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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    Small Plane Makes a Bumpy Landing at Essendon Airport

    nose landingA small twin-engine aircraft had to make an emergency landing at Essendon Airport in Melbourne, Australia, at around 3 p.m. on November 26.

    The plane was on a flight from Adelaide to Mount Gambier when the pilot noticed a problem with nose landing gear. The 29-year-old pilot then diverted the plane to Essendon Airport where it made a nose landing.

    MFB tweeted after the incident: “A bumpy landing for a pilot at #Essendon airport. The nose wheel collapsed on impact but luckily no fire or injuries!”

    The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating.

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    United Airlines Flight Returns to Wichita for Emergency Landing

    new-united-logoUnited Airlines flight 5240 had to return and make an emergency landing at Mid-Continent Airport in Wichita, Kansas, at around 7:30 p.m. on November 26.

    The flight, bound for Chicago O’Hare Airport, was forced to turn back after an indicator light turned off, showing a problem with landing gear.

    The plane landed safely and no injuries were reported.

    The aircraft was taken for examination.

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    Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing at Crete Municipal Airport

    small planeA small plane made an emergency landing at the Crete Municipal Airport, Nebraska, on November 25.

    According to Saline County Emergency Management officials, the plane, heading from Crete to Salina, Kansas, was forced to turn back and land in emergency due to a landing gear malfunction.

    The plane landed uneventfully.

    There were 2 people aboard including the pilot Mitch Edwards. Both of them remained unharmed.

    The FAA is investigating.

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    Avianca Airlines Jet Returns to San José, Costa Rica

    AviancaAn Avianca airlines flight had to return and make an emergency landing at Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José, Costa Rica, at around 2 p.m. on November 24.

    The plane had just taken off for El Salvador when the pilot reported issues with one of the engines and a suspected explosion in a turbine. The authorities then advised him to return for an emergency landing.

    The plane landed uneventfully. The airline later said it was a transfer flight carrying some crew members and there was no passenger in the plane at the time of incident.

    The examination of aircraft showed no signs of fire however, an engine was damaged due to a bird who got stuck in a turbine.

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    Thomas Cook Flight Diverted to Bermuda due to Drunk Passenger

    Thomas CookA Thomas Cook flight had to make an unscheduled landing in Bermuda, at around 6 p.m. on November 24.

    The flight was on its way from Manchester, England, to Cuba when a British man, identified as Mohammed Khelya, started threatening the flight crew, passengers and even his new wife. The pilot decided to divert to Bermuda while the crew members handcuffed the unruly passenger and kept him restrained at the back of the aircraft.

    The Airbus A330 safely landed at LF Wade International Airport where the security officials arrested Khelya.

    An airline spokesperson said, ‘Thomas Cook Airlines can confirm that flight TCX244 from Manchester to Holguin, Cuba, diverted to Bermuda and a customer was removed from the aircraft and detained by local police…We operate a zero-tolerance policy towards any behaviour on board our aircraft that affects the safety and welfare of our customers and crew.”

    Khelya was presented in Bermudan court on Tuesday where Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo fined him $3000.

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    British Airways Boeing Made Another Unscheduled Landing at Shannon Airport

    British airwaysBritish Airways Flight BA-48 had to make an unscheduled landing at Shannon Airport, Ireland, at around 10:24 a.m. on November 23.

    The pilot sought permission for diverting to Shannon Airport after one of the engines of Boeing 777 aircraft had to be shut down due to some fault. The flight was en-route from Seattle, Washington to London Heathrow at the time.

    The plane landed uneventfully and all 220 passengers and crew members remained unharmed. The aircraft was taken for examination.

    An airline spokesperson said, “Our flight diverted to Shannon due to a minor technical issue and our cabin crew looked after the customers on board. Safety is always our first priority, and the aircraft diverted purely as a precaution.”

    A replacement plane was arranged for the passengers which took off 6 hours later.

    Earlier on November 21, the same aircraft, performing flight BAW-215 from London Heathrow to Boston, made an unscheduled landing at Shannon Airport due to a problem with generators.

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    Bomb Threat Forces Flyme Passenger Jet to Make Emergency Landing

    FlymeA Flyme flight had to make an emergency landing at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport in Malé, Maldives, at around 11:49 p.m. on November 22.

    The plane was on its way from Malé to Baa Atoll Dharavandhoo Island when a passenger passed a written bomb threat to the pilot through a crew member. The pilot then immediately turned back and made an emergency landing in Malé.

    There were 11 passengers and 3 crew members aboard at the time; all of them were evacuated safely. Authorities said that 10 out of 11 passengers were foreign nationals while only 1 was local.

    The Maldives National Defense Forces (MNDF) searched the plane, however, they did not find any explosives.

    The Police are investigating.

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    Transwest Plane Makes Emergency Landing due to Icy Windshield

    transwest airA Transwest Air plane had to make an emergency landing in Stony Rapids, Northern Saskatchewan, Canada, at around 8 p.m. on November 20.

    The Piper Navajo aircraft, which departed from Stony Rapids at around 7 p.m., faced heavy ice built up on the windshield during the flight to Fond-du-Lac. Authorities said the plane had to turn back because Fond-du-Lac airport did not have facilities for de-icing.

    The plane landed without incident. Transwest Air chief operating officer Garrett Lawless said that hot air from the engine was used to clear a section of windshield. He confirmed that all 7 people aboard, including 2 pilots and 5 passengers, remained unharmed.

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    Engine Fire Prompts French Military Plane to Make Emergency Landing at Newquay Airport

    military planeA French air force E121 aircraft had to make an emergency landing at Newquay airport, Cornwall, UK, on the morning of November 21.

    Emergency was declared after the plane’s engine caught fire while it was on its way back to Avord air base in France with 2 people aboard.

    According to a Newquay airport spokesperson, “We were contacted by the aircraft to say they had an engine fire which they extinguished before they arrived at Newquay…They decided they needed to take a diversion from their training flight. They aircraft arrived safely and the emergency services weren’t required.”

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    All Nippon Airways Flight Returns to Manila due to Smoke in Cockpit

    All Nippon AirwaysAll Nippon Airways flight NH950 had to return and make an emergency landing at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, Philippines, at around 10:19 a.m. on November 21.

    The incident happened after the pilot reported smoke coming out of the Boeing B767’s cockpit. The flight was heading to Narita, Japan at the time.

    The plane landed uneventfully and none of the 174 passengers and 10 crew members aboard was harmed.

    The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines is investigating.

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    Air Tindi Plane Makes Emergency Landing on Great Slave Lake

    Air TindiAn Air Tindi Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft had to make an emergency landing on the ice of Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories of Canada, on November 20.

    According to a military spokesperson, the aircraft’s engine stopped working due to bad weather after it departed from Yellowknife with 7 people aboard. The pilot wanted to land back in Yellowknife but could not make it to the air field. The flight was on its way to Fort Simpson at the time.

    According to an Air Tindi news release, “Under very difficult weather conditions, the Caravan pilot was able to land the aircraft safely and evacuate the passengers.” All passengers were airlifted with no major injuries.

    The Transportation Safety Board is investigating.

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    Pressurization Problem Forces ExpressJet Emergency Landing

    ExpressJetExpressJet flight 5106 had to make an emergency landing at Columbia Metropolitan Airport in South Carolina, at around 5:30 p.m. on November 19.

    According to the FAA, the flight, en-route from Atlanta, Georgia to Wilmington, North Carolina was diverted, after the pilot reported pressurization problem.

    The plane landed uneventfully and no one was injured.

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    Air France Flight Makes Emergency Landing due to Cracked Window

    Air FranceAir France flight AF1117 had to make an emergency landing at Birmingham International airport in England, on November 16.

    The passenger jet was en-route from Dublin, Ireland to Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris, France when one of its windows cracked. The pilot reported the issue to the control tower shortly before 6:30 p.m.

    The Avro RJ85 plane landed uneventfully and none of the 86 passengers and crew members was harmed.

    It is not clear what caused the crack.

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    Small Plane Lands in Emergency at Kalifornsky Beach Road

    A Taylorcraft BC-12 aircraft made an emergency landing on Kalifornsky Beach Road in Alaska, between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. on November 16.

    According to Trooper spokesperson Megan Peters, the Soldotna-bound plane landed in emergency due to engine failure. “Essentially it had an emergency landing and then was able to get out of the road and into a parking lot,” she said.

    Clint Johnson, the NTSB’s chief Alaska investigator, confirmed that none of the 2 people aboard was injured.

    The plane was able to take off again next day.

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    Etihad Airways Flight Diverts to Perth due to Medical Emergency

    EtihadA medical emergency prompted an Etihad Airways flight to make an unscheduled landing in Perth, Australia, at about 1:30 p.m. on November 18.

    The flight, heading from Abu Dhabi to Melbourne, was diverted for an emergency landing after a passenger became ill midair.

    The plane landed safely and the passenger was shifted to St Charles Gairdner Hospital. It is believed that he suffered a stroke.

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    United Airlines Flight Returns to Washington Dulles International Airport

    new-united-logoUnited Airlines Flight 1564 had to return and make an emergency landing at Washington Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia, on the night of November 17.

    The Boeing 757 departed for San Francisco International Airport at around 6:30 p.m., but was forced to turn back due to a mechanical issue.

    The plane, carrying 151 passengers and 6 crew members, landed uneventfully. No one was injured.

    An airline official said, “Our maintenance team is currently inspecting the aircraft, and we will accommodate passengers to San Francisco later this evening.”

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    Alaska Airlines Flight Makes Emergency Landing due to Bird Strike

    AlaskaAlaska Airlines flight 349 had to return and make an emergency landing at Oakland International Airport, California, on November 14.

    According to the airline authorities, the Seattle-bound flight took off at 6:47 p.m. but had to return shortly afterwards due to a bird strike.

    The plane landed uneventfully and none of the 150 passengers was harmed. The aircraft was grounded for repair.

    A replacement plane was arranged for the passengers.

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    United Flight Returns to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport

    new-united-logoUnited Flight 4412 had to return and make an emergency landing at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport in Cleveland, Ohio, on November 13.

    The plane departed at 10:13 p.m. and immediately turned around and landed back uneventfully at 10:20 p.m.

    No one was injured.

    Airport authorities said they were not sure what caused the emergency landing.

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    Horizon Air Plane Makes Emergency Landing in Pasco

    Horizon AirHorizon Air flight 2133 had to make an emergency landing at Tri-Cities Airport in Pasco, Washington, at around 4:05 p.m. on November 13.

    According to Horizon Air spokesperson Halley Knigge, the pilots declared emergency due to a pressurization issue in cabin. The flight was heading from Boise to Seattle at the time.

    The plane landed uneventfully and none of the 76 passengers and 4 crew members was injured.

    An alternate aircraft was arranged which took the passengers to Seattle.

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    Plane Makes Emergency Landing in Ocean Off Cocoa Beach Pier

    A Challenger II amateur-built experimental seaplane made an emergency landing in ocean water, around 2 miles south of Cocoa Beach Pier, Florida, at about 12:50 p.m. on November 13.

    The Brevard County sheriff’s office confirmed that the pilot decided to make an emergency landing after the seaplane developed some engine problems.

    The pilot remained uninjured. His identity has not yet been disclosed.

    The red-colored plane is registered to a Virginia Beach resident Charles Guiter.

    The FAA is investigating.

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    Unusual Odor in Cockpit Forced Lufthansa Flight to Divert

    LufthansaLufthansa flight LH2505 made an emergency landing at Stuttgart Airport, Germany, on November 13.

    The flight heading from Manchester to Munich wad forced to land in emergency after an unusual odor was discovered in the cockpit.

    Ambulances and fire services were put on alert at the airport when the Airbus A321-231 landed uneventfully. All 82 passengers aboard remained unharmed.

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    Bird-Struck GoAir Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Ahmedabad

    GoAirGoAir flight 368 had to return and make an emergency landing in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, at around 9:30 a.m. on November 11.

    The plane, carrying 116 passengers, was forced to return after a bird hit it just minutes after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. The flight was heading to Mumbai at the time.

    The plane landed safely and none of the passengers and crew members was injured.

    Acting Director of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport S P Pandey confirmed that the passengers were accommodated in another flight.

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    Bird Hits Medical Helicopter in Merkel, Texas

    Air EvacA medical helicopter had to make an emergency landing near Interstate 20 and FM 126 in Merkel, Texas, at around 7:45 p.m. on November 11.

    The pilot was forced to land in emergency after a bird hit the helicopter, which was transporting a patient from Hendrick Medical Center in Abilene to Lubbock Covenent Hospital, Lubbock at the time.

    The Air Evac chopper landed safely. Authorities said that a flight nurse received minor injuries in the accident and was given medical assistance at the scene.

    Another Air Evac helicopter was sent from Eastland to resume the flight. The patient had to face a delay of about 1 hour.

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    Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing on I-8 in Arizona

    A small plane made an emergency landing on Eastbound Interstate 8 near Stanfield, Arizona, at around 6:27 p.m. on November 11.

    According to Tim Gaffney, director of administration for the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, the FAA informed the authorities about a small aircraft that sent a mayday signal and was descending.

    The pilot, his wife and 10-year-old daughter remained uninjured.

    The eastbound lanes were closed for traffic immediately after the incident but were re-opened at around 9:45 p.m.

    The FAA will investigate.