Emergency

Under FAA JAA IKO rulings, it is mandated that if and when an emergency is declared by an airborne plane, ATC immediately diverts all incoming traffic and gives priority to the emergency situation. Most, if not all, of the events we have described as emergency are official emergencies. However, sometimes they are incorrectly reported as emergencies by our sources, have been downgraded from official emergency status, or are believed to be emergencies by passengers in fear for their lives.

  • | | | |

    Saudi Arabian Airlines Pilot Dies of Heart Attack During Flight

    Saudi Arabian AirlinesSaudi Arabian Airlines flight SV-1734 had to make an emergency landing at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on March 1st.

    The plane, flying from Bisha, was on approach to Riyadh when the captain suffered a heart attack. The co-pilot Rami Ghazi Batabara took over the controls and requested an emergency landing.

    The Airbus A321-200 landed uneventfully.

    The medical crew examined captain Walid bin Mohammed Al Mohammed and pronounced him dead.

  • | | | |

    Spicejet Plane Makes Emergency Landing in Kolkata after Tire Burst

    SpiceJetSpicejet flight SG 517 had to make an emergency landing in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, on March 1st.

    The Boeing 737-900 plane took off from Bangalore and was en-route to Kolkata when the runway inspection crew found tire debris and informed the pilots about tire burst. The pilots in turn requested emergency assistance on arrival in Kolkata.

    The plane landed safely. There were 211 passengers and 7 crew members aboard at the time; all of them remained unharmed.

  • | | |

    Nepal again: Goma Air Bird Strike


    First, the Goma Air flight waited until the tower confirmed that the “bird patrol” had chased birds off the Kathmandu runway. Then the nine people aboard had just taken off from Kathmandu en route to Lukla when a bird struck the plane’s horizontal stabilizers. Pilots returned to make a safe landing in Kathmandu. According to Goma Air’s managing director, Manoj Karki, there were no injuries. We presume his statement did not include four stubborn birds who returned to the runway, one of whom damaged the plane. Goma Air expects the plane to be back in service tomorrow, after maintenance is complete.

  • | | | |

    TigerAir Flight Makes Priority Landing in Melbourne due to Unusual Odor

    tigerairTigerAir flight 511 had to make an emergency landing in Melbourne, Australia, on March 1st.

    The Airbus A320-200 was flying from Brisbane when the crew reported an unusual odor in the cabin and requested a priority landing.

    The plane landed safely. Four crew members were examined by paramedics but did not need further treatment.

    All 60 passengers aboard remained unharmed.

  • | | | |

    Ryanair Flight Diverts to Berlin due to Disruptive Passengers

    RyanairA Ryanair flight had to divert and make an emergency landing at Berlin Schonefeld Airport, Germany, on February 26th.

    The plane, heading from London Luton Airport in Bedfordshire, England, to Bratislava, Slovakia, was diverted after six drunk passengers became aggressive mid-flight.

    The six men were a part of 12-man stag party group from Southampton, led by 26-year-old groom-to-be Joshua Marriner. Some sources reported that the passengers became violent after they were refused more alcohol.

    The plane landed uneventfully. The disruptive passengers were taken into custody by German federal police in Berlin.

    The flight resumed after a short delay.

  • | | | |

    Tunisair Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Saudi Arabia

    tunisairTunisair flight TU-914 made an emergency landing at Prince Mohammed bin Abdul-Aziz International Airport in Medina, Saudi Arabia, on February 27th.

    The pilots declared emergency after a fire broke out in Airbus A330-200 plane’s left engine. The flight was heading from Medina, Saudi Arabia, to Tunis, Tunisia, at the time.

    The plane landed safely. No injuries were reported.

  • | | | | |

    Primera Air Nordic Plane Makes Emergency Landing in France

    Primera AirPrimera Air Nordic flight 6F644 had to make an emergency landing in Nantes, France, on February 28th.

    The airline said that the Boeing 737, en-route from Tenerife, Spain, to Stockholm, Sweden, was diverted after the crew heard unusual noise coming from one of the engines.

    The plane landed safely. All 169 passengers aboard remained unharmed.

    Some passengers reported that the plane’s engine was on fire.

    The incident is being investigated.

  • | | | | |

    Ryanair Plane Diverts to Brussels due to Asymmetric Flaps

    RyanairRyanair flight FR-5464 had to divert and make an emergency landing at Brussels Airport, Brussels, Belgium, on February 27.

    The Boeing 737-800, en-route from Madrid, Spain, to Brussels, Belgium, was on approach to Charleroi Airport when the crew detected asymmetry in the flaps, deciding to divert to Brussels Airport.

    The plane landed safely.

    All passengers and crew members aboard remained unhurt.

  • | | | |

    Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing on Indiana interstate

    A 1967 Beechcraft Bonzana plane had to make an emergency landing on Interstate-65, between the cities of Seymour and Crothersville, in Indiana, on February 27th.

    The plane was heading from Seymour, Indiana, to Louisville, Kentucky, when it developed a mechanical problem. The pilot Aaron Wright, 44, of Carmel, attempted to return to the airport but realized he could not make it and landed on the interstate instead.

    The plane was carrying three people, including Wright, his wife, and 13-year-old son; all of them remained uninjured.

    Indiana State Police, the FAA and the NTSB are investigating.

  • | | | | |

    Azurair Plane makes Diverts to Uzbekistan due to Low Oil Indication

    Azurair flight ZF-9401 had to divert and make an emergency landing at Tashkent International Airport, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on February 26.

    The Boeing 767-300, heading from Moscow, Russia, to Phuket, Thailand, was mid-air above Tashkent when the crew had to shut down one of its engine due to low oil indication.

    The plane landed safely.

    All 327 people on board remained safe.

  • | | |

    Air China Plane Makes Emergency Landing in China

    Air ChinaAir China flight CA-4414 had to return and make an emergency landing in Kunming, China, on February 26th.

    The plane took off for Chengdu, China, but had to return shortly afterwards after the crew reported unusual noises coming from a cargo hold.

    The plane landed uneventfully. Everyone aboard remained safe.

    The cargo hold was thoroughly inspected but no indication of any movement or noise was found.

    The plane was cleared to depart again.

  • | | |

    FedEx Plane Makes Emergency Landing due to Pressurization Problem

    FedExFedEx Express Flight 406 made an emergency landing at Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, Kansas, on February 26th.

    The Boeing 757, en-route from Portland, Oregon, to Memphis, Tennessee, when the crew reported a pressurization problem and requested an emergency landing.

    The plane landed safely. There were two people aboard at the time; both of them remained unhurt.

  • | | | | | |

    United Express Flight Diverts to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport

    United Express flight 6183 had to make an emergency landing at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Texas, on February 24th.

    The Embraer ERJ-175 took off from Washington Dulles International Airport, Virginia, and was heading to San Antonio, Texas, when it lost cabin pressure, forcing the pilot to divert.

    The plane landed safely. Everyone aboard remained unharmed.

    The airline arranged a replacement plane for the passengers.

    The flight was operated by Mesa Airlines.

  • | | | |

    UTAir Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Russia

    UTAir flight UT-445 made an emergency landing at Vnukovo International Airport in Moscow, Russia, on February 22nd.

    The plane was en-route from Moscow to Kogalym, Russia, when it lost cabin pressure, prompting the pilot to return for an emergency landing.

    The plane landed uneventfully. Everyone aboard remained unhurt.

    A replacement plane was arranged for the passengers.

  • | | | | |

    China Eastern Airlines Plane Makes Emergency Landing after Lightning Strike

    China Eastern Airlines flight MU-5414 had to return and make an emergency landing in Chengdu, Sichuan province of China, on February 21st.

    The Airbus A321-200 took off for Shanghai Pudong International Airport, China, but had to return shortly afterwards after the crew reported a lightning strike.

    The plane landed safely. No injuries were reported.

    The airline arranged a replacement plane for the passengers.

  • | | | |

    Southwest Airlines Plane Returns to BWI due to Possible Bird Strike

    Southwest Airlines flight 484 made an emergency landing at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Maryland, on February 22nd.

    The plane, en-route to T.F. Green Airport, Rhode Island, had to turn back due to a possible bird strike.

    The plane landed uneventfully. All 135 passengers and 5 crew members remained safe.

    The airline arranged a replacement plane for the passengers.

  • | | | | |

    Delta Airlines Plane Diverts to Japan due to Low Oxygen Pressure

    Delta Airlines flight DL-283 had to divert and make a safe landing at Kansai International Airport, Osaka, Japan, on February 21.

    The Boeing 767-300 en-route from Narita, Japan, to Bangkok, Thailand, was mid-air when the crew reported low pressure of oxygen in the supply system, causing the plane to divert.

    The plane landed safely.

    All 237 people on board remained safe.

  • | | | | | |

    All Nippon Airways Flight Returns to Kuala Lumpur

    All Nippon Airways flight NH-816 had to return and make an emergency landing in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on February 22nd.

    The Boeing 787-800 took off for Tokyo Narita Airport, Japan, but had to return shortly afterwards due to an indication that the temperature of exhaust gas from its right hand engine was very high.

    The plane landed uneventfully. There were 203 passengers and 11 crew members aboard at the time; all of them remained unharmed.

  • | | | |

    Air Canada Plane Diverts to North Carolina due to CIDS Issue

    Air Canada flight AC-1233 had to divert and make an emergency landing at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Charlotte, North Carolina, on February 15.

    The Airbus A321-200 en-route from Myers, Florida, to Toronto, Canada, was mid air when the crew detected some issue with CIDS (Cabin Intercommunication Data System) followed by an odor, causing the plane to divert for a safe landing.

    The plane landed safely.

    All 181 people on board remained unharmed.