Crash

  • | | |

    Black Boxes Located and in Indonesian Custody


    What: Sukhoi Superjet 100-95 en route from Jakarta to Jakarta Halim Perdanakusuma Airport
    Where: Indonesia
    When: May 9th 2012
    Who: 36 passengers, 6 crew and 2 Sukhoi official
    Why: A report has been issued that the cockpit voice recorder was located Tuesday around 330 feet from the Sukhoi’s severed tail. The charred CVR may or may not have been damaged. Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee is leading the investigation and has custody of the box. 70 Russian experts are assisting.

    Chief Tatang Kurniadi said, “We have an advanced laboratory in Gambir to examine the black box.”

    Retrieval of victims remains continues. Most have been flown to Jakarta in body bags for DNA identification. More body bags will be flown to Jakarta
    before the recovery mission can be concluded.

    The Indonesian government announced they would pay Rp 50 million (US$5,400) in compensation to each of the families of the crash victims. Funds will be provided by the state-owned insurance company PT Jasa Raharja.

    Government compensation is separate from the compensation from Russia-based Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association. The company has agreed to pay US$50,000 in compensation to each of the victims’ families.

    An identification team is using fingerprint identification, forensic pathology, forensic anthropology, forensic odontology and DNA to attempt to identify the 28 remains recovered so far.

  • | | |

    Piper Medical Evacuation Crash Under Investigation


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

    What: 0640 UTC, a Piper PA42 Cheyenne III
    Where: Grand Case, St. Maarten
    When: May 5, 2012
    Who: Pilot and three passengers
    Why: On May 5, 2012, at 0640 UTC, a Piper PA42 Cheyenne III, French registration F-GXES, was destroyed when it crashed about four minutes after takeoff into the Atlantic Ocean, three miles from Grand Case, St. Maarten. The pilot and three passengers on board were fatally injured. The aircraft was airborne at 02:39 LT and crashed approximately five minutes later about one nautical mile off coast.

    The passengers were a doctor, nurse, and the patient, Panagiotis Vryonides of Nicosia, a sick man from the cruise ship Allure of the Seas.

    Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The foreign, non-scheduled cross-country flight was en route to Fort de France, Martinique.

    Witnesses saw the airplane explode and crash into the sea.

    The plane and remains were later found off Le Galion Beach.

    This investigation is under the jurisdiction of the government of France.

    Read More

  • | | | | |

    21 Aboard in Agni Air Crash In Nepal


    What: Agni Air Dornier 228 en route from Pokhara to Jomsome Airport, Nepal
    Where: Jomsom Airport, Nepal
    When: May 14, 2012, 9.45 a.m
    Who: 21 aboard, 15 fatalities 18 passengers, 3 crew
    Why: Fifteen minutes after taking off from Pokhara, the plane with 21 passengers aboard crashed by Jomsom Airport, Nepal. Reports say that a wing contacted ground 890 feet north of the airport, and the nose embedded/impacted a muddy slope. Reports are the plane was attempting to return to Pokhara.

    At the time of approach, weather was fine, though clear air turbulence can occur any time. Investigations will begin regarding technical problems with the plane, including the one that made the pilots turn back to the airport. Five surviving passengers were airlifted to Pokhara, for medical care at the Manipal College of Medical Sciences. The plane impacted behind the army barracks. There were 16 Indians aboard. A Danish couple, Emilie Jorgensen, 29, and Andreas Rasch, 30, are said to have survived the crash.

    The information numbers available for family members are 00-977-1-4423702 00-977-1-4410900, extn.4109, 00-977-1-4411699, extn. 4109.

    The passengers had been going to visit a pilgrimage site, Muktinath.

    Reports are that most of the fatalities were Indian. One source, myrepublica.com said that there were 15 fatalities and six rescued. Numbers may not be accurate.

    The bodies of pilot Prabhu Sharan Pathak and co-pilot J.D. Maharjan were among those recovered.

    The marketing director of Agni Air, Pramod Pandey, said that there were 16 indians aboard, and six survivors. Three children, two foreigners and an air hostess R. Haiju survived at least to the hospital, all in critical condition.

    Jomsom airport is known for unpredictable turbulence.

    External Affairs Minister S M Krishna has posted a letter of condolences.

    I am deeply saddened to hear about the tragic air crash that occurred earlier this morning near Jomsong airport in Nepal. I would like to convey my deep condolences to the families of all those who have lost their lives in this accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of all those who have lost their near and dear ones.


    Agni Air flight manifest


    partial

    * Mr. K. Mamanya
    * Mr. S.K. Arora
    * Mr. M. Handa
    * Mrs. M. Arora
    * Ms. R. Handa
    * Mr. K. Arora
    * Ms. T. Sachdev
    * Ms. G. Sachdev
    * Mr. Sanaim Sudhar
    * Mr. G. Raman
    * Mr. Kidambi Tirumala
    * Ms. Latha Echambade
    * Mr. Sreeva Kidambi Tirumala
    * Ms. Sreepada Kidambi Tirumala
    * Mr. Kumar
    * Mrs. Kumar

  • | | | |

    Continuing Search for Sukhoi Superjet Wreckage Indicates Probable Black Box Location Buried Under Debris

    What: Sukhoi Superjet 100-95 en route from Jakarta to Jakarta Halim Perdanakusuma Airport
    Where: Indonesia
    When: May 9th 2012
    Who: 36 passengers, 6 crew and 2 Sukhoi official
    Why: Indonesian special police found the engines, running gear of the SSJ-100, and located (but have not retrieved) the black boxes. The Sukhoi cockpit design is similar to Airbus, with fly by wire technology and a “joystick.”

    The Flight Data recorder is believed to be at a depth of 500 meters under rock and debris on the rockface, making the recovery tricky.

    No answers have been found why the pilots requested to descend to 6,000 feet from an altitude of 10,000 feet, while flying above a 6000+ mountain in heavy cloud cover. The pilot was an experienced pilot but had not flown in this area and may not have been intimately familiar with the topography. Was he planning on buzzing the peaks, or was the plane in trouble? The black boxes will contain the answer.

  • | | |

    Peruvian Police Chopper Crashes

    What: Policía Nacional del Perú Mil Mi-17 helicopter en route from Mazamari to Satipo
    Where: Peru
    When: May 9 2012
    Who: 1 fatality, 18 injuries
    Why: While attempting an emergency landing on the banks of the Tambo River after one of the helicopter blades broke off in flight, the police chopper crashed near the native community of Bethany. Satipo is in the valley of the Apurimac and Ene rivers.

    Officer Rodolfo Leon was flying when it crashed. He was the sole fatality; eighteen passengers were injured on the crash.

    The injured will be hospitalized in Lima.

    The police had been engaged on an anti-drug trafficking mission.

  • | | | |

    Private Cessna Crashes en route to Council Bluffs, 3 Fatalities Reported

    What: Privately owned Cessna 401 en route from Riverside Kansas to Council Bluffs Kansas
    Where: Thomas Road between 1900 & 2000 or 9 miles west of Chanute, KS
    When: May 11, 2012 16:36
    Who: 5 aboard, 3 fatalities
    Why: The privately owned Cessna was en route to Council Bluffs when it told ATC it requested permission to descend to a lower altitude, then crashed near Chanute and caught on fire. The plane skidding 200 feet across a field before it hit trees.

    23-year-old pilot, Luke F. Sheets, Garret Coble of Tulsa and Stephen J. Luth, 22 died in the crash according to Shawnee County Coroner’s Office-Topeka.

    22-year-old Hannah N. Luce of Texas and 27-year-old Austin G. Anderson were injured. Hannah was hospitalized at KU Medical Center-Kansas City, KS and Austin at Christi St. Francis Hospital-Wichita.

    Chanute is about 90 miles northwest of Joplin, Mo.

    The plane crashed in a field east of Highway 75. Two of the five aboard survived the crash.

  • | |

    Superjet Wreckage Found

    What: Sukhoi Superjet 100-95 en route from Jakarta to Jakarta Halim Perdanakusuma Airport
    Where: Indonesia
    When: May 9th 2012
    Who: 36 passengers, 6 crew and 2 Sukhoi official
    Why: A rescue helicopter found the wreckage a vertical wall of rock, scattered debris on the cliff surrounded by forest.

    Read More

  • | | |

    Brazil Crash Kills Crime Scene re-enactors and murder suspect


    Contact photographer Icaro Roberto

    What: Governo do Est. de Goiás, opf. Policia Civil de Goiá AgustaWestland AW119 MkII Koala Enhanced
    Where: Near Piranhas, state of Goiás Brazil
    When: 08-MAY-2012
    Who: 8 aboard, 8 fatalities
    Why: An AgustaWestland AW119 MkII Koala Enhanced helicopter was participating in a reconstruction of a murder on a farm in Goiás, and crashed. The eight people aboard included The accident victims are the delegates Jorge Moreira, Osvalmir Carrasco (pilot), Vinicius Baptist, Bruno Carneiro (copilot), the superintendent of the Judicial Police, Antonio Goncalves, experts and Marcel de Paula de Paula Fabiano and suspected murderer, Ali Ahmad Souza.

    The helicopter had been inspected Monday.

    The Ministry of Justice and the National Civil Aviation Agency was bitufued, The Secretary of Public Security of Goiás, John Furtado will be supervising rescuers and the investigation.

    Eyewitness accounts disagree. One witness says the aircraft was spinning on its axis and falling, another says it exploded in midair.

  • | | |

    Air France 447 and Airbus Design Issue: Possible Design Flaw in Control Stick

    Stall warning sounded 75 times after the pitot tubes froze over.

    Could the crash have been averted if the stick had communicated to the more experienced co-pilot what the less experienced pilot was doing? We agree that if the stick had been designed to communicate that the angle was wrong, the error would have been caught before the situation became critical.

    We happen to agree with journalist, Nick Ross, who said in the video below that “All commercial airliners are remarkably safe,” but that the design could be made safer.

    Should the stick provide pilot feedback? We believe amending the Airbus design to provide feedback would make the airbus a safer vehicle. What is your opinion?

  • | | | |

    Martinique Honeymoon Medical Evacuation has Tragic Ending


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Fabrice Sanchez –

    What: Transports Aériens Intercaraïbes Piper PA-42-720 Cheyenne III en route from St. Martin to Martinique
    Where: French Antilles
    When: May 5, 2012 2:45
    Who: 4 aboard, 4 fatalities
    Why: Five minutes after takeoff, the plane crashed between Tintamarre Island and Le Galion Beach, close to Orient Bay, St Martin, French Antilles.

    The TAI Air Ambulance Service flight was piloted by Bruno Le Jeune, and was transporting a male tourist cardiac patient from the St. Maarten Medical Center to Martinique.

    The patient, Panagiotis Vryonides of Nicosia, was on his honeymoon when fell ill on the “Allure of the Seas” cruise ship. He was from Cyprus. His wife was in Antigua.

    More than French and Dutch 100 emergency personnel searched for the bodies between Tintamare, Pinel Island, and Cul de Sac. Divers recovered plane parts that will be stored in Anse Marcel. Partial remains have also been recovered. Recovery operations are being hampered by tiger sharks.

    Doctor Jean Michel Dudiot, and Gerard Omere the nurse were both from the SMUR of Martinique.

    There had been originally another plane sent to transport the patient but it had had mechanical problems. Louis Constant Fleming Hospital has said that the plane was not sanitary enough for medical evacuations.

  • | | | |

    Ultralight Crash Kills Pilot, Student


    What: LANG Zenair CH 601 Zodiac
    Where: Pi?a Airport, Poland
    When: May 3 2012
    Who: 2 aboard, 2 fatalities
    Why: 42-year-old Thomas D. Miroslawiec, pilot instructor with the Czech branch of Pila flight school was flying with a 57 year old student, and crashed around 20.00 in a forested area. The accident occurred when the plane was banking to the left. Witnesses say they heard engine problems and saw it fall into the forest. The probably cause is being called a motor failure. TT\he prosecutor and police conducted a visual inspection of the wreck and reported that the plane had been performing a planned training flight.

    The airfield is a former military airport build in the 80’s.

    The plane fell in a straight line about 500 meters from the northern end of the runway. The plane is badly damaged – burned and bent. Three fire trucks, two ambulances and two police units responded to the scene of the crash.

    The Zenair Zodiac is an Ultra-light.

  • | | | |

    De-Icing and Mechanical Failure Possible Causes for UTAIR Crash.


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


    What: UT Air -ATR 72 en route from Tyumen to Surgut
    Where: Siberia
    When: April 2, 2012
    Who: 39 passengers aboard, 4 crew, casualty numbers pending.

    In the UTAIR crash, it has come out in the news no one de-iced the plane. This according to the airport’s deputy director, Vladimir Nyesmachny, who also told the media “Usually the captain of the aircraft makes the decision, as is his right.”

    A similar public statement regarding the lack of icing was made by Investigative Commitee spokesman Vladimir Markin, a spokesman for the Investigative Committee “At this moment, the most likely cause for the crash is the fact that the aircraft was not treated with deicer before flight.” However, on April 2nd, Markin had said that investigators considered technical failure as the most likely cause.

    Andrei Martirosov, UTair’s CEO promises that from now on, UTair crafts would undergo “mandatory” deicing before flight.

    Good idea Andrei.

    Read More…

  • | | |

    Susi Air Crash in Indonesia Kills 2, 3rd Fatal Crash in Eight Months


    What: Susi Air Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 Turbo Porter
    Where: Ritan, East Kalimantan, Kutai Kartanegara, Indonesia
    When: April 25, 2012, 5:30 pm
    Who: 2 aboard, 2 fatalities
    Why: On an aerial photography flight, the Susi Air plane developed problems. South African Pilot Jonathan Willis reported engine problems and was planning to make an emergency landing. Australian Ian McDougall was aboard, performing an aerial survey. The plane crashed 60 metres shy of a probable successful emergency landing site. He had sent his company PT Surtech Utama Indonesia a text message regarding a fuel program. They had been nearing the end of a six-hour survey flight when the pilot had attempted to fly or glide to a road 300 meters long, 20 meters wide.

    The owner of the airline, Susi Pudjiastuti grounded its seven Pilatus Porter planes and the owner is considering shutting down. This is Susi Air’s the third fatal crash in eight months: In September 2011, a Susi Air crash killed two in Papua; and in November of 2011, a Spanish pilot crashed at Sugapa Airport.

    Both Willis and McDougall’s remains were recovered Thursday.

  • | | | | |

    Helicopter crashes into houses in Antigua, 4 Injured


    What: Bell 206L helicopter
    Where: Antigua, Guatemala
    When: April 15, 2012
    Who: Four injured
    Why: A helicopter flying over Antigua for aerial photography crashed into two houses at 9:30 in the morning.

    No residents were at home at the time of the crash. Three Guatemalans and one American were injured in the crash. The American broke his tibia and fibula. The injured were taken to National Hospital. The American was identified only as Michael; the others were Juan Carlos Menendez, 40, Andres Turcios, 32, and Octavio Gordillo, 52.

    The helicopter was broken in two by the impact. The translation of an unverified newspaper report said that the pilot had been flying low when a bird hit the rotors.

  • | | | | |

    Small Plane Crashes into Guatamalan Zoo, 3 fatalities, Zookeeper Burned


    What: Piper PA-23-250 Aztec for sightseeing tour of city
    Where: Aurora Zoo, Guatemala City
    When: April 21, 2012
    Who: 3 fatalities
    Why: The Piper took off from La Aurora International Airport and crashed into the Aurora Zoo beside the Esquilandia playground. The pilot of the aircraft, Alex Quezada, 35, Oscar Calderon, 22, who was the co-pilot, and Christian Werner, 20 were killed in the crash. One employee of the zoo, Carlos Aspuac, was hospitalized at Roosevelt Hospital with second and third degree burns. Hundreds of visitors were evacuated from the zoo.

    The DAC says the plane was having mechanical problems. Witnesses report seeing the plane “rocking” and emitting black smoke, before it crashed.

  • | | | | |

    No Survivors in Bhoja Inaugural Karachi to Islamabad Flight Disaster

    Update: The investigation team formed to probe into Friday’s plane crash on Monday (April 23) visited the site and collected evidence.

    What: Bhoja Air Boeing 737-200 en route from Karachi to Islamabad
    Where: Islamabad
    When: Apr 20th 2012
    Who: 121 passengers and 6 crew
    Why: The plane (reported as #AP-BKC a 27 year old Boeing) took off from Karachi, impacted the ground 3-6 miles from Islamabad while on approach and burst into flames in a rural location(Hussain Abad village) near Chaklala Air Base. No survivors were found, and ten houses on the ground were affected. The plane lost contact with the control tower minutes before landing. There was no distress call. There are conflicting reports that the plane was on fire and was not on fire before it impacted the ground. Some reports say the plane was struck by lightning. There was a thunderstorm at the time of the accident. The fire/fireball after the crash does not appear to have engulfed the entire debris area, according to photos of the scene.


    Debris from the crash is said to cover a large muddy area. The area has not been cordoned off; reporters and others are swarming over the crash site.

    This is reported to be the first Bhorja flight on this route. The jet left at 17:00 and was due to arrive at 18:50.

    The flight data recorder has been recovered along with 110 bodies (so far.)

    The number of people listed as passengers varies from 127 to 130 aboard.

    The METAR
    OPRN 201400Z 23020KT 3000 TSRA FEW025CB SCT030 BKN100 20/16 Q1011.0/29.85
    OPRN 201300Z 23020KT 4000 TS FEW025CB SCT030 BKN100 25/15 Q1009.3/29.80

    Trans:
    METAR for Benazir Bhutto International Airport, issued on the 20th of the month at 13:00 Zulu Time. Wind from 230° at 20 knots (37 km/h). Visibility 4,000 metres (13,000 ft), thunderstorms in area. Clouds few at 2,500 feet (760 m), cumulonimbus clouds present. Broken clouds at 10,000 feet (3,000 m). Temperature 25°C, dewpoint 15°C. Altimeter setting 1009.3 hPA / 29.80 inHg


  • | | | | | |

    Bangalore Helicopter Dodges Wires and Crowded City to Land on Rooftop


    What: HAL Rotary Wing Academy Schweizer 269C (300C)
    Where: Byapanahalli area, northeast Bangalore, India
    When: April 12, 2012, 4:30 pm
    Who: 2 aboard, 0 fatalities
    Why: After a two hour ten minute flight, the helicopter on a training flight developed engine failure, dodged high-tension wires and other buildings to land on a Bangalore roof.

    The Schweizer 269C is a light four year old plane used for civilian training.

    The helicopter was damaged during the emergency landing, rolling over on its side on the rooftop of Maitri Apartments in the Byapanahalli area in North East Bangalore and leaking some of the 20 litres of fuel it carried. The rotors were blown off on impact with the parapet. Retired Air Commodore Roj Assey and trainee Digvijay Singh survived the emergency landing uninjured.

    The Directorate General of Civil Aviation is investigating.

  • | | | |

    Private Plane Crash Pilot from Yuma Identified


    What: E300 EXTRA FLUGZEUGBAU GMBH EA-300
    Where: Salinas California
    When: April 8 2012, 6:57
    Who: two fatalities
    Why: Captain George Mellone was flying his plane in Salinas with David Ostendorf when it crashed. Both died of blunt force trauma. Mellone was a harrier pilot who had flown home to Yuma for Easter weekend.

    Mellone was a Marine Captain stationed at Air Station Yuma who graduated from the University of N. Dakota in 2007 with a degree in aviation management, and had earned three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and obtained the rank of Captain since joining the Corps in 1999. He had been performing stunts right before his plane crashed. The cause of his crash is under investigation.

    His co-pilot was 24-year-old David Gary Ostendorf, a 2010 St. Cloud State University aviation graduate, was an FAA controller at the Montery Regional Airport Tower. The cause of the crash has not been identified.

    Regis#: 45R Make/Model: E300 Description: EXTRA FLUGZEUGBAU GMBH EA-300
    Date: 04/08/2012 Time: 13:57

    Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Fatal Mid Air: N Missing: N
    Damage: Substantial

    LOCATION
    City: SALINAS State: CA Country: US

    DESCRIPTION
    AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN A FIELD , THE 2 PERSONS ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED, 3 MILES FROM SALINAS, CA INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 2

  • | |

    Tuesday Poland Remembered

    As activists chanted anti-government slogans, on April 10, 2012, Poland remembered the crash that wiped out 96 Russians. Memorials were placed in Warsaw at the Presidential Palace and in Smolensk, Russia, where the crash wiped out dozens of top Polish civilian and military leaders.

    Investigations concluded the crash was due to bad weather, inadequate crew training and poor guidance from Russian air traffic controllers. Some say that the disaster was not properly investigated and others say it was a deliberate assassination.

    The wreckage remains in Smolensk, and according to reports was only recently covered by a tarp to protect it from the elements.

    Jaroslaw Kaczynski, twin brother of the late president and leader of Poland’s Law and Justice party, boycotted the state ceremonies. He believes the disaster was inadequately investigated and that the state findings were in error.

  • | | | |

    Two Lost in Ultralight in Brazilian Rice Field


    What: Starflight Fox V6 Super #PU-ANG
    Where: Araranguá, southern Santa Catarina Brazil
    When: April 8 2012
    Who: 2 fatalities
    Why: The ultralight was in Araranguá between the towns of Marazion and in Santa Catarina when it crashed in a rice paddy that backs up to highway BR-101. Both the pilot and passenger, Pereira de Souza, 45, and Antonio Carlos Bernardino, 30, died at the scene. Bernardino owned the ultralight and the two regularly flew together. Both victims were residents of Araranguá and in an Araranguá flying club. They were taken to Instituto Médico Legal (Forensic Institute).

    Witnesses say the plane just fell from the sky into the rice field. The incident occurred at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday.

    The accident is under investigations; preliminary findings are due within thirty days.

  • | | | | | |

    Air Tanzania Runway Overrun


    Contact photographer Ammann Martin

    What: Air Tanzania de Havilland Canada DHC-8-311Q en route from Kigoma to Dar es Salaam via Tabora
    Where: Kigoma
    When: Apr 9th 2012
    Who: 35 passengers and 4 crew
    Why: Air Tanzania was taking off from Kigoma when it suffered an engine failure. Two passengers were hospitalized with shock but there were no other injuries reported.

    Pilots rejected takeoff.

    The jet overran the runway. Local news reported that the pilots “hit a pothole” which prevented the takeoff. It is not unusual for us to end up with conflicting reasons behind accidents. We do not know if the runway was soft after recent rains. It is up to the official investigation to reveal what happened. We are just delighted that the pilots landed the plane with no loss of life or serious injury.

    The right engine separated, and the right wing incurred some damage; the nose gear collapsed. The plane has been written off with substantial damage. Unless Air Tanzania tells us otherwise, we believe this is the last de Havilland Canada DHC-8 in the fleet.

  • | | | | |

    Forty Apartments Damaged, No Fatalities Reported, Virginia Beach Hornet

    What: US Navy – VFA-106 $29 million McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet twin-engine supersonic fighter plane en route from Naval Air Station Oceana
    Where: Virginia Beach
    When: April 6 2012, 12:00 pm
    Who: 40 apartments damaged, no fatalities, 5 injures
    Why: Going 170 mph, a student pilot was in the front seat of the two-seat Hornet and the experienced instructor was in the rear when the plane experienced a “catastrophic mechanical malfunction.” Pilots dumped fuel just before it dived into a Virginia Beach apartment complex in the Hampton Roads area (Birdneck Road, Virginia Beach, near NAS Oceana). No residents of the Mayfair Mews complex were killed in the crash, and the pilots ejected before impact. The plane experienced “catastrophic engine system failure” right after takeoff. The crash site is two miles from the base and a mile from the ocean.

    The fuel and the carbon fibers from the burning composite were a special toxic concern for first responders.

    There were seven injuries on the ground in addition to the two pilots, but no fatalities have been reported. Witnesses on the scene saw smoke billowing from the building. Bystanders found the young pilot still in his parachute, and cut him free before escorting him farther from the fire. Six buildings were damaged, but now the residents, mostly elderly, are homeless.

    The trainee in the front had at least 1 1/2 years of intensive training before boarding the F/A-18D, which is used in training and in combat. The jet was not carrying live ordnance,

    Within 24 hours of the crash, sources confirm no one was killed in the crash. The mayor, and the us fleet forces commander agree that it is miraculous that there were no fatalities.

    A fund has been established for those made homeless by the fire.

  • | | |

    Kananaskis Pilot Dies Waiting for Air Ambulance


    What: Kananaskis Heli Tours Bell 206B JetRanger II sightseeing tour from Stoney Nakoda Resort and Casino to Bow Valley
    Where: Canmore, Alberta
    When: March 30, 2012 10:30 a.m.
    Who: 1 fatality, 4 survivors
    Why: A sightseeing helicopter crashed near Grotto Mountain near Banff National Park, Canmore, killing pilot Matthew Goodine of Prince George, British Columbia. The crash occurred at 10:30 a.m. Canadian Forces Base Trenton heard the emergency beacon at 12:30 and notified the mounties. EMS did not arrive until 2:45 and the pilot died while waiting to be airlifted to a hospital in Calgary. Rescue efforts on the remote back country mountain slope were hampered by high winds and snow, along with the rugged terrain. Rescue personnel rappelled from the chopper, and the two couples from Britain were airlifted in slings to be flown to hospitals.

    It began to snow around 10:30 a.m., and that may have been a factor. Weather will delay the investigation as much as a week due to snowy forecasts. There is no black box.

  • | | | | |

    UT Air Crashes in Siberia, 43 aboard, Casualties Climbing


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

    What: UT Air -ATR 72 en route from Tyumen to Surgut
    Where: Siberia
    When: April 2, 2012
    Who: 39 passengers aboard, 4 crew, casualty numbers pending.
    Why: ATC lost communication with the plane not long after it was underway. It went down not long after takeoff, about thirty kilometers from Tyumen.

    The plane was en route when it crashed near Tyumen, Siberia, Gorkovka Village. The pilots were attempting to make an emergency landing. Witnesses in Gorkovka said that the plane broke into three parts and caught fire. Most of the injured are suffering burns. The ministries of Emergency sent three planes with medical equipment, doctors and personnel.

    Initial reports are that there were 17 survivors flown by chopper to medical facilities in Tyumen. Some reports say everyone aboard died. Many of the victims are children.

    The plane caught fire after the impact. Two hundred emergency service personnel and rescuers are on the scene, and 43 emergency vehicles.

    The phone number for relatives is 8-800-775-17-17

    Emergency Situations Ministry spokeswoman Irina Andrianova announced that a dozen people were rescued and sixteen bodies recovered. One more of the rescued died, bringing survivors to 11. One man died in the helicopter on the way to the hospital.

    Investigators are on the scene. Before anyone arrived, there was already speculation of pilot error and “technical difficulties.” The flight data recorders have already been recovered.