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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    Starbow Flight Returns to Accra Due to Hydraulic Failure

    StarbowA Starbow flight had to return and make an emergency landing at Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana, on October 28.

    The flight was on its way from Accra to Takoradi when the pilot reported that the aircraft’s wing flaps were not functioning due to a hydraulic fault.

    The British Aerospace 143-200 aircraft, carrying 77 passengers, was then diverted back to Accra where it made an emergency landing, shortly after it took off.

    The authorities confirmed that 2 people were injured in the incident. They were shifted to the 37 Military Hospital.

    The airline arranged an alternate aircraft to take the passengers to their destination.

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    Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing near Quincy Regional Airport

    A twin-propeller aircraft, on its way from Florida to Quincy, had to make an emergency landing in a soybean field near Quincy Regional Airport in Illinois, on October 26.

    The pilot had to land the plane in emergency after it ran out of fuel.

    All 4 people aboard the plane remained uninjured.

    According to Quincy Airport manager Jarred Hester, the aircraft sustained some damage in the incident.

    The FAA is investigating.

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    Small Plane Hits SUV during Emergency Landing

    A single-engine aircraft clipped on an SUV during an emergency landing in Ardmore, Oklahoma, on the afternoon of October 26.

    The plane departed from Norman, Oklahoma and was about to land at Ardmore Downtown Executive Airport when it lost power. The pilot then tried to land in emergency on Lake Murray Drive, however, the aircraft hit the top of an SUV before it landed.

    The authorities confirmed that neither the pilot nor the passengers of SUV were injured.

    The aircraft is registered to New Jersey based Topflight Aviation LLC.

    The NTSB and the FAA are investigating.

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    Small Plane Crash Lands near Brownsville Airport

    twin-engineA small plane made a crash landing in a field near the Brownsville/ South Padre Island Airport in Brownsville, Texas, at around 12:24 p.m. on October 26.

    The authorities said the plane was flying from Mexico to Brownsville when it developed some issues. The pilot then had to land in emergency some 1,000 feet from the airport.

    There were 2 people aboard, including the pilot. One of them was taken to Valley Regional Hospital while the other one sustained only minor injuries.

    Fire officials said the crash caused damaged to the aircraft.

    The cause of incident is under investigation.

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    United Express Flight Makes Emergency Landing Due to Cabin Depressurization

    United ExpressA United Express flight had to make an emergency landing in Springfield, Missouri, on October 24.

    The flight, en-route from Birmingham, Alabama to Denver, Colorado, was diverted after crew reported cabin depressurization problem.

    The plane landed uneventfully. The airport spokesperson confirmed that 3 passengers were treated for nose and sinus issues which commonly occur in case of cabin depressurization.

    The airline arranged another aircraft which took the passengers to their destination.

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    Australian Passenger in Labour; Malaysia Airlines Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Bali

    Malaysia AirlinesMalaysia Airlines flight MH135 had to make an emergency landing at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, Indonesia, on October 24.

    Airport spokesperson confirmed that the flight, en-route from Kuala Lumpur to Brisbane, requested a priority landing because an Australian passenger went into labour.

    The plane, carrying 178 passengers, safely landed at 2:10 p.m. The woman, identified as Samual P. Jeyanthi, was shifted to Kasih Ibu Hospital.

    The flight resumed its journey at 4:14 p.m.

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    Small Plane Lands in Emergency in a Davidson County Field

    ParachuteA small Cirrus SR22 plane made an emergency landing in a field near Jerusalem and Hunter Creek roads in Davidson County, North Carolina, at around 6:25 a.m. on October 22.

    The plane was on its way from Monroe to Greensboro when it started facing engine problems near High Rock Lake. According to the troopers, the pilot had to deploy a parachute for landing in emergency after the plane’s motor shut down at a height of 3,000 feet.

    The parachute brought the aircraft down safely in a field. The authorities confirmed that the pilot remained uninjured.

    The FAA is investigating.

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    WestJet Flight Lands in Emergency in Ontario

    WestJet
    A WestJet flight, carrying 95 passengers and 6 crew members, had to make an emergency landing in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, on October 21.

    Airline spokesman Robert Palmer confirmed that the flight was on its way from Edmonton to Toronto when the crew reported possible smoke in the cabin. The plane was then diverted to Thunder Bay for an emergency landing.

    The Boeing 737 aircraft was taken for examination after it landed uneventfully. No one was hurt.

    The passengers were accommodated in other flights.

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    U.S. Air Force Cargo Plane Makes Emergency Landing in St. John’s

    Military planeA U.S. military aircraft had to make an emergency landing at St. John’s International Airport in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, on October 21.

    According to airport spokesperson Marie Manning, the decision for emergency landing was made due to a warning indicator in the cockpit. The U.S. Air Force C-130 plane was heading from Ireland to St. John’s at the time.

    The aircraft landed uneventfully and all 7 people aboard remained unharmed.

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    Regional Airliner Diverts to DuPage for Emergency Landing

    United ExpressA SkyWest flight, operating as a United Express, had to make an emergency landing at DuPage County Airport, Illinois, on October 20.

    Flight 5290, carrying 44 passengers and 3 crew members, was heading from Asheville, North Carolina to Chicago O’Hare International Airport, when the crew reported problems in maintaining the altitude and taking right turns.

    The Canadair regional jet CRJ-200 aircraft was then diverted to DuPage where it made a safe emergency landing. SkyWest spokesperson Marissa Snow said, “The flight landed safely and customers were transported to O’Hare.”

    The incident remains under investigation by the FAA.

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    Allegiant Air Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Nebraska

    AllegiantAn Allegiant Air flight had to make an emergency landing at Central Nebraska Regional Airport, Grand Island, Nebraska, at around 3:30 p.m. on October 20.

    The Flight 8502 was on its way from North Platte to Sioux City, Iowa, when a warning signal indicated that equipment at the back of the aircraft was overheating.

    The plane landed uneventfully and all 6 people aboard, including 2 pilots and 4 crew members, remained unharmed.

    The aircraft was taken for inspection.

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    Low-on-Fuel Kenya Airways Jet Makes Emergency Landing

    Kenya AirwaysA Kenya Airways flight had to land in emergency at Mombasa Moi International Airport, Kenya, at around 12:05 p.m. on October 20.

    The Manager of Moi International Airport, Yatich Kagungo, confirmed that the Boeing 737-800 plane, en route from Delhi, India to Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, was diverted after running low on fuel. “We were alerted that the plane experienced low fuel gauge as it entered Kenyan airspace, we had to arrange for emergency landing in Mombasa as nearest airport .It was very successful,” he said.

    None of the 38 passengers aboard was hurt.

    The aircraft later resumed its journey after re-fuelling.

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    Ebola Scare Prompts American Airlines Emergency Landing

    American AirlinesEbola scare prompted an American Airlines flight to make an unscheduled landing at Tulsa International airport, Oklahoma, on October 18.

    The flight was on its way from Hartford, Connecticut to Dallas, Texas, when a passenger became sick midair. The plane was then diverted to Tulsa where fire and HAZMAT response teams were put on alert. According to Bennie E. Herring, Tulsa Fire Department battalion chief, “We had a conversation, we believe, between the pilots and the tower, and somewhere in that conversation the word Ebola was said, or Ebola like symptoms.”

    The plane landed safely. The emergency crews asked the passengers to wait while they ruled out Ebola and determined that the passenger’s illness was due to complications from a previous surgery.

    The flight later resumed its journey.

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    American Eagle Jet in Emergency Landing at Abilene

    American eagleAn American Eagle jet, en-route from Midland to Dallas-Fort Worth, had to make an unscheduled in Abilene, Texas, on October 14.

    According to airline spokesperson Matt Miller, the pilots declared emergency after a warning light indicated a braking system malfunction.

    The Bombardier CRJ700 aircraft, landed uneventfully at Abilene Regional Airport and none of the 52 passengers and 4 crew members was hurt.

    The aircraft was taken for examination.

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    American Airlines Plane Lands in Emergency with Cracked Cabin Wall

    American AirlinesAmerican Airlines flight 2293 returned to San Francisco International Airport for making an emergency landing at about 2:15 p.m. on October 13.

    The Boeing 757 was on its way from San Francisco to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport when the passengers noticed that the cabin wall was starting to tear apart. According to a passenger James Wilson, “It was the whole Row 14 on all sides, from the floor to the ceiling…It sounded like it was popping and banging so loud at first I thought stuff was coming out of the overhead compartments.”

    American Airlines spokesman Matt Miller said that the flight was turned back due to a possible blown air duct. “When they realised those panels came loose, the captain decided it was best to return to San Francisco and landed the plane there safely,” he said.

    He also confirmed that all 184 passengers and 6 crew members remained unhurt.

    The incident is under investigation.

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    Thomas Cook Flight Returns to Manchester Airport

    Thomas CookThomas Cook flight TCX2534 had to return and make an emergency landing in Manchester, England, on October 13.

    The Boeing 767, carrying 278 passengers, took off from Manchester Airport at around 7:15 a.m. and was on its way to Dalaman, Turkey, when the crew declared emergency and decided to return.

    According to a Thomas Cook spokesperson, the decision for emergency landing was made as a precaution due to an unexpected hydraulic fault in the aircraft.

    The plane landed uneventfully after circling over Peak District National Park to shed off extra fuel. No one was hurt.

    The airline said, “We’d like to apologise to our customers for the delay to their flight today. Returning the aircraft to Manchester allowed our engineers to inspect the aircraft quickly and we’ve now been able to ensure our customers can start their holiday as soon as possible on a replacement aircraft.”

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    PIA Flight Returns to Islamabad Airport for Emergency Landing

    piaPakistan International Airlines flight PK-3209 had to return and make an emergency landing at Benzair Bhutto International Airport, Islamabad, Pakistan, on October 11.

    The empty Boeing 777 departed from Islamabad for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to bring back Pakistani Hajj pilgrims. However, shortly after it took off, oil began to leak from the aircraft’s hydraulic landing gear.

    The plane was then returned to the airport where it landed safely.

    Authorities said that the engineers repaired the leak and the aircraft flew out to its destination with delay.

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    Two US Airways Flights in Emergency Landing in Charlotte

    US AirwaysTwo US Airways flights made emergency landing at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, North Carolina, on October 11.

    In the first incident, flight 745, en-route from New York’s LaGuardia airport to Charlotte, declared emergency during descent shortly before 7 p.m., after the Airbus A320 developed a pressurization issue and oxygen masks got deployed. US Airways spokesman Matt Miller confirmed that the plane landed uneventfully and all 146 passengers and 5 crew members remained unhurt.

    Shortly afterwards, US Airways Express flight 5782, operated by Republic Airways, requested emergency landing at the airport. According to Miller, the Charlotte-bound Embraer 175 aircraft was coming from Greensboro, North Carolina, when a hydraulic problem was reported by the crew. The plane landed safely at about 7:45 p.m. and none of the 28 passengers and 4 crew members was injured.

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    Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing in Saskatchewan

    A small fixed wing, prop plane had to land in emergency near a runway located north of Ituna in Saskatchewan, Canada, before 2:30 p.m. on October 10.

    The aircraft developed a mechanical fault when it was on its way from Spruce Grove, Alberta, to Brandon, Manitoba, with a male pilot and a female passenger aboard.

    The plane landed uneventfully and the police confirmed that no one was injured in the incident.

    The incident remains under investigation.

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    United Airlines Flight Returns to Heathrow Airport

    new-united-logoUnited Airlines flight UA5 had to return and make an emergency landing at London Heathrow Airport, UK, at around 3 p.m. on October 10.

    The Boeing 787, en-route to Houston, Texas, was returned after it got struck by lightning midair.

    The plane landed uneventfully and none of the 130 passengers was hurt.

    United Airlines said that the aircraft was taken for examination.

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    Delta Airlines Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Orlando

    DeltaDelta Airlines flight 1332 had to make an emergency landing at Orlando International Airport, Florida, at around 7:47 a.m. on October 9.

    The Boeing 757 was on its way from Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers to Atlanta when it lost hydraulic pressure on the left side.

    The plane landed uneventfully and everyone aboard remained safe.

    The passengers were shifted to another aircraft.

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    Ebola Scare Forces American Airlines Flight to Land in Emergency

    American AirlinesEbola scare prompted American Airlines flight 2791 to land in emergency at Midland International Airport and Spaceport, Texas, at 11:05 p.m. on October 7.

    The emergency landing was made after a female passenger aboard the flight from Dallas to Midland, vomited and showed flu-like symptoms midair. The passenger was travelling from Istanbul, Turkey to Midland, through Dallas-Fort Worth international airport.

    The plane landed safely and the patient was shifted to Midland Memorial Hospital. The other 69 passengers aboard the flight were allowed to leave but were told to carefully look for Ebola symptoms.

    After extensive tests and consultations with CDC officials, the Midland Memorial Hospital confirmed that the patient was not affected by Ebola virus. According to the MMH press release, “As a reminder, the two primary cues that would suggest the potential for this virus are a fever at or above 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit and recent travel to an endemic area where several Ebola cases have been confirmed…Over the course of this event, the patient in question never had a fever nor have they traveled to or from an endemic region.”

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    Southwest Flight Lands in Emergency with Blown Tire

    southwestboeingSouthwest Airlines flight 1359 had to land in emergency at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Phoenix, Arizona, shortly before 1:30 p.m. on October 6.

    The flight was on its way from Phoenix to Newark when a blown tire was observed on the aircraft’s main landing gear. The plane was then diverted to making an emergency landing.

    Southwest spokesperson Dan Landson said that the plane landed uneventfully after burning off extra fuel. All 135 passengers and 5 crew members were shifted to another aircraft.

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    Southwest Airlines Flight Makes Unscheduled Landing at LAX

    southwest_airlines_logoSouthwest Airlines flight 1429 en route from Sacramento to Bob Hope Airport, Burbank, made an unscheduled landing at Los Angeles International Airport in the afternoon of October 5.

    The pilot of the Boeing 737 decided to divert after he noticed a warning light indicating a potential issue with the aircraft’s flaps. The airline later released a statement saying that the decision to land at LAX was made “out of an abundance of caution.”

    The flight landed safely and all 123 passengers onboard were transported to Burbank with a delay of few hours from the schedule. The pilot informed that the situation did not require any emergency protocols, therefore, no emergency vehicles were called on the scene at the time of landing.

    A Southwest spokesperson confirmed that aircraft is being examined by the mechanics.

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    Emirates Plane Pulled Off the Runway due to Smoke

    Emirates

    Emirates Airlines flight EK 609 was pulled off the runway at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, just before takeoff at about 7:45 p.m. on October 4.

    The Airbus 320 was ready to depart with 82 passengers aboard when the pilot detected smoke in the cockpit and called for emergency assistance. All the passengers and crew members were safely evacuated through chutes.

    “All the passengers and crew members were evacuated and the plane has been parked on one side. No one was hurt,” said Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) spokesperson Pervez George.

    The airline said that the passengers were accommodated in another flight and the cause of smoke is being investigated.