Locale

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    Contention Grows over Cause of May 2011 Sol Tragedy


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

    What: Sol Linaeas Aereas Saab 340A
    Where: 20 km (12.5 mls) N of Prahuaniyeu, RN Argentina
    When: May 18, 2011
    Who: 3 crew, 19 passengers
    Why: Was it wing icing, a failure of the inlet deicing system or pilot error which caused the May crash which killed 22 people? The plane was flown by pilots John Raffo and Adriano Bolatti.

    The brother of John Raffo, Víctor Raffo cites his brother’s 2400 flight hours, and denies that the crash was the pilot and copilot’s fault. With that many hours under his belt, John knew how to fly, he knew the area, he knew about icing.

    These are the questions which are nagging at experts who disagree over the causes. The investigation is ongoing, but there is disagreement.

    The flight stalled and then lost control, and impacted the ground, apparently due to wing icing. Was the pilot’s flight plan at fault? Was there a lack of situational awareness among the crew? It is all speculation now, until facts are turned up the investigation.

    The pilot’s decision to descend is also being questioned.

    Some say the pilot’s decisions are moot, and that the plane was not in optimal flying condition to begin with, as it had failed two mandatory inspections.

    Portions of the transcription of the pilot’s dialogue have been published, but we have not heard the actual audio. Desde la Asociación de Pilotos de Líneas Aéreas, a pilot association, is threatening action because of transcription inaccuracies, mistakes and misinterpretation. We apologize for any errors, as we can only repost the transcription, as we don’t have the audio.

    The following document is inset in google docs.
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    https://airflightdisaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Untitled.pdf

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    Air France 447 Revisited by Air France 471

    Satellite Image Jul 22nd 00:00Z : NASA
    Satellite Image Jul 22nd 00:00Z : NASA

    What: Air France Airbus A340-300 en route from Caracas Venezuela to Paris
    Where: NW of Point A Pitre Guadeloupe
    When: Jul 22nd 2011
    Why: In an experience that is being compared to Air France Flight 447, in night/instrument conditions, the AF Airbus flew through turbulence (reported by pilots, not on METAR) at 35,000 feet, accelerated (to 0.66 mach), and autopilot quit. Pitch attitude increased to 11 degrees and decelerated. Turbulence reduced, and pilots were able to level off and return the flight to normal parameters.

    Hopefully the events of this flight will inform us of what is going on in the Airbus at high altitude

    In George’s Point of View


    Perhaps this flight recapitulates the events of Air France 447. It certainly seems to. Because of what history shows us, I wonder if there was a repeat of faulty input from the pitot tubes. The pilots, in this case managed to regain control of the plane. (I doubt if there is an airbus pilot now who hasn’t studied the events of AF447 and worked out some kind emergency response.)

    Pilots blame the equipment. The BEA blames the pilots. Air France blames the instruments.

    When the dust settles and the finger-pointing stops, we want those involved to stop blaming, and start taking responsibility.

  • | | | | |

    Blackburn Canyon Cessna Crash, Tehachapi Wildfire


    What: Cessna 210
    Where: Blackburn Canyon, Tehachapi, California
    When: Sept 4, 2011
    Who: 2 aboard, 2 fatalities
    Why: A Cessna that crashed in Blackburn Canyon, Tehachapi, California killed both people aboard the flight and ignited a fire that caused the evacuation of hundreds of homes south of Bakersfield. Two were confirmed dead in the crash, and it has not (yet) been confirmed if there were more than 2 aboard.

    As of Monday, the number of evacuations had grown from 100 to 650 to about 1,500 homes homes. The threatened area was the mountains around the crash and a seven square mile burn area, all threatened by a raging forest fire. Firefighters concentrated on creating a fire-break.

    A DC-10 water tanker has been part of the firefighting team, including 600 firefighters and more than a dozen aircraft.

    Tehachapi, with a population of 8,000, has some renown as an area with wind farms. Smaller fires spread to San Bernardino National Forest and rural areas of San Bernardino County.

    The fire has been 95% contained.


    raw video


    Early news report

  • | | | | | | | |

    Hard Landing in Ottawa, Roughing it on United Airlines


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

    What: Trans States Airlines Embraer ERJ-145/United Airlines en route from Chicago to Ottawa
    Where: Ottawa International Airport
    When: Sep. 04 2011
    Who: 44 passengers, 3 crew
    Why: On landing in Ottawa, the plane slid, and veered off the side of the runway, with collapsed main gear struts.

    On Apr 28th 2011, an Embraer ERJ-145 landed in Moscow with collapsed main gear.

    Last year, another plane with the same airline also skidded off the runway into soft ground.

    Sunday’s passengers describe coming down from a dark cloud to land in rain.

    The landing is under investigation.

    In George’s Point of View

    I do not know if this runway is incorrectly graded for drainage, or if the ERJ-145 has a special problem with main gear struts or struts in hard landings.

    I do know I fly 100,000 miles on United in order to keep my status as a 1K member.

    I do not know if the maintenance of the aircraft is as terrible as the typical maintenance of United plane interiors. If so, then we have huge problems. The refurbished planes of two years ago already look worn out. The galleys are grimy looking the toilets are terrible.

    I could say bad things about the food, the lav hot water is not hot enough to meet standards required by most states for food workers, (where I have never seen Waterless Hand Sanitizers and for sure, NEVER have seen a food preparer or server wear gloves.)

    Is United maintenance absolutely out of control? Maybe this stretches to other airlines, economizing on staff and maintenance due to the times.

    I fly Delta, American, Virgin, they have some of the same issues, but, I see these problems in the United flights, no matter which direction I am headed.

    Who knows yet if this incident is runway or plane, pilot training or just an old plane that needs better maintenance. But whatever truths the investigation reveals, the fact remains that no one steps up to the plate until something bad happens.

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    Mahan Flight W5-613 Emergency Landing in Iran


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

    What: Mahan Airbus A300-600 en route from Tehran to Mashad
    Where: Mashad
    When: Sep 4th 2011
    Who: 230 passengers
    Why: The hard landing of Mahan flight W5-613 blew out the nose wheel tires, causing the flight to skid off the runway on collapsed nose gear.

    Slides were used to evacuate the flight, injuring eleven in the process, all of whom initially went to the hospital. Three were retained with serious injuries.

    Expediency Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaii was among the injured.

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    Slippery Turkish Airlines Airbus On Skids in Mumbai


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

    What: Turkish Airlines Airbus A340-300 en route from Istanbul Turkey to Mumbai India
    Where: Mumbai
    When: Sep 2nd 2011
    Who: 93 passengers and 11 crew
    Why: After a fast landing in Mumbai on a slippery runway, the plane skidded off the runway onto mud, where it still sits.

    Passengers were provided an alternative flight. Photos of the jet on the runway show emergency slides. No injuries were published. The incident is under investigation.

    VABB 012310Z 19005KT 1200 R27/1400 RA FEW012 SCT015 FEW030CB BKN090 25/25 Q0999 TEMPO 0800 +SHRA
    VABB 012210Z 19005KT 2100 HZ FEW012 SCT015 FEW030CB BKN090 26/26 Q0998 TEMPO 1500 SHRA

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    Relief Flight Lost in High Wind, Samaritans Lost At Sea

    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.

    The plane went down off the coast of the island. Four hours after takeoff, the flight lost contact with ATC.

    No survivors have been found but some wreckage has been recovered.

    This was TVN’s second flight in support of the Desafío Levantamos Chile (rebuilding project.)

    Television personality 44 year old Felipe Camiroaga was aboard the plane to document reconstruction of Juan Fernandez island after the Feb. 27 magnitude-8.8 earthquake and tsunami. Business man Felipe Cubillos (brother-in-law of the defense minister ) was also aboard the plane.

    Rescue teams found an intact door and several knapsacks in the water about 2,000 meters yards from the airport.

    Those aboard the plane were:
    Televisión Nacional de Chile: Felipe Camiroaga, Roberto Bruce, Sylvia Slier, Carolina Gatica y Rodrigo Cabezón.

    From Desafío Levantemos Chile: Felipe Cubillos, Sebastian Correa, Joel Lizama, Catalina Vela Montero, Jorge Palma y Joaquín Arnold.

    Consejo de Cultura: Galia Carolina Díaz Riffo y Romina Isabel Irarrázabal Faggiani.

    Chilean air force: group commander from the Department of Communications, Rodrigo Fernández, and department journalist, José Cifuentes.

    From the crew: Hero 26-year-old pilot Carolina Fernández Flavio Olivo, Juan Pablo Mallea, first sergeant Eduardo Jones, Eduardo Estrada and Erwin Núñez.

    A navy frigate and a Hercules C-130 are among the search and rescue vehicles.

    In George’s Point of View

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    Atlantic Southwest Wing Collapse After Failed Left Landing Gear


    What: Atlantic/Southwest Airlines Bombardier CRJ-200 en route from Atlanta to Baton Rouge
    Where: Baton Rouge Metro Airport
    When: September 1 2011, 4:35 pm
    Who: 50 passengers, 3 crew
    Why: Outside of Baton Rouge, the crew notified ATC of problems with the left wheel assembly, and circled over Baton Rouge. Fifteen minutes from the airport, the crew announced the emergency to passengers.

    Passengers were warned to exit immediately on landing.

    The pilot made an emergency landing in Baton Rouge with emergency services from metro Baton Rouge and Airport on standby.

    On touchdown, the left wing collapsed. Passengers exited promptly as the plane filled up with smoke. Airport spokesman Jim Caldwell said that there were no injuries.

    This was not the first problem the passengers encountered. They had boarded this plane in Atlanta after leaving another plane that encountered mechanical problems.

  • | |

    Kerala High Court Reverses on Mangalore Crash

    In George’s Point of View


    The Kerala High Court ruled that the Air India need not pay the compensation amount of Rs 75 lakhs each to the victims of the Mangalore plane crash. The Division Bench gave the order in the appeal given by the Air India against the earlier Single Bench rule to pay the amount. The order references the Montreal Treaty.

    I am not surprised. When I first heard the original judgement, it was my layperson opinion that the high court would not let stand the order of the lower court to pass out 75 lakhs to each passenger.

    In my personal opinion the Judge who made that order didn’t read the Montreal treaty very well. In order for the family to collect the equivalent of 100,000 SDRS (about $160,000 U.S.), they must present provable damages and if they do, under the treaty, Tier I, the operator (Air India) cannot dispute or contest paying that amount. The Judge must have overlooked that the 100,000 SDRS is not the minimum required under the treaty, it is the maximum. So when the Judge ordered 75 lakhs to be paid, his order basically was overruling the treaty requirement of proving the damages.

    No, I was not surprised and neither were the attorneys I consult with. If no treaty existed limiting the liability of the operator, then the order from a Judge would have probably stayed in place.

    But that was not the case.

    The Montreal Treaty has two tiers. The above discussion explains tier one. The Tier II provision almost certainly removes the cap entirely, because of where the burden of proof lies.

    As long as the Montreal Treaty is being held as a rule, families should know that in most cases as per the treaty, the value of the case could be much higher than 75 lakhs, pursuant to Tier II of the Montreal Treaty. I know, I know….I’m not a lawyer but I know how it works from experience over the many years I have been working with wrongful death cases, and based on the experience my aviation experts have graciously passed on to me.

    Here is the explanation, as simply as I can explain it:

    If you can prove provable damages, then Tier II (referred to in Article 21(2) of the Montreal Convention) Air India Express is liable to families/passengers for all personal injury or wrongful death damages exceeding 100,000 Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), unless the carrier(s) can prove that the injuries or deaths were not due to the negligence or other wrongful act or omission of the carrier or it servants or agents. OR the injuries or deaths were solely due to the negligence or other wrongful act or omission of a third party.

    The carrier will never prove this and the burden of proof is on them. If I am correct, and know the experts who have taught me, are correct…

    Air India Express is liable to the victims families for all damages under the applicable law, including but not limited to, pain & suffering of loved ones prior to death.

    Air India Express is liable for pain and suffering of the survivors and heirs of the victims.

    Air India Express is liable for the loss of support, i.e., money.

    Air India is liable for the loss and enjoyment of life of the victim.

    I could go on but I will stop here, and caution the families to please be very careful. The families should not give up all that there may be coming in return for even a payment of the 75 lakhs that this new ruling states the company no longer has to pay. If they actually get around to offering it, to get it, it means the families have to give up all rights to future claims.

    I would tell the families this:

    Put up a fight. Your loved one is never coming back, no matter how much they pay you, but, I’m sure he/she would want you to collect the absolute maximum possible. As a passenger, your loved one paid a fare, and no matter what caused that crash, your loved one is FAULT FREE. Legally, the operator must pay.

    Consult a lawyer, an expert in aviation, I beg you to please do not try to do it yourself.

    I fly over 250,000 miles a year, and I wouldn’t want my family to try and do it alone if I were a victim.

    * I am not a lawyer, and this is not legal advice.

    http://twocircles.net

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    Cerritos: Aeromexico Shattered Lives

    In George’s Point of View

    It is a strange, sad phenomenon how tragedies live on.

    On August 31, 1986, a Piper and a Douglas DC-9-32 collided over Cerritos California. The Piper, carrying the pilot and two passengers was going from Torrence to Big Bear. They departed Torrence at 11:46. The DC-9 from Mexico City was approaching Los Angeles with 58 passengers and 6 crew aboard. At 11:52 am, the DC-9’s left horizontal stabilizer sheared through the Piper’s cockpit like a can-opener.

    The Piper crashed in the Cerritos Elementary School playground; the DC-9 in a Cerritos neighborhood destroying five houses, damaging seven more and killing an additional 15 on the ground.

    Descriptions of the collision still fill me with horror.

    The accident predates some of the precautionary measures we have now. Now, the Piper would have a Mode C transponder, which would indicate that it was too high, breeching LAX Terminal Control area; LAX was not at that time equipped with automatic warning systems.

    It has been twenty-five years since that accident happened. A memorial ceremony now is being held commemorating the tragedy in the Cerritos Sculpture Garden, and another in Loreto, Mexico. The tragedy is being remembered by at least 30 US families, 20 Mexican families, in at least one home in Colombia, and one in El Salvador. It is being remembered in the neighborhood the wreckage demolished, where families neither need nor want a plaque to remind them of their loss.

    There is a reminder of this crash in every light plane, and every jet. In fact, everyone who flies now, everyone who has flown and not died in a crash owes a debt to the victims of this senseless tragedy, because this was the event that spurred the FAA to require “Mode C” transponders that could report three-dimensional positioning on light aircraft. This was the event that spurred the FAA to require TCAS on airliners.

    I still live to breathe the smoggy air of Los Angeles. And as long as I still have the breath of life, I will remember the day when these 82 souls breathed their last.

    Aviation tragedies shatters lives like broken glass, and there is no lawsuit, no settlement, no “all the kings horses, nor all the kings men” who can ever put families back together again.

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    Jet Blue Emergency Landing in Fort Lauderdale


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

    What: Jetblue Embraer ERJ-190 en route from Fort Lauderdale to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
    Where: Fort Lauderdale
    When: Aug 29th 2011
    Why: After takeoff, the plane lost cabin pressure.

    Although they did not declare emergency, the crew did alert ATC, and descended to a safe altitude before returning to the Fort Lauderdale airport.

    Passengers were provided an alternative flight with an alternative jet flown in.

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    5-50 (?) Passengers Injured in Pia Turbulence


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

    What: PIA Pakistan International Airlines Boeing 747-300 en route from Jeddah Saudi Arabia to Lahore Pakistan
    Where: Lahore Pakistan
    When: Aug 30th 2011
    Who: 5 injured
    Why: On approach to Lahore, the flight encountered turbulence.

    Five passengers were injured during the turbulence. The flight made a normal (safe) landing. Published reports say the five injured passengers were not transported to the hospital, and that they were transported to the hospital.

    Pia spokesmen say the injured ignored the seat belt instructions. (We believe this.)

    The report that said there were 50 injured said they refused medical treatment.

    Some received treatment at the airport.

    The report that said there were 5 injured said they went to the hospital.

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    Gulf Air Airbus Skids into Mud On landing in Kochi.

    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: On landing in gusty wind and severe rain at Cochin International Airport, the plane skidded to the right and slid ten meters from the pavement into mud. The nose was damaged, and according to some reports, interfered with the operation of the slides; some slides were brought to the plane. Those who were injured were the ones who jumped. Said Muhamad, 47, sustained a fractured right ankle, left rib and left elbow and is recovering at Little Flower Hospital.

    One report says flight 270 hit an air pocket and overshot (or landed too far down) the runway. It may have been simple turbulence.The approach appears to have been too fast on the slick runway. No mention has been made of the runway surface, or if the runway had been resurfaced.

    According to Said Muhamad, the flight crew apparently did not adequately direct passengers, or explain what was going on, which may be why he did not wait for slides, and just jumped off the plane.

    The Metars:
    VOCI 282300Z 00000KT 4000 HZ FEW005 SCT015 OVC080 26/24 Q1008 NOSIG
    VOCI 282130Z 29005KT 3000 HZ SCT010 SCT080 26/24 Q1008 NOSIG

    Passengers disembarked quickly after it appeared (to them) that the pilot had lost control. Evacuation occurred promptly, after “Mayday!” “Evacuation!” was shouted in the plane’s cabin.

    Reports conflict as to the success of the emergency slides which did not apparently deploy perfectly, and some people jumped from the plane. There were 8 injured, one with extreme fractures.

    Evacuation was reported to be in more than twenty seconds. (though I interpret that to mean that the evacuation began within twenty seconds of landing—one can hardly picture 137 passengers and six crew members making it out of a disabled plane within twenty seconds.)

    The interior of the plane smelled like some kind of fumes, and the pilot was described as being in shock.

    Although the English video says otherwise, the flight originated In Bahrain, and landed in Kochi.

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    Lifenet Medical Evacuation Chopper Down in Missouri, Four Fatalities

    What: Air Methods Corp Eurocopter AS-350 en route from a hospital in St. Joseph, MO
    Where: a field a mile north of Midwest National Air Center. Missouri
    When: April 26, 2011, 7 pm
    Who: 3 crew and one patient
    Why: The St. Joseph Missouri medical chopper was on the way to Liberty Kansas about to refuel at Midwest National Air Center in Mosby when it went down in a Clay County field. There is no indication what went wrong that caused the crash and skies were reported to be clear. The wreckage is reported to be mangled. According to the video below the wreck might have been a failed landing, hitting the skids, then flipping.

    There were no survivors. The crew lost in the crash were Randy Bever, Flight Nurse, 47, of Savannah, Mo., Chris Frakes, Flight Paramedic, 36, of Savannah, Mo. and James Freudenberg, Pilot, 34, of Rapid City, Sd.

    The name of the 58-year-old female passenger has not yet been released.

    The helicopter was certified in 2005, good until 2013. Key Equipment Finance Inc. out of Boulder, CO.holds the lien and it was being operated by LifeNet, a subsidiary of Air Methods Inc. of Englewood, CO.

    The NTSB is investigating.

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    Jet Blue Hydraulic Failure over Orlando


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Hector A Rivera-

    What: Jetblue Embraer ERJ-190 en route from Stewart International Airport, Windsor ,NY to Orlando,FL
    Where: Orlando
    When: Aug 23rd 2011
    Who: 95 aboard
    Why: While en route, a hydraulic system failed.

    With brake failure pending prior to landing, the crew requested emergency services, which was on standby as the Jet landed in Orlando.

    The flight made a safe landing, and was towed off the runway.

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    First Air Jet Crash Update


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

    What: First Air Boeing 737-210C en route from Yellow Knife to Resolute
    Where: near Resolute Airport, Nunavut, Canada
    When: August 20, 2011
    Who: 4 crew, 11 passengers, 12 fatalities
    Why: After the First Air jet was on final instrument landing system approach to 35T but failed to update its position.

    The fog obscured its location, but shortly afterwards, lifting fog revealed the burning wreckage broken into three pieces, and the scattered 2,250 kilograms of food the flight was carrying. That food has been of interest to hungry polar bears, and a trial to forensic crews protecting the evidence.

    Remains of the passengers have been recovered. Eleven individuals were flown to Ottowa for identification. The black boxes have been recovered and taken to an Ottawa lab.

    The Air Line Pilots Association has been declared an official observer of the crash.

    Note: CFIT is a “Controlled flight into terrain,” an accident in which an airworthy aircraft under pilot control is unintentionally flown into an obstacle.

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    Student Pilot in Palo Alto Lesson Scare

    What: single engine Beechcraft Musketeer on student flight
    Where: East Palo Alto’s Ravenswood Open Space Preserve
    When: 08/23/2011, 9:30 am
    Who: instructor and student pilot
    Why: While practicing touch and go maneuvers at Palo Alto Airport, the plane’s engine failed.

    When the engine failed, the plane went down in the Ravenswood Open Space Preserve. A plane crashed there in Feb of 2010, which shook the neighborhood, but many locals were unaware of when this incident happened. This was an emergency landing, although the plane went off course after glancing against a tree.

    Both Instructor Jassen Todorov and student pilot David Shoemaker survived.

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    Kelona Flightcraft Makes Hot Landing with Wrong Engine On Fire


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

    What: Kelowna Flightcraft Boeing 727-200 en route from Edmonton,AB to Hamilton,ON
    Where: Edmonton Canada
    When: Aug 19th 2011
    Who: flight crew on freight flight
    Why: After takeoff, the crew got an indication that one engine was hot.

    The crew shut down the engine before fire suppression engaged.

    They returned to Edmonton and made a safe landing, if a landing can be called safe with flames shooting out of an engine.

    The emergency crews dealt with the engine that had been reported on fire, but actually it was another engine entirely which had been the source of the flames.

    We aren’t entirely sure whose wires were crossed, the flight system or a human reading the flight system. What matters for the time being, is that there were no injuries. It will be interesting hearing how the investigation goes on this.

  • | |

    Cairns aviation Wins Australian Approval


    A Cairns-based aviation maintenance and repair organisation has become the first in Australia to be granted an approval under new air safety regulations.

    Hawker Pacific Airline Support Services now has approval to operate under new maintenance regulations introduced in June 2011.

    These regulations cover the maintenance of regular public transport aircraft and aeronautical products.

    CASA’s Director of Aviation Safety, John McCormick, has presented Hawker Pacific Airline Support Services with their new Civil Aviation Safety Regulations Part 145 approval certificate.

    The presentation was made in Cairns on Wednesday 24 August 2011.

    “The finalisation of the first approval under the new maintenance regulations is a major milestone for Australian aviation,” Mr McCormick said.

    “Between now and June 2013 a total of 250 maintenance organisations will move across to operate under the new Part 145 regulations.

    “They will all benefit from operating within a regulatory framework that enhances safety, offers increased flexibility and aligns with international practices.

    “The regulations enhance safety because they introduce requirements for safety management systems and human factors training into the maintenance sector for the first time. The new rules are also clearer, which will improve compliance with safety standards.

    “Hawker Pacific Airline Support Services has undertaken a lot of work to win this approval and CASA carefully reviewed their documentation and carried out on site inspections.

    “I congratulate Hawker Pacific Airline Support Services for being the first to be granted an approval under Part 145 of the maintenance regulations and look forward to the smooth transition of all the other relevant maintenance organisations by the middle of 2013.”

    Hawker Pacific Airline Support Services carries out maintenance of Bombardier DHC-8 and Embraer 120 aircraft in Cairns.

    The new maintenance regulations introduced under Part 145 only cover the maintenance of regular public transport aircraft and aeronautical products fitted to those aircraft. CASA will develop new maintenance regulations for other sectors of aviation after further consultation with the industry.

    New regulations covering Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers and maintenance training organisations were also introduced in June 2011.


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    ATC Catches Runway Incursion, China Airbus Possible Collision


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

    What: China Airlines Airbus A330-300 en route from Taipei to Hong Kong
    Where: Taipei
    When: Aug 19th 201
    Who: 288 passengers
    Why: As the China Airlines Airbus was accelerating for takeoff, a private jet was also taxiing on to the same runway after landing. ATC caught the runway incursion and prevented an inevitable collision, and held the China Airlines Airbus flight, delaying the takeoff by an hour.

    The pilots of the South Africa registered aircraft reported they had been instructed to taxi taxiway NC to the end. At a crossing, they requested direction and were told to turn right onto taxiway NC. They made an error based on unclear signage turning back on to the runway instead of to the taxiway.

    In George’s Point of View


    Heya

    Just another everyday incursion.

    Ok, someone needs to commend Taipei ATC on a pretty stupendous catch. From this side of the screen, it looks like this was a practically inevitable disaster.

    And do I have to say that someone needs to fix the signs? Something needs to be amended there so that even pilots unfamiliar with the airport can see which is the on ramp and which is the off ramp.

    I’m just saying.

    Good job, ATC.

    Satellite view:

    View airport PDF

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    Petrobra Oil Field Chopper Crashes off Coastal Brazil


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

    What: Senior Táxi Aéreo Agusta Westland AW139 from oil platform to Rio de Janeiro
    Where: in the Campos Basin, Rio de Janeiro
    When: August 19, 2011, 17:15
    Who: 4 aboard, 4 fatalities
    Why: On Friday afternoon, the chopper charted to Brazilian oil major Petrobras set out from the PetrobrasP-65 platform en route to Macaé.

    While miles from shore, the crew declared emergency, and went down 100 km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. Contact with the chopper was lost at 17:00 local time.

    A Bandeirante Patrol plane and two search Brazilian military aircraft, the 4th Squadron of the 7th Aviation Group, a H-34 Super Puma helicopter, and the 3rd Squadron of the 8th Aviation Group initiated a search for the downed Senior Táxi helicopter. In all, there were five aircraft, a helicopter and four ships, including a Guajará Navy patrol vessel and a Lynx helicopter on standby in the area.

    After two days of searching in rough seas, three bodies were found on the ocean floor 100 meters down and 62 miles from the coast. One body is still somewhere in the ocean.

    The fatalities are listed as Rommel Oliveira Garcia, pilot, Lauro Pinto Haytzann, co-pilot, both employees of Senior Air Taxis, and passengers Ricardo Leal de Oliveira from the company Engevix, and Joao Carlos Pereira da Silva, the Brasitest inspector.

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    Emergency Diversion and Tire trouble

    What: American Airlines Boeing 757-200 en route from Lousiville to Los Angeles
    Where: Los Angeles
    When: Aug 21st 2011
    Who: 197 aboard
    Why: This was a double trouble flight, en route from Boston to Los Angeles, when they had to divert to Louisville when a passenger had an emergency. After three hours in Louisville, the plane was back in the air. However, on approach to LAX, the crew experienced gear problems and performed a flyby.

    Tower observers noted a main gear tire was missing.

    The crew continued to make a safe landing, with the tireless gear shooting sparks. There were no injuries reported.

    But…where’s the tire?

  • | | |

    False Cargo Fire leads to False Start over San Jose Cabo

    What: VivaAerobus Boeing 737-300 en route from San Jose Cabo to Monterrey
    Where: San Jose Cabo
    When: Aug 21st 2011
    Why: On takeoff, flight systems indicated there was a cargo fire.

    The flight returned to San Jose Cabo where it made a safe landing. Examination proved there was no fire, and the flight was delayed, but continued on to Monterrey.