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    Amazonaves Owner Dies in Brazil Crash


    Click to view full size
    Contact photographer João Henrique

    What: Amazonaves EMB-810C Seneca PT-EFS en route from Manaus to Santarem
    Where: Manaus
    When: April 21, 2011, 14:52 LT
    Who: 7 fatalities and a dog called Pimpolho
    Why: A minute after takeoff, an Amazonaves Air taxi which crashed at the threshold of the runway in the neighborhood of Tarumãt West Zone at 3 pm on Thursday had the owner, and his wife and son among those aboard. Antonio Neto Picão, his wife, Luciana, and a son, Matthew, 12 died in the crash and were buried in Boa Vista. Two daughters chose not to fly.

    The four other fatalities were Pilot Waldeir Alencar da Silva,, Kelly Cidrônio, Janilça Oliveira Nascimento and Magno Souza. Santos was buried in Manaus, Alves in Minas Gerais and the two other passengers in Santarém. Janilsa and Magno Nascimento Souza were employees.

    The cause of the crash has not been determined but Infraero confirmed that the plane was carrying 7 people, but only has a capacity for 5.

    Serviço de Investigação de Acidentes Aeronáuticos (Seripa) expects a report in 30 days.

    In 2002, an Amazonaves plane crashed in the Amazon;
    In 2003, an Amazonaves crashed during a flight inspection;
    In 2007, an Amazonaves crashed into a house in Manaus.
    All of the crashes were determined to be due to mechanical failure.

    The two engines and propellers of the Amazonaves Seneca (PT-EFS) will be sent to Sao Paulo where they will undergo deconstruction to be examined for signs of defect.

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    India’s Aviation Crisis

    Promises last year to add over 500 regulatory positions have not yet been implemented, risking India being degraded by the FAA to a Category 2 country which cannot fly to the US.

    Only halfway through an inquiry of their aviation industry, India is suffering an ethical crisis in aviation, following the revelation of mass corruption and fraud. India has 8000 pilots. So far 29 pilots have lost their licenses. (This is not including 57 drunk pilots who reported for work inebriated.)

    Bribery, test cheating, fake flying records led to the revoking of licensure and firing of at least twelve pilots. In order to pass off some of the false information, those complicit had to have included aerodrome officials, aviation fuel suppliers, flying instructors and government officials. Some flying schools seem to be completely uncredited. Two gangs from six cities were running a racket fudging test scores. Revoked licenses include six commanders licenses and 13 commercial pilots licenses. The problem is industry wide, with a vastly understaffed (140 employees) regulatory system. Licensure testing is not computerized, and not focused on aviation.

    So in view of all of this exposure, I think back on 2007. I am not an attorney, and this is just my opinion, but it is the opinion of someone who is reasonably familiar with what goes on in the aviation industry.

    I see so much of what is happening, from my vantage point, just standing back and looking inside what is going on.

    I can not help but wonder how these airlines continue to get their financing.

    Why aren’t the financiers taking a harder look at who they’re giving the keys to the planes? Let’s consider how quickly Air Inda Express grew. Sure, they are owned by Air India, but they started out with five planes and very quickly grew to a fleet of 25. Someone financed these planes.

    Why?

    What were they thinking?

    After an audit of Indian Aviation in 2007 revealed unqualified manpower, then we saw the Air India Express crash in 2010. Now they have another audit and we find that NOTHING HAS CHANGED.

    Think about this in ordinary terms. If you as a driver were to lease a car, when
    you walk into that agency to get the lease, they check to make sure you have a valid license. They make sure you’re old enough. They verify your qualifications as a driver. They examine your fiscal health before they accept your contract and hand over the keys.

    SImilarly, those companies which provide the loans for airlines to purchase planes do their due diligence. If an airline defaults on a loan, that A380 or B737-800 is going to get repossessed just as a car would be repossessed in similar circumstances.

    In light of all of the corruption and lack of qualification that has been uncovered in all corners of Indian aviation, I can not help but wonder who performed the due diligence on these plane leases. Someone is financing it. It takes a lot of cash to put planes in the air, but that big financing brings in big income for leasing companies, in interest and lease payments.

    So, the 2007 audit revealed failings in Indian aviation; and this one that is ongoing in 2011 has revealed the continuation of failings. Where are the leasing companies? Shouldn’t they monitor the safey program of their investments? If they do not do so, are they not negligent?

    Are they not entrusting the guardianship of the lives of passengers, and those planes—weapons of mass destruction—to the hands of unqualified pilots?

    In the Air India Express case, there was a 737 800 leased. We don’t have an official report yet, but there have been some who have precipitously assumed the crash was caused by pilot error. Everyone is concluding the pilot blundered. We do not know if (in addition to bundering) he was unqualfiied, asleep, stupid, suicidal, or if the plane malfunctioned. And we may never know.

    But we do know a finance company backed that airline, who put a possibly unqualified pilot into that cockpit. Somebody financed that plane with due diligence that ignored the safety audits revealing the lack of health in Indian Aviation.

    Are they not negligently entrusting weapons of mass destruction to unqualified personnel? The financiers have the right to repossess the plane if there is a failing in the plane, its operation or its custodianship. The financiers can withhold the use of a plane until such time that safety conditions are met and they abide by all international expectations, rules and recommendations of air authorities, just as ALL airlines must. If they do not have that right written into their contracts, shame on them, and to lessen that shame, write that condition, right and responsibility on all future contracts.

    The lenders have the right to repossess the plane (and if they don’t they should.) They have the responsibility to do so, especially when life is on the line.

    In the meantime, banks and leasing company should suffer the consequences of their negligence right along with the operators after a crash. In other words, pay for your mistake. Pay the families of the victims for negligently entrusting that weapon of mass destruction.

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    Family Tragically Lost in Kansas Cornfield

    What: Precision Ag & Seed Services Beechcraft
    Where: Topeka, Kansas
    When: 22-APR-2011
    Who: 4 fatalities
    Why: A family of four missed the approach to Philip Billard Municipal Airport. Witnesses to the crash say they heard the engine sputter.

    The plane was flying too low as it made a go-around to make a second landing pass. The plane was a Beechcraft built in Kansas.

    The young Scott city couple and their daughters were making an Easter trip when they crashed. The victims names were released: Richard Dylan Spencer, 35; Amy Beth Spencer, 34; and their daughters, Chase Spencer, 7, and Ansley Spencer, 5.

    All of these aviation crashes that involve deaths are terrible; but somehow it hits home sharper when it is a young couple with their two small children.

    Rest in peace Spencers.

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    Passi Probe Nabs Top of DGCA Heap

    After allegations of attaining a pilot license under “extraordinary circumstances,” Garima Passi came to public attention.

    The flight school where Garima Passi had trained observed a hard landing, and determined that Passi had a disabling fear of aircrafts. Although the American Sabeena Training Centre she attended says that Passi “lacks basic aircraft control and she does not complete the gap between knowing and applying,” five days after attending a Uttrakhand training school, Passi was cleared to fly.

    (We do not know if she attended the full course.)

    Garima Passi quit SpiceJet airlines last month.

    So how did she get a license in the first place, and how was she flying for Spicejet? It helped that her father is (or was) Director of Air Safety Northern Command?

    RS Passi, the joint director of DGCA has been relieved of his duties pending probe into his role into his daughter procuring a fake pilot license.

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    Blame Samuel Jackson for Two More ATC Suspensions

    The Ohio, controller who watched a DVD while monitoring three planes sent audio of Samuel Jackson in the movie The Cleaner to those three planes over his mike, and sticking his mike in the ON position so he couldn’t receive calls. The FAA announcement of that controller’s suspension said that a military pilot on an alternative frequency heard the movie broadcast over airspace. That controller has been suspended along with his manager.

    Is this Oberlin Ohio controller the only one doing this or was he just the only one unlucky enough to get caught? What other distracting solutions have air traffic controllers found to keep them from falling asleep during long dull lapses during the night? FAA policy prohibits the use of portable DVD players.

    We haven’t heard from Samuel Jackson.

     

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    Single Survivor Pulled from Crash


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

    What: United Nations – UN/Georgian Airways Canadair CL600 2B19 Regional Jet CRJ-100ER on the return trip from Kinshasa-N’Djili Airport (FIH) to Kisangani (FKI) and Entebbe (and back)
    Where: Kinshasa-N’Djili Airport, Congo
    When: 04 APR 2011 2 pm.
    Who: 4 crew, 29 passengers
    Why: On landing in Kinsasha, the United Nations plane encountered rainy weather and crashed at the end of the runway, breaking into several pieces. Witnesses say the plane encountered windshear at 65 feet and fell straight down. At least eight were thrown from the plane when it broke. There were 32 fatalities. There was one survivor. The crew was composed of Georgians.

    The rain helped put out the fire, according to firefighters. The black box was recovered.

    The lone survivor, Francis Mwamba, a Congolese journalist, was taken to Biamba Marie Mutombo hospital.

    The plane was also reported as a Fokker.

    Airzena Georgian Airways made this statement:

    “Airzena Georgian Airways” regrets to confirm an accident occurred at Kinshasa airport, capital of Democratic Republic of Congo on 4 April, 10 at 13:00 GMT.The flight was operated under UN mission by aircraft of type CRJ-100 enroute from Goma to Kinshasa. The landing was performed in adverse weather conditions. The aircraft sufferred crash landing, broke up into parts and caught fire.

    According to the currently available information crew and passengers died in the accident. The number is specified.

    The accident is being investigated officially to determine its possible cause.

    “Airzena Georgian Airways” is deeply shocked about the accident and expresses its condolences to the family members of the perished.


    View Kinshasa Airport,congo in a larger map

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    Dangerous Maintenance

    It’s not just that they’re sending American jobs out of the country. There’s another question here: Is outsourcing maintenance endangering passengers because the lack of federal oversight?

    Forty percent of maintenance is being sent to third world countries which are documented to have lower standards and security lapses. Saving money may be the intent, but is the savings as important as the performer of the maintenance being able to read the manuals and order forms of the machines he is working on. The work is termed “typically inadequate.” To see Video, Click below.

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    Comair jet struck by Air France Airbus on the ground.

    What: Air France Airbus 380 en route from NY to Paris
    Where: JFK, NY
    When: April 11, 2011
    Who: Air France Airbus passengers; and Comair passengers;
    Why: A Delta/Comair Bombardier CRJ-700 (N641CA) which had just flown in from Boston was struck in the tail by the left wing of an Airbus.

    There were no injuries, but a lot of inconvenience, plus damage to both planes. (The Comair left horizontal stabilizer and the Airbus wingtip.) The Air France flight was cancelled because of the damage. Both flights were cancelled, although the Air France flight hadn’t gone anywhere. The Air France passengers had to disembark and retrieve their luggage as alternatives for reaching their destination were sorted out.

    The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.

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    Blown Lap Joints and Other Points of Fatigue

    The older 737’s which ruptured their five-foot tops (at the lap joints) are just a drop in the proverbial bucket. Or, if you will, the canary in the cave. Because they are a sign of what is to come, if Boeing, and in fact ALL plane makers, don’t step up the inspection guidelines for metal fatigue in 15 year old planes. The FAA is mandating initial and repetitive electromagnetic inspections “to detect cracking in a specific part of the aircraft that cannot be spotted with visual inspection.” The FAA Emergency Airworthiness Directive pdf can be found here.

    Sure, since the fuselage crack on the Southwest 737 on April 1, older model 737’s have demonstrated a propensity toward metal fatigue. On that particular plane, in March, eight instances were found of cracking in the frame and six cracked stringer clips which hold the skin. To be sure, Southwest did the right thing by grounding its 80 737s and checking them all because it turned out that five of those inspected had cracks in the same location. Those 18-inch roof sections are being repaired according to the recommendations of Boeing and the NTSB with a large aluminum patch

    But what about 15 year old 757s? They should put all the older planes of comparable cycles—let’s not limit this to Boeing!— What about 15 year old Airbuses? —under scrutiny for metal fatigue. Are they not just as likely to blow as a 737?


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    Southwest Holey Terror Just the Beginning

    What: Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-3H4 en route from Phoenix to Sacramento
    Where: Yuma International Airport, AZ
    When: 01 APR 2011
    Who: 118 aboard
    Why: A hole burst through the top of this Boeing while en route. The plane suffered decompression, descended to a safe level (when an attendant was injured) and made an emergency landing in Yuma.

    The hole has opened a witch hunt on aging Boeings in search of the kind of metal fatigue that would result in a hole during operations now that the aluminum skin has been known to separate at the lap joints, where panels are spliced together. Although the incident did not result in death, it is being taken as a “warning.” 175 Boeing 737 are slated for examination, and maintenance programs (Southwest, FAA, Boeing) are being re-evaluated to take this into account.

    Discussion of lap joint and the 3 rows of rivets. The skin separated at the lower rivet line. Pre-existing fatigue existed on the fracture surface. (Multi site damage.) The decompression happened 18.5 minutes after take-off, and no pre-indications. The flight crew immediately declared emergency.

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    NTSB TEAM Investigating New Orleans Emergency Landing

    On April 4, 2011, a United Airlines Airbus 320-232 with 109 passengers and crew aboard returned to the airport about 20 minutes after take-off due to electrical difficulties and smoke in the cockpit. On landing, the crew described a loss of anti-skid braking and nose-wheel steering and passengers had to exit via slide. (The right front slide failed.) Dan Bower is investigator-in-charge of the NTSB team including reps of Federal Aviation Administration,United Airlines, the Air Line Pilots Association, theAssociation of Flight Attendants, and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and an Airbus rep appointed by the Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses (BEA) of the Government of France.


    What: United Airlines Airbus A320-200 en route from New Orleans,LA to San Francisco,CA
    Where: Louis Armstrong Airport
    When: April 4 2011 7:20 a.m. after a 13 minute flight
    Who: 100 passengers 5 crew
    Why: After takeoff, the pilot reported smoke in the cockpit, and returned to the airport. The pilot reported losing all instruments, and landed on backup power, blowing out a tire and running off the runway. Passengers evacuated via slides.

    After landing, passengers were taken to the Hilton.

    TRANSCRIPT OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER, PILOT CONVERSATION
    UA 497: Clear for takeoff runway 19, thank for you very much.
    UA 497: We need to vector back to the airport, we got a smoke issue with the airplane.
    N.O. Approach: Turn right 030 (degrees) and maintain 4,000 (feet.)
    UA 497: 030 4,000. And we’d like the longest runway please.
    N.O. Approach: There are men and equipment on the runway – they’re going to try to get them off now. Descend at pilot’s discretion. Maintain 2,000.
    UA 497: We are declaring an emergency and please roll equipment for our landing please.
    N.O. Approach: We are unable for (runway) 10, can you take (runway) 19?
    UA 497: ..no..
    N.O. Approach: Roger, we are clearing the runway now.
    Airport operations: How much time do we have?
    New Orleans Tower: I’d say they are about 11 miles to the west.
    Airport operations: Tower, we can start trying to pull them off, but I don’t think we will get them all off in time.
    N.O. Approach: United 497, Say souls on board and fuel remaining.
    UA 497: 106 souls on board, fuel remaining 32,400 pounds.
    N.O. Approach: They are still trying to get all the vehicles off the runway and 19 is still available if you like….
    New Orleans Tower: … working as fast as they can (unintelligible) There is a bunch of equipment on there they’re tying to get off now.
    UA 497: You need to clear it for us.
    New Orleans Tower: I understand, sir. We’re getting them off as fast as we can.
    N.O. Approach: Turn right heading 140, main 2,000 ….cleared ILS runway 10 approach.
    New Orleans Tower: Can you verify the vehicles are exiting?
    Airport operations: We are attempting to get the vehicles off right now, I’m removing the cones also.
    New Orleans Tower: OK, cause I haven’t seen any of the vehicles move and the aircraft is ten to the northwest and they have to have runway 100.
    N.O. Approach: United 497, Turn right heading 180.
    UA 497: um…. We only have one… um … (Alarms sounding in background.)
    N.O. Approach: United 497 say again sir?
    New Orleans Tower: We need three minutes to get the runway clear.
    UA 497: (alarms blaring) We’ve lost all our instruments right now and we’re going to need (directions)
    N.O. Approach: United turn left heading, 20 degrees left
    N.O. Approach: Just continue left turn, I’ll tell you when to stop.
    UA 497: (unintelligible) What vector are we from the airport?
    N.O. Approach: Right now sir you are on the 330 degree heading from the airport. Northwest of the airport for runway 19er. If you continue on this present heading you’ll set up on the shoreline for 19.
    UA 497: Shoreline for 19.
    N.O. Approach: I can set u up there or I can vector you, what’d you need?
    UA 497: That’s fine.
    N.O. Approach: (unintelligible…)You got the water, right?
    UA 497: Yeah, we got the water and we’re going to stop here about 600 feet.
    N.O. Approach: Roger that. The airport’s currently at your 1 o’clock and five miles.
    UA 497: 1 o’clock and five miles roger.
    New Orleans Tower to fire crews: Fox-6, next arrival runway 19er is our aircraft. And the aircraft is approximately 3 miles northwest runway 19er.
    N.O. Approach: If you start your right turn now I can set you up on final.
    UA 497: Start turn on final.
    New Orleans Tower to fire crews: The aircraft is over the shoreline around two miles out. You do have permission to proceed on to the runway after he lands.
    N.O. Approach: Make a right turn. The airport is off to yoru right side,
    N.O. Approach: 497, clear to land 19er. You’ll be able to make it sir? Winds 180 at 16, gusts to 20, Clear to land. Runway 19er.
    New Orleans Tower to fire trucks: Fox-5, this is our aircraft touvh ing down bow.
    New Orleans Tower: Follow the aircraft down the runway.
    New Orleans Tower: We’re going to need runway 10 operational. Runway 19er is fouled at this time.

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    Washington National: Act III

    Click to reveal audio window

    You’ve heard about Act I, the American Airlines Boeing, which landed without the benefit of ATC guidance at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

    You’ve heard about Act II, the United Airlines Airbus, which also landed without benefit of ATC guidance.

    So why was the tower offline? Simple. The controller apparently fell asleep on duty. The supervisor was on duty alone that night

    It is interesting and perhaps significant to note that the media is much more alarmed about this than most pilots seem to be. The midnight shift at many airports has minimal traffic and there is only one air traffic controller on duty. As was the case at Reagan National, Pilots have access to other air traffic towers. When failing to raise National, the two planes that landed on Wednesday contacted a nearby Warrenton Tower.

    The controller is not a beginner. He’s been on the job at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport for 17 years. This was his 4th successive night on the 10 p.m. to 6 a.m shift. There’s no denying that he should not have fallen asleep, or that there should have been two controllers there. But there are some factors to consider.

    • The accident would have been a whole lot worse if there had not been established protocols for dealing with an airport deemed “uncontrolled.”
    • The first crew designated an advisory frequency. (Emergency procedures.)
    • The second flight crew was aware of the problem, having been informed via that frequency about the silent tower.
    • Washington noise abatement prevents all but a few midnight flights.

    Yes it was a bad situation, but it could have been worse. It’s a good thing there were fall back procedures for the pilots to rely on. At least they never lost radar. And pilots are trained to land without ATC guidance, just in case something like this happens. And, after all, there are airports like Casa Grande, Arizona which are unmonitored and uncontrolled. Listen to the pilots in the audio below. They don’t sound at all stressed by the situation.

    There are consequences that will be far reaching. A minimum of two controllers is going to be mandatory. The controller who fell asleep has been suspended and will be handled according to procedures in the Human Resource Policy Manual.

    But there may be more to come after this. Policy changes, perhaps a lawsuit, perhaps even criminal charges.Or perhaps only retraining for the controller. Time will tell. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has ordered two controllers on the midnight shift at National.

    Airport ATC Audio

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    Banner Plane Ditches in Myrtle Beach Surf


    Pictured: Video clip
    What: Banner plane
    Where: North Myrtle Beach at Apache Pier
    When: March 18 2011 1:30 pm
    Who: pilot
    Why: A pilot flying a plane dragging a banner ditched his plane in the surf off Myrtle Beach. 30 beachgoers rescued the helicopter pilot and a tow crew removed the plane’s wings to pull it on to the beach. The pilot survived and the damage to the plane appears to be minimal.

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    NTSB – 2008 Accident at Owatonna Airport

    NTSB DETERMINES THE CAPTAIN’S DECISION TO ATTEMPT A GO- AROUND LATE IN THE LANDING ROLL WITH INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING CAUSED THE 2008 ACCIDENT IN OWATONNA

    The NTSB has released a conclusion in the 2008 plane crash at Owatonna Degner Regional Airport, Owatonna.

    According to the NTSB report, probable cause was determined to be the captain’s decision to attempt a go-around late in the landing roll with insufficient runway remaining. Contributing factors were cited as “pilots’ poor crew coordination and lack of cockpit discipline; fatigue, which
    likely impaired both pilots’ performance; and the failure of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to require crew management training.”

    The synopsis is available here:
    http://www.ntsb.gov/events/2011/Owatonna_MN/synopsis.html

    The webcast from todays meeting on Aircraft Accident Report – Crash on landing of Hawker Beechcraft BAE 125-800A, N818MV, Owatonna, Minnesota, July 31, 2008 will be available here.

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    Russia: Wing Falls off New Antonov, Crash Kills 6

    What: Voronezh Aircraft Joint Stock Company (VASO) Antonov 148-100E on the border between the Voronezh and Belgorod regions.
    Where: Garbuzovo, Belgorod Region (Russia)
    When: Mar 05, 2011
    Who: 6 fatalities
    Why: The new Antonov-148, being developed in the Ukraine in cooperation with 14 countries, and was sold by the Voronezh Aircraft Factory to the Myanmar Air Force and is designed to carry 79 to 99 passengers. Hundreds of technical problems have been recorded, but the plane is still in its testing phase. On a test flight to Myanmar, witnesses saw a wing and the tail fall off the plane while it was still in the air over a school and kindergarten. The crew managed to avoid the school, and the plane crashed and burned in a field.

    Two pilots from Myanmar died at the crash. Those killed included Yuri Zubritsky, First Class Test Pilot, Captain; First Class Test Flight Navigator Vladimir Yasko; Test Engineer Alexander Korolyov; Lead Flight Test Engineer Anatoly Samoshkin and two Republic of the Union of Myanmar pilots Htein-Lin-Aung and Zaw-Htun-Aung. The flight recorders have been recovered.

    Five engines and 13 firefighters responded.

    The plane’s contractor was JSC Voronezh Aircraft Manufacturing Company. (VASO). The plane had flown 31 flights.


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    Triple S Crash Kills 4 Americans in Abu Dhabi


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

    What: Triple S Aviation McKinnon G-21G Turbo Goose seaplane en route from UAE to US via Riyadh, Saudi Arabi
    Where: Taxiway Kilo Al Ain
    When: Feb 27, 2010
    Who: 4 fatalities
    Why: After takeoff, the plane veered left and crashed.
    The plane caught on fire on impact. 4 US citizens were killed in the crash, including Triple S owner Landon Studer and the company’s international project manager Joshua Hucklebridge. The other victims were pilots from Nevada and California. Triple S has offices in the Middle East and in Texas. The 4 aboard the flight were crew apparently, although their names have not been released.

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    Indiana Pilot Crashes in Corn Field


    What: #3875C C421 Golden Eagle Executive Commuter plane
    Where: Connersville Indiana
    When: 8:15 pm
    Who: James Robert Savor, 47
    Why: Around 8:15 witnesses heard the plane flying low. It crashed in a corn field south East County Road 400, near Henry Road two miles from the airport Weather at the time was rainy. The pilot was killed in the crash.

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    Newfoundland Cougar 491 Crash: Unanswered

    Families and the only survivor of the 2009 Sikorsky crash have petitioned Transport Minister Chuck Stahl to take action. Transport Canada did not enforce certification requirements, leading to sixteen factors that in their turn lead to the crash. Two of three titanium studs broke off the oil filter assembly.

    The helicopter’s design is to be able to continue flying for thirty minutes after the gearbox runs dry.

    The last conversations between air traffic controllers and the Sikorsky’s pilots, Capt. Matt Davis, 34, of St. John’s, and First Officer Tim Lanouette, 48, Comox, B.C., were released by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

    The news from the day of the tragic accident.

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    No Pilot shortage? How Confusing


    As this video so stridently complains “Air India is Claiming a pilot shortage.”
    But what is wrong with this picture: cancelling flights, pilots flying below their minimum hours; after flights cancelled, then routes immediately taken over by smaller airlines. Why would Air India give away profits to smaller, private airlines? Is cash greasing someone’s pockets? Is this poor management, or something else?

    What?

    So. How is it that the pilots in the Mangalore crash were overflown (and exhausted) , when this report is saying Air India flights are normally underflown? Is this just a change of policy to attempt to change history? A one time incident due to cancellations? What is going on here? Why isn’t India’s aviation’s agency at least as upset as this reporter?

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    Newfoundland Sikorsky Crash: Final


    Pictured: Couger-owned Sikorsky S-61N Helicopter
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Phil Earle
    On March 12, 2009, about 0926 ADT, Atlantic Daylight Time, a Sikorsky S-92A helicopter, Canadian registry C-GZCH, operated by Cougar Helicopters, impacted the waters of the North Atlantic about 28 miles east of Cape Spear near St. John’s, Newfoundland. There were two pilots, Pilot Matthew William Thomas Davis, 34, of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador and First Officer Tim Lanouette, 48, of Comox, British Columbia, both of whomdied in the accident, and 16 passengers on board the helicopter. One passenger, Robert Decker, survived with serious injuries, but the other occupants were fatally injured. The helicopter was en route from St. John’s International Airport (CYYT) to an offshore oil platform in the Hibernia oil field. The pilot made a MAYDAY call due to a mechanical difficulty, and was returning to St. John’s at the time of the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and the sea state had 3 – 5 meter swells. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed.

    The NTSB has recommended that any gearbox losing oil pressure should have the capacity to run dry for 30 minutes before failure. In the case of Flight 491, the elapsed time between the warning light and the ditching of the aircraft in the sea was 11 minutes. Two of the three main gearbox mounting studs were broken. When they broke, the helicopter lost oil rapidly and the gears began to overheat.

    On March 23, 2009, Sikorsky released a bulletin that most of the world’s S-92TM helicopter fleet already had complied with the company notice to retrofit the aircraft’s gearbox oil bowl with steel mounting studs.

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    Crash in Cork; 6 Fatalities


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer A. Muñiz Zaragüeta

    What: Manx2 leased from Flightline Swearingen SA-227BC Metro III en route from Belfast to Cork
    Where: Cork Airport, Ireland
    When: Feb 10, 2011
    Who: 6 fatalities, 6 hospitalized (12 aboard) 10 passengers, 2 crew
    Why: The plane was on approach to Runway 17 in fog and low visability. The plane made a go-around. The pilot attempted a second landing on Runway 35. The flight made a second go-around; on the second approach to Runway 17 the aircraft crashed and flipped.

    The plane is an 18-seater Fairchild Metroliner leased by Manx 2 with the flight number BPS 7100.

    The Spanish pilot and his British co-pilot are among the fatalities; also, Pat Cullinan, a partner in KPMG from Omagh and worked in the Belfast office of the accountancy firm; businessman Brendan McAleese from Co Tyrone, who is is a first cousin of Dr Martin McAleese, husband of President Mary McAleese.

    A public announcement said “three men from the North, two men resident elsewhere in the United Kingdom, and a male Spanish national” were killed.

    The six survivors (5 men and 1 woman) have been hospitalized at Cork University Hospital.

    Irish Authority Statement
    1015hrs 10 February 2011: Flight Avia No FLT400C a metroliner SW4 with ten passengers and two crew has crashed at Cork Airport. No details of injuries or fatalities are available. The aircraft made an approach to Runway 17 in low vis conditions (Category 2) and went around and did not land and attempted a second landing on Runway 35. The aircraft then went around a second time and came back for an approach to Runway 17. On the second approach to Runway 17 the aircraft crashed adjacent to Taxiway C. Rescue and Fire crew are in attendance. There is a fire and debris has been scattered onto the runway and over a wide area. The accident will be investigated by the Air Accident Unit of the Dept. of Transport. This is correct at this time and may be amended as more detail becomes available.

    Ireland is conducting the investigation.

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    Smokey Charter Flight Takes Basketball Team Off Course

    What: World Atlantic Charter flight en route from Westover Airforce Base to Providence
    Where: Albany International Airport
    When: Jan 25, 2011
    Who: UMass men’s baskeball team
    Why: Ten minutes after takeoff, smoke was smelled in the plane’s cabin and cockpit. The flight diverted to Albany and made a safe landing.

    No one was injured, although there was some praying and some bonding going on.

    The team waited around for a replacement plane which took them to Bradford, Pennsylvania where they took a bus to the game.

  • | | |

    Breaking News: Explosion at Domodedovo

    EXPLOSION AT MOSCOW’S DOMODEDOVO AIRPORT KILLS AT LEAST 10, HURTS AT LEAST 20 –

    A suicide bomber has been reported to have killed 10 at a Moscow airport. Dozens are reported to have been injured. The explosion occurred in the international baggage-claim near a baggage carousel. People are being evacuated from the airport.


    update

    23 killed 130 injured

  • | | | | | |

    Delta MD-88 Lands in Show of Sparks

    What: Delta Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-88en route from Atlanta,GA to Little Rock, AR
    Where: Little Rock
    When: Jan 19, 2011
    Who: 78 people on board,
    Why: On approach to Little Rock, the plane suffered an unsafe gear indication due to a hydraulics problem, and performed a go round for visual confirmation.

    The approach was aborted until the gear could be manually extended. Then the plane landed safely with emergency services on standby. No injuries were reported and passengers left the plane singing the captain’s praises.