What: Jetlite Boeing 737-700 en route from Ranchi to Mumbai
Where: Nagpur
When: Nov 13th 2011
Who:
Why: The flight was en route when it developed engine problems.
Pilots diverted to Nagpur where they made a safe landing.
Passengers were provided alternative flights.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Mark Kopczak
What: Delta Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-88 en route from Atlanta to Charlotte
Where: Atlanta
When: Nov 10th 2011
Why: Delta flight took off normally but once in the air, the engine seems to have caught fire (according to passengers who heard an explosion and saw sparks.) No fire was officially reported.
The right hand engine poured smoke into the cabin but no fire.
Pilots were able to gain altitude to turn minus one engine, and to make a safe landing in Atlanta. Passengers disembarked, and were provided pizza and alternative flights. At least one passenger would have preferred alcohol to pizza.
What: Fuerza Aerea Mexicana Aérospatiale AS 332L Super Puma
Where: Temamatla , Edo de Mexico
When: Nov 11, 2011, around noon
Who: 9 aboard, 9 fatalities
Why: A Mexican government helicopter en route from Mexico City to Cuernavaca carrying 9 passengers crashed, killing everyone aboard.
Those aboard included José Francisco Blake Mora, Secretary of the Interior, Felipe Zamora Castro, Legal Affairs and Secretary of the Interior Ministry DH, Jose Alfredo Garcia Medina, director of social communication Interior Ministry, Diana Miriam Hayton Sanchez, technical secretary of the office, and Major Rene de Leon, Lt. Col. Philip Bacio Cortes, Jorge Luis Juarez Gomez, Ramon Escobar Segundo and Pedro Teninete Becerra.
The chopper was en route to a prosecutors meeting. It went down in heavy cloud cover, so weather is considered to be a factor. Mexico’s No. 2 official, Francisco Blake Mora, who embodied Mexican government’s get-tough attitude, is one of the victims of the crash. Mora been a key figure in Mexico’s battle with drug cartels and he oversaw disaster response, like the pipeline explosion in San Martin Texmelucan in 2010. He is the 2nd interior secretary in this administration to die in an air accident.
What: Rented Robinson R22 recreational chopper
Where: Palm Beach
When: Nov 5, 2011
Who: 1 pilot, 1 passenger
Why: The rented recreational chopper struck palm trees and power lines, then clipped the house, landing in the front yard. No fatalities. The damage to the chopper is described as substantial.
Of the 58 Brazilians aboard the notorious Rio-Paris Air France Flight 447, 18 have been found and identified.
Of the 153 victims, 74 reside on the ocean floor. Some of those may be the 40 lost Brazilians.
During the recovery process, some families chose not to disturb the remains. Some of the bodies were simply lost at sea.
There is still a lot of finger-pointing going on. Whatever the cause, Air France Flight 447 stalled and crashed in bad weather, killing 153.
152 died in that crash in July of 2010, nearly a year and a half ago, and the report has still not been released.
Whatever the errors were that occurred, the report should have been released by now, especially after Air Blue made several commitments to release dates of that report. Full disclosure of accident reports is really the only way to learn from the past, and prevent future incidents. Also, it is unnecessarily cruel to keep families of the victims waiting, some of whom who are engaged in lawsuits whose results won’t be determined until after the reports are released.
Airblue’s CEO did not appear in court, even though his presence was specifically requested by the court. A lawyer, Masood A Khan, appeared in his stead and requested more time.
What: Blue Hawaiian Helicopters Eurocopter EC130 B4 helicopter departing from Kahului
Where: Kaunakakai, Molokai island, Hawaii
When: November 9, 2011 at 12:30 pm
Who: pilot Nathan Cline, 30, of Kihei and 4 tourists
Why: While on a 45 minute tour of West Hawaii, the chopper crashed into a mountain. The accident occurred on Wednesday, less than a mile from Kilohana Elementary School, right after a hard rain. At the school, students heard an explosion and saw black smoke when the chopper crashed.
The pilot and four tourists died at the scene. Although the investigation is ongoing, according to at least one published report, the NTSB said that the pilot failed to maintain enough altitude over the terrain amid low-lying clouds.
Two of the passengers were newlyweds, and they came from Pennsylvania and Ontario Canada.
Blue Hawaiian, which conducts 160,000 tours yearly, leased the year old chopper from Nevada Helicopter Leasing LLC.
Four bodies have been recovered. The fifth has been located, but is in a difficult location.
What: Air-India flight from New Delhi to Gaya
Where: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International airport
When: Nov 10, 2011
Who: 119 passengers
Why: After developing hydraulic problems, the flight landed in Kolkata at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International airport.
The plane is being repaired. Passengers were provided alternative flights.
What: South African Airlink Avro RJ-85 en route from Johannesburg to Pietermaritzburg South Africa
Where: Johannesburg
When: Nov 10th 2011 9:20 pm
Who: 73 passengers and 4 crew
Why: Just after takeoff from Johannesburg, the flight developed nose gear trouble. When the pilots returned to the airport, the nose gear did not come down, which was verified on a flyby.
While burning off fuel for two hours, pilots attempted to extend the nose gear, and when attempts failed, had to land without nose gear on the plane’s belly. Passengers evacuated on to the runway at the airport of origin, OR Tambo International, after the three hour flight.
There were no injuries.
What: Continental Airlines Boeing 777-200 en route from Tel Aviv to Newark,NJ
Where: Tel Aviv
When: Nov 9th 2011
Who: 280 aboard
Why: When smoke was reported as coming from the baggage compartment, the pilots returned to Ben-Gurion International Airport and made a safe landing.
45 ambulances and 17 mobile units were on the scene of the emergency landing.
The origin of the smoke turned out to be an oven in the aft galley.
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Contact photographer AirSpeed
What: LAN Airlines Airbus A320-200 en route from Santiago Chile to Cordoba Argentina
Where: Andes
When: Nov 8th 2011
Who: 2 injured
Why: The flight from Santiago to Cordoba encountered turbulence over the Andes.
In a mountainous area, wind strikes the mountain causing updrafts and downdrafts. The turbulence the flight ran into occurred in an area where turbulence is frequent, and where the seatbelts are required.
On landing, the two injured parties were hospitalized with concussions.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Xu Zheng
What: China Eastern Yunnan Airlines Canadair CRJ-200 en route from Nanning China to Yangon Myanmar
Where: Kumming China
When: Nov 5th 2011
Why: Just after takeoff, the crew observed problems with the main gears.
The flight diverted to China Eastern Yunnan’s base in Kunming China where they made a safe landing.
What: Euro Copter EC 130 helicopter en route from Fort Wayne, Indiana to Indianapolis
Where: Noblesville Hanbury Manor Boulevard near the Sagamore Golf Course
When: Nov 3, 2011
Who: pilot and 5 passengers
Why: The pilot made a public statement that he was piloting his chopper and encountered severe weather. He made an emergency landing described as “controlled” in an Indiana corn field.
After landing, when everyone aboard had vacated, the chopper caught fire. There were no injuries.
The incident is under investigation by the NTSB and the FAA.
What: Hendrick Gulfstream G150 en route to Key West
Where: Key West
When: Nov 1, 2011 7:58
Who: Rick and Laura Hendric, pilot and copilot
Why: On landing in Key West, the plane had no brakes and skidded off the safety area. Those on board had minor injuries and were taken to Lower Keys Medical Center. Rick Hendrick suffered a broken rib and shoulder.
The NTSB is investigating.
We doublechecked this news item, to make certain it was not a reposting of the 2004 crash that tragically took the lives of ten of the Hendrick team and family.
What: Saha Air Boeing 707-300 en route from Chabahar to Tehran Iran
Where: Chabahar
When: Nov 3rd 2011
Who: 77 passengers
Why: After taking off from Chabahar, the plane developed an oil leak in engine 2.
Pilots returned to Chabahar and made a safe landing. A replacement flight was provided.
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Contact photographer
What: Bukovyna Aviation McDonnell Douglas MD-88 on behalf of Taban Air en route from Mashad to Hamedan Iran
Where: Mashad
When: Nov 2nd 2011
Who: unknown
Why: After takeoff, the flight developed problems with the left engine.
The pilots returned to Mashad and made a safe landing.
What: ATA Flight School Cessna
Where: Pompano Beach Air Park
When: November 1, 2011 reported at 5:52 pm
Who: 2 aboard, 2 survivors
Why: A 27 year old instructor Vincent Paul Citrullo and 42 year old student pilot David Bakalar survived a crash at the intersection of Northeast 10th Street and Fifth Avenue in Pompano Beach Florida.
The crash occurred during a ATA Flight School (Pembroke Pines) training flight while the student pilot was flying and losing altitude due to engine trouble. The instructor took the controls, and the plane struck a palm tree and a concrete pole, landing shy of Pompano Beach Air Park. Both were taken to North Broward Medical Center.
Two fire trucks used foam on spilled fuel.
Pilot Vincent Paul Citrullo, a former C130 crew chief and vet, is credited with landing the plane after the throttle became inoperable, and securing their survival, in spite of the plane breaking in half.
What: Indigo Delhi flight-6E 482 en route from Vadodara to Delhi
Where: Vadodara
When: Nov 1, 2011 at 10:30
Why: The Indigo flight en route from Vadodara to Delhi had a bird strike right after takeoff, and had to return to Vadodara. The pilots managed a safe landing on soft tires.
The flight was cancelled, and passengers were provided an alternative plane to take them to Delhi.
What: Turkish Air Force F-4E
Where: Karakaya Village, Konya, Turkey
When: Nov 3, 2011
Who: 2 aboard, 2 fatalities
Why: During a training flight, a turkish fighter jet crashed, killing two pilots.
The Turkish Air Force F-4E fighter jet crashed near Konya.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
What: Sol Lineas Aereas Saab 340A en route from Rosario,SF to Buenos Aires, Argentina
Where: Rosario
When: Nov 2nd 2011
Who: 30 passengers and 3 crew
Why: On takeoff from Rosario, the left engine had to be shut down. The engine had developed an oil leak through a conduit washer which had to be replaced.
The flight returned to the airport and made a safe landing fifteen minutes later.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Bastian Ding
What: Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-312ER en route from Manchester to München-Franz Josef Strauss Airport, Germany
Where: Germany
When: Nov 3, 2011 at 12:14
Who: 158 passengers
Why: Although there were problems presented to ATC in advance, on landing in Munich, the Singapore Airlines Boeing suffered a runway excursion, when it veered right on landing. Landing occurred with reduced visibility and low cloud cover. All three gear were off the runway when the plane stopped. Passengers evacuated with no injuries via stairs brought to the jet.
The three year old jet has General Electric GE90 engines and appears to have suffered no obvious damage.
What: LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 767-300 en route from Newark,NJ (USA) to Warsaw (Poland) with 220 passengers and 11 crew
Where: Warsaw
When: Nov 1st 2011
Who: 220 passengers and 11 crew
Belly landings happen frequently enough that there is a checklist of procedures. What makes it difficult? Visualize how a match works. Then think about that plane landing, full of fuel, scraping on the runway. That’s what makes it difficult.
There are basic procedures that are performed. Consider that a 767-300ER has a total of 24,140 gallons, or 161,800 pounds in two wing tanks at 6,070 gallons (or 40,700 pounds), and a center tank at 12,000 gallons, or 80,400 pounds. ( Landing heavy on wheels would cause a wheel or brake fire.) In a gear up landing, the pilot has to lighten the plane by burning off and/or dumping fuel; and in the meantime, the crew does their best to get the gear to work. If they do not, they have to land with the nose up, on a long runway on fire retardant foam. Of course nothing is certain till the investigation is complete, but in my opinion, the crew did a stellar job. And everyone survived, which is what most matters.
Dumping fuel and spending eighty minutes circling Warsaw would not have been enough to completely burn off fuel. There was still the danger of fire as the flight was landing. Flight and cabin crew took every precaution. The landing appeared picture perfect, sliding smoothy on the fuselage. Inside the plane, the passengers were quietly terrified.
It may be that the pilot’s glider experience was a help. Between you and me, it looks a lot smoother if you watch the videos with the sound off, so you don’t hear metal screaming against pavement.
The airport was well prepared, and crews foamed the runway with flame retardant in advance, and stopped any fires from spreading. There is plenty of footage of sparks and flames from the friction of the weight and force of the fuselage driving forward, and yet it came to rest with remarkably little damage.
The emergency crews did their job. So did the pilots, and so did the flight crew. The flight crew secured the stairs in place as soon as the plane was at a standstill. Passengers could not have moved out of the jet and on to the runway any faster.
It isn’t that common for all the gears to fail, but less common for all of them to fail at the same time. . My pilot-experts tell me that the most likely way for the hydraulics of all three landing gear to fail is total loss of fluid. There’s an alternate system; the alternate system for landing gear performs as a combination of electricity and gravity. You release the electronic locks, and gravity kicks in. I don’t think I have seen a reason given why the alternative system failed, but that would seem to be an electrical problem.
But enough speculation–the investigation will reveal everything. For now it certainly appears that even if the gear system failed, the human system did not.
We hear so many bad things about pilots, and airlines, about the entire industry. Aviation watchdogs were badmouthing the industry yesterday, and will be doing so again tomorrow, but for today, it is refreshing to hear something good. What I am hearing about the expertise of the Polish flight crew and airport is all commendable. LOT, you did well. First Officer Jerzy Szwarc and Captain Wrona, you have made your mark in history with the lives you saved today. The Polish media has been hungry for heroes to balance the April 2010 disaster, and now they have you.
Already there is already a polish jingle that is a play on the pilot’s name, Captain Wrona. Wrona means “crow.”
“Lataj jak orze?, l?duj jak Wrona”
This translates to:
“Fly like an eagle, land like a Crow”
What: Azul Linhas Aereas Embraer ERJ-195 en route from Fortaleza to Teresina,PI Brazil
Where: Timon and Teresina
When: Oct 30th 2011
Why: The pilots flying the Azul Linhas Aereas Embraer ERJ-195 made a perfect landing in Timon.
Unfortunately, their destination was not Timon but Teresina.
They made a 3.1 mile goof, and had to take off and fly the rest of the way to Teresina where they made a second safe landing, this one at the appropriate airport.
Glad to hear that the flight landed and took off safely and landed again.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer powwwiii
What: LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 767-300 en route from Newark,NJ (USA) to Warsaw (Poland) with 220 passengers and 11 crew
Where: Warsaw
When: Nov 1st 2011
Who: 220 passengers and 11 crew
Why: On the first approach to Warsaw, the flight crew aborted the approach. They had gotten an unsafe gear indication for the three gear struts. They spent over an hour trying to amend the problem, but efforts to lower the gear failed, and the failure was confirmed by a visual fly by.
Captain Tadeusz Wrona and First Officer Jerzy Szwarc then nailed a gear up landing, landing on the Boeing’s belly and skidding to a stop. The runway was foamed beforehand to lower potential fire damage.
Below, you can see that a US Airport like Indianapolis (with its “beastmaster”) would handle the flight differently. There is always controversy about landing on a foam-slick runway.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Erezms
What: Elal Boeing 737-800 en route from Tel Aviv Israel to Zurich Switzerland was on approach to Zurich
Where: near Zurich
When: Oct 31st 2011
Why: On approach to Zurich, the right hand engine developed problems. The crew idled the engine, and went on to make a safe landing in Zurich.
