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Contact photographer Jonathan Rankin
What: Eagle Air/Air New Zealand Beech 1900D en route from Wellington to Palmerston North
Where: New Zealand
When: Aug 15th 2011
Who: 16 passengers and 2 crew
Why: While en route, the plane was struck by lightning.
The right winglet began smoldering after being struck. The flight crew returned to Wellington where they made a safe landing.
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Contact photographer Joachim Eichner
What: Air Europa Boeing 737-800 en route from Trondheim Norway to Las Palmas Spain
Where: Trondheim
When: Dec 2nd 2009
Who: 170 passengers,
Why: While en route, an engine developed problems and the crew had to shut it down. The plane returned to the airport where passengers debarked safely.
Never take for granted or underestimate the value of having more than one engine.
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Contact Photographer Jason Bisson
What: United Airlines Boeing 757-200 en route from Los Angeles Washington DC
Where: United Airlines B752
When: Sep 8th 2009
Who: 177 passengers
Why: Prior to landing at Dulles, the plane’s “fasten seat belt” sign flashed. The plane experienced turbulence; the turbulence was severe enough that galley carts fell over and spewed drinks on passengers, and a passenger was caught by turbulence coming from the bathroom, where she was flung about the plane, sustaining enough injury that on landing she was sent to the hospital for examination.
Eagle Air flight H7-360 veered off runway after rejecting take off from Yei, South Sudan, on April 1st.
The plane was accelerating to take off for Arua, Uganda, when the crew rejected take off due to an engine issue. The plane veered off the runway and came to stop in the bushes with its nose gear collapsed.
There were 17 passengers and 3 crew members aboard at the time; authorities said some of them sustained minor injuries.
The Beech A36 Bonanza crashed in Big Bear Lake had been cleared for landing when it crashed in Big Bear lake.
The four people aboard were slightly injured.
The plane lost power, and the pilot told ATC that the plane was not going to make it to the airport.
The NTSB is investigating.
What: American Airlines Boeing 777 en route from Dallas to Sao Paolo, Brazil
Where: Dallas
When: July 31, 2011
Who: 264 passengers, 14 crew
Why: Indicators convinced the pilots of Flight 963 that an engine caught on fire. The pilots returned to Dallas and landed the 777 safely. The brakes locked up and a tire blew out, but that kind of thing is not unusual for an overweight landing.
Onlookers saw the flight dumping fuel, described as fuel streaming from its jets. If they were alarmed, just think how the passengers felt.
