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Contact photographer LuisOL
What: Aerolineas Argentinas/Austral McDonnell Douglas MD-88 en route from Tucuman to Buenos Aires
Where: Tucuman
When: Aug 28th 2010
Why: While en route, the plane developed an unidentified problem involving a flyby and returned to Tucuman where it made a safe landing.
The problem turned out to be a false alarm and the flight again departed Tucuman. The plane made a safe landing in Buenos Aires two hours later.
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Contact Photographer Tim Perkins
What: Southwest Airlines 737 en route from Nashville to Baltimore
Where: Charleston’s Yeager Airport
When: 6:30 p.m Monday July 13
Who: 126 passengers and five crew
Why: While en route, the cabin depressurized when a hole (metal fatigue?) approximately the size of a football appeared in the fuselage. The plane managed to land safely in Charleston West Virginia. The NTSB is investigating.
(News photos don’t look football sized, but it is sure big enough to see plenty of daylight through.)
George’s Point of View
The 737 is a true workhorse, built to land and takeoff almost without too much delay except to load and unload passengers.
I fly Southwest to Las Vegas all the time. It’s a short hop.
I must admit, that every time I fly in one of these planes I have begun to worry about the age and/or the fatigue of the structure. A trip like one from LA to Vegas, most times, is a beating on the passengers and the plane itself. My guess is that 4 out of 5 of these short trips encounter turbulence, sometimes bad turbulence. This beats up the plane. In this case, the plane being beaten up was manufactured in 1994. That’s a lot of years of turbulence abuse. Metal fatigue in these conditions is not surprising, and neither is it completely unexpected. An inspection on this plane last January revealed eight cracks in the frame that required repairs.
I’m just glad it was a BOEING, and that the pilot remained in control of the aircraft. And of course, it’s a good thing that Southwest is now inspecting all of their planes for fatigue. Last year Southwest was fined $7.5 million for overdue inspections. I hope this is not going to be a repeat of last year. All the timely inspections in the world aren’t going to make this plane any younger. Maybe it’s time to put this particular plane out to pasture.
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Contact photographer Peter Tsagaris
What: First Air Boeing 767-200 en route from Ottawa to Iqaluit
Where: Iqaluit
When: Dec 12th 2009
Who: 4 crew
Why: The runway was not clear (assuming this means weather /precipitation) and after takeoff, airspeed dropped as the plane climbed, and the plane nearly stalled. The flight continued to its destination. Flight data was analyzed after the fact, and it was concluded that airspeed had dropped, and that the safety management system needed adjustment
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Contact photographer Bostjan Henigaman
What: Thomson Airways Boeing 737-800 en route from Cardiff to Las Palmas
Where: en route
When: Jan 25th 2010
Who: 186 passengers and 7 crew
Why: While en route, one of the passengers apparently suffered a panic attack, and attempted to enter the cabin, having to be restrained by crew and passengers.
The passenger was taken into custody on landing.
If this does turn out to be the case of a mental disorder (panic attack), one wonders what new steps will be taken to reduce incidents of this type. It seems as if unruly passengers are on the rise. Is it the reporting of the events that has changed or are passengers themselves changing, devolving into having less self-control? It seems like a trend-but what does it mean?
Or is there a simpler answer? Is it that earlier generations of fliers respected planes more?
Please note that the hijackers have been taken into custody and the crew is no longer being held hostage.
What: AeroMexico Boeing 737 en route from Cancun Mexico was hijacked in Mexico on Wednesday and flown to the Mexican capital,
Where: Mexico City
When: Sept 9 2009
Who: all of the 112 American, French, and Mexican passengers and crew got off the plane. Five suspects have caught on film handcuffed being escorted into custody; up to 8 are being detained.
Why: Hijackers threatened to blow the plane up unless they were allowed to speak to President Felipe Calderon. No bomb was on board
The hijackers are Bolivian citizens.
Passengers debarked with their carryon luggage. Some passengers were unaware they’d been hijacked until they arrived and saw police. Others indicate the pilot had made an announcement that they were being hijacked. The hijackers were never able to enter the cockpit.
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Contact photographer o Ralph Duenas
What: Trans States Airlines Embraer ERJ-145 en route from Chicago O’Hare,IL to Rochester,NY
Where: Rochester
When: Feb 22nd 2012
Who: 42 passengers and 3 crew
Why: The flight made a fast landing on the wet runway in less than ideal conditions, overrunning the edge of the runway.
There were no injuries. Passengers disembarked and were driven to the gate; the plane had to be towed, which closed the runway. The plane had minor damage.
Pictured: Japan Airlines A300B4-622R
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Contact photographer Christian Waser
What: Japan Airlines Airbus A300-600 en route from Aomori to Tokyo Haneda
Where: Haneda Airport
When: Apr 17th 2009
Who: 120 people
Why: After touchdown at Haneda Airport, the engine started smoking; flames were shooting out of the exhaust. The crew engaged the ” engine fire suppression system.” Passengers did NOT debark via emergency procedures.
