Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Mark H
What: Air Austral Boeing 777-200 en route from Sydney, Australia to Noumea
Where: Sydney
When: Dec 4th 2009
Who: not available
Why: Over the Tasman sea, the flight developed a hydraulics problem and entered a holding pattern. The plane landed safely back at Sydney, and was towed off the runway.
Malaysia Airlines flight MH-387 had to reject takeoff from Shanghai Pudong International Airport, China, on October 21st.
The Boeing 737-800 plane was accelerating to takeoff for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, when the crew rejected takeoff due to two burst tires.
The plane slowed down safely.
Everyone aboard remained unharmed.
An Avianca airlines flight had to return and make an emergency landing at Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José, Costa Rica, at around 2 p.m. on November 24.
The plane had just taken off for El Salvador when the pilot reported issues with one of the engines and a suspected explosion in a turbine. The authorities then advised him to return for an emergency landing.
The plane landed uneventfully. The airline later said it was a transfer flight carrying some crew members and there was no passenger in the plane at the time of incident.
The examination of aircraft showed no signs of fire however, an engine was damaged due to a bird who got stuck in a turbine.
Southwest Airlines flight WN-3095 suffered a bird strike near Baltimore, Maryland, on March 17th.
The Boeing 737-700 plane flying from Norfolk, Virginia, was on final approach to Baltimore–Washington International Airport when it hit a flock of geese.
The plane continued for a safe landing. Everyone aboard remained unharmed.
Ryanair flight FR-435 suffered a bird strike on approach to Henri Coanda International Airport, Romania, on November 23rd.
The incident happened when the Boeing 737-800 plane was flying from Timisoara, Romania.
The plane continued for a safe landing. All passengers and crew members remained unharmed.
Aeromexico flight AM-11 had to return for an emergency landing in Santiago, Chile, on April 5th.
The Boeing 787-800 plane took off for Mexico City, Mexico, but had to turn back after cracks were noticed on captain’s windshield.
The plane landed back safely. Everyone aboard remained unharmed.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Peter Tonna
What: Frandley Aviation Partnership Cessna 501 Citation I/SP en route from Belfast to Birmingham
Where: Birmingham International Airport, UK
When: Nov 19, 2010
Who: 2 aboard
Why: On a mercy mission carrying a liver for transplant, the Cessna 501 Citation corporate jet was damaged while landing at Birmingham International Airport in heavy fog, striking the landing system glide path antennae and ending up 426 feet to the right hand side of the runway, while on fire. The plane was damaged beyond repair.
The crash closed the airport. 80 cancelled flights have affected up to 5000 passengers.
However, the liver was undamaged, and transplanted into the patient on Friday in a 4 hour operation at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The transplant patient is reported to be in stable condition.
The pilot and passenger were injured; the 58 year old pilot suffered injuries to the chest, abdomen and pelvis. The passenger in his thirties suffered a back injury and flash burns. The Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance pilot entered the burning plane to cut the fuel supply so the fire service could extract the pilot. The airport is closed.
Police provided an escort to the ambulance carrying the transplant to QE.
Bravo!
