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Contact photographer Thanat W.
What: Virgin Australia Boeing 777-300 en route from Los Angeles to Brisbane
Where: Los Angeles
When: Oct 15th 2010
Why: While being towed to the gate, the plane’s wing struck a hangar which cause substantial damage to the wing.
Passengers were left without a flight and have experienced a delay in returning to Australia.
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Contact photographer Kristoffer K Rivedal
What: SAS Scandinavian Airlines Canadair CRJ-900 en route from Copenhagen Denmark to Vilnius Lithuania
Where: Copenhagen
When: Nov 26 2010
Why: After de-icing, the plane continued straight onto the runway turnoff bypassing the stop bar protecting the runway. The plane passed in close proximity within Cimber Sterling Canadair CRJ-200 which had received takeoff clearance.
Havarikommission, AKA the Danish Accident Investigation Board determined there was a serious incident (risk of collision) and commissioned an investigation.
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Contact photographer Jan Bialas
What: American Airlines Boeing 777-200 en route from London to Chicago
Where: Moncton
When: May 3rd 2011, 3 pm
Who: 150 aboard
Why: While en route, the crew reported the smell of smoke, and diverted to Moncton in Canada.
The plane landed with emergency services on standby and emergency services stayed until 5:20 p.m. The smoke in the cockpit turned out to be from an overheating battery. Dieppe Fire Department examined the plane. There were no injuries, and passengers were provided a room in the airport, so they didn’t have to go through customs.
A replacement jet was flown in.
What: Republic Airlines Embraer ERJ-170 on behalf of US Airways en route from Montreal to Philadelphia, PA
Where: on approach to Philadelphia,
When: Apr 22nd 2009
Why: On approach, the airplane was struck by a lightning. The crew did not declare emergency and landed safely with no damage sustained.
What: US Airways Boeing 757-200 en route from Saint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles) to Philadelphia,PA
Where: on approach to Philadelphia
When: Apr 22nd 2009
Who: 96 passengers and 7 crew
Why: Although on approach, the plane was struck by lightning at 6000 feet, it landed safely 14 minutes later. Skin damage was reported. This was reportedly lightning strike number two.
What: AirTran Airways Boeing 717-200 en route from Orlando,FL to Philadelphia,PA
Where: on approach to Philadelphia
When: Apr 22nd 2009
Why: The crew declared emergency an emergency when their nose cone incurred a direct lightning strike. Fortunately the airplane landed safely on runway 27R. ( Runway 27L was still in the process of accommodating the prior lightning strike.) Strike number three.
George’s Point of View
This may be hindsight, but it seems to me like three different planes hit with lightning at the same city reportedly within a time span of minutes–maybe air traffic control should have checked weather.com or looked out the window or something…
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Contact photographer Richard Vandervord
What: Sita Air Dornier 228 en route from
Kathmandu to Lukla
Where: Lukla, Nepal
When: Oct 12 2010
Who: 11 passengers, 3 crew
Why: On landing at Lukla, the brakes failed, and the plane overran the (527 meter) short inclined runway and struck a wall at the end.
No injuries were reported, although the plane incurred nose damage.
On April 13, 2013, a Bandung to Denpasar Lion Air Boeing 737-800 en undershot the Denpasar Airport runway and ditched in the ocean—literally falling from a height of 55 yards. All of the 101 passengers and 7 crew got out alive, but at least twenty people were injured.
On impact, the plane broke in two. The brand new plane was delivered to Lion Air on March 28, 2013.
Passengers were evacuated into rubber boats. The injured were taken to three hospitals. No serious injuries were reported.
The pilot had 10,000 hours in the air.
Something happened. The investigation will do its best to pinpoint what exactly could knock out a plane with weeks of service. But with no serious injuries in a plane that is cracked in half, I have only two things to say: two best safety devices are 1) a well built plane and 2)a well-trained crew.
We’re posting this only hours after it happened. So expect updates when more information is available. Initial reports can be prone to misinformation.
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Contact photographer Jason Whitebird
What: American Airlines Boeing 737-800 en route from Chicago to Boston
Where: Albany
When: Jan 9th 2012, 3 pm
Who: 124 passengers and 6 crew
Why: While en route, the left engine lost oil pressure.
Pilots shut down the engine and diverted to Albany. They circled, and dumped fuel before making a safe landing. Emergency services were on standby.
Until 2008, the Albany Airport was a regular stop for American Airlines, and hopes soon to be a regular stop again.
A replacement jet was provided. Some passengers rented cars rather than wait.
