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.

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    US Airways Express Flight Makes Emergency Landing due to Cracked Windshield

    US AirwaysA US Airways express flight made an emergency landing at Burlington International Airport, Vermont, on March 26.

    The plane was heading from Philadelphia to Montreal when the pilot reported a windshield crack and requested an emergency landing. According to Burlington airport operations foreman Doug Wood, “The crack was reportedly getting larger and working its way down the windshield, so the pilots elected to get the plane on the ground as soon as possible and have it inspected before they did lose the windshield.”

    The plane landed uneventfully and all 50 passengers aboard remained safe.

    The airline said passengers will be transported to Montreal via bus.

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    Vueling Flight Returns to Barcelona for an Emergency Landing

    VuelingA Vueling flight had to return and make an emergency landing at El Prat airport in Barcelona, Spain, on March 26.

    The Airbus A320 took off for Munich, Germany, at around 6 a.m. However, just minutes later, the captain reported a burning smell on board and requested an emergency landing.

    The plane landed back uneventfully. All 137 passengers aboard remained safe.

    The airline accommodated the passengers in an alternate flight.

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    PIA Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Lahore

    piaA Pakistan International Airlines flight had to make an emergency landing at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore, Pakistan, on March 24.

    Authorities said the plane, flying from Madina, Saudi Arabia, had to declare an emergency after its wheels jammed.

    The plane landed safely and was towed to the terminal. All passengers and crew members remained unharmed.

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    Private Helicopter Makes Emergency Landing Off Coast of Taylors Island

    SeaA private helicopter made an emergency landing into the water off of Taylor’s Island, Maryland, on March 25.

    Authorities said the helicopter apparently experienced a mechanical issue, after which, the pilot radioed a distress call and made a hard landing in around 4 feet of water.

    There were 2 people aboard at the time, including the pilot Vincent T. Giglio, 45, of New Jersey, and his passenger, Ronald F. Lopes, 61, of New York; both of them remained unharmed.

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    UTair Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Russia

    UTairUTair flight UT369 had to make an emergency landing at Pulkovo International Airport in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on March 25.

    The crew sought permission for an emergency landing after one of the engines of Boeing 737 aircraft failed. The flight was en-route from Moscow to St Petersburg at the time.

    The plane landed safely. None of the 78 passengers and crew members was harmed.

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    Woman Gives Birth On Board Qatar Airways Flight

    QatarA Qatar Airways flight had to make an emergency landing in Gander, Newfoundland, Canada, on March 22.

    The Boeing 777, heading from Miami to Doha, had to be diverted after a passenger went into labor midair. According to Gander International Airport safety manager Brian Hicks, “Thirty minutes before the plane was preparing to land, she gave birth to a baby boy… There were two doctors on board, they assisted with the birth.”

    The plane landed uneventfully. The mother and baby were shifted to hospital.

    The flight resumed shortly afterwards.

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    Air China Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Hefei

    Air ChinaAir China flight CA1802 made an emergency landing at Hefei Xinqiao International Airport in Hefei, China, on March 24.

    The Boeing 737-800 departed from Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport and was heading to Beijing when smoke was detected in its cockpit. The crew then contacted Hefei air traffic management and sought permission for an emergency landing.

    The plane landed safely and everyone aboard remained unharmed.

    The aircraft was taken for maintenance while the passengers were accommodated in another flight.

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    Easyjet Flight Diverts to Bournemouth Airport due to Medical Emergency

    EasyjetEasyjet flight EZY6401 had to divert and make an emergency landing at Bournemouth Airport, England, on March 23.

    The flight was en-route from Newcastle to Barcelona when a passenger fell sick midair. The crew then reported the medical emergency and diverted the plane to Bournemouth Airport.

    The plane landed uneventfully.

    An Easyjet spokesperson said, “The passenger was met by paramedics and the flight is now continuing to Barcelona… We apologise for any inconvenience experienced due to the diversion and resulting delay.”

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    Emirates Flight Makes Priority Landing in Newcastle

    EmiratesEmirates flight EK35 had to make a priority landing in Newcastle, England, on March 23.

    Authorities said the plane, flying from Dubai, declared an emergency at around 11 a.m. due to a medical emergency on board.

    According to an airline spokesperson, “The aircraft landed safely and the passenger was met and attended to by medical staff.”

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    Ryanair Flight Diverts to Barcelona due to Faulty Fire Extinguisher

    RyanairRyanair FR8321 had to make an emergency landing in Barcelona, Spain, early on March 19.

    The plane was en-route from London Stansted to Valencia, Spain, when a fire extinguisher went off in the cockpit, forcing the pilots to use oxygen masks. The pilots then reported the situation and requested an emergency landing at Barcelona Airport.

    The plane landed uneventfully. Passengers remained seated while an engineer replaced the faulty fire extinguisher.

    The flight resumed shortly afterwards.

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    Condor Flight Makes Emergency Landing at Shannon Airport

    CondorCondor flight DE-4156 had to make an emergency landing at Shannon Airport, Ireland, on March 19.

    The Boeing 767-300 was heading from Frankfurt, Germany to Cancun, Mexico, when a smoke alarm went off. The pilot then diverted the flight to Shannon Airport, where it made a safe emergency landing.

    All 238 people aboard remained unharmed.

    The airline arranged an alternate aircraft for passengers.

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    Small Plane Hits Deer During Take Off; Makes Safe Emergency Landing

    Williamsport Regional AirportA small plane had to make an emergency landing at Williamsport Regional Airport in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, on March 18.

    Authorities said the plane, carrying 2 people, hit a deer while taking off from Northumberland County Airport. The pilot immediately reported the incident to ATC, saying he did not know how significant the damage was.

    The single-engine plane landed uneventfully at Williamsport Regional Airport and no injuries were reported.

    The aircraft did not sustain any major damage.

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    Helicopter Makes Emergency Landing in Ewa Beach Construction Site

    A Robinson R22 helicopter made an emergency landing at a construction site in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, at around 12:45 p.m. on March 17.

    According to helicopter’s owner George Hanzawa of George’s Aviation Services Inc., the aircraft was heading from Honolulu to Kalaeloa when the pilot heard a strange sound. He then decided to make an emergency landing as a precaution.

    The helicopter was carrying 2 people at the time, including the pilot; both of them remained unharmed.

    The aircraft was not damaged.

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    Bird-Struck AA Flight Makes Emergency Landing at JFK Airport

    American EagleAmerican Airlines flight 1320 returned and made an emergency landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, on March 17.

    The plane, carrying 126 passengers and 7 crew members, departed for St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, shortly before 9 a.m. Authorities said it was airborne for about 10 minutes before a flock of geese hit it. The pilot then declared an emergency and landed back uneventfully. No one was injured.

    The aircraft was taken out of service. The airline arranged an alternate plane for the passengers.

    The FAA is investigating.

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    United Airlines Flight Makes a U-Turn due to Possible Terror Threat

    United airlinesUnited Airlines flight 1074 had to return for an emergency landing at Washington Dulles International Airport, Virginia, on March 16.

    The flight, en-route from Washington Dulles International Airport to Denver International Airport, had to make a U-turn, after a passenger approached the cockpit yelling “jihad, jihad”. One of the pilots then contacted the airport authorities saying, “He ran forward towards the cockpit, and he is being restrained by passengers… Cockpit is secure, and we would like to return to the airport and have the authorities meet him.”

    The plane, carrying 33 passengers and 6 crew members, landed uneventfully. No one was harmed.

    According to a Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority spokesperson, “A passenger was removed from the plane and transported to a local hospital for evaluation.”

    The airline said the passengers were transported to their destination on March 17.

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    United Airlines Jet Makes Emergency Landing in Fargo

    new-united-logoA United Airlines plane, heading from Anchorage to Chicago, made an unscheduled stop at Hector International Airport in Fargo, North Dakota, early on March 16.

    Authorities said the unscheduled landing was prompted by a medical emergency. Reportedly, a female passenger became sick midair.

    The plane, carrying over 150 passengers, landed at around 3:30 a.m. The sick passenger was rushed to a hospital.

    The airline arranged an alternate aircraft for the passengers.

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    Royal Jordanian Airlines Flight Diverted due to Medical Emergency

    Royal Jordanian AirlinesRoyal Jordanian Airlines flight RJ 264 had to divert and make an emergency landing at Montreal airport in Canada, on March 16.

    The flight, en-route from Chicago to Amman, was diverted after a 70-year-old Jordanian passenger became sick midair.

    The Boeing 787 landed uneventfully and the sick passenger was immediately transported to hospital.

    The flight resumed later on, with 224 passengers aboard.

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    United Airlines Plane Returns to Denver International Airport

    United airlinesUnited Airlines flight 4870 had to return and make an emergency landing at Denver International Airport in Denver, Colorado, on March 14.

    Authorities said the flight had to return after one of its tires blew during takeoff. The flight was en-route to Kansas City, Missouri, at the time.

    The plane landed back safely after burning extra fuel. None of the 71 passengers was harmed.

    The airline accommodated passengers in another flight.

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    Medical Emergency Prompts PIA Flight to Make a Stop in Moscow

    piaPakistan International Airlines flight PK 785 made an emergency landing at Moscow airport, Russia, on March 15.

    The flight, en-route from Islamabad, Pakistan, to London Heathrow Airport, England, had to make an emergency stop, after a passenger suffered heart attack midair.

    The plane landed safely. The airline arranged an ambulance for the passenger, identified as Pervez Iqbal.

    The flight resumed shortly afterwards.

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    Plane Makes Safe Emergency Landing at O’Hare Without Nose Landing Gear

    United ExpressGo Jet flight 3645, operated by United Airlines, had to make an emergency landing at O’Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois, on the afternoon of March 14.

    The plane was flying from Grand Rapids, Michigan, when its front landing gear failed to deploy. The pilot then declared emergency and asked the passengers to brace for landing.

    The plane landed uneventfully. All 37 passengers and 4 crew members remained unharmed.

    The cause of incident is under investigation.

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    Tiger Airways Flight Diverted to Adelaide due to ‘Strange Odor’

    Tiger airTiger Airways flight TT413 had to divert and make an emergency landing at Adelaide Airport, Australia, on March 15.

    The plane, en-route from Melbourne to Perth, had to be diverted after a strange odor was noticed in the cabin.

    The flight landed uneventfully and all 171 passengers were provided free overnight accommodation.

    The airline said in a statement, “Tigerair Australia apologises for any inconvenience to affected passengers, however safety is always our first priority and always comes before schedule … The airline is currently awaiting the review of the engineers’ assessment and is prioritising travel arrangements to get affected passengers to their destination as soon as possible.”

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    Small Plane Lands in Emergency at Clay County Road

    A small plane made an emergency landing at County Highway 11, north of Highway 34, near Felton, Minnesota, on the afternoon of March 14.

    According to Clay County Sheriff Bill Bergquist, the plane was apparently experiencing a mechanical issue.

    None of the 2 people aboard was harmed in the incident.

    The aircraft was later towed away from the road.

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    Smoke Warning Prompts IndiGo Flight to Make Emergency Landing in Indore

    IndiGo AirlinesIndiGo flight 6E-496 made an emergency landing at Devi Ahilyabai airport in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India, on March 11.

    The crew declared emergency after a warning system indicated smoke in the cargo area. The flight was en-route from Mumbai to Indore at the time.

    The plane landed uneventfully, around 4 minutes before its scheduled landing time. All 181 passengers remained unharmed.

    Investigation into the incident is underway.

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    Helicopter Makes Emergency Landing in Hammonton

    A helicopter had to make an emergency landing in a cranberry farm in Hammonton, New Jersey, on March 13.

    According to the FAA, the helicopter belonging to Steel Pier helicopter rides had to land in emergency landing due to engine problems.

    None of the 2 people aboard was injured in the incident.

    The incident is under investigation.

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    AA Flight Diverts to Greensboro after Passenger Goes into Labor

    American AirlinesAmerican Airlines flight 611 had to make an emergency landing at Piedmont Triad International (PTI) Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina, on March 12.

    The flight, heading from Philadelphia to Atlanta, had to be diverted after a passenger Shaniqua Cherry, of Minnesota, went into labor mid-flight.

    The plane landed uneventfully at PTI airport and Cherry gave birth to a baby girl.

    The flight resumed and reached Atlanta safely.