Locale

  • | | |

    Unqualified Pilot Sued for Daughter’s Death

    Accidents are what happen when you think they won’t.

    If Steven Fay had known Jessica Malin would die in the flight and he would survive, he never would have taken her on the twin engine Cessna on Jan 1, 2011. At 4:30 p.m. on on Jan 1, 2011, the day of the crash, the plane’s wings clipped treetops while landing in Orange about 90 minutes after sunset.

    He shouldn’t have flown her. He was not certified to fly the plane, which crashed approach to Orange Municipal Airport. His license was revoked after the crash. He was arraigned on Feb 1 2012 for involuntary manslaughter for Jessica Malin’s death. Malin was his daughter. She was 35.

    Fay denied the charges. He returns to court on Feb 24.

  • | | |

    Sugar Grove Family Sues Deceased Pilot

    On January 23, 2010, there was fog at the time of takeoff and visibility was a half-mile. Gary Bradford and his passenger Drago Strahija were killed when Bradford’s plane crashed in a neighborhood eight minutes from the Aurora Municipal Airport.

    The Doyles, the family in whose yard the plane crashed are suing the pilot’s widow. On April 5, the Doyle family will face Gary Bradford’s estate in court.

    Rita Bradford and her deceased husband owned ENS Corp., a Florida IT firm. At the time of the crash, he had owned the plane for three months after 98 hours of instrument experience, and 52 hours of flight instruction in seven days.

    The meat of the suit is that the Doyles say the pilot did not properly inspect, maintain or know how to land the Cessna.

    When the Cessna crashed in the Doyle’s yard, the plane did not strike the house, but debris started a fire in the north side of the garage.

  • | | |

    Southwest Boeing Bowls Over Denver Concourse Light


    Twitter photo by Hilary Handtmann

    What: Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 en route from Los Angeles to Denver
    Where: Denver
    When: Jan 30, 2012, 9:45 a.m
    Who: 89 passengers and 5 crew
    Why: After landing from the LA flight, the jet knocked over an airport ramp lightpole around the C concourse.

    The plane was taxiing to the Southwest gate on Concourse C. No one was injured in SW Flight 792 and no flights were disrupted.

    Passengers disembarked on to the tarmac and were bused to the terminal. The NTSB is investigating.

  • | | | |

    Belle Isle Chopper Crash Kills Two


    Click to view full size photo at Jetphotos
    Contact photographer Cory Watts

    What: Cenac Marine Services Robinson R-44 en route from Houma-Terrebonne
    Where: Belle Isle
    When: January 19, 2012
    Who: 2 fatalities
    Why: After taking off from Houma-Terrebonne airport, the chopper crashed a few miles from East Bay and the Gulf of Mexico in a marshy area. Flames from the crash were seen from a distance. Hunters and fishermen in the area called 911 to report the helicopter afire. The crash claimed the lives of those aboard. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries assisted along with several agencies with search, rescue, and recovery.

    Pilot Jason McKean, and Lanny Ledet had been on the way to an alligator-industry conference in Plaquemines Parish.

    Jason McKean had been flying for twenty years. The bodies of the victims were recovered 13 miles southwest of Morgan City.

    The cause of the crash is unknown. The FAA is investigating. Tje MTSB saod there was no indication that anything broke off the helicopter before the crash. The final report will not be due for another eighteen months.
    IDENTIFICATION
    Regis#: 369TL Make/Model: R44 Description: R-44 Astro
    Date: 01/19/2012 Time: 1555
    Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Fatal Mid Air: N Missing:N
    Damage: Unknown
    LOCATION
    City: BELLE ISLE State: LA Country: US
    DESCRIPTION
    N369TL ROBINSON R44 ROTORCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE 2
    PERSONS ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED, NEAR BELLE ISLE, LA
    INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 2
    # Crew: 1 Fat: 1 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
    # Pass: 1 Fat: 1 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
    WEATHER: 191255Z AUTO 00000KT 9SM OVC018 07/06 A3012
    OTHER DATA
    Activity: Unknown Phase: Unknown Operation: OTHER
    FAA FSDO: BATON ROUGE, LA (SW03) Entry date: 01/20/2012

  • | | | | |

    Manchester-bound Airbus Struck by Lightning

    What: Easyjet Airbus A320-200 en route from Athens Greece to Manchester
    Where: Manchester
    When: Jan 27th 2012
    Why: On approach to Manchester, at 1300 feet the plane was struck by lightning, burning the fuselage under the cockpit window.

    The first approach was aborted due (apparently) to snow on the runway. The plane circled for less than half an hour before making a safe landing.

  • | | | |

    Venezuela Cessna, 4 aboard Lost at Sea

    What: Guardia Nacional Bolivariana Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP
    Where: La Uva, Isla de Coche, Venezuela
    When: Jan 30, 2012
    Who: 4 fatalities
    Why: The Cessna crashed 180 miles from shore during a training flight. Captain José Vielma, Jhonatan Veroes Valencia, Joan Guillén, and Hernández Camacho died in the crash.

  • |

    Policy Changes

    In George’s Point of View


    What does it mean that the Indian Civil Aviation Ministry is formulating new policies?

    The existing policies are not working, but we wonder if the new policies are being rewritten to fit in better with the workings of business and the status quo. Will the changes begin to address safety issues, pilot training, and crucial concerns of passengers rather than stakeholders in the business end?

    Will the policies be conceived and written by people involved in the mechanics of planes and technology, or will they reflect an infrastructure concerned only about maintaining a “bottom line?”

    The current perspective has resulted in dangerous new rest rules. (Pilots are not allowed to get fatigued till they have completed 10 hours of flying during the night; and the airline’s director of operations can extend that time another hour and a half.) The work ceiling for Indian pilots is 25% higher than that set for US or British pilots.

    Committees of experts should be based on expertise in successful operations, have proper credentials and their input should reflect current legitimate data and scientific findings. Otherwise, the changes will be reflected inevitably in more fatal crashes.

    So we wonder what does it mean? We have to wait until February when results are released.

  • | | | | |

    Piper Crashes in Cornfield near York Airport

    What: Condor Flying Club Inc Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee en route from Fredrick, Maryland.
    Where: Lincoln Highway West, Thomasville, PA
    When: Jan 29, 2012, 11:00 am
    Who: 1 fatality
    Why: The piper crashed in a cornfield off of Lincoln Highway, a mile from the airport. The pilot, Douglas Helms of Westminster Maryland was pronounced dead at the scene. Helms will be at Lehigh Valley Hospital. The cause of the crash is unknown. An investigation is underway. The vehicle is registered to CONDOR FLYING CLUB INC
    Street 16192 COASTAL HWY.

  • | | | | | |

    Disabled Piper Quietly Lands on Palm Beach


    image capture from youtube

    What: Secure Aviation Inc Piper PA-31-310 Navajo C
    Where: North Ocean Boulevard, West Palm Beach, FL
    When: Jan 28 2012 2:46 pm
    Who: 1
    Why: After having engine problems, a pilot quietly landed his twin-engine Piper Navajo on the beach south of the Palm Beach jetty. He said “The plane didn’t want to run anymore, so it landed.”

    The pilot was not injured but the plane suffered some damage and will have to be dismantled to be removed from the beach.

    The 1974 plane is registered to Secure Aviation, 10218 SE Banyan Way in Tequesta.

  • | | | | | | | |

    Horizon Air Dash 8-400 Limps back to Portland on One Engine


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

    What: Horizon Air de Havilland Dash 8-400 en route from Portland,OR to Seattle,WA
    Where: Portland
    When: Jan 26 2012
    Who: 55 passengers, 4 crew
    Why: While en route, the right engine was shut down. According to wptv witnesses aboard the flight, “there was an explosion. Then, all of a sudden, everything stopped, and it just got totally quiet, and everyone started to panic.” Passengers took photos of the plane’s stopped propellor; and then the plane began shaking, and they could feel the weight on the left side.

    Pilots returned to Portland and made a safe landing. An inspection of the plane is underway.

    A replacement jet was provided.

  • | | | | | |

    MD-80 Engine Shut Down In Boise Diversion


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Jean-Claude Simard

    What: American Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-83 en route from Dallas/Ft Worth to Seattle
    Where: Boise
    When: Jan 28, 2012
    Who: 141 aboard
    Why: The American Airlines jet was en route when the left engine began running hot. Pilots shut down the engine.

    A replacement MD-80 was sent with parts and mechanics aboard to repair the stranded aircraft and assist the passengers.

    Pilots diverted to Boise and made a safe landing.

  • | | | | |

    Tiger Moth Crash Kills Two at Mayborough


    Click to view full size photo
    Contact photographer red750

    What: De Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth
    Where: Maryborough Airport on Leviathan Road, Australia
    When: Jan 27, 2012, 5pm.
    Who: 2 fatalities
    Why: After taking off, the plane hit trees at the end of the runway.

    Witnesses described seeing a ball of flames, which ignited a field of dry grass. The grass required seven Country Fire Authority crews to extinguish it.

    The two men aboard the vintage plane were John Fisher and David Oxley. In the past, John Fisher, who worked at Maryborough airport, had flown the Tiger Moth from England to Australia. He was the pilot and the owner of the plane.

    The accident is under investigation by three investigators from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

  • | | | |

    No Stairs for Qantas Mt Isa Emergency Landing


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

    What: Qantas Boeing 767-300 en route from Darwin to Brisbane
    Where: Mount Isa
    When: Jan 29th 2012
    Who: 170 passengers
    Why: While en route to Brisbane, a smokey odor developed in the cockpit. Pilots diverted to Mont Isa where they made a safe landing. Two Queensland Fire and Rescue Service firetrucks met the grounded plane. The investigation revealed no sign of smoke.

    The 767 does not normally land in Mount Isa, so stairs were unavailable. Passengers exited with the assistance of a wheel chair lift.

    A 737 has been sent as a replacement flight.

  • | | | | |

    TAM False Start, Engine Shuts Down, Paris Return


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Konstantin von Wedelstaedt

    What: TAM Linhas Aereas Airbus A330-200, en route from Paris to Rio de Janeiro
    Where: Paris
    When: Jan 24th 2012
    Who: 160 passengers
    Why: On takeoff, the plane developed a problem. The right engine was shut down. After suffering what sounded like a backfire to passengers, the captain announced they would be returning.

    The flight crew then dumped fuel (apparently in the English Channel) and returned to the airport. Passengers were provided accommodations and were rescheduled.

  • | | | | |

    Pilot Walks Away from Cessna Crash in Florida Wood

    What: Cessna 210E Centurion
    Where: near Spruce Creek Airport, Daytona Beach
    When: Jan 25, 2012
    Who: pilot
    Why: Just after taking off from Spruce Creek Airport on a test-flight to check his rebuilt engine, the rebuilt engine of pilot James Clarry’s Cessna quit. Eight minutes after takeoff, the plane nosedived and flipped near Port Orange at North Spruce Creek Circle and Tomoka Farms Road.

    Clarry came out of it with minor injuries. No one else was aboard.

    Volusa emergency services responded to the scene of the accident.

    Clarry landed in the woods.

    IDENTIFICATION
    Regis#: 7130U Make/Model: C210 Description: 210, T210, (Turbo)Centurion
    Date: 01/25/2012 Time: 2040
    Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: None Mid Air: N Missing: N
    Damage: Destroyed
    LOCATION
    City: PORT ORANGE State: FL Country: US
    DESCRIPTION
    AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, PORT ORANGE, FL
    INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0
    # Crew: 1 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0
    # Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0
    # Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0
    WEATHER: VFR
    OTHER DATA
    Activity: Unknown Phase: Unknown Operation: OTHER
    FAA FSDO: ORLANDO, FL (SO15) Entry date: 01/26/2012

  • | | | | | |

    Airspeed Issues Cancel Flight


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

    What: SAS Scandinavian Airlines Canadair CRJ-900 en route from Vilnius (Lithuania) to Copenhagen
    Where: Vilnius
    When: Jan 25th 2012
    Why: On takeoff, the pilot and copilot had airspeed indications which did not agree.

    The pilots rejected takeoff.

    Some time after the flight was cancelled, the plane was ferried to Copenhagen for repair.

  • | | | | | | |

    Kathmandu Emergency landing by Etihad Airways


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Pieter-Jan Van De Vijver

    What: Etihad Airlines Airbus A330-200 en route from Kathmandu (Nepal) to Abu Dhabi
    Where: Kathmandu
    When: Jan 17th 2012 9:15 pm
    Who: 168 aboard
    Why: While taking off from Kathmandu, the engine developed problems. THe crew shut it down and returned within minutes to land at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu.

    Another source says the flight circled for an hour to burn fuel to lighten the landing.

    Passengers were provided accommodations. Etihad engineers from Abu Dhabi arrived to handle the problem on January 21.

  • | | |

    Two NZ Doctors Lost in Crash of Private Plane

    What: Yakovlev Yak-52TW
    Where: Feilding, New Zealand
    When: Jan 23 2012 10:45 a.m.
    Who: 2 fatalities
    Why: A plane left Taonui Aerodrome and twenty-five minutes later was engaging in acrobatics,when it flew upside down, made a loop and then crash dived on to the grounds of the Timona Recreational Reserve.

    The plane shattered into a mangled mess in the Timona Park area park area. Witnesses heard a single crash. Disaster Victim Identification team is investigating.

    The two men in the crash are well known, Dr Ralph Saxe, of Palmerston North, and Dr Brett Ireland, of Queensland. Dr Saxe co-owned the plane that crashed.

  • | | | |

    Jet Blue Attendant encounters Florida Turbulence


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

    What: Jetblue Embraer ERJ-190 en route from Westchester County,NY to Orlando,FL
    Where: Orlando
    When: Jan 24th 2012
    Who: 1 injury
    Why: The flight encountered turbulence which injured a flight attendant. On approach to Orlando, ATC was informed of the injured crew member.

    On landing, the attendant was met by rescue services. The extent of injury was not released.

  • | | |

    Cabin Pressure Endangers Donavia Passengers over Russia


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

    What: Donavia Boeing 737-400 en route from Rostov to Moscow Vnukovo
    Where: Rostov
    When: Jan 23rd 2012 2:00 pm
    Who: 70 passengers, 8 crew
    Why: After takeoff, the flight developed pressure problems. An alarm went off on board; the crew had to return to Rostov where they made a safe landing.

    Some passengers passed out and others experienced bloody noses and ears from the pressure.

    The oxygen masks were not working, although they were released.
    The cause of the pressure issues has not been determined and the details have not been made public.

    The flight made a safe landing at Rostov on Don at 3:15 p.m. A replacement jet was provided for the passengers.

  • | | | | |

    Thomson Airways Flight Attendant Injured by Galley Steam


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Rodolfo García López

    What: Thomson Airways Boeing 767-300 en route from Bridgetown to London
    Where: Atlantic
    When: Jan 19th 2012
    Who: 1 injury
    Why: Thirty minutes into the flight, a flight attendant incurred facial injuries from steam in the galley.

    The flight diverted to Bermuda where they made a safe landing. It took an hour to get underway again, after the injured attendant was taken to the hospital.

  • | | | |

    Bumpy Brazil Air Leaves American Airlines Flight All Shook up


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

    What: American Airlines Boeing 757-200 en route from Recife, Brazil to Miami,FL
    Where: Brazil
    When: Jan 22nd 2012
    Who: 136 passengers, 9 crew
    Why: A couple of hours into the flight, the crew ran into some turbulence.

    It was severe turbulence that according to passengers “felt like the floor fell out from under,” and which knocked around a couple of flight attendants. A number of unseat-belted people hit the ceiling, including a flight attendant who actually knocked a hole in the ceiling before her trolley landed on her. (I presume she’s one of the five who went to the hospital.) Those trolleys look heavy.

    The extent of injuries was not released, but it was apparently not severe enough that they had to scramble to divert to somewhere in the Brazilian bush.

    One of the passengers happened to be an ER doctor, and he administered first aid. A number of the uninjured were said to be hysterical.

    Miami-Dade Fire Department and Airport Fire and Rescue were on the scene. In Miami, five flight attendants went straight into ambulances and one was treated at the airport.

  • | | | |

    Cessna Fireball Crashes in Jennings County Field, 2 Lives Lost

    What: Cessna 177 Cardinal en route from Chicago to Madison Municipal Airport
    Where: S of County Road 600, near Dupont Indiana
    When: Jan 21, 2012 8:41 p.m
    Who: 2 fatalities
    Why: 55 year old Gregory L. Wehr and 55 year old Candace S. Wehr of Versailles, were flying from Chicago, when their Cessna crashed in a Jennings County field.

    A witness saw a big ball of fire fall straight down and explode.

    The NTSB is investigating.

  • | | | | | | |

    Smoked Out Cockpit Claims Pinnacle Flight


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer André Dias de Albuquerque

    What: Delta Airlines/Pinnacle Airlines Canadair CRJ-440 en route from New York JFK,NY to Lewisburg,WV
    Where: New York
    When: Jan 21st 2012, 3:00 pm
    Who: 4 passengers and 3 crew
    Why: On takeoff from JFK, the cockpit developed smoke.

    Pilots put on their oxygen masks and reported smoke in the cockpit. ATC had to negotiate the flight’s return with other flights coming and going, but managed to get them back on the ground about twelve minutes after takeoff.

    By the time maintenance examined the plane, smoke had dispersed. The smoke is being attributed to fluid burn-off.

    Passengers were provided alternative transportation.

    This week an article in Business Week discussed cost-cutting measures that might be taken by Pinnacle after a 12% decline following the 2009 Colgan Air crash and a $1.89 million fine from the FAA over unfinished flight attendant training.

  • | | |

    Sacramento Bird Strike

    What: United Airlines Boeing 737-800 en route from Sacramento to Houston
    Where: Sacramento
    When: January 21, 2012 6:00 a.m.
    Who: 0 injuries
    Why: On takeoff, the plane suffered a bird strike which damaged an engine. The plane landed, and passengers disembarked. Passengers were provided alternatives, but the United Airlines Boeing is out of commission until repairs can be made.