What: Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 en route from Seattle to Oakland Where: Oakland When: Sept 19, 2011 Who: 126 passengers, 6 crew Why: While passengers were winging it from Seattle, a handwritten bomb threat note threatening the Oakland flight was found in an airport bookstore in San Francisco International Airport.
The flight landed at Oakland as planned—twenty minutes early, due to some background aviation networking. The fake crisis brought in some real FBI agents and real bomb sniffing dogs who got everyone out of the plane (and screened); and the plane was sent to an isolated location to (fortunately, not) blow up. No bomb was found.
A false report or threat of a bomb or harmful device is punishable by up to four years in prison, a $2,000 fine plus reimbursement of costs to government.
What: Aero-Trans Corp. DBA North American P-51D-15-NA Mustang (mod.) Where: Reno Stead Airport, Nevada When: 16-SEP-2011 Who: 11 fatalities, 1 aboard (2 on the ground)
Eleven people have died so far in the Reno air show crash:
Pilot Jimmy Leeward
Joseph Wogan, 22, of Arizona;
George and Wendy Hewitt of Fort Mohave, Ariz;
Regina Bynum, 53, of Texas;
Sharon Stewart, 47, of Nevada;
Greg Morcom, 47, from Washington state.
Michael Wogan, 22, of Scottsdale, Ariz.;
Regina Bynum, 53, of San Angelo, Texas.
Craig Salerno
Stewart was a paid staff member at the airshow, and Salerno was a volunteer. Spectator Cherie Elvin is missing, and her husband, two sons, and daughter in law each lost part of a leg.
The names of the seventy injured (and all of the fatalities) have not been released, but there are hundreds of stunning accounts of the accident.
What: TACA Peru Airbus A320-200 en route from Lima to Cuzco Where: Cuzco When: Sep 18th 2011 Who: 90 passengers Why: While en route, the windshield heating system began smoking.
Pilots continued to Cuzco, stepping up the pace, and made a safe landing, with no injuries. Some passengers erroneously believed the turbine in the right wing was on fire.
“sobrecalentamiento en el sistema eléctrico de los parabrisas en la cabina de los pilotos originó humo y activó el proceso de emergencia preventiva“, the problem was due to overheating of the windshield heating system, according to TACA, a problem that was essentially a short circuit.
What: Biman Bangladesh Airlines en route from Dubai to London Where: Amman Jordan When: Sep 18th 2011 Who: 193 passengers Why: Before this flight, the plane had been delayed in Dhaka Bangladesh with an undesignated problem with an engine that delayed the prior flight for three hours.
Then, after taking off from Dubai, the plane developed engine problems.
The pilot diverted the flight to Amman Jordan, where there was a layover as the problem was handled.
What: Biman Bangladesh Airlines DC10 en route to Jeddha and Riyadh Where: Amman Jordan When: Sep 18th 2011 What: Since Thursday, 314 passengers on two DC10 had to wait 40 hours after the (two) Biman Bangladesh Airlines DC10s developed undisclosed problems. After being cleared by immigration,they were held in the airport without food since Saturday. The airlines has been plagued with scheduling issues snowballing after one flight was grounded for hydraulic leaks and another for engine problems. Currently three Biman Bangladesh Airlines are grounded, including a DC-10, a Fokker, and a Boeing 737.
An unsubstantiated rumor is being circulated that within the airlines “a vested group…may have a hand behind [the flight delays] to realize some personal gains.”
The FAA requires airports have a practice drill very three years. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport had a disaster drill last week, practicing saving the 129 passengers and 5 crew (including 100 volunteers and 500 participants) of a simulated Airbus 320 crash.
Emergency responders in the drill included Red Cross, Medical workers from ten hospitals, Police from from Hebron and Elsmere and airport personnel. A triage area was set up, just like in an actual event.
What: Aero-Trans Corp. DBA North American P-51D-15-NA Mustang (mod.) Where: Reno Stead Airport, Nevada When: 16-SEP-2011 Who: 3 fatalities, 1 aboard (2 on the ground) Why: The Reno air race show was the site of unexpected carnage today. The famous movie stunt pilot and racer nosedived near the spectator’s box seats, veering into the tarmacs apron (likely to avoid the crowds.) Witnesses say there was a problem with the tail or elevators. Perhaps the investigation will make it clear.
“The Galloping Ghost” the North American Racer, piloted by Jimmy Leeward crashed in the crowd just before 4:30 p.m. during the National Championship Air Races. In the race, pilots fly an oval path around pylons. Leeward had apparently experienced a technical problem on the third lap which caused the plane to go out of control. It flew up before it nosedived.
Leeward, and two bystanders were killed, and 75 were injured. The grandstand holds 10,000 but 7,500 were in attendance.
Pilot Jimmy Leeward had a reputation of being one of Reno’s best pilots. His highly modified “Galloping Ghost” purportedly lost a elevator tab which made his sad demise inevitable. We don’t always say it in every post, but we always wish deepest heartfelt condolences to the families.
, , and
Statement from the Reno National Championship Air Races
“The National Championship extends their deepest sympathies and condolences to all of the families involved in today’s tragic accident. The Air Races are truly one big family and our thoughts are with all of our aviation family members, immediate and extended. While we can’t confirm the number of casualties or fatalities, local hospitals and emergency response organizations are beginning to release this information.
“At this point, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the communications and investigation of this incident and the representatives from the National Championship Air Races will not be granting any further interviews tonight or early tomorrow morning. We will work with the NTSB to hold a press update at some point tomorrow, though no time has been established. Should the National Championship Air Races have any additional information to release tonight or tomorrow morning, we will issue a statement and post this on our website.
“Those wishing to check on the status of loved ones should call 775.337.5800 or locally dialing 211. We appreciate all of the thoughts and support that have been extended from around the world this evening.”
What: Continental/Expressjet Embraer ERJ-145 en route from Knoxville to Houston Where: Jackson, Mississippi When: Sept 14 2011 Who: 52 passengers on board Why: After takeoff, there was a popping noise in the cabin, and smoke ensued.
The pilots diverted to Jackson where they made a safe landing.
Lebanon’s public works minister announced the investigation report (re: Ethiopian jet that crashed into the Mediterranean in 2010 four minutes after takeoff on Jan. 25, 2010) has been finalized.
Ethiopia Airlines accused Lebanon of failing to provide evidence critical to the investigation. According to the airline, “The Lebanese government had failed to deliver documents, evidence, and data critical to the investigation.”
Ethiopia Airlines said that the report is only in the technical stage, that the analysis has not begin. Therefore the report is not finalized.
What: Força Aérea Nacional Angolana Embraer 120ER Brasilia en route from Albano Machado to Luanda Where: Angola When: Sept 14, 2011 Who: 23 aboard, 17 fatalities Why: An Angolan Air Force Embraer 120 Brasilia crashed while trying to land at Albano Machado Airport in Huambo, Angola and was destroyed. Number of those aboard ranges from 23 to 36.
Media reports say a wheel broke off on landing. Other reports say the plane was flying low and already on fire before it crashed in the Cachingue neighborhood.
There were six survivors, including the pilot and co-pilot. The back of the crashed plane caught on fire, leaving the survivors who were in the front of the plane. Those dead include s Lt Gen Bernardo Leitao Francisco Diogo, and Lt Gen Elias Malungo Bravo da Costa Pedro, and two unidentified women, and two unidentified children.
The plane broke in two on impact. The pilot says the problem was mechanical.
A second accident occurred in Three Bridges, in Lubango, Huila province, killing the pilot of a SU-22.
Newspaper articles in July promised compensation to Air India crash victims, and here it is September, and they’re still arguing about compensation, which is still unpaid.
Perhaps this is partly due to financial circumstances, as independent sources say all Indian airlines are barely keeping afloat, due to competition, low fares and rising wages and fuel expenses,(not to mention corruption, and failed safety efforts) but in the worst shape are Kingfisher Airlines and the state-owned Air India. Liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya who controls Kingfisher, denies rumors of Kingfisher nearing its demise.
In mid-August, the government said it planned to take three months to financially restructure Air India. The turnaround plan is described as a hub-and-spoke route model. Costs will be cut by redeploying staff and unloading real estate.
According to Moody’s any loan to Air India is ‘credit negative’. Air India has incurred heavy losses and has been in the red since its the 2007 merger with Indian Airlines.
In the meantime, who knows when, or how much suffering families will be paid in compensation.
Aleksandr Galimov, the last of the Russian Hockey team had been found after the crash standing in the river, tearing off his burning shirt. He survived the crash but died Monday at the burn clinic, five days after the crash.
The plane struggled to gain altitude on takeoff and crashed about a mile from the end of the runway.
The Yak-42 is an aging Soviet-designed narrow-body aircraft, the frequent focus of safety concerns after a series of problems and crashes.
After the last fatal Yak-42 crash crash of this behemoth is blamed on pilot error, it is my opinion that someone is in denial.
What: Grupo 10, Fuerza Aerea de Chile CASA 212 Aviocar en route from Santiago to isla Juan Fernandez Where: near the Juan Fernandez islands When: Sept 2, 2011 4:58 p.m. Who: 21 aboard, 21 fatalities Why: The Chilean air force plane on a relief flight attempted to land, but the landing was aborted twice as pilots fought hard winds. On the third attempt, the flight disappeared from radar, as witnesses saw it veer left. It was lost at sea.
In addition to the usual sources, Defence Minister Andres Allamand of Chile told the world Chile has turned to a psychic who was on one of the search boats as it looked for 17 bodies missing off of the island believed to have been the setting for the novel Robinson Crusoe by 18th century British author Daniel Defoe, the main island of the Juan Fernandez archipelago.
The local psychic who assisted was Leonor del Carmen Díaz. She drew a map of her “vision” of the accident that revealed to her body of the “plane on the ocean floor with victims’ bodies still strapped in their seat belts inside it.”
WE believe in whatever it takes to find the bodies, and if a Psychic works by all means.
What: Continental Express flight from Knoxville to Houston Where: Jackson- Evers International Airport When: Sep 12, 2011, 11:45 am Who: 52 aboard Why: The flight was en route to Houston when it developed problems including smoke in the cockpit.
The crew heard an audible pop when they began smelling (but not seeing) smoke. The pilots diverted to Jackson- Evers International Airport and made a safe landing. Emergency services were on standby during the landing. THere were no reported injuries.
Repairs were made to the plane and the flight resumed by 12:30 pm.
What: Gulf Air Airbus A320-200 en route from Bahrain to Kochi, India Where: Kochi When: Aug 28th 2011, 3.55 am Who: 137 passengers and 6 crew, 8 injuries Why: In examining this August incident, after doing some runway testing, the DGCA is blaming the accident on a slick runway.
However defects have been found in the plane’s front wheel. And the statement of the DCGA’s opinion also mentions pilot error. So they have released a statement combining pilot error, plane flaws and a bad runway as being behind the runway excursion.
Can a pilot land on a slick runway? What exactly was the pilot’s error in this situation? Does the entire runway have the identical friction coefficient or just the area tested? Runway friction is also going to be affected by the condition of the tires; what was the condition of the tire before it blew? Inquiring minds want to know.
Airport testing at Cochin airport revealed airport friction level.
A C K Nair, director of the Cochin airport made the following defensive statement:
“As per the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) norms the friction coefficients of the runways should not go below 0.34, while the value was 0.61 to 0.86 till recently. On the day of the mishap the average value was hovering between 0.52 and 0.84. The value at the spot where the ill-fated aircraft touched the runway was 0.75 to 0.85. We did another test on September 3 and the value was above 0.5.’
What: Protocole Aviation Douglas DC-8 freight flight from Pointe-Noire to Brazzaville Where: Brazzaville When: Sep 12th 2011 Who: 4 crew Why: En route transporting food from Pointe-Noire to Brazzaville in the Congo, the flight landed hard. A tire burst on landing, resulting in the plane going off the runway.
What: Virgin America Airbus en route from San Francisco to New York City Where: Grand Junction Colorado When: September 8, 2011, 2:00 a.m. Who: 111 passengers and 6 crew Why: While en route, the Virgin America flight experienced problems, described by one passenger as “the engine quit” and by another as “a giant flame from the engine.” While en route, passengers were awakened by a loud noise, and according to one passenger, flight attendants rushed to the cockpit.
Pilots shut the engine down and continued the flight. Individuals with military experience were asked to assist in case of emergency.
(We don’t usually get this much detail, but it is clear that the passengers were terrified. Pilots always say these huge jets with multiple engines are built to fly without one, in case of emergency; but personally I can relate more to the anxiety of the passengers than the confidence of pilots in their machines. Though one has to admit, knowing a pilot confident in his plane is flying is more comforting to a passenger than a pilot who is hysterical.)
Pilots explained the situation to the passengers. Forty minutes later landed safely in Grand Junction.
Passengers were provided hotel accommodation, $150 for another flight, and another flight was provided within ten hours. The incident is under investigation.
What: Nordavia Boeing 737 en route from Arkhangelsk to Antaliya Where: Arkhangelsk When: Sept 9 2011 Who: n/available Why: After takeoff, the plane lost pressurization.
As the plane lost cabin pressure, the pilot turned back to Arkhangelsk and made a safe landing. No injuries were reported.
What: Air India plane en route from Guwahat to Kolkata Where: NSCB International airport When: Sept 9 2011 Who: 105 passengers Why: On approach to the airport, the plane developed issues with the landing gear, and declared an emergency.
Rescue services were on standby as the pilot landed the plane. No injuries were reported.
Minor Vidal, the sole survivor was found in the Amazon jungle. Minor said “I did not eat anything, nothing, just drank my urine when I was thirsty. The first night I slept on the plane and two nights in the jungle. I did not understand why the plane was flying so low. Then there was a heavy blow. I do not remember more. When I awoke, I saw the airplane game, could not move. I stayed in my seat, I was in the back of the plane. The next day [Wednesday], I went and did my blood with an arrow on a shirt to get me. They were all dead. I walked day and night to be found by the patrol.”
Colombian Oscar Valencia, the William Lara Ecuador and Bolivian indigenous leader Eddy Martinez died in the crash. What: Aerocon Swearingen SA-227 Metroliner en route from Santa Cruz to Trinidad Bolivia Where: Trinidad When: Sep 6th 2011 Who: 7 passengers, 2 crew Why: On final approach to Trinidad, the pilots lost contact with ATC.
The instrument approach to the airport requires overflying North and then turning back. (See the airport chart below.)
The last contact was reporting the flight was “in the procedure turn” but the flight did not land on the runway, and went missing in a mountainous area.
Rescuers reached the crash site in the afternoon of Sept 8 and confirmed that there were survivors.
The wreckage of the plane was located 30km north-east of the city of Trinidad, in the Amazon jungle province of Beni. Chacon reported on thursday that a helicopter crew had seen the plane “completely destroyed” in a difficult-to-reach jungle region.
Six bodies were recoverable immediately when the wreckage was found. Two bodies trapped in the wreckage required rescue teams and equipment.
What: PIA Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A310-300 en route from Lahore Pakistan to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Where: Kuala Lumpur When: Sep 7th 2011 Who: 176 passengers Why: While en route, Pakistan International Airlines received an email there was a bomb aboard the flight.
The plane landed safely in Kuala Lumpur. No bomb was found.
What: PIA Pakistan International Airlines Boeing 777-300 en route from Lahore (Pakistan) to Manchester,EN Where: Istanbul When: Sep 7th 2011 Who: 378 passengers Why: While over the black sea, the airline received an email claiming bombs were planed on the flight. The pilots diverted to Istanbul, where the flight was inspected and no bomb was found.
After immediate evacuation, both planes underwent thorough examination.
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.
What: Tatarstan Air/ Yak Service Yakovlev Yak-42 en route from Yaroslavl Russia to Minsk Belarus Where: Yaroslavl When: Sep 7th 2011, 16:05 Who: 37 passengers (including the Lokomotiv Yaroslav Hockey Team) 8 crew Why: The flight took off from Yaroslavl but failed to climb, and struck an antenna outside of the airport, then struck the ground. Tunoshna ATC and other witnesses saw the flight roll (list) left and impact the ground.
Five fire brigades and a group of psychologists are on the scene.
Visibility was above 50km and it was partly cloudy according to local radar.
The plane is broken in two, the fuselage in the Volga river and the tail of the plane on the bank, a thousand feet from the airport. Reports are that the plane hit an antenna and Russian media quoted a flight traffic controller saying that the pilot failed to gain adequate height on takeoff.
Two passengers, flight engineer and the Russian player Alexander Galimov have been hospitalized with severe burns to 90% of their bodies. A third (unnamed) individual also has been hospitalized. Currently all bodies have been recovered. 103 rescue personnel were on hand, and 44 machines, including TSEPP aircraft.
The team was heading to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, where it was to play Thursday against Dinamo Minsk.
The charter flight was operated by Yak-Service Airlines, a Tatarstan Air plane. According to Russian FAA press officer, the plane “went through cursory maintenance service before departure to Yaroslavl and fully complied with all safety standards. The plane was built in 1993 and was certified airworthy until October 1.”
There has been discussion whether RA-42433 or RA-42434 was involved.
Flight crew
Andrei Solomentsev — pilot
Igor Zhivelov — copilot
Nadezhda Maksumova — flight attendant
Vladimir Matyushin — flight engineer
Elena Sarmatova — flight attendant
Elena Shavina — flight attendant
Sergey Zhuravlev — mechanic
Alexander Sizov — flight engineer – survived[21]
Passengers
Defenceman Vitaly Anikeyenko, 24 (Ukraine)
Defenceman Mikhail Balandin, 31 (Russia)
Centre Gennady Churilov, 24 (Russia)
Centre Pavol Demitra, 36 (Slovakia)[12]
Defenceman Robert Dietrich, 25 (Germany)
Right winger Alexander Galimov, 26 (Russia) – survived[13] [14]
Defenceman Marat Kalimulin, 23 (Russia)
Right wing Alexander Kalyanin, 23 (Russia)
Right wing Andrei Kiryukhin, 24 (Russia)
Centre Nikita Klyukin, 21 (Russia)
Goaltender Stefan Liv, 30 (Sweden)[15]
Centre Jan Marek, 31 (Czech Republic)[15]
Left wing Sergei Ostapchuk, 21 (Belarus)
Defenceman Karel Rach?nek, 32 (Czech Republic)[15]
Defenseman Ruslan Salei, 36 (Belarus)[16]
Defenceman Maxim Shuvalov, 18 (Russia)
Defenceman K?rlis Skrasti?š, 37 (Latvia)[17]
Forward Pavel Snurnitsyn, 19 (Russia)
Centre Daniil Sobchenko, 20 (Ukraine)
Left wing Ivan Tkachenko, 31 (Russia)
Defender Pavel Trakhanov, 33 (Russia)
Defenceman Yuri Urychev, 20 (Russia)
Centre Josef Vaší?ek, 30 (Czech Republic)[15]
Left winger Alexander Vasyunov, 23 (Russia)[18]
Goaltender Alexander Vyukhin, 38 (Ukraine)
Left wing Artem Yarchuk, 21 (Russia)
Team staff
Head coach Brad McCrimmon, 52 (Canada)[19] (1989 Stanley Cup champion)
Assistant coach Alexander Karpovtsev, 41 (Russia)[20] (1994 Stanley Cup champion)
Assistant coach Igor Korolev, 41 (Russia)[20]
Yuri Bakhvalov, video operator
Aleksandr Belyayev, equipment manager/massage therapist
Nikolai Krivonosov, fitness coach
Yevgeni Kunnov, massage therapist
Vyacheslav Kuznetsov, massage therapist
Vladimir Piskunov, administrator
Yevgeni Sidorov, coach-analyst
Andrei Zimin, team doctor
The Russian Emergencies Ministry sent out the following letter (loosely translated)
Russian Emergencies Ministry Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Disaster Relief www.mchs.gov.ru
The collapse of the Yak-42 in the Yaroslavl region RE: the fall occurred 07.09.2011g 5.16 Yak-42 (to fire) in the locality Tunosha Yaroslavl region Yaroslavl region (2.5 km northwest of the airport Tunosha) follow the route of “Yaroslavl-Minsk”.
According to preliminary data, on board were 45 people, 37 passengers and 8 crew members. Emergency rescuers recovered the two male survivors. They were taken to the hospital. The accident attracted 103 people and 44 units of machinery, including the Russian Emergencies Ministry – 64 men and 17 units.
Psychologists Main Directorate of Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia in the Yaroslavl region, the group TSEPP Russian Emergencies Ministry sent aircraft, an additional leave of two psychologists from Moscow. Conducted on-site rescue activities. Water extracted from the body 26. Center for emergency psychological care Russian Emergencies Ministry opened a telephone hot the Emergencies Ministry of Russia:
8 (495) 626-37-07
The operator of the jet in question has been under scrutiny over failing to pass safety standards from Russian and European regulators.
What: Aerocon Swearingen SA-227 Metroliner en route from Santa Cruz to Trinidad Bolivia Where: Trinidad When: Sep 6th 2011 Who: 7 passengers, 2 crew Why: On final approach to Trinidad, the pilots lost contact with ATC.
The instrument approach to the airport requires overflying North and then turning back.
The last contact was reporting the flight was “in the procedure turn” but the flight did not land on the runway, and is currently considered to be missing in a mountainous area.
What: Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 en route from Dallas to Little Rock to Baltimore Where: Little Rock Arkansas When: Sept 7 2011, Who: 103 aboard Why: While en route, an overhead light fixture in the Flight 871 cockpit caught on fire.
The crew put out the fire and informed Little Rock Airport ATC to assemble emergency teams as they made an emergency landing in Little Rock.
The plane made a safe landing with no injuries.
An alternative flight was arranged for the next leg of flight to Baltimore.
What: Russian Mikoyan Mig-31 en route from Bolshoye Savinovo Where: Perm, Russia When: Sept 6, 2011 Who: pilot and copilot, 2 fatalities Why: A Flight Data Recorder from the Russian MiG-31 Foxhound fighter jet which took off on a routine training flight and exploded in Perm, Russia, has been found. The flight took off and exploded while still in the air, landed and flipped over, on fire. The explosion is being blamed on an engine malfunction.
In addition to the usual sources, Defence Minister Andres Allamand of Chile told the world Chile has turned to a psychic who was on one of the search boats as it looked for 17 bodies missing off of the island believed to have been the setting for the novel Robinson Crusoe by 18th century British author Daniel Defoe, the main island of the Juan Fernandez archipelago.
Flight crew
