crashes in Voglhub


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

    What: Flugring Salzburg Cessna F150L en route from Gmunden to Salzburg.
    Where: Straßwalchen, Salzburg
    When: June 21, 2012
    Who: 2 aboard, 2 fatalities
    Why: After disappearing from radar at 2:30, while on a training flight, a 71 year old flight instructor and 44 year old student pilot were in a fatal crash in Salzburg near Voglhub village. The flight was from Gmunden to Salzburg. After the crash, the plane’s beacon helped rescuers find the wreckage.

    Rescuers attempted to cut the victims out until 4:30 pm. They did not long survive the collision. The area was foamed to prevent fire. The crash site was a field near the Western Railway.

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    Kenya Crash Investigation Begins

    What: Kenya Police Air Wing Eurocopter AS 350B3e Ecureuil
    Where: Ngong Hills, near Nairobi Kenya
    When: June 10, 2012
    Who: 6 aboard
    Why: The team put together to investigate the June 10 crash has visited the crash site and said they will begin mapping the area. A representative of the victims will be at the team meetings in an effort to promote transparency. Two Kenyan Ministers were aboard the helicopter.

    See Video below

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    Military Fokker Crashes in Jakarta Neighborhood


    What: Tentara Nasional Indonesia-AU (Air Force) Fokker F-27 Friendship 400M
    Where: Jakarta Indonesia
    When: June 21, 2012, 15:00 hrs.
    Who: 7 aboard
    Why: The flight was engaged in maneuvers when it crashed into a Jakarta neighborhood in the Rajawali housing complex (the Air Force Eagle Complex, at Halim Perdanakusuma airport.). It is reported that everyone aboard the flight except the co-pilot died in the crash. The co-pilot survived; and several people inside the buildings also died on the ground. A fireball erupted in the neighborhood. Some residents were hospitalized with burns.

    Major Flight Heri Setiawan (captain pilot), Sergeant Major Simulanto, Sahroni Flight Lieutenant, Captain Agus Supriyadi Engineering, Purwo First Sergeant, Master Sergeant Wahyudi (Engineering Squadron 021) were confirmed killed in the crash.

    Skies were clear at the time of the accident.

    The names of the victims who were in the housing were not released. Video below

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    Jet Blue Takes Rocky Road back to Vegas, Jetblue 194 crew superheroes


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

    What: Jetblue Airbus A320-200 en route from Las Vegas to New York
    Where: Las Vegas
    When: June 17
    Who: 135 passengers
    Why: After taking off from Las Vegas, “yellow” hydraulics aboard the jet blue flight failed, leading the pilot to declare an emergency and return to the airport due to “mechanical indications.”

    Passengers were getting airsick due to the plane’s rocking locomotion, and described the flight as nightmarish.

    On landing, the plane was towed, as the steering was reported as inoperable.
    video below

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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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    Beech Overrun in GA, Emergency Landing

    What: N79TE LLC Beechcraft Beechjet 400A en route from Northeast Alabama Regional Airport to Jacksonville Florida
    Where: Peachtree Airport, GA
    When: June 18 2012, 10:00 a.m.
    Who: 2 crew, 2 passengers
    Why: After landing at the airport, the plane overran the runway, and avoided the barriers. The gear collapsed and the plane slid downhill, and stopped outside of the perimeter fence. There were minor injuries reported, and those aboard were hospitalized. The pilot sustained a head injury.

    The injuries were described as non-fatal and moderate. There was no fire, though fuel did leak on to the runway and was contained. There are a couple of cracks on the fuselage.

    IDENTIFICATION
    Regis#: 826JH Make/Model: BE40 Description: 400 Beechjet (T-1 Jayhawk, T-400)
    Date: 06/18/2012 Time: 1406

    Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Minor Mid Air: N Missing: N
    Damage: Substantial

    LOCATION
    City: CHAMBLEE State: GA Country: US

    DESCRIPTION
    AIRCRAFT ON LANDING WENT OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND THROUGH THE FENCE, CHAMBLEE, GA

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    Jet Blue Pilot Facing Hearing in Court

    Update
    U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson issued e a ruling Friday in Amarillo judging suspended JetBlue pilot Clayton F. Osbon as mentally competent to stand trial on federal charges stemming from a March 27 in-flight incident that forced his co-pilot to divert a Las Vegas-bound jet to Amarillo’s airport. He has no trial date set. It should be noted that the ruling that he is currently competent does not mean he was mentally competent at the time of the incident, at which time he was incoherent, racing inside the cabin, yelling about the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and pounding on the cockpit door

    What: Jetblue Airbus A320-200 en route from New York to Las Vegas
    Where: Amarillo
    When: March 27 2012
    Who: 1 medical emergency, 135 passengers, six crew
    Why: While en route, the pilot of the JetBlue Airbus suffered a panic attack. He was locked out of the cockpit and restrained, and another JetBlue pilot who was aboard assisted the first officer in the cockpit as they diverted to Amarillo and made a safe landing.

    In George’s Point of View


    JetBlue pilot Clayton F. Osbon was under the influence of medication when he was piloting that flight. It is too bad if we can not get this pilot medical help and at the same time put the medications on trial.

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    Vintage Sightseeing Plane Belly Up after Rockcliffe Sightseeing Tour, No Fatalities

    What: Central Aviation Waco UPF-7
    Where: Rockcliffe, Ottawa, ON Canada
    When: June 17, 2012
    Who: 3 aboard
    Why: On landing after a sightseeing excursion, a 73 year old biplane plane flipped on the runway. The 66 and 64 year old passengers were hospitalized with minor injuries. The 53 year old pilot (Gary) went home. Fire crews applied foam to the leaked fuel and flipped the plane right side up.

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    Delta Tire Blows at Salt Lake


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

    What: Delta Boeing 767-300 en route from Salt Lake City to Paris
    Where: Salt Lake International Airport
    When: June 16, 2012. 7 pm
    Who: 198 aboard
    Why: On takeoff from salt Lake City, a left tire on the Delta flight blew. Pilots circled, performed a flyby and dumped fuel before they made a safe landing.

    The plane was examined in the hanger, and passengers returned home when the flight was cancelled.

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    Blue Island Runway Incident, Jersey


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

    What: Blue Islands ATR-42-320 en route from Guernsey to Jersey
    Where: Jersey-States Airport
    When: June 16, 2012
    Who: 43 passengers
    Why: According to Blue Islands, after making a safe landing, during taxi the left-hand landing gear suffered a suspected mechanical failure and resulted in the left wing contacting the ground. Debris was scattered down the runway.

    No-one was injured. Passengers disembarked through the main door, were assessed by medical staff, and left the airport with their baggage at around 1000. During the incident, the runway was closed. Flights were suspended for eight hours on June 16.