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: small plane
Where: dirt road near Lemmon and Chickadee drives between Spanish Springs and Lemmon Valley on a dirt road west of Reno-Sparks Indian Colony in Hungry Valley.
When: 3 p.m. Friday
Who: Washoe County Search and Rescue pilot Don Osborne
Why: The plane experienced a sudden drop in oil pressure and made an emergency landing two miles from Reno Stead Airport. The pilot was off-duty.
What: Delta Air Lines a Flight 18 BOEING 777-200ER, registration: N862DA
Where: en route
When: Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Why: The plane experienced a rollback of the right (number 2) Rolls Royce Trent 895 engine during cruise flight at FL390 (approximately 39,000 feet). The flight was a regularly scheduled flight from Pudong Airport, Shanghai, China to Atlanta-Hartsfield International The plane descended, executed flight manual procedures and the engine recovered and continued to Atlanta
What: A Danish Air Force plane
Where: Cypriot coastal city of Paphos airport
When: Thursday afternoon 1.30 p.m
Who: foreign minister Per Stig Moller
Why: Pilot detected a crack in the cockpit windshield and made an emergency landing
What: 1954 Beech Bonanza
Where: Bloomington in a field/rock quarry along Rockport Road
When: Thursday morning
Who: Pilot Larry Gering
Why: After Gering experienced engine trouble, he landed, one wing hit a tree, and part of the landing gear broke. A witness said “the plane coming down making a circle. . . see the smoke and hear his motor . . .”
The FAA is investigating.
What: single-engined light plane en route from French Island, in Westernport Bay south-east of Melbourne to Moorabbin Airport
Where: Quarry Rd, Langwarrin, in Melbourne’s outer south
When: about 2pm.
Who: student pilot and his instructor
Why: It is believed the engine failed. Teacher and student are unhurt.
What: BMI Baby jet Flight WW1022en route from from Belfast
Where: Birmingham International Terminal One
When: 19 November 2008 9.30am
Who: 76 passengers and five crew members
Why: The plane declared an emergency landing due to a cracked side window.
What: small turboprop plane
Where: Charlotte/Douglas International Airport.
When: 7 a.m
Who: information not available
Why: Pilot reported a hydraulic problem at 6:30 am and landed safely at 7. Passengers were taken off the plane and transported by bus to the concourse.
What: LIAT flight 544 de Haviland Dash 8 -311 en route from Nevis (leaving at 5:30pm) to RLB International Airport, St. Kitts
Where: emergency stop in Antigua
When: Wednesday night (Nov. 12)
Who: 42 passengers
Why: The control panel indicated problems, so that the plane diverted to Antigua. (The landing gear was activated but the control panel said otherwise.) The flight landed at 7:00 after circling for some time.
What: Pinnacle Airlines Canadair CRJ-200 on behalf of Northwest Airlines, flight 9E-2515/NW-2515 from Oklahoma City,OK to Detroit,MI
Where: Indianapolis
When: Tuesday (3 minutes later)
Who: 26 passengers on board
Why: When cabin pressure problems were indicated (possibly originating with the seal around the aircraft’s windshield) the plane had to proceed with an emergency landing at the Indianapolis airport, where the plane taxied to the gate and were able to disembark normally.
What: Pinnacle Airlines Canadair CRJ-200 on behalf of Northwest Airlines, flight 9E-2544/NW-2544 from Detroit,MI to St. Louis,MO
Where: Indianapolis
When: Tuesday (3 minutes earlier)
Who: 18 passengers on board
Why: Flight diverted when the window developed a crack
The rear rotor assembly was cutoff at mid-shaft. The news organization calls this incident a “hard landing”
What: Loganair Saab aircraft, operating for Flybe
Where: Isle of Man Airport
When: 10 November 2008
Who: 19 persons onboard
Why: Reported problems with the plane’s undercarriage-but the plane landed without incident. Roads around the airport were closed in accordance with safety directives.
What: Rotorway Executive 162F experimental helicopter
Where: north end of the airfield at Summit Aviation
When: November 9, 2008
Who: Amanda Randall, 51, of Fenwick Island
Why: While flying a few feet off the ground, the helicopter flipped on its side. Randall sustained a non-fatal head injury.
What: Thomas Cook Airlines Flight TCX569K Airbus A320 en route from Manchester to Tenerife
Where: touched down at Manchester Airport
When: 12.15 pm Friday 7th November 2008
Who: 180 passengers on board
Why: A passenger is quoted as saying” “The captain made an announcement about the problems and the plane went silent. You could have heard a pin drop. It circled for around five minutes before landing. As soon as it did, there was a surge of chatter as everyone started talking.”
After the engine malfunctioned just after take-off, the Airbus returned to the Manchester airport. Passengers were scheduled to leave at 17.15 pm on another plane.
What: Challenger II Special (described as a step up from ultralight aircraft)
Where: south of the County Airport in a field at 695 Township Road 1275.
When: 12:40 p.m
Who: Pilot and plane owner Jeffrey K. Edmondson with 29 years of flying experience.
Why: When Edmondson’s new plane’s engine decided to quit when he cut the throttle, Edmonson decided to quit the plane. (Since he did make a safe landing.) The plane has sensitive rudder controls which require a lot of practice, which hopefully the buyer will be able to get. Although Edmondson was in the process of registering the plane, it is now for sale.
