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 Frank Robitaille
What: Air Canada Airbus A319-100 en route from Toronto to Bridgetown
Where: Over the Atlantic Ocean…
When: Jul 15th 2009
Who:
Why: En route to Barbados, a fuel leak was discovered; the flight returned to Toronto where passengers debarked safely and were eventually provided another Airbus.
Pictured: A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Departing Orlando
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Contact Photographer Orlando Suarez
What: Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-300 en route from St. Louis to Orlando
Where: Orlando
When: Jul 14th 2009
Who: 134 passengers
Why: On approach to Orlando, an APU fire was indicated; however, after the passengers debarked, there was no trace of fire of heat or found by the fire crew.
We have found conflicting reports whether or not there was an actual fire within the apu that resisted being put out, or a control panel indication of a fire that did not exist.
*APU stands for Auxiliary power unit.
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Contact Photographer Ben Wang
What: US Airways Airbus A320-200 en route from Phoenix to Oakland
Where: San Francisco International
When: Jul 13th 2009
Who: 147 passengers
Why: Nose gear steering of the US Airways Airbus failed on approach to Oakland. The flight was diverted to San Francisco, where nose gear operation apparently was recovered prior to landing.
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Contact Photographer Tim Perkins
What: Southwest Airlines 737 en route from Nashville to Baltimore
Where: Charleston’s Yeager Airport
When: 6:30 p.m Monday July 13
Who: 126 passengers and five crew
Why: While en route, the cabin depressurized when a hole (metal fatigue?) approximately the size of a football appeared in the fuselage. The plane managed to land safely in Charleston West Virginia. The NTSB is investigating.
(News photos don’t look football sized, but it is sure big enough to see plenty of daylight through.)
George’s Point of View
The 737 is a true workhorse, built to land and takeoff almost without too much delay except to load and unload passengers.
I fly Southwest to Las Vegas all the time. It’s a short hop.
I must admit, that every time I fly in one of these planes I have begun to worry about the age and/or the fatigue of the structure. A trip like one from LA to Vegas, most times, is a beating on the passengers and the plane itself. My guess is that 4 out of 5 of these short trips encounter turbulence, sometimes bad turbulence. This beats up the plane. In this case, the plane being beaten up was manufactured in 1994. That’s a lot of years of turbulence abuse. Metal fatigue in these conditions is not surprising, and neither is it completely unexpected. An inspection on this plane last January revealed eight cracks in the frame that required repairs.
I’m just glad it was a BOEING, and that the pilot remained in control of the aircraft. And of course, it’s a good thing that Southwest is now inspecting all of their planes for fatigue. Last year Southwest was fined $7.5 million for overdue inspections. I hope this is not going to be a repeat of last year. All the timely inspections in the world aren’t going to make this plane any younger. Maybe it’s time to put this particular plane out to pasture.
Pictured: A Delta flight taking off from Atlanta
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Contact Photographer Agustin Anaya
What: Delta en route from Dayton to Atlanta
Where: Chattanooga
When: July 13 10:45 am
Why: En route to Atlanta, the pilot smelled smoke and decided to land at the nearest airport which happened to be Chattanooga.
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Contact Photographer
What: Philippine Airlines A343 en route from Manila to Vancouver, BC
Where: Vancouver BC
When: Jul 9th 2009
Why: While over the Pacific, the pilot shut down one of the engines for an unspecified reason. They landed under emergency circumstances without assistance in Vancouver. No injuries were reported.
Pictured: an American Eagle Jet
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Contact Photographer Jonathan Morgan
What: American Eagle Embraer ERJ-145 en route from Dallas to Dayton Ohio
Where: Dallas
When: Jul 11th 2009
Who: 43 passengers
Why: Just after takeoff, the flight experienced issues with hydraulics. The landing gear failed to extend. Nearly an hour after leaving, the flight landed safely at the airport of origin, although “alternate gear extension” implementation was required.
American Eagle is affiliated with American Airlines.
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Contact Photographer Darren Wilson
What: Air Malta Airbus A320-200 en route from Malta to Amsterdam
Where: Malta
When: Jul 6th 2009
Who: 167 passengers
Why: The Air Malta Airbus A320-200 was en route when it experienced a problem with the nosegear and had to return to Malta where it did a flyby for air traffic control to get a look at the nosegear.
George’s Point of View
Not another Airbus…
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Contact Photographer Karl Nixon
What: Thomas Cook Airlines Airbus A330-200 en route from Belfast to Orlando
Where: Norfolk
When: Jul 10th 2009
Who: 265
Why: En route, an engine started vibrating and had to be shut down. The crew decided to divert to Norfolk,VA
George’s Point of View
Another Airbus.
Shutting down the engine is standard operating procedure, and at the same time, it is a near fatality because the pilot had to shut down that vibrating engine while the plane was still over the Atlantic Ocean, 60 miles from land. Can you imagine what was going through this Airbus pilot’s head as he made the decision to shut down that engine? No doubt he was thinking about last month’s two latest Airbus tragedies: Air France flight 447, or perhaps the Yemenia Airlines Airbus.
I know how overdramatic this sounds. Pilots shut down engines all of the time. it’s the very reason they fly with more than one. Just in case. Pilot training covers how to fly on the remaining engines. But this is just July 2009. Even the most well -trained Airbus pilot has last month’s story of Air France flight 447 in his mind, especially when he’s flying something that fails over the ocean.
This Thomas Cook Flight wasn’t experiencing a subtle problem. It wasn’t some subtle, quiet control panel error that could be handled as passengers flew along blissfully unaware and uninformed. In interviews of passengers, they are quoted as describing the engine as “vibrating” or “clackity.” No doubt there were 530 sweaty palms on that plane.
This was one of at least 5 airbus events we heard about today–and it is not in fact, even a complete listing. Hopefully at least the pilot gets serious credit for getting these people safely on the ground.
Who in the world is going to intercede and demand that Airbuses (every model) get checked from A-Z BEFORE they take off ‘in every part of the globe’? Vero?
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Contact Photographer Sean Mowatt
What: Turkish Airlines Airbus A340-300 en route from Istanbul Turkey to Casablanca, Morocco
Where: Ataturk Airport (Istanbul)
When: Jul 9th 2009
Who: 223 passengers
Why: The plane had an undisclosed problem and returned to the airport where it landed safely.
What: Northwest Flight Airbus 330 en route from San Francisco to Tokyo
Where: SFO
When: Thursday, 09 July 2009
Who: 194 passengers
Why: The flight took off without issues but developed a problem in one of its engines When the engine compressor failed, the flow of air to the engine was disrupted, and the flight had to return to the airport for a safe landing.
George’s Point of View
What a surprise, it’s another Airbus. An A330.
Thank God, the ending is a happy one.
What: Saudi Arabian Airlines Airbus A300-600 en route from Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) to Khartoum
Where: Khartoum
When: Jul 7th 2009
Who: 310 passengers and 16 crew
Why: On approach, the crew reported problems with the braking system. The plane swerved while landing but no injuries or damage was reported.
What: Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-300 en route from Baltimore to Providence
Where: BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport
When: Jul 7th 2009
Who: 135 on board
Why: On takeoff, the plane flew into a flock of birds. About 40 small birds were found on the runway after the incident. The plane landed shortly after the bird strike. The plane was sent to be examined; and another plane was provided about 5 hours later to resume the flight.
George’s Point of View
The birds are at it again.
Pictured: Merpati Nusantara Airlines Boeing 737-400 registered as PK-MDM. (PK-MDO was the plane in the incident.)
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Contact Photographer Biel Gomila
What: Merpati Nusantara Airlines Boeing 737-400 en route from Biak to Ujung Pandang, Indonesia
Where: Biak
When: Jul 6th 2009
Who: 110 passengers and 6 crew
Why: On take off, the left main wheel (rolled or fell? entire wheel or tire?) was lost. After takeoff, the plane burned off fuel and landed safely (even without the wheel), apparently without substantial damage, as the plane reportedly resumed the flight 24 hours later.
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Contact Photographer Alasdair Mulhern
What: Qantas Airbus A380-800 en route from Singapore to London
Where: London Heathrow
When: Jul 4th 2009
Why: The first approach was aborted due to a nose gear issue. After landing, nose gear steering failed, and the plane was towed. However, repairs were made so that on the return flight, the delay was only about two hours.
Pictured: A Kingfisher Airlines Airbus
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Contact Photographer Steve Brimley
What: Guwahati- Kolkata Kingfisher Airbus A320-200 en route from Guwahati to Kolkata
Where: NSC Bose International Airport (Kolkata Airport is also known as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport)
When: Jul 7th 2009
Who: 117 passengers (alternately reported as 170)
Why: 125 km from landing at Kolkata, smoke was reported in the cabin coming from a galley. The plane landed safely and passengers debarked normally.
A newspaper report claims there was a false alarm from a cockpit indicator reporting a fire in the cargo belly. No plane registration number was given for either report, though, so it conceivably could have been sloppy reportage of two separate KingFisher Airbuses at the same airport.
Pictured: American Airlines MD-80
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Contact Photographer Andy P. Jung
What: American Airlines MD-80 Flight 1243 en route from Ft. Lauderdale to Dallas
Where: Lafayette’s Regional Airport
When: 11:35 a.m. Monday
Who: 151 on board
Why: In the cabin, passengers experienced smoke and fumes en route; the pilot diverted to Lafayette because of a suspected electrical problem.
Passengers were provided three options: ticket-exchange, rent a car for the rest of their trip or wait for the replacement MD-80.
Pictured: One of Shaheen Air’s 12 Boeing 737s
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Contact Photographer Steve Brimley
What: Shaheen Airlines Boeing 737-200 en route to Karachi
Where: Benazir Bhutto Shaheed International Airport
When: Saturday
Who: not available
Why: A bird strike right after take-off caused the pilots to request an emergency landing. No one was injured, and the flight took off after a delay of four hours.
View from an airbus similar to the one in the incident
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Contact Photographer Nitin Sarin
What: Air India Airbus A321-200 en route from Kochi to New Delhi
Where: Nagpur
When: Jul 3rd 2009
Who: 151 passengers and 6 crew
Why: When the engine shut down amid-flight, the plane diverted to Nagpur where it made an emergency landing without any known injuries. Technical details regarding the engine problem have not been released.
What: Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 767-300 en route from Los Angeles,CA to Honolulu
Where: Hilo Hawaii
When: Jun 30th 2009
Who: 237 passengers
Why: En route to Hawaii, an engine indicator light indicated a problem with an engine oil filter. After the engine was “idled” down, the plane diverted to Hilo and made a low speed approach, landing safely at 11:30 am.
Passengers were flown to Oahu on alternate transportation.
According to Hawaiin Airlines public report, examination of the plane revealed that the indicator was faulty.
What: Aerolineas Argentinas Boeing 737-500 en route from Buenos Aires to Santa Cruz Bolivia
Where: Rosario Argentina
When: June 29
Who: 108 on board
Why: When the cabin filled with smoke, the plane was diverted to Argentina where it landed safely. Passengers debarked without further event.
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Contact Photographer Timothy Redfern
What: Spirit Airlines Airbus A319-100 en route from Chicago to Ft Lauderdale
Where: Daytona Beach
When: July 1 2009
Who: 143 on board
Why: When a burning smell filled the cockpit, the plane diverted to Daytona Beach. Passengers debarked normally; some individuals who experienced shortness of breath were taken to Halifax Medical Center.
Passengers stated that the smoke was not visible but it made their eyes water, and smelled like rotten eggs.
What: BEECH 1300 Super King Air owned by GUARDIAN FLIGHT INC of FAIRBANKS Alaska
Where: Anchorage
When: 06/28/2009 19:35
Who: Pilot
Why: THE RIGHT NACELLE FELL OFF DURING FLIGHT, NEAR ANCHORAGE, AK
Airworthiness Certificate is dated 09/15/1977
What: An Air India Airbus A-320 en route from Delhi to Hyderabad to Tirupati
Where: Delhi
When: Jun 29th 2009 1141 hours
Who: 68 passengers, 6 crew
Why: Thirty minutes into the flight, the control panel indicated a hydraulic problem. The pilot requested to return to Delhi, where passengers debarked safely. Passengers were provided an alternate plane to complete their flight.
No further details were available about the hydraulic problem.
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Contact Photographer Roger Oldfield
What: PIA Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A310-300 en route from Quetta to Karachi
Where: Pakistan
When: Jun 28th 2009 2:15 pm
Who: 166 passengers 12 crew
Why: While still over Quetta, the cockpit filled with smoke. One source reports the fire apparently reportedly began in the AC system. (again.) Another says an electrical problem sparked a small fire in the cockpit.
In any case, the crew requested an emergency landing, and landed safely. No injuries were reported. The passengers resumed their flight 3 hours later.
