The aircraft was on a scheduled commercial air transport flight from Birmingham to Belfast
City, with the commander, in the left flight deck seat, as pilot flying. It was night, and
although there was no low cloud affecting the airport, the wind at Belfast was a strong
west?south-westerly, gusting up to 48 kt. Before the approach, the commander checked
that his prosthetic lower left arm was securely attached to the yoke clamp which he used to
fly the aircraft, with the latching device in place. But his arm came off, leading to a hard landing.
A Boeing 737-300, operated by Air Contractors, had to make an emergency landing at Cork Airport, Ireland, due to fuel leak suspicion.
The plane, carrying 150 passengers and 5 crew members, was on its way from Belfast, Ireland to Reus, Spain, when the pilot noticed the fuel leakage warning. The plane was then diverted to Cork for making an emergency landing.
Full emergency protocol was deployed at the airport as the plane touched the runway at about 11:45 p.m. on June 24. No one was hurt.
The initial investigation confirmed that there was no fuel leakage; the suspicion arose due to faulty instrument.
The passengers were accommodated in hotels for the night. They resumed their journey next day.
A Boston-bound flight of Aer Lingus had to return and make an emergency landing at Dublin airport, after several crew members fell sick.
Flight EI-139 carrying 280 passengers took off for Boston at about 4.23 p.m. on June 15. According to an airline spokesperson, the decision for emergency landing was made after a number of crew members reported feeling ill.
Medical crews welcomed the Airbus A330 as it touched the ground shortly before 9 p.m. None of the crew needed hospital treatment.
Aer Lingus said the incident is being investigated.
A Citywing flight en route from George Best Belfast City Airport in Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland to the Isle of Man had to return and make an emergency landing due to some technical issues.
The twin propeller aircraft landed without incident on June 6 and all five passengers and two crew members on-board, exited safely.
A spokesman of the Citywing said, “The flight experienced a potential technical issue and in line with safety procedures, the plane was returned to the airport quickly and safely.”
The passengers were booked onto the next flight to their destination.
United Flight UAL101, flying from Manchester to Washington, had to be diverted to Dublin for making an emergency landing on June 1 due to some technical problems related to a generator.
The Boeing 757-200 aircraft had 155 passengers and nine crew members on board.
Following the normal procedure for an emergency landing, the Dublin Airport Fire Service and Dublin Fire Brigade were ready at the runway to handle any emergency situation.
However, a Dublin Airport Authority spokesperson confirmed that the flight landed safely at about 1:17 p.m.
The passengers were accommodated in hotels. A replacement aircraft was arranged for the passengers, which was to depart next morning.
US Airways Flight 715 en route from Venice, Italy to Philadelphia had to be diverted to Dublin Airport, Ireland for making an emergency landing on May 19 because five of its crew members and one passenger fell sick midair.
The Airbus A330-200 had 238 passengers and 12 crew members on board at the time of the incident.
This was the second incident in two weeks when a US Airways flight has been forced to make an emergency landing after its crew members fell sick. Earlier, another US Airways flight on the same route had to be diverted to the same airport in Ireland nine days ago on May 10.
The causes of sickness is not yet known. The sickness symptoms included nausea, watery eyes and dizziness, as per health officials in Ireland.
The US Airways flight US 715 from Venice to Philadelphia, had to make an emergency landing at Dublin Airport after nine of its crew members fell sick due to a mystery bug.
The airbus A330, carrying 185 passengers, was flying over the Atlantic ocean when nine flight crew members reported watering eyes, nausea and dizziness. The pilot then diverted the plane to Dublin where it landed in emergency.
As per Dublin Airport sources, the flight landed at 3pm on May 10. The plane was parked in a remote area and ten ambulances were deployed to handle the patients.
The ill crew members were shifted to Beaumont Hospital where the doctors are evaluating their condition.
According to US airways spokesperson, none of the passengers reported illness. He also said that the airline is making arrangements to accommodate the passengers in other flights.
A United States Navy C130H Hercules had to make emergency landing at Shannon Airport, Ireland, after the crew reported that the fuel was getting leaked from the plane.
The transport plane belonging to US military was returning to the US from Ireland on April 25. The request for emergency landing was made, when it was flying over the Atlantic, around 300 kilometres west of Ireland.
The airport authorities deployed full emergency landing protocol at the airport, with the fire fighters, ambulances and crash crews ready at the scene. The plane safely landed at Shannon Airport at about 4:53 pm.
The plane was immediately taken for inspection and the runway was checked for fuel leakage. The crew later confirmed that the fuel leakage from the plane had stopped.
What: Thomas Cook Boeing 767-300 en route from Manchester to Tenerife Where: Dublin When: Oct 19th 2012 9.40am Who: 325 aboard Why: After taking off from Manchester, the crew reported smoke in the cockpit.
THe pilot diverted to Dublin and made a safe landing with a dozen emergency services units including fire and ambulance on standby.
Passengers disembarked and waited in the terminal for a replacement flight to Tenerife
What: American Airlines Boeing 777 from Chicago to London Where: Shannon Airport When: Oct 2, 2012 Why: American Airlines Flight 98 diverted to Shannon due to an unspecified technical fault. The smell of smoke was detected in the cabin.
Ennis and Shannon fire crews and ambulances were on standby. Passengers disembarked at 1.07pm.
What: American Airlines Boeing 757-200 en route from London to Boston Where: Dublin When: Aug 3rd 2012 Who: 172 aboard Why: The American Airlines flight diverted to Dublin when the plane developed hydraulic problems.
The pilots managed to land safely but without hydraulics had to be towed. Passengers were provided local accommodations.
The incident tied up the airport as planes were diveted until the affected 757 was removed and examined.
What: American Airlines Boeing 767-300 en route from Paris to Dallas Ft. Worth Where: Shannon When: Mar 22nd 2012 Why: While en route and over the Atlantic, the plane developed smoke in the cabin. Apparently there was also a mechanical glitch as well that helped the pilots determine they needed to divert.
Pilots flew the 200 miles back to Shannon where they made a safe but overweight landing less than an hour later. Emergency vehicles were on standby.
The source of the smoke was an oven in the galley.
A replacement jet was provided as N392AN is inspected.
What: Thomas Cook Airlines Airbus A320 en route from Belfast to Tenerife Where: Belfast International Airport When: Feb 8 2012 Who: 175 passengers Why: After developing problems with the gear during takeoff, the pilots returned to Belfast where they circled for an hour and a half before landing back in Belfast.
What: Aer Lingus/Aer Arann Avion de Transport Regional ATR-72-200 en route from Manchester to Shannon Where: Shannon When: Jul 17th 2011 Who: 21 passengers, 4 crew Why: The pilot made a safe landing in turbulence but the front wheel collapsed (on landing or during taxi). The plane veered on to the grass.
Passengers had to disembark on to the runway via stairs and were ported to the gate.
What: Manx2 leased from Flightline Swearingen SA-227BC Metro III en route from Belfast to Cork Where: Cork Airport, Ireland When: Feb 10, 2011 Who: 6 fatalities, 6 hospitalized (12 aboard) 10 passengers, 2 crew Why: The plane was on approach to Runway 17 in fog and low visability. The plane made a go-around. The pilot attempted a second landing on Runway 35. The flight made a second go-around; on the second approach to Runway 17 the aircraft crashed and flipped.
The plane is an 18-seater Fairchild Metroliner leased by Manx 2 with the flight number BPS 7100.
The Spanish pilot and his British co-pilot are among the fatalities; also, Pat Cullinan, a partner in KPMG from Omagh and worked in the Belfast office of the accountancy firm; businessman Brendan McAleese from Co Tyrone, who is is a first cousin of Dr Martin McAleese, husband of President Mary McAleese.
A public announcement said “three men from the North, two men resident elsewhere in the United Kingdom, and a male Spanish national” were killed.
The six survivors (5 men and 1 woman) have been hospitalized at Cork University Hospital.
Irish Authority Statement
1015hrs 10 February 2011: Flight Avia No FLT400C a metroliner SW4 with ten passengers and two crew has crashed at Cork Airport. No details of injuries or fatalities are available. The aircraft made an approach to Runway 17 in low vis conditions (Category 2) and went around and did not land and attempted a second landing on Runway 35. The aircraft then went around a second time and came back for an approach to Runway 17. On the second approach to Runway 17 the aircraft crashed adjacent to Taxiway C. Rescue and Fire crew are in attendance. There is a fire and debris has been scattered onto the runway and over a wide area. The accident will be investigated by the Air Accident Unit of the Dept. of Transport. This is correct at this time and may be amended as more detail becomes available.
What: Delta Airlines Boeing 757-200 Philadelphia to Paris Where: Shannon Ireland When: November 20, 2010, 6:30 am Who: 152 passengers 7 crew Why: While over the Atlantic, the right engine developed problems. Pilots shut it down, and diverted to Shannon where they made a safe landing. Passengers were provided an alternative flight.
George’s Point of View
I usually try just to get the facts. But when people read these alerts, it is not just the plane. Like on this flight. Can you imagine being aboard this flight, over the Atlantic—as on the infamous Air France Flight 447—and losing an engine? Can you picture your feelings at the moment you realize the failure, and every moment thereafter, until you were safely on the ground? Even with a capable functioning plane, and competent crew. Even with the knowledge that the plane could afford to shut down an engine. Having to sit politely in your row, and believing on some level, that you were placidly waiting to die while strapped in like a trapped like a Chilean Miner in a snow globe hurtling through space toward who knows what fate? Even if I do not write it, behind these lines, there is always a human element.
What: American Airlines Boeing 767-300 flight AA199 en route from Milan to New York Where: Shannon When: Sept 13 2010 Who: 167 passengers Why: While the plane was en route, a passenger was charging his cell phone, which started overheating, which set off the fire alarm in the lavatory. The flight diverted to Shannon, where it made a safe landing.
Fire crews at Shannon were on standby during the emergency landing. Airport aircraft maintenance company engineers examined the plane and discovered the melted phone.
What: Swiss Airbus A340-300 en route from Miami to Zurich Where: Atlantic Ocean When: Jul 30th 2010 Who: 227 passengers Why: Three/fourths of an hour out of Shannon, the flight developed various electrical problems with the circuit breakers affecting cabin lighting and the inflight entertainment system. With cabin lighting off, they diverted to Shannon, where the flight made a safe landing.
Passengers were provided alternative flights, albeit not on several different planes.
What: Aer Lingus Airbus A320-200 en route from Dublin to Lyon Where: Dublin When: Jun 28th 2010 Why: After takeoff, the flight encountered a bird, resulting in a bird strike and engine damage. The pilot returned to Dublin and made a safe landing. Passengers were provided an alternative Airbus.
What: Slazenger’s single-engine two-seater kit Falco EI BMF landing at Powerscourt private airstrip Where: County Wicklow When: 10 April 2010 Who: pilot Dr Michael Slazenger and passenger Noel Whitney Why: While Slazenger was attempting to land his aircraft at a private airstrip on his Powerscourt estate in Eniskerry, the plane’s wing struck a tree and crashed. Noel Whitney died at the scene, Slazenger died Monday morning.
What: Continental Airlines Boeing 757-200 en route from Dublin to Newark Where: Dublin When: Mar 18 2010 Who: 162 passengers Why: After takeoff, the transatlantic flight developed a pressurization problem; and after burning off fuel, on return to Dublin, the flight ran into wind shear (strong crosswinds) resulting in a couple of go-arounds. They were back on the ground about 2 hours after takeoff. The flight was not cancelled until the 19th, and by that time, most passengers had already rebooked. Some passengers aboard that flight have expressed dissatisfaction in their situation, although hotel accommodations were provided.
The Irish equivalent of the NTSB (AAIU) said the problems were due to a failed Pressure Regulating and Shut Off valve in the right engine’s bleed air system.
