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.

  • | | |

    Bhutan Air Flight Lands in Emergency at Kolkata

    A Royal Bhutan Airlines flight heading to Mumbai, India, from Paro, Bhutan, had to make an emergency landing at the NSC Bose International Airport, Kolkata at 9:30 a.m. on June 15.

    An official at NSC Bose International Airport said that the captain sought permission to make an emergency landing because the windshield of the aircraft cracked while the flight was underway.

    Airport authorities also confirmed that the plane landed safely and all passengers and crew remained unharmed.

  • | | |

    American Airlines Flight Made Safe Emergency Landing in El Paso

    American AirlinesThe American Airlines flight 1551 made a safe emergency landing at the El Paso International Airport, Texas, at about 2:42 p.m. on June 14.

    All 145 people aboard the plane remained unharmed.

    The plane, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82, was originally heading towards the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport from Los Cabo International Airport in San Jose Del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico.

    American Airlines spokesperson, Casey Norton, said that the decision for diversion and emergency landing was made after the pilot reported a maintenance indicator light.

    Liz Bellegarde, spokeswoman for the El Paso International Airport said the flight had to be diverted to El Paso because an engine of the plane had gone out.

  • | | |

    Allegiant Air Flight Makes Emergency Landing at Nevada

    AllegiantAn Allegiant Air flight heading to Missoula, Montana from Las Vegas had to be diverted for making an emergency landing at Wendover, Nevada on June 13.

    The plane was carrying 146 passengers and 6 crew members at the time of incident; all of them remained unharmed.

    Jessica Wheeler, a spokesperson for Allegiant, said the plane diverted and landed safely after a hydraulic warning light came on. She also said that Allegiant sent a replacement plane from Las Vegas to pick up the passengers and take them to Missoula.

    Some passengers said the issue appeared to be more serious than a mere warning light.

    Allegiant’s maintenance crew is examining the plane.

  • | | | | |

    Delta Flight 5358 Lands in Emergency at Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport

    DeltaDelta Airlines flight 5358 had to make an emergency landing at Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA), at about 10:20 p.m. on June 12.

    Airport director Kelly Johnson confirmed that the flight, which departed for Atlanta at about 9:20 a.m., was forced to return and make an emergency landing, after which, the aircraft lost the directional steering of its nose wheel.

    He further said that all 50 passengers and 3 crew members aboard the plane were unharmed.

    After landing, the pilots learned that one of the tires was flat.

  • |

    Biplane Lands in Emergency at Torrey Pines Golf Course

    BiplaneA 1929 vintage biplane made an emergency landing due to mechanical problems. The plane landed at the Torrey Pines Golf Course, located at 11480 Torrey Pines Park Road in San Diego, California,

    The incident happened at 11:40 a.m. on June 10 when the engine of the Travel Air 400 began “running rough.”

    The pilot, Bill Oglesby, was flying with two tourists aboard. He took no chances and decided to make an emergency landing.

    The biplane is used to provide the tourists a bird’s-eye view of the scenic coastline and local attractions in San Diego. Barnstorm Adventures website says it charges $289 for a 40-minute trip.

    The passengers were fully refunded.

  • | |

    Murcia-Bound Jet2 Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Paris

    Jet2A Jet2 flight heading to Murcia, Spain, from East Midlands Airport, had to divert and make an emergency landing at Charles de Gaulle airport, Paris, at 4:58 p.m. on June 10.

    The flight took off from East Midlands Airport at 3:45 p.m. and was expected to land in Murcia at 7:10 p.m.

    A spokesperson for the airline said the diversion was a “precautionary measure due to a technical fault…The aircraft landed safely and all passengers are being looked after by our crew and will continue onto Murcia as soon as possible. We would like to apologize to our customers for the delay to the start of their holiday.”

  • | |

    American Jet Makes Emergency Landing in Tulsa

    American AirlinesAn American Airlines jet 767 made an emergency landing at Tulsa American Airlines Base in Oklahoma, on June 10.

    The Boeing 767 was at the airbase for routine service. The pilot took a test flight but immediately declared emergency, returned to the base, and landed safely.

    According to airport spokeswoman Alexis Higgins, the decision for emergency landing was made after the pilot reported a flight control problem.

    Only four crew and technical staff members were aboard the jet at the time of emergency landing; all of them exited safely.

  • | | |

    Air Nelson Flight Averts Emergency Landing at Christchurch

    Air NelsonA plane landed safely in Christchurch, New Zealand, after emergency landing protocol was deployed at the airport.

    The plane, belonging to Air Nelson, a subsidiary of Air New Zealand, was on its way from Invercargill and Christchurch when the pilot discovered a potential problem with landing gear. He then alerted the authorities at Christchurch Airport that the plane may have to make an emergency landing.

    However, the plane landed safely and no emergency assistance was required.

    A spokesperson of Air New Zealand confirmed the incident and said, “Air Nelson flight NZ8078, operating between Invercargill and Christchurch with 48 passengers on board, landed without incident this morning after a cockpit warning indicator suggested a possible landing gear issue on approach to Christchurch.”

    The aircraft is currently being examined.

  • |

    Citywing Plane Makes Emergency Landing in Belfast

    citywingA Citywing flight en route from George Best Belfast City Airport in Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland to the Isle of Man had to return and make an emergency landing due to some technical issues.

    The twin propeller aircraft landed without incident on June 6 and all five passengers and two crew members on-board, exited safely.

    A spokesman of the Citywing said, “The flight experienced a potential technical issue and in line with safety procedures, the plane was returned to the airport quickly and safely.”

    The passengers were booked onto the next flight to their destination.

  • |

    Miranda Lambert’s Jet Lands in Clarksburg Instead of Nashville

    Miranda LambertA private jet carrying Miranda Lambert, the famous country music star and her team made an emergency landing in Clarksburg, West Virginia.

    The incident happened on June 3, when the plane was en route from New York to Nashville, Tennessee.

    Wes Vause, Lambert’s publicist said that the plane lost pressure and they had to wait for about three hours before resuming the journey.

  • | | | |

    Delta Flight 6077 Makes Emergency Landing at JFK

    DeltaDelta Airlines flight 6077, which took off from Port Columbus International Airport, Ohio at 5:35 p.m., had to make an emergency landing at JFK Airport’s Runway 22L at 6:55p.m. on June 3.

    It was learned after landing that the shreds of the tire came off during the take-off. The pilot, not being sure of what happened, decided to make an emergency landing.

    The Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft, being operated by Chautauqua Airlines, had 47 people on board.

    The plane was inspected by the Port Authority Police Aircraft Fire Rescue Unit, who discovered the damage.

  • | | | | |

    United Airlines Washington-bound Flight Makes Emergency Landing at Dublin

    new-united-logoUnited Flight UAL101, flying from Manchester to Washington, had to be diverted to Dublin for making an emergency landing on June 1 due to some technical problems related to a generator.

    The Boeing 757-200 aircraft had 155 passengers and nine crew members on board.

    Following the normal procedure for an emergency landing, the Dublin Airport Fire Service and Dublin Fire Brigade were ready at the runway to handle any emergency situation.

    However, a Dublin Airport Authority spokesperson confirmed that the flight landed safely at about 1:17 p.m.

    The passengers were accommodated in hotels. A replacement aircraft was arranged for the passengers, which was to depart next morning.

  • | |

    Dog Poop Prompts Emergency Landing in Kansas City

    US AirwaysA US Airways flight, on its way from Los Angeles to Philadelphia, had to make an emergency landing in Kansas City, Missouri, due to dog poop.

    The Flight 598 was midair when a large dog pooped in the plane’s aisle, atleast twice, making those sitting nearby physically ill.

    The flight crew did their best to clean up the aisle. Some passengers reported that the crew ran out of paper towels after they cleaned the mess for the first time. But the dog went again and the flight crew then did not have anything left to clean up the area.

    The stink started making the nearby passengers to vomit and dry heave, after which the plane was diverted to the Kansas City, where it made an uneventful emergency landing on May 28.

    A cleaning crew cleaned up the mess afterwards and the plane continued its journey to Philadelphia.

  • | |

    Memmingen-bound Ryanair Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Palma

    RyanairA Ryanair airlines plane en route from Majorca airport in Palma, Spain, to Memmingen, Germany, had to return and make an emergency landing on the morning of May 29.

    Flight FR8551, with 148 passengers on-board took off from Palma Son Sant Joan airport at 6:43 a.m. However, shortly after take-off, a fire warning in the undercarriage of the aircraft turned on. The captain then asked for permission to return and make the emergency landing at about 7:20 a.m..

    None of the passengers and crew members were injured. A spokesperson for Spain’s aviation authority AENA said, “The airport activated the emergency procedure and the plane landed. There was no fire and no incident involving any passengers. The plane is being examined.”

  • |

    Vensecar Airline’s Cargo Plane Makes Emergency Landing in Trinidad

    Vensecar AirlineA Vensecar Airline’s cargo plane had to return and make an emergency landing in Trinidad at about 8:45 p.m. on May 26, due to hydraulic problems.

    The decision for emergency landing was made shortly after the Boeing 727 cargo aircraft took off from Piarco International Airport and was on its way to Venezuela.

    According to the officials, the pilot declared full emergency at about 8:26 p.m. after he discovered trouble with the plane’s hydraulic system. The Venezuelan-registered plane was then turned back towards Piarco International Airport where it made an uneventful emergency landing.

    Full emergency protocol was deployed at the airport with all the supporting agencies on stand-by.

    The aircraft is being examined by the CAA and the Vensecar Airline crews.

  • | |

    JetBlue Flight 111 Returns to Logan for Emergency Landing

    jetBlue JetBlue flight 111 heading to Chicago O’Hare International Airport had to return and make an emergency landing at Logan International Airport due to bird strike.

    The incident happened shortly after the plane took off. The pilots then turned back towards Logan where they made an uneventful emergency landing at about 8 a.m. on May 27.

    Massport Spokesman Matthew Brelis said that a bird has been ingested into the engine of the plane. An analysis of the remains of bird will determine its species.

    All the passengers were evacuated, and JetBlue offered them other flight options to Chicago.

  • | |

    Allegiant Flight Makes Emergency Landing at Las Vegas

    An Allegiant Airlines flight en-route to Peoria, Illinois had to make an emergency landing at McCarran International Airport, Las Vegas, on May 26.

    McCarran International Airport officials confirmed that the emergency landing was made after an indicator light signalling a problem with the nose gear got activated during the flight.

    The plane landed safely just after 4 p.m.

    The plane was later examined by the maintenance crews but no problems were found.

  • | |

    Plane Makes Emergency Landing at Sheremetyevo International Airport, Moscow

    A plane that left Moscow, Russia, for Yerevan, Armenia, had to return and make an emergency landing at Moscow Airport due to technical problems, on May 25.

    The plane, belonging to Aeroflot Company, landed successfully at the Sheremetyevo International Airport, about 30 minutes after it took off.

    Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan was also aboard the plane. He was in Moscow to attend the 3rd conference on international security.

  • | |

    AA Flight 242 Makes Emergency Landing at Logan

    American AirlinesThe American Airlines Flight 242 from Chicago to Dusseldorf, Germany made an emergency landing at Logan International Airport in Boston on May 25.

    According to the airline, the emergency landing was caused by a male passenger’s sudden illness. He was taken off the flight at Logan and transported to a hospital.

    The plane later resumed its journey to Dusseldorf after dropping off the sick passenger.

  • |

    Plane Makes Emergency Landing on Grass Airstrip in Harpswell Neck

    A small plane made an emergency landing after running out of fuel on the evening of May 25 on a grass airstrip in Harpswell Neck, Maine.

    The Washington D.C. -bound, single-engine plane landed in the area of Route 123, which is also known as Harpswell Neck Road and Basin Cove Road. According to Lt. John Faith of Brunswick Fire department, the rescue unit responded immediately, but the occupants of the plane refused to be taken to the hospital.

    The plane was slightly damaged.

  • | | |

    United Airlines Flight 2068 Returns to SFO due to Mechanical Problem

    new-united-logoUnited Airlines flight 2068 had to return and make an emergency landing in San Francisco due to a mechanical problem.

    The Seattle-bound flight took off from San Francisco International Airport at about 1:30 p.m. on May 23. Shortly after it took off, a mechanical problem was discovered in the plane.

    The Boeing 757 was then returned to San Francisco where it made an uneventful emergency landing at about 1:57 p.m.. No one was injured in the incident.

    Another plane was arranged to take the passengers to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

  • | |

    US C-12 Aircraft Makes Emergency Landing at Fukushima Airport

    A U.S. C-12 logistics support aircraft, en route from Naval Air Facility Atsugi in Tokyo to Naval Air Facility in Misawa, northern Japan, had to make an emergency landing at the Fukushima Airport.

    The decision for emergency landing was made after the crew noticed smoke in the cockpit. The plane made uneventful emergency landing at about 7pm on May 22.

    According to Daniel Sanford, Senior chief Misawa public affairs, “They did some emergency procedures and the smoke dissipated, but they asked to make a precautionary landing.” He also confirmed that none of the 6 people on-board were injured.

    The aircraft is being examined by the Misawa maintenance personnel.

  • | |

    Delta Flight Lands in Emergency on Wake Island

    DeltaDelta Airlines flight 611 had to land in emergency on Wake Island, after a mechanical problem was discovered in one of the plane’s engines.

    The flight, with 145 passengers on-board, was on its way from Honolulu, Hawaii to Nogoya, Japan when the engine fault was noticed. It was then diverted to the Wake Island, located northwards of Marshall Islands, where it made safe emergency landing.

    All the passengers and crew members remained injured.

    The airline sent a team of mechanics to examine and repair the aircraft.

  • | |

    Week of Mishaps for Israel’s El AL Airline

    EL ALEl Al Israel Airlines has probably had the toughest week in its history due to a series of consecutive unfortunate incidents.

    On May 15, the EL Al flight 289, en route from Tel Aviv to Venice, had to make emergency landing in Dubrovnik, Croatia, after its first officer passed out on the controls.

    A few hours later on the same day, it was reported that another EL AL flight, bound from New York to Tel Aviv, was delayed by 4 hours. The delay was caused after some kids damaged the aircraft’s door.

    In another incident, a cracked windshield forced the Brussels-bound EL AL flight 333 to return and make emergency landing at Tel Aviv.

    The latest in the series is the May 20’s incident when unexpectedly, the oxygen masks deployed in a plane operated by El Al’s subsidiary ‘Up’, shortly before it took off. The passengers were then shifted to another plane which left the airport after a 3 hours delay.

  • | | | |

    Crack in Outer Window Prompts SAS Flight to Land in Emergency

    Cracked windowA Scandinavian Airlines flight had to make ab emergency landing after a passenger noticed that the aircraft had a cracked window.

    The incident happened on May 16, when the flight SK-4718 was on its way from Milan, Italy to Oslo, Norway. The pilot then requested emergency protocol for landing in Frankfurt, Germany.

    The plane touched down at 09:03 UTC. All passengers and crew members were safely evacuated. A ferry later transported the Boeing 737-600 aircraft to Oslo for examination.