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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Contact photographer K.H.Yim
What: JAL Japan Airlines Boeing 767-300 en route from Sapporo to Kobe
Where: Sapporo
When: Jan 3rd 2010
Who: 231 on board
Why: After takeoff, the jet ingested a bird in its left engine. The engine sputtered, and pilots shut it down, then made a safe landing back the airport shortly afterwards. A replacement jet was provided.
Pictured: A Delta Connection (Chautauqua Airlines) Embraer EMB-145LR (ERJ-145LR) over Baltimore
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Contact photographer Mark Kopczak
What: Delta/Chautauqua Embraer ERJ-145 en route from Boston,MA to Columbus,OH
Where: Boston
When: Jan 2nd 2010
Who: 38 passengers and 4 crew
Why: Right after takeoff, the plane developed smoke in the cabin. Oxygen masks were deployed, and the plane returned to the airport to land on the runway, and taxi to the gate.
Pictured: A Delta Air Lines McDonnell Douglas MD-88 over Miami
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Contact photographer Klaus Ecker
What: Delta Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-88 en route from Boston, MA to New York
Where: Boston
When: Jan 2nd 2010
Who: 34 aboard
Why: On takeoff, the flight developed smoke in the cockpit and cabin. The pilot landed safely back at the airport within fifteen minutes.
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Contact photographer Co Van Den Heuvel
What: Egypt Air Boeing 737-800 en route from Cairo to Berlin
Where: Athens
When: Jan 1st 2010
Who: 100 passengers
Why: While on route, the left engine developed a problem. The pilot shut down the engine, and diverted to Athens where it made a safe landing. Alternative transport to Berlin was provided.
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Contact photographer Gerry Hill
What: Easyjet Airbus A319-100 en route from Liverpool to Madrid
Where: Bay of Biscay
When: Dec 29th 2009
Who: 155 passengers and 7 crew
Why: While en route, the crew reported a hydraulics failure and air frame vibrations. The flight diverted to Bordeaux and made a safe landing. Another jet was provided.
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Contact photographer Jorge Medina
What: American Airlines Boeing 757-200 en route from New York to Paris
Where: Halifax /Bangor
When: Dec 30th 2009
Who: 180 passengers
Why: While en route, the discharge from a toilet water leak froze into a block of ice on the fuselage. It broke off and was sucked into the right engine, causing a big bang, which the passengers heard, and causing subsequent engine vibration and a probable oil leak.
The pilot requested to divert first to Gander, then to Bangor Maine. They landed safely, with no injuries, although 7000 lbs heavy.
A replacement jet was provided for the passengers.
Pictured: A Wizz Air Airbus A320-232
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Contact photographer Jan Menzl
What: Wizzair Ukraine Airbus A320-200 from Venice to Kiev
Where: Kiev, Ukraine
When: Dec 29th 2009
Who: 154 passengers and 6 crew
Why: On landing at Borispol Airport, the plane skidded off the runway.
Both engines incurred damage; however there were no injuries.
Pictured: One of the fleet of US Airways Express (Mesa Airlines) Canadair CL-600-2D24 Regional Jet CRJ-900ER at Phoenix – Sky Harbor International (PHX / KPHX)
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Contact photographer Alevik
What: Mesa Airlines/US Airways Canadair CRJ-900 en route from San Antonio, TX to Phoenix, AZ
Where: San Antonio
When: Dec 30th 2009
Who: 87 aboard
Why: On takeoff, after the plane blew a tire, it circled the airport and burned off fuel, then landed safely at 3:20 on the remaining tire. An emergency crew was on standby.
Pictured: An Air-India Airbus A310-324 in Dubai
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Contact photographer Alastair T. Gardiner
What: Air India Airbus A310-300 en route from Hyderabad India to Dammam Saudi Arabia
Where: Dammam
When: Dec 29th 2009
Who: not available
Why: After having a hydraulics failure, the crew manually lowered the gear prior to landing. After a normal landing, the plane had to be towed to the gate.
* While there is bound to be a way to manually lower gears from inside the plane (safely), when I hear the crew manually lowered the gears, I can’t help picturing Burt Lancaster (in tights) or members of the Cirque du Soleil (in the off season) swinging around the undercarriage in impossible formation.
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Contact photographer Ryan Pastorino
What: Continental Airlines Boeing 737-800 en route from San José Costa Rica to Newark,NJ
Where: Juan Santamaría
When: Dec 29th 2009
Who: 107 passengers and 5 crew
Why: Near the Nicaraguan border, when pilots detected a brake problem, they returned to the airport. Emergency response team was made up of 12 Red Cross units and four firefighting units.
After two hours of maintenance, the plane was back in the air.
.
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Contact photographer Manuel Mueller
What: Sun Express Boeing 737-800 en route from Frankfurt to Izmir
Where: Belgrade
When: Dec 28th 2009
Who: 117 passengers
Why: While en route, the plane developed a problem with cabin pressure.
After landing, a female passenger was taken to Belgrade Emergency Center
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Contact photographer Alastair T. Gardiner
What: Air India Airbus A310-300 en route from Mumbai to Delhi
Where: Mumba
When: Dec 26th 2009
Who: not available
Why: When the Air India Airbus encountered a technical problem, the flight returned to make a safe landing in Mumbai.
However, passengers were held inside the plane for three hours; and the replacement flight did not arrive for those passengers for 7 hours.
Those are going to be some unhappy campers. Hopefully Air India will provide them compensation beyond peanuts and drinking water.
Pictured: A JetBlue Airways Embraer ERJ-190-100IGW 190AR over Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport
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Contact photographer Klaus Ecker
What: Jetblue Embraer ERJ-190 en route from Westchester County, NY to West Palm Beach,FL
Where: West Palm Beach
When: Dec 26th 2009 (just before midnight)
Who: 95 people
Why: Prior to landing, the pilot realized that the plane had lost nosewheel steering. After landing, he came to a full stop on the runway, and the plane was towed to the gate.
Pictured: A Delta Air LinesMcDonnell Douglas MD-88
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Contact photographer Hartsfield Photography
What: Delta Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-88 en route from New York to Fort Lauderdale
Where: West Palm Beach
When: Dec 26th
Who: 147 on board
Why: While en route, the flight’s generator developed problems. The plane lost electrical backup and diverted to West Palm Beach.
Pictured: An EgyptAir Boeing 737-566
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Contact photographer Stelios Ioannou
What: Egypt Air Boeing 777-200 en route from Cairo to Bangkok
Where: Mumbai
When: Dec 24/25th 2009
Who: not available
Why: While en route, the plane developed an engine problem and shut down one of its engines. The flight diverted to Mumbai where it landed safely.
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Contact photographer Paul Carlotti
What: Asiana Airlines Boeing 777-200 en route from Los Angeles,CA to Seoul South Korea
Where: Anchorage
When: Dec 26th 2009
Who: undisclosed
Why: While en route, undisclosed engine problems caused the pilot to choose to shut down and engine and divert to Anchorage. On landing, the plane was towed to the gate. No indication is provided on when alternative travel accommodations were provided for passengers.
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Contact photographer Mathias Henig
What: Blue Wings Airbus A320-200 en route from Moscow to Karlsruhe Germany
Where: Warsaw Poland /Dusseldorf Germany
When: Dec 22nd 2009
Who: not available
Why: While en route, the flight lost pressure. The plane almost diverted to Warsaw, but instead diverted to Dusseldorf where it made a safe landing.
Pictured: A Vietnam Airlines ATR ATR-72-500 (ATR-72-212A)
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Contact photographer Khoa Vu
What: Vietnam Airlines ATR 72 MTI 208
Where: Novosibirsk Russia
When: Wednesday December 23 2009
Who: crew
Why: Twenty minutes after takeoff, the flight had to return to Tolmachevo due to an oil leak from one of its engines. The plane was on a ferry flight to its manufacturer, as part of a program where newer model new ATR 72-500s will be provided as replacements. Seven planes are expected to be replaced.
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Contact photographer Tokyo
What: Continental Airlines Boeing 777-200 en route from Newark,NJ to Tel Aviv
Where: Rome
When: Dec 24/5 2009
Who: 300 aboard
Why: While en route, the crew received an indication of a problem (not released.) The flight diverted to Rome where the problem was handled, and then the flight continued to its destination.
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Contact photographer Remi Dallot
What: Spanair Airbus A321-200 en route from Madrid to Las Palmas
Where: Seville
When: Dec 23rd 2009
Who: 185 passengers
Why: While en route, the Airbus developed a problem with one of its engines. Passengers heard an explosion and smelled burning oil. The crew decided to shut down the malfunctioning engine, and shut it down.
The flight landed safely.
A replacement jet was flown in but not all passengers opted to board the replacement flight seven hours after they arrived.
Pictured: South African Express Canadair CL-600-2B19 Regional Jet CRJ-200ER
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Contact photographer Fanie Kleynhans
What: South African Express Canadair CRJ-200 en route from East London to Johannesburg
Where: East London
When: Dec 22nd 2009
Who: 16 people on board
Why: While en route, the plane experienced engine trouble. The pilot shut down the engine and returned to East London where it made a safe landing.
Pictured: A Yemenia – Yemen Airways Boeing 737-8Q8
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Contact photographer Andre Oferta
What: Yemenia Boeing 737-800 en route from Sana’a to Cairo
Where: Sana’a International Airport
When: Dec 22m 2009
Who: not available
Why: About thirty minutes after taking off from Sana’a for Cairo, one of the jet’s engines exploded.
The plane returned to Sana’a, and made a safe landing. No one aboard was reported as being injured. Passengers waited almost 3 hours for a replacement flight.
Pictured: A Delta Connection (ASA – Atlantic Southeast Airlines) Canadair CL-600-2B19 Regional Jet CRJ-200ER
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Contact photographer Hartsfield
What: Delta/ Atlantic Southeast Airlines Canadair CRJ-200 from Atlanta to Cleveland
Where: Knoxville
When: Dec 22nd 2009
Who: 50 passengers and 3 crew,
Why: While en route, the plane lost cabin pressure. The flight diverted to Knoxville and landed safely.
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Contact photographer Raymond Wang
What: Air China Boeing 747-400 en route from New York to Beijing China
Where: Ticonderoga
When: Dec 18th 2009
Who: unknown
Why: Thirty minutes into the flight, the cabin developed pressurization problems and requested to fly at a lower altitude. Over Canada, the crew requested to fly even lower. 7 hours into the flight, the plane made an emergency landing in Anchorage.
Pictured: A South African Airways Airbus A319-131 Johannesburg South Africa
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Contact photographer Andre Kok
What: South African Airways Airbus A319-100 en route from Johannesburg
Where: Cape Town
When: Saturday Dec 19 2009
Who: 116 passengers
Why: While en route the plane developed a technical glitch leading to an emergency landing. On the ground, the flight was towed due to a problem in the nosewheel steering.
