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.
What: Southwest Airlines flight from San Diego to Oakland
Where: Oakland
When: April 10, 2010
Who: 134 aboard
Why: While en route the pilot discovered hydraulic problems. The hydraulic fluid leaked on to the landing gear and smoked on landing; but otherwise the fight landed safely in Oakland with emergency vehicles on standby.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer AlphaSierra
What: Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 757-200 en route from Addis Ababa to Rome
Where: Rome
When: Apr 5 2010
Why: On approach to Rome, the Ethiopian Airlines jet experienced hydraulic failure. The flight made a safe landing, but had to be towed to the apron. No injuries were reported.
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Contact photographer Misha Tyukin
What: American Airlines Boeing 767-200 en route from New York JFK to Los Angeles
Where: Dulles, Washington
When: Apr 6th 2010
Who: 152 passengers
Why: While en route, the systems detected an indication that a cargo door was “not fully secure”. The flight diverted to Dulles where it made an unscheduled stop, and landed safely. The cargo door problem was promptly taken care of by mechanics before the flight continued on to LA.
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Contact photographer Rafael García
What: SAS Scandinavian Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-82 en route from Pristina Kosovo to Copenhagen
Where: Berlin
When: Apr 3rd 2010
Who: 89 passengers and 5 crew
Why: After takeoff from Kosovo, a part fell from the engine. the crew diverted to Berlin and made a safe landing.
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Contact photographer Kris Mogford
What: Qantas Boeing 747-400 en route from Bangkok to London
Where: Bangkok
When: Apr 6th 2010
Who: 335 passengers
Why: After takeoff, engine four had an engine surge. The crew decided to return to Bangkok where they circled, dumped fuel and made a safe landing. Passengers were provided accommodations, and an alternative flight. There were no injuries.
This is the sixth Qantas incident this week.
Pictured: JetBlue Airways Airbus A320-232 over Liberty International
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Contact photographer Ken Iwelumo
What: Jetblue Airbus A320-200 en route from Newark to Fort Lauderdale
Where: Newark Liberty International Airport
When: Apr 5th 2010
Who: 134 passengers
Why: During takeoff, the airbus lost the left engine cowling.
Distressed panicked passengers smelled smoke and said they could see inside the engine.
Less than a quarter of an hour later, it had landed back at the airport, where the fallen parts had to be gathered.
The NY Daily news reported that passengers were offered refunds and a free round trip.
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Contact photographer Christopher Liao
What: Miami Air International Boeing 737-400 en route from Minneapolis to Miami
Where: Chicago
When: Apr 4th 2010
Who: the “Miami Heat”
Why: While en route, the flight’s mechanic became sick. The flight diverted to Chicago for an hour where the mechanic was hospitalized in a diabetic coma.
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Contact photographer Alan Lebeda
What: Norwegian Air Shuttle Boeing 737-800 en route from Alicante to Stockholm
Where: Alicante
When: Apr 2nd 2010
Who: 106 passengers
Why: After takeoff, passengers smelled smoke, and one of the indicators detected fire in a wheel well. The plane returned to Alicante, and made a safe landing. During emergency evacuation, four passengers were injured. Passengers were provided hotel accommodations and Boeing brought in another plane to transport them.
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Contact photographer Jordi Grife
JetBlue has corrected an earlier report that the plane sustained hail damage. The airline is now saying that a tail strike on take-off caused the damage and subsequently the emergency landing.
What: Jetblue Airbus A320-200 en route from New York to Long Beach
Where: New York
When: Mar 28th 2010
Who: 144 on board
Why: Leaving the runway, the plane’s tail impacted either hail or a bird or had a tail strike (reports conflict); the flight returned to JFK and made a safe landing so that the damage could be checked out. Passengers debarked, and boarded an alternative plane some time later.
What: Cessna 182
Where: Monocacy National Battlefield
When: March 30, 2010
Who: Pilot, Bethany Chase, 40, of Germantown, Md and passenger Gregory Windham 57, of Olney
Why: The pilot was making traffic surveys. She intended to land at Montgomery Airport, but there was a problem there with wind shear, and she redirected to Frederick Municipal airport, but her plane lost power. The plane flipped, and landed on Urbana Pike. No one was injured seriously. The passenger refused treatment, and the pilot was hospitalized with minor injuries.
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Contact photographer Marcel Schmidt
What: THY Turkish Airlines Airbus A340-300 en route from Bangkok to Istanbul
Where: Mumbai
When: Apr 1st 2010
Who: 289 passengers
Why: While en route, one of the engines developed problems, and the crew had to shut it down and decided to divert to Mumbai. The flight made a safe landing, and was towed to the gate.
140 passengers were directed to alternative airlines, and the rest were provided hotel accommodations and given a seat on a Turkish Airlines Friday flight.
Passengers were booked on alternative flights.
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Contact photographer Fred Seggie
What: Delta Airlines Boeing 757-200 en route from New York to San Francisco
Where: Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
When: Mar 30
Who: 171 aboard (165 passengers and 6 crew)
Why: When smoke fill the cabin, the crew diverted the flight to St Louis. They made a safe landing with no reported injuries.
Passengers disembarked on the runway and were bussed to the gate.
Pictured: A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-7H4
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Contact photographer Mark Kopczak
What: Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-300 en route from Fort Lauderdale,FL to Chicago
Where: Tampa International Airport
When: Mar 30th 2010
Who: 136 passengers
Why: After takeoff, the landing gear remained stuck in the down position. After circling the airport for half an hour, the flight landed safely at the Tampa airport, with emergency vehicles on standby.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer KianHong
What: Qantas Boeing 747-400 en route Sydney to Singapore
Where: Sydney
When: Mar 30th 2010
Who: 414 aboard
Why: While en route, a right engine experienced an engine surge. That engine had to be shut down. The crew had to dump fuel and return to Sydney where they made a safe landing about an hour after departure. Passengers were provided a replacement plane.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Ricardo Morales
What: Mexicana Boeing 767-300 en route from Sao Paulo to Mexico City
Where: Brasilia
When: Mar 28 2010
Why: While en route, the flight developed an oil leak, which prompted the crew to shut down the left engine. The crew diverted the flight to Brasilia and made a safe landing. Passengers were rebooked.
Pictured: A Delta Air Lines McDonnell Douglas MD-88 over Atlanta
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Contact photographer Joey Collura
What: Delta Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-88 en route from Albuquerque to Atlanta
Where: Albuquerque International Sunport
When: March 28, 2010
Who: 140 passengers
Why: While the flight was en route, on board systems indicated that the landing gear was malfunctioning. The plane circled Albuquerque for an hour burning off fuel before making a safe landing.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Jordi Grife
What: Jetblue Airbus A320-200 en route from New York to Long Beach
Where: New York
When: Mar 28th 2010
Who: 144 on board
Why: Leaving the runway, the plane’s tail impacted either hail or a bird or had a tail strike (reports conflict); the flight returned to JFK and made a safe landing so that the damage could be checked out. Passengers debarked, and boarded an alternative plane some time later.
What: Delta MD-88 en route from Guadalajara to Atlanta, Georgia
Where: Guadalajara
When: Mar 27 2010
Who: 116 passengers
Why: While en route, the flight developed issues with the undercarriage and engine. It was decided not to divert to Puerto Vallarta, where repair facilities were inadequate, so the decision was made to return to Guadalajara. After burning off fuel, with emergency crews on standby, the plane landed safely with no injuries in Guadalajara.
Pictured: A Thai Airways International Airbus A330-321 over Bangkok
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Contact photographer Amorn PonJaroen
What: Thai Airways Airbus A330-300 TG-318 en route from Mumbai to Bangkok
Where: NSC Bose International Airport Kolkata
When: Mar 25 2010
Who: 238 passengers and 11 crew
Why: When the pilot detected a problem in the fuel dispenser affecting the rate of flow of fuel to the engine, he requested to make an emergency landing in Kolkata.
Ten technicians were flown in to provide maintenance on the plane.
Passengers were provided accommodations (hotel or international lounge), and later booked on a Kolkata-Bangkok flight.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Tom Lowther
What: Flybe de Havilland Dash 8-400, en route from Belfast City to Glasgow
Where: Belfast
When: Mar 25 2010, 7: 35 am
Who: 61 passengers, 4 crew
Why: After takeoff, witnesses detected “smoke billowing from the engine”. The flight returned to make a safe landing in Belfast where the return was attributed to a “technical problem.” Emergency crews were on standby. There were no injuries.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Antonis Panayotatos
What: American Airlines Boeing 767-300 en route from Frankfurt/Main to Chicago
Where: Amsterdam
When: Mar 24th 2010
Why: While over Amsterdam, the left engine developed a problem with its anti-ice system. The flight returned to Frankfurt and made a safe landing. After maintenance and repairs, the plane took off again and made a safe landing in Chicago.
Pictured: A Malaysia Airlines Boeing 737-4H6 over Kuala Lumpur – International
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Ian Lim
What: Malaysia Airlines Boeing 737-400, en route from Singapore to Penang
Where: Penang Malaysia
When: Mar 25 2010
Who: 88 passengers and 7 crew
Why: On approach to Penang, the right engine developed vibration. Passengers heard loud noises and saw fire flashing from the engine. The crew shut down the right engine and continued on approach to Penang where they made a safe landing.
What: Air Canada Boeing 767-300 en route from Toronto to London
Where: Toronto
When: Mar 24 2010
Why: After takeoff, the crew detected smoke in the rear galley. The flight returned to Toronto and made a safe landing.
What: Southwest Airlines Boeing en route from Little Rock to Baltimore
Where: Little Rock
When: Mar 24 2010
Who: 137 passengers
Why: While en route, the cabin filled with the scent of something burning. The flight returned to Little Rock where it made a safe landing. Passengers were rebooked on a later flight.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Ben Wang
What: Continental Airlines Boeing 757-200 en route from Dublin to Newark
Where: Dublin
When: Mar 18 2010
Who: 162 passengers
Why: After takeoff, the transatlantic flight developed a pressurization problem; and after burning off fuel, on return to Dublin, the flight ran into wind shear (strong crosswinds) resulting in a couple of go-arounds. They were back on the ground about 2 hours after takeoff. The flight was not cancelled until the 19th, and by that time, most passengers had already rebooked. Some passengers aboard that flight have expressed dissatisfaction in their situation, although hotel accommodations were provided.
The Irish equivalent of the NTSB (AAIU) said the problems were due to a failed Pressure Regulating and Shut Off valve in the right engine’s bleed air system.
