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Contact photographer Mohammad Razzazan
What: Kish Airlines Tupolev TU-154 en route from Mashad to Tehran
Where: Mashad
When: Aug 30 2010
Why: During takeoff, a tire burst. The flight returned to Mashad where it made a safe landing. Passengers were booked on alternative flights.
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Contact photographer Peter Kesternich
What: Cathay Pacific Boeing 747-400 en route from Hong Kong to Amsterdam
Where: Amsterdam
When: Jun 27th 2010, 6:35 am
Who: 377 passengers and 20 crew
Why: On landing in Amsterdam, one of the plane’s four engines developed a problem and was shut down. The flight made a safe landing in Amsterdam on three engines. A replacement engine was flown in to Amsterdam to repair the plane.
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Contact photographer Danny Fritsche
What: Continental Airlines / Expressjet Embraer ERJ-145 en route from Newark,NJ to Minneapolis,MN
Where: Eau Claire,WI
When: Oct 8th 2009,
Who: 50 people on board
Why: While en route, the flight experienced fuel irregularities. The flight diverted to Eau Claire where the problem turned out to be a faulty gauge. Consequently, after discovering adequate fuel and no leak, the flight continued on to its destination with only minor delay.
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Contact photographer Allen Zhao
What: Qantas Boeing 737-800 Aukland to Sydney
Where: Sydney
When: Apr 13 2011
Who: 130 passengers
Why: While en route, the plane reportedly had a fuel leak and an engine problem while over the Tasman sea. They made a “priority” landing in Sydney, with no injuries, although the fuel leak problem was mistakenly announced.
The problem was diagnosed as a fuel transfer valve, which was subsequently replaced.
Prior to landing safely in Sydney, the problem was announced on Twitter.
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Contact photographer Christian Waser
What: United Airlines Boeing 767-300 en route from Washington to Brussels Belgium
Where: Dulles (Washington DC)
When: May 8th 2010
Who: 176 passengers and 11 crew
Why: About five minutes after takeoff, the on board crew was informed that pieces of the plane were left on the runway. Those pieces turned out to be the remains of tires. The plane went into a holding pattern to burn off fuel, then landed safely back at Dulles between two and three hours after takeoff. A piece of runway pavement was missing, leading to the conclusion that the runway popped the tire…
Most times I fly United and hope that their maintenance is better than the look of their wearing interiors. I don’t usually worry too much about the airport.
If I knew that the plane I was on had left pieces of itself on the runway, I’d rather be circling the airport than over the Atlantic. On the other hand, if I knew a shaggy runway was going to pop a tire on the plane I was on, I’d have walked the runway myself before taking off.
What is a frequent flier to do but nag the FAA?
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Contact photographer Andrew Compolo
What: United Boeing 757-200 en route from Newark to Berlin
Where: Newark
When: Aug 18 2012
Who: 173 aboard
Why: On takeoff, the plane blew a tire. Simultaneously, the plane gave feedback of problems with both engines, with witnesses seeing fire coming from the left engine. That engine was shut down. The plane managed to circle for two hours to burn off fuel before returning to make a safe landing in Newark.
–commenting from London
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Contact photographer Gleb Osokin – Russian AviaPhoto Team
What: Angara Airlines Antonov 24RV en route from Tomsk-Bogashevo Airport to Surgut Airport, Russia
Where: near Strezhevoy, Russia
When: July 11, 2011, 11:55
Who: 4 crew, 33 passengers, 6 fatalities
Why: The plane took off from Tomsk at 10:10, and developed an engine fire around 11:48. The pilot attempted to divert to divert to Nizhnevartovsk Airport and had to make an emergency landing, crashing into the Ob river. The tail and port engine detached on impact.
Twenty passengers were hospitalized, and seven passengers died in the crash.
