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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    Airbus Leaky In Miami


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Joey Collura
    What: American Airlines Airbus A300-600 en route from Miami to Port Au Prince
    Where: Miami
    When: Jun 6th 2009
    Why: Minutes after take-off, the plane developed hydraulics problems and returned to the airport to deal with a leak in the hydraulics.

    George’s Point of View

    I have said it before. Old planes should be retired to the desert.

    Serial Number 466
    Manufacturer Name AIRBUS INDUSTRIE
    Model A300B4-605R
    MFR Year 1988
    Certificate Issue Date 09/09/1988

    The Most Current Airworthiness Certificate:
    Engine Manufacturer GE Classification Standard
    Engine Model CF6-80 SERIES Category Transport

    A/W Date 11/30/198

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    Icelandair Boeing Emergency Landing in London


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer James Gardner
    What: Icelandair Boeing 757-200 en route from Paris to Reykjavik
    Where: emergency landing at Gatwick in London
    When: Jun 4th 2009
    Who: 148 passengers
    Why: The engine made a loud noise and the crew declared an emergency, and shut down the engine. After the emergency landing in London, passengers waited for substitute Icelandair and Iceland Express planes to take them on to Reykjavik, while some returned to Paris.

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    Emergency Landing in Quad


    What: United Express Embraer 175 en route from Pittsburgh to Denver
    Where: Quad-Cities International Airport,
    When: Thursday, June 4 9:05 a.m.
    Who: Sixty-seven passengers and four crew (2 flight attendants, a pilot and co-pilot.)
    Why: When smoke filled the cabin, and there were electrical problems, the flight diverted to Quad City International Airport in Moline. Emergency slides were not used, and there were no injuries.

    It took under ten minutes from the perception of the emergency to the safe landing.

    George’s Point of View

    After a tragedy like the Air France Airbus, each safe landing after an emergency reminds of what a blessing a safe homecoming is.

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    NW flight Diverts from LA to Waterloo

    What: Northwest Airlines Flight 335 Boeing 757 en route from Detroit to Los Angeles.
    Where: Waterloo
    When: on Tuesday morning
    Who: 182 passengers
    Why: An hour into the flight, the crew smelled smoke and diverted to Waterloo. Northwest is flying mechanics in on a substitute 757.

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    Airbus Flap Failure


    Contact photographer Ian Older
    What: Lufthansa Airbus A340-600 en route from San Francisco,CA to Munich Germany
    Where: Munich
    When: May 29th 2009
    Who: 277 passengers
    Why: When landing flaps failed, the Airbus prepared for an emergency landing. Fortunately, though the plane landed too fast, there was no serious consequence to the flap failure. Reportedly the plane was repaired and returned to service hours later.

    George’s Point of View

    It’s a good thing they weren’t landing at Sao Paulo, or another airport with a short runway–

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    Helicopter Lands in Lake

    What: Tonnesen Aviation’s Robinson R44
    Where: Y-Landing Marina on Meredith Neck, Lake Winnipesaukee
    When: May. 26, 2009 11:30 a.m.
    Who: 4 aboard
    Why: The helicopter was struck by wind gusts on approach to the landing pad, and landed in 15 foot water. Everyone made it safely to shore. Pilot was Glenn Tonnesen. Passengers include Phil Davidson.

    George’s Point of View

    I saw a comment online where someone cites the Robinson Helicopter Safety Notice:
    “Flying in high winds or turbulence should be avoided..”
    Sounds like a good idea to me.

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    Unreliable Airspeed: Blame it on the Bee

    What: SAS Norway Boeing 737-700 en route from Oslo Gardermoen Norway to Malaga Spain
    Where: Gardermoen Airport
    When: May 30th 2009
    Who: 134 passengers
    Why: After takeoff, airspeed numbers did not agree. The crew landed back at the airport about half an hour after takeoff. Passengers were flown to their destinations on an alternative Boeing 737-800.

    Mechanics found the problem. A bee had flown into one of the plane’s air speed sensors (pitot tube).

    George’s Point of View

    A good thing that the pilot was able to land the plane and discover the problem.

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    MD-90 Engine Failure over Madinah, Saudi Arabia

    What: Saudi Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-90-30 en route from Damascus to Madinah, Saudi Arabia
    Where: emergency landing at Prince Muhammad International Airport in Madinah
    When: Thursday May 28th 2009-evening
    Who: 121 passengers
    Why: On approach, the plane experienced a failure in one of its engines. The pilot had to burn off fuel, telling the control tower he was unable to land. After a number of attempts, the MD-90 landed safely.

    George’s Point of View

    Math question
    If an MD-80 flies from Damascus to Madinah carrying 121 passengers with all its engines, loses one and has to circle for thirty minutes after it arrives at its destination, how much fuel was in the plane to begin with?

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    ConocoPhillips Strikes Ducks on the Way to Oil

    What: ConocoPhillips (new) Boeing 737-700 en route from Anchorage to Deadhorse
    Where: emergency landing in Fairbanks
    When: Thursday May 28
    Who: 135 oilfield workers
    Why: The plane flew into a cloud of fifty (or thereabouts) ducks, cracking the 3 ply windshield, denting the engine cowling and forcing an emergency landing in Fairbanks.

    George’s Point of View

    There is no connection between ducks (n.) and duck (v.) (I checked.)

    And then I was going to write something about airline insurance companies using ducks as mascots–but there’s already an insurance duck.

    So let’s just hope the ducks that survive figure out how to get out of the way next time–and be glad that this time, no unfeathered passengers were hurt.

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    Montezuma’s Revenge Diverts Ecuador Flight

    What: Delta Flight 680 en route from Atlanta from Ecuador
    Where: Orlando
    When: May 29 2009
    Who: 118
    Why: Three passengers became sick because of possible food poisoning before boarding the plane.. Two of the passengers were transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center for treatment. The third passenger declined treatment.

    George’s Point of View

    Find the chef-
    And fire him…

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    Airbus Engine Shuts Down on Singapore-London flight

    What: Singapore Airlines Airbus A380-800 en route from Singapore to London Heathrow
    Where: Heathrow Airport
    When: May 25th 2009
    Why: One of the plane’s four engines shut down causing an hour’s delay. The plane was taken out of service, and the return flight was delayed until the Airbus was back in service.

    George’s Point of View

    Airbus is just starting out with this monster and already having engine issues. Engine shut down is serious stuff, even though the monster can fly on less than 4 engines, it’s serious.

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    Canadair Jet Cockpit Side-Window Shatters in Flight

    What: British Air on behalf of Air France Canadair CRJ-100 en route from from Barcelona to Paris
    Where: 15 passengers
    When: May 26th 2009
    Who: 15 passengers
    Why: Near Limoges, the right cockpit window shattered, causing the plane to experience sudden decompression. the plane landed safely at Limoges. Cockpit crew had some injuries from flying glass.

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    Emergency Landing in Reno

    What: Fedex Boeing 757-200 en route from Reno to Memphis
    Where: Reno-Tahoe International Airport
    When: May 26th 2009 7:45 p.m.
    Who: Fed Ex crew
    Why: The plane’s emergency light indicated overheating after leaving Reno, and the crew requested to return, before entering a holding pattern over Carson City and Minden to burn off fuel. The plane landed safely in Reno; the packages were not delayed.
    =

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    Turbulence Rattles Tam Airbus


    Contact photographer SkyMember
    Pictured: flight 8095

    Contact photographer Jerome Mervelet
    Pictured: TAM Linhas Aereas Airbus A330-200 registration PT-MVN
    What: TAM Linhas Aereas Airbus A330-200 en route from Miami,FL (USA) to Sao Paulo
    Where: Sao Paulo
    When: May 25 2009
    Who: 154 passengers
    Why: On approach to Sao Paulo, the flight experienced turbulence. Fasten seat belt signs were illuminated about 20 minutes before landing–Some passengers struck the ceiling.

    Thirteen were treated at the airport; eight were taken to the hospital. No mention is made of any injuries to crew members

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    Flat Tire Down Under

    What: A Virgin Blue Holdings Ltd. Boeing 737-700 en route from Sydney Nova Scotia to Coolangatta Australia
    Where: Brisbane Airport Queensland
    When: 2:30 p.m. local time May 26
    Who: 109 passengers
    Why: After departing, Airport crew at Sydney found parts of the Boeing’s nose wheel tire. The plane made a safe emergency landing in Brisbane. Passengers debarked; and the tire was replaced.

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    Bomb Scare

    What: Oman Air Boeing 737-800 en route from Muscat to Chennai
    Where: Mumbai
    When: May 25, 2009
    Who: 140 passengers
    Why: When a passenger found a suspicious object and a letter which threatened to kill all the passengers aboard the flight, the crew requested an emergency landing.

    Another source quoted: ‘a flight attendant had found a note in one of the lavatories saying “you will all die. Bye.”‘

    The flight landed safely and the passengers were directed to another plane.

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    Red Wings Divert to Krasnodar

    What: Moscow-based Red Wings Tu-204 airline en route from Perm in the Urals to Antalya Turkey
    Where: Krasnodar airport
    When: The plane landed at Krasnodar airport at 10:55 a.m. Moscow time (6:55 GMT) on Sunday, May 24
    Who: 206 passengers and 11 crewmembers
    Why: Problems were detected with the fuel system, necessitating a diversion to the Krasnodar airport

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    MD-82 Engine quits over Bahia Blanca


    Contact photographer Daniel Rodolfo Popinga
    What: Andes Lineas Aereas McDonnell Douglas MD-82 en route from Buenos Aires Newbery,BA to Puerto Madryn Argentina
    Where: Bahia Blanca
    When: May 22nd 2009
    Who: 140 passengers and 7 crew
    Why: The right engine shut down when oil pressure (or the quantity of oil) went down. The flight was diverted to divert to Bahia Blanca

    George’s Point of View

    Another emergency on another MD-82. Two engines are always safer than one, and we’re all glad they made a safe diversion…

    Now…how old was the plane? Was this a leak that just developed, or a lapse of maintenance?

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    United Hydraulics Failure over Pittsburgh

    What: United Flight 615 en route from Washington DC to Chicago O’Hare
    Where: Pittsburgh
    When: landed at 12:51 May 22, 2009
    Who: 119 on board including Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.), Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers
    Why: After a hydraulic system failure was announced, the crew announced there would be an emergency landing. There had been “loud bang” at take-off, then the noise and vibration increased.

    The landing was safe; and United was providing another plane for passengers to complete the flight to Chicago.

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    Carelessness Begats F-15 Escort

    What: single-engine Piper en route from Florida to Louisiana
    Where: Galliano Airport
    When: Thursday morning
    Who: Ricky Navarro, 62, of Riverview, Fla.
    Why: Ricky Navarro was flying near the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) facility offshore and ventured into restricted airspace at which point Harbor Police were unable to reach him on the radio. He was “given” an escort of F-15’s to the Galliano airport. All because Navarro had forgotten to turn on his radio.

    Navarro was released.

    George’s Point of View

    Let’s look at the predecessors to this event.

    -911
    -Banker Marcus Schrenker faking his death in a plane
    -semi-suicidal Turkish Canadian Adam Dylan Leon flying from Canada to the US
    -Brazilian father who abducted his 5 year old daughter and flew his stolen plane into a mall

    I’m not saying these events are directly linked. I’m just saying that the rate of air events of this nature is disturbingly frequent. Our brave, free-minded and patient fighter pilots who pursue flying fools can only keep their finger off the button for so long. Kamakaze-minded idiots keep testing the waters, doing stupid things and putting themselves and others in danger

    On the day we ever inch closer to war, there will not be a US resident who will blame the soldier for pushing the button the next time someone forgets to turn on their radio.

    Ricky Navarro, if you’re going to be that negligent–rookie mistake or not–you don’t need to be flying. The cockpit is no place for carelessness.

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    Boeing emergency landing in Buenos Aires

    What: Flight AA956, American Airlines Boeing 767 en route from Ezeiza International of Buenos Aires to New York
    Where: Buenos Aires
    When: May 20 took off at 8:39 p.m and landed at 1:17
    Who: 200 passengers
    Why: The flight returned to Buenos Aires for an emergency landing due to a technical failure of the “defrosters.” The 767 anti-ice system is essential as the plane flies at 10,000 feet. No injuries were reported. The flight had to fly over De la Plata River to “*finish the fuel.”

    There’s no indication if *finish in this context means dump (they did fly over a river) or use up. The term came verbatim from a Xinhua report–so we have a report that has gone from Spanish to Chinese to English and we do apologize if we lose details.

    The flight has been rescheduled for Thursday.

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    Bird Strikes Pilot in the Face


    What: Northern Colorado Med-Evac Bell 407 Helicopter en route from Greeley to a hospital south of Denver
    Where: two miles from Swedish Medical Center (landed at Centennial Airport)
    When: 1:10 a.m. Sunday May 17
    Who: The 4 people aboard were uninjured.
    Why: The helicopter made an emergency landing after a bird strike left a small hole in the front windshield. The bird actually struck the pilot in the face and ended up on the floor of the helicopter.

    The pilot and passengers were not injured. No word on the bird’s condition.

    The helicopter was repaired and is back in service. The neurology patient was driven the rest of the way to the hospital.

    George’s Point of View

    I love birds, but I wish they would stay away from our aircraft.