Texas

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    American Airlines Emergency Landing in Dallas, Engine alert, Tire Pop

    What: American Airlines Boeing 777 en route from Dallas to Sao Paolo, Brazil
    Where: Dallas
    When: July 31, 2011
    Who: 264 passengers, 14 crew
    Why: Indicators convinced the pilots of Flight 963 that an engine caught on fire. The pilots returned to Dallas and landed the 777 safely. The brakes locked up and a tire blew out, but that kind of thing is not unusual for an overweight landing.

    Onlookers saw the flight dumping fuel, described as fuel streaming from its jets. If they were alarmed, just think how the passengers felt.

    In George’s Point of View


    At least they survived. For what they put the passengers through, what will the airline operator do? Will they hand out to the passengers a free drink voucher? A hundred dollar voucher for future use?
    I want to know.

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    Bird Strike Damages American Airlines, Endangers Flight


    Capture from video posted below

    What: American Airlines MD-80 en route from Dallas/Fort Worth to Norfolk Virginia
    Where: DFW airport
    When: June 13 2011, 6:15 pm
    Who: 122 passengers and 5 crew
    Why: On takeoff from Dallas/ Fort Worth , Monday’s American Airlines flight struck a flock of (20+) pigeons, damaging the cone and right wing and requiring an emergency landing. The plane had to be taken out of service for repairs, and bird part extractions. Dead birds littered the runway.

    Birds can be a problem at the 29 square mile airport. Attached you can view a wildlife management news clip demonstrating a wildlife expert’s noise system used to disrupt the birds.

    View more videos at: http://nbcdfw.com.

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    Pilot Flies off with Fuel Hose attached

    What: BELL 206B crop-dusting helicopter
    Where: Newton Texas
    When: October 13, 2010
    Who: pilots name not released
    Why: After reloading the chemical tanks and refueling, the (registration 499BH ) N499BH BELL 206 ROTORCRAFT, lifted off while the fuel hose was still attached. The two seat helicopter went up, then, of course, crashed. It fell over on its side. One person on the ground was injured.

    George’s Point of View

    This is no joke, as someone on the ground was severely injured.

    However, it still reminds me of high school, when my date at the drive-in left the speaker hooked in the window, and when we left, I also left the window. The speaker took it out, hooked on the frame and kept the car from moving. We didn’t crash, or fall over, or even dent my window frame. Of course, we were in a Pinto.

    (I won’t go into how, when it was repaired, I tried to roll it up and it still wasn’t there, how the glass company goofed and replaced my perfectly good windshield, how I ended up with both a new door window AND a new windshield and an apology.)

    It’s a good thing the helicopter pilot’s name wasn’t released. Even if someone else was doing the refueling.

    How embarrassing.

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    Ultralight Crash

    What: ultralight
    Where: east of Decatur Texas
    When: June 20, 2010
    Who: pilot
    Why: The ultralight crashed at 9:30 a.m.. The pilot was was flown by helicopter to Fort Worth’s John Peter Smith Hospital