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    US Airways Emergency lands with failed landing gear

    A parade of emergency services met the Dash 8 as it ground to a stop in a shower of sparks after a dramatic belly landing. On May 18, 2013, a US Airways/Piedmont Airlines Dash 8-100 turboprop en route from Philadelphia to Newark was landing in Newark when the left main landing gear failed to deploy. At the last minute, pilot Edward Powers went gear up, landing in a blaze of fire from belly-landing-friction, till it came to rest in the dark. No one was injured.

    There were 3 crew and 34 passengers aboard.

    After landing at 1 a.m. after the pilot had circled to burn off fuel, the passengers disembarked, and were bussed to the terminal. The plane was foamed to prevent sparks from igniting.

    Hysterical passengers reported the pilot announcing “crash crash crash,” calling home for last goodbyes, the jolt and grind of impacting the runway, and the cabin filling with smoke as it landed.

    The plane made a belly landing, which means without wheels. A sixteen person team of emergency services responded to the scene

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    Nepal Airlines Crash Landing in Jomsom


    Twenty-one people aboard a Nepal Airlines de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 survived the attempted landing 125 miles NW of Kathmandu.

    Everyone aboard survived but everyone was injured. Five of the tourists were seriously injured.

    On landing at Jomsom airport at 8:30 a.m., the brakes failed, and the plane skidded to the banks of the Kali Gandaki river. The wheel of the plane slipped off the runway and turned right. The front of the plane was wrecked and in the water. The back appears intact.

    Eight passengers were Japanese, and on pilgrimage to Muktinath, a sacred Buddhist site at the foot of the Thorong La Himalayan mountain pass.

    The rest of those aboard were Nepali.

    An investigation is underway. The accident is currently being attributed to brake failure. Jomsom airport is known as one of the most dangerous on earth.

    Nepal News Video

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    Helicopter Goes Missing in Siberia


    On May 6, 2013, 9 people aboard an Angara Airlines Mil Mi-8T were lost during a rescue operation in Siberia.

    Update
    Fragments of missing Mi-8 helicopter found in Irkutsk

    The helicopter was participating in a flood rescue and was carrying 1.9 tons of explosives for blasting ice dams in the river.

    Missing are three crew, five officials and the emergency chief. Stanislav Omelyanchik.

    The hotline number is Emergency telephone number – 8 (3952) 39 9999.

    List of missing:

    1. Omelyanchik Stanislav, acting chief of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Irkutsk region;
    2. Stepanov Alexander, deputy head of the Baikal PSO;
    3. Kashko Yuri, head of the North JI ACC Irkutsk region;
    4. Pezhemsky Sergey, lifeguard-shooter Northern PSO;
    5. Chekrygin Igor, chief OGKU “Center of Civil Defense”;
    6. Arbatskii Sergey, instructor airborne fire service department Kirenskogo air base of the Irkutsk region of forests;
    Airline crew “Angara”:
    7. Igor Markov, the commander of the aircraft;
    8. Zhizhel Andrey, flight instructor;
    9. Kulebyakin Alexei Vasilievich, the mechanic.

    Video (Russian)

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    Emergency Landing in St. Louis

    On May 1, 2013, at Spirit of St. Louis Airport, a single engine Cessna Centurion made a belly landing.

    The pilot landed, and suffered a landing gear emergency. Though the landing gear collapsed, the pilot made a belly landing on the runway without any destructive acrobatics.

    The FAA is investigating.

    On May 1, three other Cessna’s suffered issues:
    -Cessna gear collapsed on rollout in Oakland CA
    -Cessna landed gear up in Missouri
    -Cessna towing banner flipped over off Louisiana runway, one minor injury

    Video

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    Cargo Boeing Crashes in Bagram


    Contact photographer Shawn Byers

    A National Air Cargo Boeing 747-400 on a cargo flight from Bagram to Dubai Al Maktoum crashed with 7 crew (including 4 pilots, 2 mechanics,) and cargo shortly after takeoff.

    The National Air Cargo Boeing 747-400 had just lifted off and was climbing when it crashed. The crash resulted in a fire.

    National Airlines President Glen Joerger was quoted saying that “This is a devastating loss for our family and we’ll work diligently with authorities to find the cause,” said Joerger. “Most importantly, our thoughts and prayers are with our crewmembers and their families.”

    The NTSB and Afghanistan Civil Aviation Authority are investigating.
    video

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    Two planes collide over Westlake Village


    A Cessna 172 and a Cessna 172RG Cutlass collided over Westlake Village eight miles east northeast of Ventura.

    The Cutlass, registered to Ameriflyers of Florida LLC made an emergency landing on the Westlake Golf Course, Westlake Village, California. Three aboard sustained minor injuries in a belly landing at 2:15 p.m. near the third hole. They were hospitalized with minor injuries.

    The second plane crashed in the Santa Monica Mountains, sparking a brush fire and a search and rescue effort. The pilot was found under the wreckage.

    One of the planes had left Santa Monica Airport on an engine test flight and was heading east when it collided with the other.

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    Denver Emergency Landing

    Republic Flight 1557, operated as Frontier Airlines lost pressure and dropped from 24,200 to 28,600 feet over Aspen, and returned to Denver where it made an emergency landing.

    The cabin did not depressurize and the oxygen masks did not descend, but the crew descended to deal with the cabin pressure issue.

    The ERJ-190 made a safe landing with all of the 98 passengers and 4 crew uninjured.

    Passengers were provided alternative flights from Denver to San Diego.

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    Airport Dog Bite

    Susan Dubitsky was at the Hartsville-Jackson Atlanta airport near the south terminal baggage claim carousel waiting for her sister when a bomb-sniffing dog that was patrolling bit her. A police officer handling the dog when it bit her, and the dog lunged at her a second time.

    TSA’s National Canine Program (NCP) provides the dogs, training, and a yearly stipend.

    The incident is under investigation.

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    LionAir Flight Undershoots Bali Runway, 108 Aboard


    On April 13, 2013, a Bandung to Denpasar Lion Air Boeing 737-800 en undershot the Denpasar Airport runway and ditched in the ocean—literally falling from a height of 55 yards. All of the 101 passengers and 7 crew got out alive, but at least twenty people were injured.

    On impact, the plane broke in two. The brand new plane was delivered to Lion Air on March 28, 2013.

    Passengers were evacuated into rubber boats. The injured were taken to three hospitals. No serious injuries were reported.

    The pilot had 10,000 hours in the air.

    In George’s Point of View


    A plane drops 55 yards breaks in half and no one is seriously injured.

    Something happened. The investigation will do its best to pinpoint what exactly could knock out a plane with weeks of service. But with no serious injuries in a plane that is cracked in half, I have only two things to say: two best safety devices are 1) a well built plane and 2)a well-trained crew.

    We’re posting this only hours after it happened. So expect updates when more information is available. Initial reports can be prone to misinformation.

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    Fatal Crash in Loreto


    On April 7, 2013, a Helicópteros del Pacífico (Helipac) Mil Mi-8PS with 13 aboard crashed near Perenco Oil in Peru.

    There were four crew and nine passengers aboard—all Peruvian— when the flight crashed in the Napo River. Hernán Cervantes Paiva, Trider Pasmiño and Máximo Rolando Cuello have been identified.

    The helicopter failed at 11:00 a.m.

    Perenco Peru made a public announcement regarding the crash:

    “Perenco Peru regrets to announce an accident involving a MI-8 (P 1916 OB) helicopter operated by HELIPAC. The helicopter came down with 13 passengers on board during a routine flight from Iquitos to Block 67. Those on the flight, all Peruvian nationals, comprised nine passengers and four crew members. The passengers included one Perenco employee and representatives of three contractors.

    The Peruvian Army is at the scene and two additional helicopters are supporting the rescue efforts. At this stage, no survivors have been found.

    The company is working closely with the relevant authorities and is providing what support it can to the families of those involved. “

    Block 67 is a 630-square-mile (1,020-square-kilometer) block of more than 300 million barrels.

    The Peruvian Air Force activated the System Search and Rescue (SistemaSAR), which mobilized National Search and Rescue Twin Otter aircraft to land in the water in Curaray with the rescue team.

    Video Below

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    Mayaguana Medical Evacuation Crash Kills 3 in Vehicle


    On April 4, 2013 about 12:30 am, a Leair Charter Service Limited Cessna 402C was landing in the process of a medical evacuation and collided with a parked truck being used to illuminate the runway.

    The pilot and passenger in the plane survived.

    The vehicle caught on fire, killing three occupants. The fatalities are named in the video.

    Additionally, the video calls for the need for lights on the runway.

    Official statement:
    Tragic aviation accident in Mayaguana
    The Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin
    Minister of Transport and Aviation
    In the early hours of this morning I was informed of an aviation accident in Mayaguana resulting in the tragic death of 3 people. I am advised that all 3 persons are residents of the island of Mayaguana. A preliminary report from the Department of Civil Aviation says that on 4th April, 2013 at approximately 12:30 a.m. a Cessna C402 owned by Leair Charter Service Limited with a crew of 2 on board was making a landing at night for an emergency evacuation flight with two vehicles strategically placed to outline the useable portion of the runway. It is reported that the aircraft made contact with one of the vehicles resulting in the deaths of the 3 passengers in that vehicle.

    An investigative team comprising the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Air Accident Investigation and Prevention Unit of the Department of Civil Aviation will fly into Mayaguana at 5 a.m. this morning.

    I wish to assure that a full investigation will be carried out by the Department of Civil Aviation into the causes and circumstances surrounding this terrible event. I will report further as information permits. Out of respect for the families, the names of the persons killed will not be disclosed until an official release is made by the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

    I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of these beloved persons and to the wider community of Mayaguana who share in this loss.


    Video Below

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    Air France Flight 447


    Air France 447 went down over the Atlantic in 2009.

    The fly-by-wire A330 incorporates technology that prevents the airplane from entering a stall, but during a complete loss of airspeed information, however, the system reverted to manual control.

    The final report said said the pilots were “completely surprised” by technical problems experienced at high altitude and engaged in increasingly de-structured actions until suffering “the total loss of cognitive control of the situation.”

    CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation has been recorded said pilots generally manually manipulating the controls for only three minutes:one minute and 30 seconds each for take-off and landing.

    “We are moving towards automated operations where the pilot isn’t even permitted to fly. That means the first time in your career you will ever feel what an aircraft feels like at 35,000 feet is when it’s handed to you broken.”

    See a video examination of the Air France 447 flight

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    Crashed, Stolen, Force Landings on April 1 No Joke

    On April 1:

    • A privately owned Reims Cessna F172E with two aboard made an emergency landing in Nome, Norway after an engine failed. Neither of the two aboard reported injury.
    • An Ultralight suffered a mechanical failure in south Surrey, BC crashed and sustained damage. The pilot parachuted out into a field of blueberries, and was injured but survived.
    • The pilot of a Beech J35 Bonanza force landed in a cornfield in northwest Davenport, Iowa after the plane suffered a mechanical failure. THe plane was damaged. The pilot was not.
    • A privately owned Cessna 210H that took off from Bullo River Station with four aboard crashed near Cape Ford in Australia. The bodies of three of the four people aboard have been recovered. Those aboard were 45-year-old electrical contractor Stuart Sceney, his 53-year-old wife Karmi Dunn, and daughters Mekdes, 12, and Kal, 15. A search continues for the wreckage and the remaining passenger. Weather conditions hampered the search.
    • A Cessna 172 Skyhawk went down with engine troubles in Juneau County swamp, Wonewoc, Wisconsin. THe pilot Seth Pripps of Rockford, Ill was uninjured. Firefighters assisted.
    • A Caicos Express Airways Cessna 402C took off from and landed at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport and suffered a nose-gear collapse. The plane is registered to Turks and Caicos Islands. The pilot was uninjured.
    • A Cirrus SR22 was reported missing/stolen from Benton Arkansas. It was found abandoned in Casscoe Arkansas. On Monday night, the plane had been scheduled to land at Saline County Airport. When officers approached, the plane took off nearly hitting a deputy.

    Video Below

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    Knives to Fly Planes On April 25


    Knives are back and flight attendants aren’t happy.

    The TSA ban on knives is due to be lifted on April 25. The blade can be no longer than 2.36 inches. The coalition of Flight Attendant Unions lobbied in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and Norfolk, Va, Chicago, Denver, Miami, New York LaGuardia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Boston against the ban. The arguments are the same as those for and against guns. (If no one carries them, we’re safe.
    If everyone could carry them, we’d be armed against terrorists    .) They are handing out leaflets urging fliers to contact Congress and to sign a petition to White House.

    You can sign the online petition here:
    https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/keep-knives-plane-block-transportation-security-administration-policy-decision-accept-pre-911/SSzf8wmd

    The family of flight attendant Sara Low, who died on Sept 11, has written an open letter protesting the decision to allow knives back on commercial aircraft, and urging concern for safety and “doing no harm.”

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    Boeing Solution Discussed by CEO Jim McNerney

    At the US Chamber of Commerce’s aviation summit, Jim McNerney, the CEO of Boeing, said the expects the technical solution being tested now will resolve the 787’s battery system’s problem and return to flying soon.

    The Dreamliner was grounded January 16.

    Video Below

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    Jump Seat Fake pilot arrested on US Airways flight

    Philippe Jernnard was wearing an Air France shirt, a fake Air France badge, had an Air France bag and was carrying a falsified an Air France ID card when he boarded a US Airways Philadelphia-West Palm Beach flight.

    Instead of taking his seat in coach, he asked if there was room in first class, then seated himself on the cockpit’s jump seat.

    The impersonation attempt began after Jernnard was denied an upgrade to business class.

    When the captain told Jernnard he hadn’t filled out the paperwork and had to return to his seat, Jernnard argued.

    The argument led to authorities being called, and they took him into custody.

    He is charged with criminal trespass, tampering with records, impersonating a person privately employed and false ID to law enforcement. Jernnard is a French citizen.

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    South Bend Hawker Crash Update

    A news agency has reported about the clean up of the plane crash in South Bend on March 13, 2013.

    The Indiana Department of Environmental Management has observed the scene and is part of the team assessing the damage. NTSB said that the clean-up process generally “falls on the source that caused the contamination. Since the damage came from that private jet, its owner and/or insurance company would be responsible.”

    Firemen who are working the scene will be paid by the South Bend Fire Dept, but the insurance company will probably repay the SBFD.

    Insurance companies are also key in providing compensation to families, especially when there is a traceable failure.

    The two aboard the flight, Wes Caves and Steve Davis were ejected from the plane and were found inside one of the houses that was damaged in the crash. Caves owned 7700 ENTERPRISES OF MONTANA LLC which is the plane’s owner of record.

    The cause of the HAWKER BEECHCRAFT CORP Premier jet #N26DK crash has not yet been determined.

    The FAA report says only that the…AIRCRAFT CRASHED OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY INTO A RESIDENTIAL AREA, THERE WERE 4 PERSONS ON BOARD, 2 WERE FATALLY INJURED, 2 SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES, DAMAGE: DESTROYED, SOUTH BEND, IN
    Survivor Video

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    South Bend Crash Raw Video


    Steven Davis and Wesley Caves died in the South Bend Plane crash on Sunday.
    The Hawker Beechcraft 390 plane struck three homes when it fell; two other people were aboard and were injured and one person on the ground was injured.

    The plane was split in two by the impact. The raw video below was captured by a surveillance camera.

    Video Below

    Read More

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    Pilots Ignore ATC Directions, Hear Audio

    On March 11, 2013, an Air Canada Embraer ERJ-190 en route from Edmonton to Toronto,ON was on approach when ATC informed the pilots to abort the landing. Ground radar indicated something moving on the runway. Pilots continued to make the landing, and ignored ATC.

    Mechanics working on a Sunwing Boeing had left a van running and in gear, which subsequently rolled without a driver across the runway. At some point, the van impacted the Sunwing 737.

    In George’s Point of View


    While we can’t make assumptions, apparently the pilots saw the van safely flew over it and made a secure landing.

    However, there are a lot of errors here that could have been disaster. We are glad no one was injured. Safety first, everyone!

    • The maintenance crew for failing to secure their vehicle.
    • ATC for not using the call sign, even if it was evident to them who they were speaking to.
    • Pilots for ignoring ATC even if they saw the “threat” because there could have been an additional alert

    That said, of course we are glad no one was injured.

    Click Triangle below to hear audio

    [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://airflightdisaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Air-Canada-178-Ignores-Go-Around.mp3″]

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    Southwest Airlines Safe Landing after Indicator Alert Error

    Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 Flight 481 from Las Vegas to Tulsa made an emergency landing at McCarran International Airport.

    The flight diverted back after a cargo hold fire-alert alerted the crew. The flight had left at 1:20, and returned at 2:45. Passengers indicated turbulence as they were returning to Las Vegas. The crew did not explain the situation to the passengers until after landing.

    136 passengers and four crew were aboard. No one was injured. THe problem was an indication alert error. Passengers were rebooked on alternative flights.

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    Sikorsky Helicopter Crashes in Louisiana, 3 fatalities


    On March 15, 2013, an Era Helicopters LLC Sikorsky S-76A with three board crashed just before noon in Cameron Parish Louisiana in a remote area of swampy/muddy pastureland with only four-wheeler access.

    The helicopter had taken off from Lake Charles Regional Airport. Emergency services responded to the scene, but access was limited to 4 wheel vehicles.

    The helicopter was on a maintenance test flight with the pilot and two mechanics aboard. The fatalities were listed as the pilot, William R. Croucher, 69, of California; and two mechanics: Michael Lee Tyree, 55, of Iowa, La., and Timothy Lloyd Goehring, 41, of Sulphur, La.

    Era helicopters normally provides transport to oil and gas fields in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska, but this flight was reported as a maintenance flight.

    THe FAA and the NTSB are investigating.

    Era Helicopter’s statement:
    “We deeply regret this unfortunate accident and we will use all of our resources to support the families of those involved. Our review will continue in concert with the investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, which has jurisdiction over this matter”

    KLTV.com-Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville, Texas | ETX News

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    Piper Crash in Florida Parking Lot

    On March 15, 2013, a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain took off from a small Fort Lauderdale airport, developed problems and struck a tree while returning to the airport. The plane impacted the ground in a parking lot for repossessed cars at 964 NW 53rd Court which was described as going up like a fireball.

    No one on the ground was injured but there were three fatalities aboard. Kevin Watson, in his 30s, and his father, Wallace, who owned Avionics Engineering were aboard.

    Locals are concerned about aviation safety and are interested in having city inspectors to check planes for safety like the FAA and NTSB.

    The fire at the lot was under control within thirty minutes.

    The FAA and the NTSB are investigating.

    Video Below

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    Ten Lost in Fretax Taxi Aéreo Crash

    On Mar 12, 2013, a Fretax Taxi Aéreo single engine Embraer EMB-820C Carajá (PA-31) disappeared en route from Belem to Sierra Areão Airport. The flight crashed twenty miles from the airport in Almeirim Brazil near the border with the state of Amapá.

    Seripa (Regional Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents) discovered the wreckage after the plane went missing late Tuesday in the vicinity of Monte Dourado. Air Traffic controllers reported the flight missing at 22:00 hours and contacted SALVAERO Service Air Search and Rescue.

    There were ten people on the flight to the Santo Antonio do Jari hydroelectric power plant, including the pilot, and ten employees of Cesbe Engineering. The crew was en route to the Santo Antonio do Jari hydroelectric dam/power plant building project as part of the construction crew.

    A FAB (Força Aérea Brasileira) investigation is underway.

    Fretax statement (translated)
    At the moment, the company is providing full assistance to those involved in the accident and has taken all steps along with their families, who will receive all the support and information they need,”

    The aircraft was “fully airworthy and all revisions to date, and crew member license and valid medical examination.

    Brazil Audio