What: Kamchatka Airlines Mil Mi-8T helicopter
Where: Elizovo, Kamchatka Russia
When: April 9 2010
Who: 18 aboard, 7 fatalities
Why: After an avalanche, the bodies of 7 German tourists aboard a helicopter have been recovered. Two survivors (the captain and one tourist) have been taken to a medical center and search is ongoing for the rest of those aboard. Inhospitable mountainous terrain is impeding the search
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Investigation into Deadly Cessna 206 Crash near Brisbane Continues
The Cessna 206 operated by Adrenalin Skydivers crashed during takeoff on March 22 at the airstrip, 50km north of Brisbane. Five persons, including the pilot, two tandem instructors and a couple were killed.
The Managing Director of Aero Dynamic Flight Academy and the Safety Officer of Caboolture Airfield, Bryan Carpenter said the aviation community is shattered by the tragic incident. He said it was not possible at this stage to speculate the cause of the accident. The possible causes could have been a bird collision, a mechanical failure or a center of gravity shift in the plane. The plane was reportedly having engine trouble on takeoff.
The victims included instructors Glenn Norman and Juraj Glesk, and Logan couple Rahuia Hohua and Joey King.
Adrenalin Skydivers, known as Skydive Bribie, uses Caboolture Airfield for picking up tourists for conducting tandem jumps. They land on nearby Bribie Island.
Adrenalin Skydivers Pty Ltd also had a similar accident in August 2010 killing seven on board.
The investigation is being handled by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
Airbus A320 Struck By Lightning
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact Photographer Zach Chelsky
What: UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 468 AIRBUS A320
Where: SEATTLE, WA
When: 06/22/2009
Who: (not released)
Why: UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 468 AIRBUS A320 AIRCRAFT WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING WHILE INFLIGHT, POST FLIGHT INSPECTION REVEALED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT ELEVATOR
George’s Point of View
Statistically, a large plane is hit by lightning an average of once every three years.
Kenya Crash Hits Kenya Administration Hard
What: Kenya Police Air Wing Eurocopter AS 350B3e Ecureuil
Where: Ngong Hills, near Nairobi Kenya
When: June 10, 2012 8:30 a.m.
Who: 6 aboard, 6 fatalities
Why: Minister of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security George Saitoti and his permanent secretary Orwa Ojode, pilots Luke Oyugi and Nancy Gituanja and bodyguards Inspector Joshua Tonkei and Sergeant Thomas Murimi, died in a helicopter crash in Ngong Forest in the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya. The remains were badly burned. There were no survivors.
The helicopter was en route to a church service.
Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki declared three days of official mourning, and said a full investigation into the crash is planned. “On behalf of the Government and the people of Kenya I send my heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and relatives of the six Kenyans.”
Veracruz: Fatal Cessna Crash
Pictured: Cessna 340
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Hidemi Bustamante Prudente
What: Cessna 340 en route from Veracruz to McAllen, Texas.
Where: General Heriberto Jara Corona International Airport, Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico.
When: May 5, 2009
Who: Pilot and 3 passengers
Why: The Cessna crashed while returning to land after takeoff.
The pilot requested to return to the airport shortly after takeoff and was cleared to land by the tower. The pilot and 2 passengers were fatally injured and 1 passenger sustained serious injuries.
Antonov Overshoots Runway in Rough Weather
What: IrAero Antonov An-24RV en route from Chita to Blagoveshchensk
Where: Blagoveshchensk Airport, Russia
When: August 08, 2011
Who: 35 passengers, 5 crew, 10+ injuries
Why: On approach to Blagoveshchensk airport, the plane encountered rough weather and overshot the runway.
The plane encountered wind shear on approach, injuring ten passengers. The plane lost a wing in the landing, and the fuselage was damaged, coming to rest 200 meters from the runway. Three children were aboard.
A passenger said (loosely quoted) “We were sitting closer to the wing. As soon as the plane touched the ground, it started to shake. Panic among the passengers, nobody knew what was happening. I heard children crying. When the plane finally stopped, I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God, still alive!”
Spanair JK5022: Final Report

Update
What: Spanair Flight JK5022, a 15-year-old MD-82 jet en route to Las Palmas in the Canary Islands.
Where: Madrid airport Terminal Four
When: Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2008 2:45pm
Who: Carrying 166 passengers and nine crew, at the time of this writing, the number of fatalities had mounted to 154 people.
Why: The jet swerved off the runway and caught fire during takeoff.
The final report of Spanair Flight JK5022 was released, it claims that the pilots failed to deploy the flaps for takeoff. The report blames the crash on “pilot error.” The automated voice warning to alert the crew did not sound.
Already more than one hour late, the flight experienced a technical issue with the plane (a sensor reporting excessive temperature in an air intake, and the temperature sensor was de-activated on the ground) that forced the first takeoff attempt to be aborted when there were failure signals taxiing away from the terminal. The aircraft was inspected and then tried to take-off for the second time, which ended in the crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board said that “that the probable cause of the accident was the flightcrew’s failure to use the taxi checklist to ensure the flaps and slats were extended for takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the absence of electrical power to the airplane takeoff warning system which thus did not warn the flightcrew that the airplane was not configured properly for takeoff. The reason for the absence of electrical power could not be determined.”
A similar disaster occurred in the Northwest Flight 255 in Detroit in 1987 when 154 people also died in an MD-82 due to incorrect flap settings.
As a consequence, Spanair and McDonnell Douglas now require a TOWS* system check prior to every flight.
The Interim Report is available here.
*The Take Off Warning System is part of CAWS. TOWS provides alert warnings on the following components involved in the configuration of the aircraft for takeoff: Flaps, Slats, Brakes, Auto brake, Auto spoilers, Spoilers and Stabilizer Trim.