What: Cirrus
Where: Katowice International Airport southern Poland
When: Nov 13, 2011
Who: 2 men and 2 women were aboard
Why: After takeoff, the plane disappeared 4.3 miles from the airport.
The wreckage was found in Zyglinie Forest at 8:20 pm. The four passengers all in their late forties and early fifties, died in the crash.
A Piper PA-28 plane crashed near the Diavolezza mountain in Switzerland, on August 4th.
The incident happened when the plane was transporting three teenagers who were participating in a week-long youth camp organized by Swiss Aero Club.
Three people, including the pilot and two 14-year old boys were killed in the crash. A 17-year-old girl was injured and was flown to a hospital in serious condition.
The cause of crash is being investigated.
A small plane crashed at Millard Airport in Omaha, Nebraska, on May 27th.
The plane was carrying a man and a woman when it went down at the end of the runway.
The male occupant of the plane was killed in the crash. The woman was injured and was taken to Creighton University Medical Center-Bergan Mercy in critical condition.
The cause of crash is being investigated.
Cezar Britto, president of The Order of Lawyers of Brazil said it was “a tragedy waiting to happen,” echoing public opinion. “What exploded in Cagonhas was not just the TAM airbus and almost 200 victims but the credibility of the Brazilian aviation system.”
Cagonhas is notorious for its short, dangerous runway.
“The runway was as slippery as soap,” a pilot confessed.
Rescuers pulled 181 bodies from the twisted metal wreckage and rubble. Five people are listed as missing. 11 are hospitalized. No passengers survived.
Relatives gathered to identify the remains amid calls for authorities to improve airport safety.
The crash is the latest of a series of airline disasters. The main runway had been resurfaced last month, but more work was scheduled to allow for better water drainage.
“Control tower operators had warned the runway should be closed,” said Sergio Olivera, who heads the Federation of Air Controllers.
Footage of landing showed the aircraft travelling at high speed–the Airbus took only three seconds as opposed to the usual 11 to traverse the runway then disappeared after skidding off the left side of the runway. Then a ball of flame filled the sky.
An investigation has been ordered. One of the black boxes has been recovered.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva declared three days of national mourning. Pope Benedict XVI expressed his sorrow.
In February a judge banned Fokker 100, Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737/700 jetliners from the airport but the ruling was overturned in appeals.
On April 17th, a Southwest Airlines plane suffered an in-flight engine failure and got hit by debris from the damaged engine, shattering a passenger window and killing one passenger.
The incident happened when the flight WN-1380 was heading from LaGuardia Airport, New York, to Dallas, Texas.
The crew subsequently initiated an emergency descent and diverted to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Passengers reported that the deceased passenger, identified as Jennifer Riordan, 43, was partially sucked out of the aircraft through the shattered window. She was pulled back in by fellow passengers.
A Piper PA-28 plane crashed near Loch Etive in Argyll region of Scotland, on April 4.
Authorities said the plane crashed after it lost contact in Glen Kinglass’ Beinn nan Lus area, at around 1:50 p.m. It is believed that the accident happened when the aircraft was heading from east Scotland to Hebrides Island, Tiree.
Two people were killed in the crash. Their bodies were recovered along with the wreckage.
The cause of crash is under investigation.
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Contact photographer Galen Burrows
What: American Eagle Embraer ERJ-135 en route from Toronto to New York
Where: Toronto
When: Jun 6th 2010
Why: After takeoff, the plane developed a leak and shut down an engine. The flight diverted to Elmira where they made a safe landing minus one engine.
