Terrorism has been ruled out (for now.) Of course there is no evidence yet what happened to cause this disaster, but area storms–explosive turbulence inside cumulonimbus clouds– seem to be the most likely culprit. No survivors have been found.
Stormy weather and lightning during takeoff. No word of any survivors.
What: PIA Pakistan International Airlines Boeing 737-300 en route from Islamabad to Karachi
Where: Multan Pakistan
When: Sep 27th 2011
Who: 118 passengers
Why: While en route, the one working generator failed. The captain announced to the passengers that they were having technical problems.
The crew diverted to Multan and made a safe landing; the flight landed with subdued lighting. One main generator was completely non-operational.
Passengers were rebooked on an alternative flight.
American Airlines flight AA-900 had to return and make an emergency landing in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on July 22nd.
The Boeing 777-300 plane took off for Miami, Florida, but had to turn back due to indication of cabin pressure problems.
The plane landed back safely. All passengers and crew members remained unharmed.
Airline company in South Africa selects 737-800 for fleet modernization
Comair purchases Maintenance Performance Toolbox
JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 2, 2011 — Boeing and Comair Limited today announced an order for eight Next-Generation 737-800s complete with the innovative new Boeing Sky Interior. Comair will use its new 737s to update the fleet of Comair’s low-fare airline, kulula.com. The airplanes are valued at approximately $646 million at current list prices. The order previously was attributed to an unidentified customer on Boeing’s orders and deliveries website.
Launched in 2001 as South Africa’s first low-fare carrier, kulula.com currently operates an all-Boeing fleet of ten 737s, including three leased 737-800s. Comair also operates as a franchise partner of British Airways, with thirteen 737 airplanes flying domestically in South Africa and regionally in Southern Africa.
“The purchase of new Boeing 737-800s is historic for our company and gives all our 1,800 staff a great feeling of pride,” said Gidon Novick, joint CEO of Comair Ltd. “The new fleet is an essential part of our efficiency drive, which will not only give us a cost leadership position in our industry, but also provide our customers with exceptional levels of reliability and comfort with the spacious new interior.”
In addition to its 737-800 order, Comair is purchasing the Maintenance Performance Toolbox from Boeing Commercial Aviation Services. The Maintenance Performance Toolbox improves an airline’s fleet efficiency by integrating manufacturer and customer documentation, use of intelligent graphics, cross-document searching and linking aircraft fault data to specific maintenance actions. It also provides a comprehensive structural repair history for each airplane while reducing the time needed to find tail-specific technical information in time-critical situations, such as line maintenance troubleshooting and dispatch.
“Comair is an amazing success story, as this airline company has posted operating profits each year since it was founded in 1946,” said Marlin Dailey, vice president of Sales and Marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “Today’s order demonstrates the value the 737-800 has already brought to its fleet and the confidence Comair has in this airplane.”
Today’s operators fly 737s that are 5 percent more fuel-efficient than the first Next-Generation 737s delivered in 1998, and another 2 percent improvement is on the way. Boeing’s performance improvement package, now being certified, will boost Comair’s fuel efficiency a further 2 percent through aerodynamic and engine changes.
Among the airlines that recently transported thousands of fans and football players throughout South Africa for the World Cup, Comair operates nearly 800 flights each week on its South African and regional routes.
Aerolineas Argentinas flight AR-1651 had to divert and make an emergency landing in Bahia Blanca, Argentina, on July 13th.
The Boeing 737-800 plane heading from Neuquen to Buenos Aires, Argentina, was diverted after the crew needed to shut down one of the engines.
The plane landed safely. All one hundred and fifty-three passengers and six crew members remained unharmed.
We’d like to remind people that NTSB investigations take a year or more.
We post news as it comes. The media being what it is, we hope everyone that reads our posts realizes that tertiary sources gleaned through the media are speculative at best. This speculation, published or not, does not compare in merit to NTSB investigations that take a year or more, and are examined with a fine-toothed comb in order to determine causes and consequences.
While the inexperience of the Asiana Crash on this particular plane at this particular airport may be a contributory cause, there may also be underlying causes that were behind autopilot being switched off, or the speed decreasing enough to cause a stick-shaker alert.
See a Boeing 777 stick shaker test below:
The NTSB has an extensive description of the investigative processes here:
http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/process.html
Obviously, the brief summation of news teams and even witnesses can not compare to the depth and breadth of the official investigation.
What: American Airlines Boeing 737 en route from Dallas to Orange County
Where: LAX
When: October 6, 2012
Who: 162 people aboard
Why: American Airlines had another emergency Saturday, with a Dallas-Orange County flight making an diverting to LAX’s longer runways. The emergency diversion was needed due to a wing flap problem. Flaps help brake the plane. We’re glad they made it down safely.
We have thought of suggesting a new tag line: If it is American, it must be maintenance. Optimistically speaking, maybe all this trouble, which is likely bankruptcy related, is temporary.
Emergency vehicles were on the scene. Passengers disembarked and were provided an alternative flight with working flaps.
We hope the seats were bolted in.
