Landing

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    Vueling Airbus Diverts to Seville


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    Contact photographer Fabrizio Berni

    What: Vueling Airbus A320-200 en route from Granada to Barcelona
    Where: Granada
    When: Aug 22 2010
    Who: 138 passengers, 6 crew
    Why: On departure from Granada, the Airbus suffered a failure in the nose wheel steering. The crew diverted to Sevilla and made a safe landing. The plane was towed. Maintenance determined that the problem developed as a result of hydraulic system failure.

    Passengers were booked on alternative flights.

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    Annoying Alarm Causes Diversion to Cologne


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    Contact photographer Benjamin Exenberger

    What: Lufthansa Airbus A340-600 en route from Munich to Los Angeles,CA
    Where: Netherlands
    When: Aug 20th 2010
    Who: 302 passengers, 17 crew
    Why: While en route, a smoke detector went off. The crew diverted to Cologne where they made a safe landing. The fire apparently originated in the hold though it was a lavatory alarm. No indication if the fight was continued on the same plane or if the passengers were rebooked on an alternative flight.

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    Struck by Lightning: Thomas Cook Scandinavia


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    Contact photographer Emil Almestad

    What: Thomas Cook Scandinavia Airbus A330-300 en route from Stockholm Sweden to Antalya Turkey
    Where: Arlanda
    When: Aug 17 2010
    Who: 409 passengers and 14 crew
    Why: According to Susanne Rundström of the airport’s press office, shortly after take-off, the plane was twenty miles from the airport when it was struck by lightning. The pilots made a “mayday” call.

    The flight returned to Arlanda and made a safe landing. At the airport, the plane was submitted to a routine inspection and pronounced airworthy to fly on the 18th.

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    Andes Lineas Aereas Lands Safely with Load of Brazilian Tourists


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    Contact photographer

    What: Chartered Andes Lineas Aereas McDonnel Douglas MD-82 (also reported as -83) en route from Bariloche Argentina to Buenos Aires
    Where: Neuquen Argentina
    When: August 17 2010
    Who: 152 Brazilian tourists
    Why: While the chartered jet was transporting Brazilian tourists home from a skiing trip, the plane suffered sudden depressurization. Oxygen masks were deployed, and the plane made an emergency landing in Neuquen.

    The pilot made a safe landing in Neuquen. The incident occurred shortly after takeoff. Passengers were provided two replacement planes by the carrier.

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    Thai Helicopter Crash Kills 5


    Pictured: A Eurocopter AS-350B-2 Ecureuil owned by Thailand – Bureau of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation (KASET)
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    Contact photographer M Radzi Desa

    What: Thai Eurocopter AS 350 helicopter en route from Phitsanulok province to take the officials to the inauguration of a river basin development project
    Where: remote area of jungle in Na Muen district of Nan province northern Thailand
    When: August 18 2010
    Who: 5 passengers including Permanent Secretary for natural resources and environment Saksit Tridech, inspector-general of the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department and a senior adviser to the Royal Household Bureau. The pilot who worked for the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry was Major Jenwit Arunsawat. Sergeant Withoon Thienngern, who was the machinist, also aboard.
    Why: While flying over a remote jungle in stormy weather, the helicopter disappeared from radar. The search involved 350 rangers, soldiers, forestry officials, village headmen and villagers. Ground search of 17 separate search parties led by local guides and four search helicopters were utilized to find the wreckage which was located Wednesday, three kilometers from the closest settlement. The helicopter crashed into a mountainside at 1,500 meters. There was no fire.

    Wednesday, rescue teams encountered steep terrain, making the recovery of the remains difficult but the five bodies were recovered.

    Funeral services will be at Wat Phra Si Maha That in Bangkok.

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    Zamboanga Helicopter Lost at Sea; Pilots Missing; US to aid Search

    What: Philippine Navy Volco 411 helicopter performing routine maneuvers
    Where: 1,500 yards from Great Santa Cruz Island Philippines
    When: August 17 2010
    Who: 5 aboard, two missing pilots: First Lieutenant Cristan Corpuz and First Lieutenant Gerald Tamayo
    Why: The crew was engaged in documenting a Special Operations unit Amphibious Small Boat exercise; they were taking aerial photos and videos when they seemed to have engine trouble–although the actual cause will be a mystery until the investigation.

    The US is going to assist in recovery with their towed sonar. The crash site us 8 to 9 fathoms deep.

    Petty Officers Abdon Martinez, Noel Ridad and Rodolfo Pataweg are the survivors.

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    Aires Boeing Struck by Lightning on San Andres Island


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    Contact photographer Juan_BOG

    What: Aires Boeing 737-700 en route from Bogota to San Andrés Island Colombia
    Where: Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport on the Colombian island of San Andres
    When: August 15 2010, 2:15 a.m.
    Who: 131 aboard, 6 crew, 4 minors, 121 adult passengers
    Why: Prior to touchdown, the plane was struck by lightning (11 strikes recorded within 6 miles of the runway within a five-minute span of the crash); the plane impacted 80 meters shy of the runway. The impact scattered pieces of the plane, and it broke at the midsection into three main parts. When help arrived, passengers were already strewn about the area. Praise Boeing for no actual fatalities.

    The injured are being treated at “Amor de Patria Hospital” and “Villarreal Clinic” on San Andrés Island, with the most injured being ported to Bogata via air ambulance.

    After the crash-landing, Mrs. Amar Fernández died of a heart attack en route to the hospital. She was 73. 66 were reported injured, five of them seriously, 35 hospitalized. Alejandro Colmenares Rua (18 months), Yiseth Rua Rojas (23), Catherine Rua Rojas (27), Jacqueline Rua Rojas(23), María Alejandra Ballesteros (21) and Andrés Cagua Calderón (33) were unhurt.

    A room has also been opened for relatives at the Sheraton Hotel in Bogota. Aires published a release regretting what has happened. They are working with Aerocivil to serve the passengers and their families. They have provided a care line number: 018000-949490
    Relatives of the occupants may contact the Hotel Habitel where they will receive all Aires information.

    Flights at Gustavo Rojas Pinilla are suspended. Civil Aeronautics, the Navy, the Colombian Air Force, National Police, Red Cross, the company Aires and other institutions of the Regional Committee for Disaster Prevention and Response have responded.

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    ATI Emergency Landing in Manila


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    Contact photographer Toshi Aoki

    What: ATI Air Transport International Douglas DC-8-70 en route from Tokyo Narita to Singapore
    Where: Ninoy Aquino International Airport Manila
    When: Aug 16 2010
    Who: 24 passengers and crew
    Why: While en route to Singapore, the plane encountered problems over Philippine airspace. With smoke in the hold, the pilot Capt. Espinosa secured permission to divert to Manila. The plane landed with fire and rescue teams on standby.

    The cargo plane is specially configured to carry 32 passengers. The flight had been chartered to carry 21 passengers

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    Small Plane Lost in Maine Kills 2


    This is not George A. Fortin’s N96389; it is a Taylorcraft BC-12D Twosome photographed at Millinocket Municipal Airport in Maine
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    Contact photographer Paul Robbins

    What: vintage 1946 Taylorcraft BC12-D en route from Limington airport
    Where: field near Cape Monday Road, Harrison, Maine,
    40 miles northwest of Portland
    When: August 14 2010
    Who: 2 fatalities
    Why: The flight was reported lost when it did not return Saturday night. The wreckage was found 6 am Sunday. It appears that the pilot struck trees while attempting a field landing.

    Pilot George A. Fortin and passenger Anatole “Tony” Kalinuk were killed in the crash.

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    Cargo Plane with Engine Shut Down Diverts to Shannon’s Long Runway


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    Contact photographer Andre Oferta

    What: Polet Aviakompania Antonov AN-124-100 en route from Goose Bay, Newfoundland, Canada to Frankfurt-Hahn Germany
    Where: North Atlantic
    When: August 14, 2010
    Who: 6 member crew
    Why: 1,000km northwest of Ireland, the Antonov (world’s largest serially built cargo aircraft) developed oil pressure problems in one engine and had to shut it down. The pilots diverted to Shannon which took two hours to reach, and they made a safe landing on a 3.2km runway. No injuries reported.

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    Air Tran Boeing Engine Cover Falls Off Mid Flight


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    Contact photographer Roel van der Velpen

    What: Airtran Boeing 717-200 en route from Indianapolis to Baltimore
    Where: Dayton
    When: Aug 12th 2010
    Who: 48 passengers and 5 crew
    Why: When the left engine developed problems after leaving Indianapolis, the crew diverted to Dayton where they made a safe landing and taxied to the gate.

    According to the video, passengers hopped alternative flights.

    Maintenance determined that the cowling of the left hand engine had separated. AirTran is flying in its own mechanics.

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    Qantas Airbus Blocks Runway

    What: Qantas Airbus A380 en route from LA to Sydney
    Where: New Caledonia’s La Tontouta airport
    When: August 11, 2010
    Why: Forced to land because of the bad weather, the plane was actually too big to turn on the runway, so it had to sit on the tarmac blocking traffic until it was towed.

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    INDIA’s DGCA Asserts Co-Pilot Assertiveness

    George’s Point of View

    Following the Air India Express tragedy in Mangalore India (and definitely in response to it), the DGCA (India’s Directorate-General of Civil Aviation) has been trying to shut the gate after the horses are out. They’re still pointing their fingers at the pilot.

    The tape of the crash records the co-pilot Capt H S Ahluwalia (*i.e. the pnf) insisting to Commander Capt Zlatko Glusica to initiate a go-around. The Captain (**i.e. the pf) did not, and the plane landed too far down the runway, clipped an antenna, crashed thru the end of the runway, off the edge of the runway plateau. We can only assume the captain ignored his co-pilot, as no go-around was initiated.

    Apparently the pilot was in error and the co-pilot knew it. It must have been obvious to Ahluwalia that they were landing at the wrong angle too far down (the middle) of the runway–but he did not act on his knowledge. At any rate, he was in disagreement with his superior officer.

    Consequently, the DCGA has issued an operations circular highlighting procedural assertiveness for the co-pilot when he knows the pilot is wrong. The Mangalore tragedy is not mentioned by name, but it is certainly the silent subtext.

    Did the crash occur because the co-pilot did not take the controls? What exactly will this circular accomplish? Had this circular been public already, would the pilot and co-pilot have ended up in a wrestling match over controls of the airplane?

    It will be interesting to hear from pilots about what they think the consequences of this directive might be, and if they think a cultural context may play a part.

    I always turn to the experts. Right now, before the full investigation is out, I am hearing a lot of speculative “pilot error” but it is all speculation. But is it all pilot error?

    My experts remind me that “Every incident is linked to a chain of events. Each event alone is not sufficient reason to provoke an accident although when they link together the chances are multiplied and sometimes the accident occurs.” ( I am quoting a pilot.)

    For example, if pilot fatigue were a contributing factor (landing at dawn after a long tiring duty cycle), isn’t the carrier’s policy on pilot fatigue a contributory factor?

    The Boeing 737 landed midway on runway 24, and then overshot it, crashing into a gorge. Initial reports on the civil aviation website showed runway 27 mislabeled as runway 24. The actual crash site was not even pictured, a mistake that certainly casts doubt on the quality of the investigation, and possibly even the quality of the resources available to pilots at the time they were negotiating a landing. What did their map say? Is a pilot alone in error if the resources provided him are in error? I know I am digressing, but the point I want to make is this:

    I don’t have years of flight school, or engineering training but I do have opinion. And in my opinion, pilot error alone does not cause a crash like this.

    Terminology
    *pnf – pilot not flying
    **pf – pilot flying
    —

    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer WT

    What: Air India Express Boeing 737-800 en route from Dubai to Mangalore
    Where: Mangalore airport
    When: 6:00 a.m May 22 2010
    Who: 160 (?) passengers including 23 children, 6 crew= 158 fatalities and 8 survivors
    Why: Air India Express flight 812 attempted touch down was around the middle marker. (Conflicting) reports are that it overshot the runway, and that the pilot intended a go round (tapes reveal the co pilot was urging a go-round) but the plane hit the localizer antenna at the runway’s end, plowed through the perimeter losing part of a wing, and went down 75 feet into a ravine, and broke into pieces and burst into flames. On touchdown, there was a reported “bang” which may have been a tire bursting. A drizzle started after the accident. From 5 to 10 people have been hospitalized, but according to reports there are possibly 3 survivors.

    Survivor Abdul Puttur suffered burns. He was seated near the wing exit and said that the pilot had announced the landing, then there was a thud. He saw huge flames after the plane fell into the ravine and then he jumped out from the back entrance. Another passenger said the pilot made no announcement.

    The Serbian pilot was Zlatko Glusica, first officer was S.S. Ahluwalia.

    According to DGCA rules, Mangalore International Airport is deemed a “critical airfield” which means that “supervised take offs and landings” are prohibited. Only the captain (not the first officer) can pilot take-offs and landings. Mangalore International Airport has a controversial table top runway and which forces pilots to make a precision landing. The airport has no buffer zone, and pilots landing planes must fly precisely or risk hurtling off the edge.

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    Asiana Airlines Diverts for Unruly


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Julian Lau

    What: Asiana Airlines Boeing 777-200 en from Seattle to Seoul
    Where: Pacific
    When: Aug 9 2010
    Who: conflict between passengers
    Why: After a disagreement among passengers in which a U.S. serviceman became violent, the pilot diverted to Anchorage. The unruly serviceman was removed from the plane and taken into custody, delaying the flight for two hours.

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    Cessna Crashes in Orange Mass

    What: Cessna 172M Skyhawk en route from Orange Massachusetts to Bar Harbor Maine
    Where: Winter street, Orange, Massachusetts
    When: August 10, 2010
    Who: 2 aboard
    Why: The plane is believed to have originated in Maryland, and to have refueled at Orange airport.

    The plane went down in a wooded area about a mile to the north of the airport, at the end of Winter Street. The plane did not impact any houses. The residential community came together to attempt a rescue, but the two aboard were confirmed dead.

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    2nd Alaska Crash: Piper Strands 5 on Glacier

    What: PA-32 sight-seeing in Alaska
    Where: Knik Glacier, about 113km northeast of Anchorage
    When: Sunday August 8, 2010 1 pm
    Who: pilot, Donald Erbey, 49 and 4 friends
    Why: Erbey had taken Texas friends sightseeing in his small family Piper 32. When he realized he was flying into bad weather, he turned to head back, “hit a downdraft” and crashed in a snowbank, leaving them stranded since Sunday on Knik Glacier, Alaska.

    Monday evening, highly trained pararescuers—Maj. Jesse Peterson, Master Sgt. Al Lankford, Tech. Sgt. Chris Uriarte and Tech. Sgt. Angel Santana—braved a 4 mile trek to walk in food and supplies. The plane’s locator beacon was operable.

    Helicopters with additional supplies and support are in the area but weather conditions have not permitted drops or a rescue. They have adequate resources to wait till weather clears enough for helicopters to land as hiking out is a last resort.

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    Japanese Coast Guard Helicopter Lost at Sea

    What: Japanese Coast Guard Bell 412EP “Akizuru”
    Where: off Kagawa, Shikoku Japan
    When: August 8 2010
    Who: 5 occupants 4 fatalities
    Why: Akizuru hit offshore power lines and crashed into the sea. The five member crew was missing; but the remains of 4 were found by searchers. One is still missing.

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    Beckham Flight Returns to London


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    Contact photographer Alasdair Mulhern

    What: British Airways Boeing 747-400 en route from London to Los Angeles
    Where: over Scotland
    When: Aug 7th 2010
    Why: While en route, the British Airways plane developed a problem with the fuel system, dumped the fuel while at sea and returned to Heathrow. No injuries. Safe landing.

    The event has received significant coverage, chiefly because Victoria Beckham was aboard the flight, and managed a wardrobe change–and photos of both outfits have been published online.

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    Beechcraft Bonanza Crashes and Burns in Pennsylvania House

    What: TSI Titanium (1982) Beechcraft 58 Baron en route from Arnold Palmer Regional Airport
    Where: Bell Township Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
    When: Aug 7 2010 9:19 am
    Who: 2 fatalities
    Why: The plane crashed nine minutes after take-off. Witnesses say it sounded like the engine cut out before it crashed. The pilot did not contact ATC and the cause is unknown, pending investigation.

    Edward Sobota, president and owner of TSI Titanium, was flying his new Beechcraft two engine plane, and working on getting certified in it, when it crashed into a Bell Township neighborhood. Ted Kokolis a pilot for Bayer, who was also on board and killed in the crash. Steve Yanko was sleeping on his couch in his family room and was not injured when the plane crashed and burned in his wife’s art studio at the opposite end of the house. His wife was not in the house at the time.

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    GA: Missing Helicopter found

    What: 2006 Robinson R44II en route North Palm Beach County airport to Brasstown Valley Resort and Spa in Young Harris
    Where: north Georgia mountains
    When: Monday evening
    Who: pilot Adam Reeves, of Jupiter, Fla and unidentified passenger
    Why: The helicopter had been missing since Monday. It was found Friday afternoon by the Civil Air Patrol, having crashed in the N. Georgia mountains in northern Lumpkin County around 2:30 p.m. The search began after relatives of the passengers made inquiries at the airport about a helicopter that had never arrived.

    The flight had been due in Blairsville at 7 p.m but had never arrived.

    The helicopter refueled in Madison, Ga around 6:30 pm Monday. At some unknown time it left North Palm Beach County.

    Reeves was a former U.S. Air Force medic who ran health care and realty companies in Palm Beach County.

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    Recovered: Last Victim of Lake Michigan Cessna Crash

    What: Cessna 206 en route from Alma Michigan to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn
    Where: Lake Michigan, Ludington MI
    When: July 23, 2010
    Who: 4 fatalities, 1 survivor 66-year-old pilot, Jerry Freed
    Why: While en route on a medical evacuation flight, the pilot contacted ATC about experiencing mechanical problems, then the medical flight crashed into Lake Michigan on July 23. The pilot was rescued by boaters Randall Schmidt and his wife, Kristin Berg, about 2 miles from shore. Six foot waves hindered the recovery efforts.

    The Michigan State Police Underwater Recovery Unit sonar found the plane at approximately 6 p.m. last Thursday.

    The remains of Alma school superintendent and cancer patient Don Pavlik and his wife, Irene, were recovered Friday by divers. The body of Dr. James Hall was recovered Saturday night and identified Sunday. Co-pilot Earl Davidson was found last, on Sunday at 9 a.m..

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    Small Plane Crash in Phoenix

    What: Cirruss S-R 22 single-engine plane in Phoenix
    Where: Deer Valley Commerce Park, near 19th Avenue and Deer Valley Road
    When: August 4 2010 6:00 a m
    Who: pilot
    Why: The pilot of the plane was in contact with Deer Valley air controllers prior to the accident but did not radio for help. Apparently the engine had caught fire, and the plane lost altitude. On impact, the plane was engulfed in flame.

    The plane with only the pilot aboard crashed not long after takeoff.

    The plane was registered to Magneto Investments of Phoenix.

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    Smoke Break leads to Albuquerque


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    Contact photographer Duy Tran Duc

    What: American Airlines Boeing 767-200 from New York to Los Angeles
    Where: Albuquerque
    When: August 4, 2010
    Who: 168 passengers and 11 crew (or 158 passengers and 11 crew)
    Why: The story behind this one is two-fold. One source says the plane diverted to Albuquerque because of smoke in the cockpit. No smoke, no cause of smoke, no evidence thereof was found.

    Another source says an unruly passenger was behind the diversion. This person was detained by the FBI on landing, after which the plane was inspected for explosives. During the search, passengers hung around the tarmac for three hours.

    This man is being questioned about the odor like cigarettes that was discovered in the bathroom, along with some used matches. Another report says he lit matches in the cabin and then hid in the bathroom.

    The plane left Albuquerque for LA around midnight.

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    FAA Air Traffic Controller Could Not Provide

    FAA air traffic controllers provided the pilot outdated flight visibility information that made navigation difficult for Steven Bunker. Bunker had requested an “airport surveillance radar approach”, a ground-based radar approach. After the FAA air traffic controller told him she could not provide “airport surveillance radar approach” service, the four people in Bunker’s helicopter died.

    On Sept. 27, 2008, the medevac helicopter that crashed in a wooded area of Walker Mill Regional Park: Kenneth Mallard, State police pilot Stephen J. Bunker, Trooper 1st Class Mickey C. Lippy and Ashley J. Younger.

    Jordan Wells who was also aboard, survived.

    Kenneth Mallard was an EMT for the Waldorf Volunteer Rescue Squad. Michael Loyola Rowan, his wife Tanya Mallard’s lawyer, is filing a $7 million federal lawsuit against the FAA for ” not doing everything necessary to ensure a safe landing for the Maryland State Police Trooper 2 helicopter.” Christina P. Lippy has sued for $15 million.

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    Russian Passenger jet Crashes in Igarka


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    Contact photographer Senior

    What: Katekavia Antonov 24RV passenger jet en route from Krasnoyarsk to Igarka
    Where: Eastern Siberia
    When: August 2 2010
    Who: 3 crew and 11 passengers (also listed as 5 crew 10 passengers)
    Why: 700 meters from the landing at Igarka, the plane the plane veered to right and crashed before the runway, in bad weather conditions. (Night time landing, thunderstorms, limited visibility) 11 fatalities have been reported. The plane shattered and caught fire.

    Three crew members and one passengers were hospitalized initially–the only ones pulled alive from the plane– but now only 3 crew members remain fighting for their lives.