USA

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    Piper Cherokee Crash in Maui

    June 16, 2013
    A Piper Cherokee N9160Q, on a flight from Honolulu to Maui declared mayday with engine problems three miles from the airport at 5:40 p.m. and made an emergency landing on Maui, Hawaii a quarter-mile down the beach from Pakele Place.

    Witnesses said the plane “was 50 to 75 feet in the air, rocking the wings and his engine was off.” None of the four men aboard were injured. The passengers were in Maui after playing in a U.S. Tennis Association tournament on Oahu. The plane sustained some damage. A local described firemen, police, rescue crew and tennis players traipsing through their house from the crash scene near the beach.
    Video below

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    Midair Collision in Phoenix Kills 4


    On May 31, 2013, a Transpac Aviation Academy Piper out of Deer Valley airport, and a Westwind School of Aeronautics Cessma were fifteen miles from the Deer Valley Airport when they collided.

    Two people were aboard each flight, and there were no survivors.

    The Cessna caught fire after impact.

    Passengers names have not been released.

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    Small Plane Crashes Into Virginia Building


    An Aerial Photographers LLC Cessna 177B Cardinal en route from Philadelphia to Manassas with two people aboard ran out of fuel and crashed into the living room of Virginia apartment. The pilot William Larson, passenger Tache L. Alejandro, and an apartment resident were injured when the plane ran out of fuel and crashed in David Ventura’s apartment.

    The plane displaced 20 tenants.

    The Red Cross is assisting the families.

    A crane removed the plane from the building. The photo at the top of our screen was posted on Twitter.

    Video

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    Teenager Sues Masturbation Airlines


    Seventeen year old Monica Amestoy was flying home from a debate in New York—a six hour flight—and witnessed an unwanted exhibition: a man across the aisle was masturbating. She pointed out the incident to Flight attendants.

    After nothing was done to stop the man, seventeen year old Monica Amestoy returned home to California to file a lawsuit against United Airlines.

    The incident happened last year.

    Although Monica complained to a flight attendant, United failed to safeguard Monica. Subsequently, United took no action and are surely guilty of neglecting the welfare of their passengers.

    On landing in Los Angeles, UA failed to immediately report the criminal activity. Monica reported the incident to her father and he contacted law enforcement. After the investigation, the FBI prosecuted and convicted the perpetrator.

    Gloria Allred filed the suit in Los Angeles county superior court.

    Video

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    Divers Search for Angel Flight Pilot

    on May 24, 2013, an Angel flight #N31743 northeast Piper PA 34 en route from Massachusetts to Rome NY crashed in a reservoir in a wooded area in Ephratah New York. Visibility at the time in Rome was 10 miles.

    Divers were scheduled to search daylight on the 25th. The bodies of a man and a woman, believed to be the two passengers were recovered. The search for the pilot’s body is ongoing.

    The plane circled the area once, then witnesses say they heard a struggling engine and a backfire, then saw the plane “flipping through the air” with pieces of the plane falling from the sky.

    Angel Flight teams provide free air transportation and medical care.

    The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

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    Emergency Warning leads to Delta Diversion to Raleigh-Durham

    Delta Canadair Regional Jet 700 flight 6194, normally a two hour direct flight from Charleston to LaGuardia made an emergency landing at 9:15 at Raleigh-Durham International Airport after a warning indicator went off in the cockpit.

    What kind of warning caused the emergency diversion has not yet been released.

    Passengers exited the plane and transferred to another. The flight arrived in New York at 11:55 a.m.

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    US Airways Emergency lands with failed landing gear

    A parade of emergency services met the Dash 8 as it ground to a stop in a shower of sparks after a dramatic belly landing. On May 18, 2013, a US Airways/Piedmont Airlines Dash 8-100 turboprop en route from Philadelphia to Newark was landing in Newark when the left main landing gear failed to deploy. At the last minute, pilot Edward Powers went gear up, landing in a blaze of fire from belly-landing-friction, till it came to rest in the dark. No one was injured.

    There were 3 crew and 34 passengers aboard.

    After landing at 1 a.m. after the pilot had circled to burn off fuel, the passengers disembarked, and were bussed to the terminal. The plane was foamed to prevent sparks from igniting.

    Hysterical passengers reported the pilot announcing “crash crash crash,” calling home for last goodbyes, the jolt and grind of impacting the runway, and the cabin filling with smoke as it landed.

    The plane made a belly landing, which means without wheels. A sixteen person team of emergency services responded to the scene

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    Senators Protest Closure of Control Towers


    Forty-one senators have written a letter to the Department of Transportation supporting their belief that “$253 million in funding authority” is enough to keep open the 149 contract control towers which are currently scheduled to close after June 15.

    Senators Letter

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    NTSB Issues 9 New Safety Recommendations

    NTSB Issues Nine New Safety Recommendations as a Result of Its Investigation of the 8/26/2011 Crash of a Eurocopter AS350 B2 Near Mosby, Missouri

    May 6, 2013 The National Transportation Safety Board Issues the Following Recommendations to the Following Organizations:

    • Prohibit flight crewmembers in 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 and 91 subpart K operations from using a portable electronic device for nonoperational use while at their duty station on the flight deck while the aircraft is being operated. (A-13-007)
    • Require all 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121, 135, and 91 subpart K operators to incorporate into their initial and recurrent pilot training programs information on the detrimental effects that distraction due to the nonoperational use of portable electronic devices can have on performance of safety-critical ground and flight operations. (A-13-008)
    • Require all 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121, 135, and 91 subpart K operators to review their respective general operations manuals to ensure that procedures are in place that prohibit the nonoperational use of portable electronic devices by operational personnel while in flight and during safety-critical preparatory and planning activities on the ground in advance of flight. (A-13-009)
    • Inform pilots of helicopters with low inertia rotor systems about the circumstances of this accident, particularly emphasizing the findings of the simulator flight evaluations, and advise them of the importance of simultaneously applying aft cyclic and down collective to achieve a successful autorotation entry at cruise airspeeds. (A-13-010)
    • Revise the Helicopter Flying Handbook to include a discussion of the entry phase of autorotations that explains the factors affecting rotor rpm decay and informs pilots that immediate and simultaneous control inputs may be required to enter an autorotation. (A-13-011)
    • Require the installation of a crash-resistant flight recorder system on all newly manufactured turbine-powered, nonexperimental, nonrestricted-category aircraft that are not equipped with a flight data recorder and a cockpit voice recorder and are operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 91, 121, or 135. The crash-resistant flight recorder system should record cockpit audio and images with a view of the cockpit environment to include as much of the outside view as possible, and parametric data per aircraft and system installation, all as specified in Technical Standard Order C197, “Information Collection and Monitoring Systems.” (A-13-012)
    • Require all existing turbine-powered, nonexperimental, nonrestricted-category aircraft that are not equipped with a flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder and are operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 91, 121, or 135 to be retrofitted with a crash-resistant flight recorder system. The crash-resistant flight recorder system should record cockpit audio and images with a view of the cockpit environment to include as much of the outside view as possible, and parametric data per aircraft and system installation, all as specified in Technical Standard Order C197, “Information Collection and Monitoring Systems.” (A-13-013)

      To Air Methods Corporation:

    • Expand your policy on portable electronic devices to prohibit their nonoperational use during safety-critical ground activities, such as flight planning and preflight inspection, as well as in flight. (A-13-014)
    • Revise company procedures so that pilots are no longer solely responsible for nonroutine operational decisions but are required to consult with the Air Methods Operational Control Center for approval to accept or continue a mission when confronted with elevated risk situations, such as fuel-related issues and unplanned deviations. (A-13-015)
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    Emergency Landing in St. Louis

    On May 1, 2013, at Spirit of St. Louis Airport, a single engine Cessna Centurion made a belly landing.

    The pilot landed, and suffered a landing gear emergency. Though the landing gear collapsed, the pilot made a belly landing on the runway without any destructive acrobatics.

    The FAA is investigating.

    On May 1, three other Cessna’s suffered issues:
    -Cessna gear collapsed on rollout in Oakland CA
    -Cessna landed gear up in Missouri
    -Cessna towing banner flipped over off Louisiana runway, one minor injury

    Video

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    Two planes collide over Westlake Village


    A Cessna 172 and a Cessna 172RG Cutlass collided over Westlake Village eight miles east northeast of Ventura.

    The Cutlass, registered to Ameriflyers of Florida LLC made an emergency landing on the Westlake Golf Course, Westlake Village, California. Three aboard sustained minor injuries in a belly landing at 2:15 p.m. near the third hole. They were hospitalized with minor injuries.

    The second plane crashed in the Santa Monica Mountains, sparking a brush fire and a search and rescue effort. The pilot was found under the wreckage.

    One of the planes had left Santa Monica Airport on an engine test flight and was heading east when it collided with the other.

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    Denver Emergency Landing

    Republic Flight 1557, operated as Frontier Airlines lost pressure and dropped from 24,200 to 28,600 feet over Aspen, and returned to Denver where it made an emergency landing.

    The cabin did not depressurize and the oxygen masks did not descend, but the crew descended to deal with the cabin pressure issue.

    The ERJ-190 made a safe landing with all of the 98 passengers and 4 crew uninjured.

    Passengers were provided alternative flights from Denver to San Diego.

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    Plane Hits Airbridge

    On April 22, 2013 at 10:30am, a Los Angeles-Sydney-Melbourne flight damaged its wing while on the ground.

    The United Airlines Boeing 747-400 was pulling into an air bay when it struck the airbridge of a parking bay at the airport in Melbourne.

    Passengers disembarked by stairs. There were no injuries but the plane required repairs.

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    Kit plane crash kills pilot

    A RV-4 kit plane crashed en route to crashed Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport.

    The plane with the deceased pilot was discovered at 7:20 on April 20, 2013.

    The FAA collected the plane at 2:15 p.m.

    No flight plan was filed.

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    Biplane Crashes in Santa Rosa California

    On April 20, 2013, a Boeing A75N1 Stearman took off from Petaluma airport and lost power at 2,000 feet before making a hard landing in a Santa Rosa vineyard near 6500 Jamison Road. Witnesses heard a plane flying low around 10 a.m..

    The pilot, Patrick Bell, circled looking for a place to land before finding the vineyard.

    The pilot was able to exit the plane under his own steam and although the plane flipped, Bell was uninjured.

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    Emergency Sun Country Diversion to Detroit

    On April 18, 2013, on landing in Lansing Michigan, a Boeing 737 owned by SUN COUNTRY suffered an incident. Almost landing, actually. We presume gusty conditions.

    On approach, a wing struck the runway.

    The crew aborted the landing, and diverted to Detroit where they made a safe landing.

    There were no injuries reported and the degree of damage to the wing and the rest of the plane has not been released.

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    Guntersville Plane Crash


    A plane crashed in Guntersville Alabama. The pilot was the only person aboard when the engine stalled, and he ditched in a lake near Lake Guntersville Marina and Guntersville Sailing Club.

    The pilot extricated himself from the plane and was rescued by fisherman. Alabama Marine Police and Marshall County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the scene and will be securing the site until the NTSB investigation.

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    British Airways Diverts to Orlando with Drunken Englishman

    BA2202 flight passenger Sean Jude Kelly was drunk aboard his flight from Cancun Mexico. Normally, he is a moneybroker from Kent. But after a week in Cancun drinking, he became a hooligan.

    On the flight home, he started threatening (278) passengers.

    Three hours after taking off from Cancun, the British Airways captain detoured to Orlando Florida, where Kelly was arrested (before or after?) attacking a female Orlando police officer. Kelly is now being held in jail.

    Flight attendants said Kelly spat at them, and fought other passengers. He drank half a 750ml bottle of Stolichnaya Vodka aboard the plane, and prior to boarding had taken anti-anxiety meds.

    Speaking from my fantastic hotel in Cancun…
    There’s plenty of rest and relaxation to be had in Cancun without spending the week in a bottle…

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    Hawaiian Airlines Oil Light Cuts Flight Short

    If you’re one of those drivers who ignores that oil light on your car’s dashboard when it goes off, then be glad you’re not a pilot. Pilots have the same light, and it can’t be ignored.

    It’s a good thing you’re not a pilot, then.

    258 passengers aboard a 10:30 a.m. Hawaiian Airlines A330 to Los Angeles were relieved to be back on the ground after the plane they were on developed engine problems and had to return to Honolulu.

    Fifteen minutes into the flight, the oil light went on. Pilots shut down the affected engine.

    Passengers caught the alternative flight at 11:15 a.m.

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    Beech Crashes in Big Bear Lake


    The Beech A36 Bonanza crashed in Big Bear Lake had been cleared for landing when it crashed in Big Bear lake.

    The four people aboard were slightly injured.

    The plane lost power, and the pilot told ATC that the plane was not going to make it to the airport.

    The NTSB is investigating.

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    Knives to Fly Planes On April 25


    Knives are back and flight attendants aren’t happy.

    The TSA ban on knives is due to be lifted on April 25. The blade can be no longer than 2.36 inches. The coalition of Flight Attendant Unions lobbied in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and Norfolk, Va, Chicago, Denver, Miami, New York LaGuardia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Boston against the ban. The arguments are the same as those for and against guns. (If no one carries them, we’re safe.
    If everyone could carry them, we’d be armed against terrorists    .) They are handing out leaflets urging fliers to contact Congress and to sign a petition to White House.

    You can sign the online petition here:
    https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/keep-knives-plane-block-transportation-security-administration-policy-decision-accept-pre-911/SSzf8wmd

    The family of flight attendant Sara Low, who died on Sept 11, has written an open letter protesting the decision to allow knives back on commercial aircraft, and urging concern for safety and “doing no harm.”

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    Boeing Solution Discussed by CEO Jim McNerney

    At the US Chamber of Commerce’s aviation summit, Jim McNerney, the CEO of Boeing, said the expects the technical solution being tested now will resolve the 787’s battery system’s problem and return to flying soon.

    The Dreamliner was grounded January 16.

    Video Below

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    Jump Seat Fake pilot arrested on US Airways flight

    Philippe Jernnard was wearing an Air France shirt, a fake Air France badge, had an Air France bag and was carrying a falsified an Air France ID card when he boarded a US Airways Philadelphia-West Palm Beach flight.

    Instead of taking his seat in coach, he asked if there was room in first class, then seated himself on the cockpit’s jump seat.

    The impersonation attempt began after Jernnard was denied an upgrade to business class.

    When the captain told Jernnard he hadn’t filled out the paperwork and had to return to his seat, Jernnard argued.

    The argument led to authorities being called, and they took him into custody.

    He is charged with criminal trespass, tampering with records, impersonating a person privately employed and false ID to law enforcement. Jernnard is a French citizen.