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    Jetblue-Hot or Not?


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Olaf Juergensmeier

    What: Jetblue Embraer ERJ-190 en route from Orlando Nassau
    Where: Nassau
    When: Sep 3rd 2009
    Who: 89 passengers and 4 crew
    Why: The plane incurred a fire in the left engine on landing. Fire crews put out the fire; and passengers safely debarked. (Not necessarily in that order.)

    What: Jetblue Embraer ERJ-190 en route to Austin,TX
    Where: Orlando
    When: Sep 1st 2009
    Why: Fifteen minutes into the flight, the right engine developed a bleed air leak which caused the cabin to lose pressure

    What: Jetblue Embraer ERJ-190 en route to Rochester
    Where: JFK Airport
    When: Monday Sept 7 2009
    Why: The flight diverted to JFK when the plane filled with fumes

    George’s Point of View

    Bad week for Jet Blue. (Or a good week, considering 3 incidents, no injuries.)

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  • | | | |

    Runway Fire Damages Boeing

    What: NACL B747-400 en route from Mumbai to Riyadh
    Where: Mumbai
    When: Sept 4 2009, 5:30
    Who: 229 aboard
    Why: NACIL B747-400 aircraft was en route from Mumbai to Riyadh with 213 passengers and 16 crew members onboard. While taxing for takeoff, the controller informed the aircraft that there was a heavy fuel leak from the left side of the aircraft and instructed to switch off the engines immediately as the fire had developed. The crew carried out the emergency shut down for all the engines. The Cabin crew ordered evacuation. Passengers and crew evacuated the aircraft safely through slide chutes. Fire services reached the aircraft and put off the fire.

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  • | | |

    Hijacking

    Please note that the hijackers have been taken into custody and the crew is no longer being held hostage.

    What: AeroMexico Boeing 737 en route from Cancun Mexico was hijacked in Mexico on Wednesday and flown to the Mexican capital,
    Where: Mexico City
    When: Sept 9 2009
    Who: all of the 112 American, French, and Mexican passengers and crew got off the plane. Five suspects have caught on film handcuffed being escorted into custody; up to 8 are being detained.
    Why: Hijackers threatened to blow the plane up unless they were allowed to speak to President Felipe Calderon. No bomb was on board

    The hijackers are Bolivian citizens.

    Passengers debarked with their carryon luggage. Some passengers were unaware they’d been hijacked until they arrived and saw police. Others indicate the pilot had made an announcement that they were being hijacked. The hijackers were never able to enter the cockpit.

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  • | | | | |

    Southwest Emergency landing in Tampa

    What: Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-300 en route from Orlando,FL to Denver,CO
    Where: Tampa
    When: Sep 7th 2009
    Who: 129 (124 passengers and 5 crew)
    Why: After the smoke indicator lights indicated the possibility of smoke, and smoke in the cabin was confirmed by fire crews, the flight landed in Tampa and passengers debarked via emergency slides (which caused a few minor injuries.) However a Southwest spokesperson denied there was smoke, and claimed that the emergency landing was a precaution. But passengers reported a strong smell of smoke, and that the fire alarm had gone off in the lavatory.

    George’s Point of View

    Hmm. Someone smoking in the bathroom?

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  • | | | | |

    TV Shorts Tel Aviv-NY Flight


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Erezms

    What: El Al 747-400 flight traveling from Tel Aviv to New York
    Where: Keflavik Iceland
    When: Aug 25th 2009
    Who: 371 passengers
    Why: When the smell of smoke was detected on the plane, the flight made an emergency landing in Iceland. After landing, the problem was found to be a short circuit in a television screen. However, there was a delay while it was decided who was to make the repairs. During the 22 hour delay, passengers were provided hotel accommodations.

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  • FAA RECALLS

    Only 43 US planes are affected by the FAA’s recall of Thales Avionics pitot tubes on some Airbus A330 and A340 jets. Other Airbuses are already using the Goodrich pitot tubes, which have a completely different design.

    Both tubes are heated so that they do not freeze over, but the Thales model DOES freeze; and that flaw is considered by many experts to have been at least partially responsible for the Air France flight 447 crash, that resulted in the death of 228 people flying during a storm over the Atlantic.

    US Airways and Northwest are both already in the process of replacing the flawed parts.

    The FAA (US) gave carriers 120 days to comply; the EASA (European Air Safety) deadline was September 7.

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  • | | |

    Airbus Hydraulics Cancel Frontier Flight to Mexico

    What: Frontier Airlines Airbus A319-10 en route from Denver to Mexico
    Where: Denver
    When: Sep 5th 2009
    Why: When the plane indicated a hydraulics system warning, the crew returned to the Denver airport for an emergency landing where they landed about 40 minutes after takeoff.

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  • | |

    Emergency Landing in NC

    What: Sky King Boeing 737 en route from Greenville / Spartanburg to Greensboro, N.C
    Where: Hickory Regional Airport, NC
    When: Saturday September 5 10:21 a.m
    Who: 78 on board
    Why: While en route, an indicator light was showing a fire on board; however after a safe landing at Hickory Regional Airport, no cause was found for the indication and the flight continued on its way after an inspection.

    George’s Point of View

    Any time a smoke or fire detector goes off, it reminds me of the dryer setting off ion-type fire alarm. Maybe I should ask one of my pilots if the fire alarms on planes are the ion type, or the photoelectric type (which is unlikely to react to cooking. Not that any of the passengers brought a hot plate. )

    You an always say better safe than sorry.

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  • | | |

    Piper Crash in Tulsa kills 5

    What: Six-passenger Piper en route from Jones Riverside Airport to Dallas
    Where: Chandler Park in West Tulsa
    When: 10:40 a.m., Saturday Sept 5 minutes after takeoff
    Who: Two men, a woman and two girls Tulsa doctor Stephen Lester, his wife Dana, two teenage daughters, Laura, 16 and Christina, 13. and Dr. Kenneth Veteto
    Why: Just after takeoff in rainy, foggy conditions, the plane hit a cable attached to a telecommunications tower, crashed, broke up and caught on fire. When the plane hit, the wings came off. The plane flipped several times. The family and a friend had been going to the University of Oklahoma football game. Dr Veteto leaves a wife and two children.

    Two more of the family’s children were not on the plane.

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  • | | | |

    Red Wings Emergency Landing In Moscow


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Vala

    What: Red Wings Airlines Tupolev TU-204 en route from Nizhny Novgorod to Antalya
    Where: Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport.
    When: Saturday 6:40 p.m.
    Who: 208 passengers (also reported as 200)
    Why: After experiencing an engine problem, the crew burned fuel and landed safely at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport. No injuries were reported.

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  • | |

    IATA Partnership Boosts SMS Development

    George’s Point of View

    SMS development is a good thing, but we shouldn’t abandon black boxes.

    Airbus wants to replace black boxes with “a more secure system” of real time satellite transmission.

    The thing is we HAVE black box technology now. We should keep using it.

    Aviation authorities should mandate the usage of both–keep what’s in place as a backup, and go for the real time data relay also. Not everything works as expected, all of the time, so all possible fail-safes should be employed. It’s not just that all that record-keeping keeps everyone honest; in the case of aviation, all those records will keep people alive.

    Real time is not fail-proof, but a FANTASTIC idea. The question of cockpit recordings that infringe on the pilots privacy is going to hang in the air unanswered for now while the real time system is tested and perfected.

    The privacy issue is an interesting factor. Some real time conversation in a cockpit is simple camaraderie–a workplace environment thing that makes a working environment comfortable. Plus it works better than coffee to keep the pilots awake and generally on task.

    No one likes to work with someone looking over their shoulder. Eventually this may become an issue as authorities will inevitably over-regulate the degree of cockpit conversation–bound to be a factor when one considers the Hudson river crash where air traffic control (not pilots) were discussing cat bbq rather than doing their jobs; and the Colgan Air/Pinnacle cockpit recordings that exposed training deficits just before the icing crash in Buffalo .

    The point is that we have the technology; we should use it. It will help save lives.

    The IATA is the sixty year old international trade body of aviation, which represents, leads and serves the airline industry in general and is made up of about 230 airlines (93% of international air traffic.) The Superstructure Group has become an IATA partner. The Superstructure Group is developing the STEADES exchange system, provides technology and consultancy services to meet information needs and is bringing realtime SMS software to the aviation industry.

    IATA Partners are listed here:
    http://www.iata.org/sp/partners_all.htm

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  • | | | | | | |

    Comoros: Putting together the Black Box puzzle

    Yemenia Flight 626 from Paris to Moroni sank into the ocean on June 30, killing 152 people, with one survivor. The black boxes were found Friday.

    Just because the black boxes were found does not mean the route to discovery is on track. Apparently there was so much damage to the black boxes, there is going to be trouble recovering the data. That’s not new. In fact, usually when there is trouble reading the black boxes, investigators call in the company that made the boxes, and they are usually able to mine the data in spite of damage.

    The BEA, the French aviation authority is handling the investigation. Many of those aboard were French and/or French Comoran.

    Did they–are they–sending the boxes to the US? They’d have a better chance of recovery if they do.

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  • | | |

    Published Settlement: $15 million

    What: Twin-engine Cessna 421B on approach to Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling
    Where: crashed into a storage yard
    When: January 2006
    Who: Michael Waugh ( general manager and chief operating partner of Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab in Chicago), Kenneth Knudson (founder of Sybaris), and Scott Garland (financial adviser at Morgan Stanley)
    Why: Circuit Judge John Ward awarded $6 million to Waugh’s widow, with the rest being divided among the couple’s three young sons.

    Wrongful death suiit: Morgan Stanley improperly allowed employees to fly personal planes to conduct business–a situation which other financial institutions prohibit.
    Pilot Mark Turek, a Morgan Stanley senior vice president was charged with negligence.

    George’s Point of View

    Settlements are seldom published

    src

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  • | | |

    Delta Emergency Landing at Hancock Airport

    What: Delta/Northwest DC-9 en route from Detroit to Manchester
    Where: Hancock Airport
    When: Thursday afternoon
    Who: 108 people
    Why: An indicator signified that an engine failed, causing the pilot to commit to an emergency landing at Hancock airport. No injuries were reported.

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  • | | |

    Smokey Cockpit Lands American Eagle in Springfield


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Michael Durning

    What: American Eagle E135 en route from Fayetteville, Arkansas to LaGuardia
    Where: Springfield-Branson National Airport.
    When: Sep 2nd 2009 6:40
    Who: 22 passengers on board
    Why: When smoke appeared in the cockpit, the pilot made an emergency landing in Springfield. No injuries reported and the source of the smoke was not found.

    Not too sure how the passengers felt about ending up in Springfield instead of NY though.

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  • | | |

    Emirates Jet Diverts to New Delhi

    What: Emirates Airline EK514 flying from Dubai to New Delhi
    Where: Diverted to the Pakistani port city of Karachi
    When: 10.35 pm
    Who: 101 passengers, including external affairs minister SM Krishn coming from Brazil, and several senior Indian officials
    Why: After waiting for the weather over India to clear, the pilot fly back to Dubai at 11.44 pm

    Replacement flights were available (if crowded)

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  • | |

    NY Mayor’s Jet Bird Strike


    Pictured: A Dassault Falcon owned by Sears Canada
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Corey Robinson

    What: New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s private Dassault Falcon 900EX en route to Boston for the Kennedy funeral
    Where: Boston
    Who: Mayor Michael Bloomberg
    Why: After a bird strike nearly crippled the landing gear, the pilot requested an emergency landing in Boston–and landed safely.

    Safely for everyone but the bird.

    George’s Point of View

    Birds could care less who the plane it belongs to.

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    Air New Zealand Emergency Landing at Wellington


    Pictured: An Air New Zealand Boeing 737
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Jonathan Rankin

    What: Air New Zealand Boeing 737 en route from Auckland to Christchurch
    Where: Wellington
    When: Wednesday Sep 02, 2009
    Who: 95 passengers
    Why: Ten minutes after takeoff, smoke was streaming from the plane’s right engine, and the cabin filled with the smell of burning rubber. The plane diverted to Wellington where it landed safely, and passengers debarked.

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    Qantas Emergency Landing in Perth


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Paul Spijkers

    What: Qantas Airways Boeing 747-400
    Where: emergency landing in Perth
    When: Sep 2, 2009
    Who: 290 passengers
    Why: Four hours into the 7/12 hour flight, a fuel leak occurred. Engine 4, the source, was shut down as a consequence. 90 minutes after the leak was detected, the plane made a safe emergency landing in Perth. Last year an exploding oxygen tank blew a hole in this very plane; but there is no connection.

    George’s Point of View

    Last year an exploding oxygen tank blew a hole in this very plane; but there is no connection, except perhaps that Qantas crew was able to handle and contain the situation both times.

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  • | |

    Piper Crash in Oregon kills 2

    What: 1955 Piper PA-22 single-engine plane en route to to Grants Pass
    Where: Canyon Mountain on the hillside behind Forest Glen Senior Residence in southern Oregon
    When: 9:30 a.m. Sunday
    Who: Ernie Knigge, Elaina Knigge
    Why: The plane crashed in a steep, rugged area in a stand of old-growth trees. The cause of the crash has not been determined. The couple co-owned the 1955 plane.

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  • | | |

    FAA official Lost during Proficiency Check in Jackson MS

    What: Robinson R44 practicing aerial maneuvers operating out of Hawkins Field Airport
    Where: duplex-style house about half a mile east of Hawkins Field airport in Jackson, MississippI
    When: Tues September 1, 2009 at 1932
    Who: Two FAA officials, pilot Charles Farmer and pilot Larry Wells of Crystal Springs
    Why: While in the course of a standard pilot proficiency check, it appeared the helicopter was experiencing engine trouble and trying to land, when the helicopter fell from the sky, clipped a tree and crashed into the unoccupied half a duplex house in Jackson Mississippi. The two victims both of whom worked for the FAA were taken to the Mississippi Medical Center, where Charles Farmer died. Larry Wells sustained serious injuries.

    The 2007 R-44 Rotorcraft belonged to WEBB GROUP FLP of Jackson Ms.

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  • | | |

    Airbus Hydraulics Act up In German Landing


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Gerry Stegmeier

    What: Swiss International Airlines Airbus A320-200 en route from Zurich Switzerland to Hamburg Germany
    Where: on approach to Hamburg Fuhlsbuettel airport
    When: Sep 1st 2009
    Why: On approach to Fuhlsbuettel, the plane developed a hydraulic problem. Gear doors remained open and the plane landed safely, and was towed to the terminal.

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  • | | | | | | |

    IndiGo Airbus Lands with Engine Fire


    An Indigo Airbus arriving from Delhi
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Sunandan Subramaniam

    What: IndiGo Airbus A320-200 en route from Bangalore to New Delhi India
    Where: Hyderabad
    When: Sep 1st 2009
    Who: 99 aboard
    Why: While over Hyderabad, smoke was seen coming from an engine, and the fire alert went off. The plane managed a safe landing. It was not noted if the passengers debarked normally, or by slides, but no injuries were reported.

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  • | |

    Air India Airbus has Hydraulic Complications

    What: Air India Airbus A-320 en route from Delhi to at Raipur
    Where: Raipur airport
    When: August 31, 2009
    Who: 91 passengers
    Why: The flight had landed safely at Raipur, and had not yet begun the takeoff leading to the next leg of the journey, when the pilot discovered a leak in the Airbus A-320’s hydraulic system.

    One report says that the leak was discovered on the ground before takeoff and that takeoff was delayed.

    A second report says that the plane made an emergency landing after taking off for the next leg of the journey.
    An emergency was declared, and passengers debarked safely.

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  • Fast News; Slow Conclusions

    George’s Point of View

    On this blog here, we are in the practice of posting quick news as we find it–the who, what, where, when, why of it all. Details are compressed so that we can present that quick notification of what just happened; and frequently, even the (minimum of two) news sources behind our reports do not agree.

    Technically, the reality of any event could be compressed into such a quick format, because there is an ultimate truth which exists. But, it takes years for investigators to get to that ultimate truth. And when it does happen, the “why” is not going to be a single line or paragraph. It is going to be composed of hundreds of pages of documentation of all the facts that are revealed in the course of investigation.

    Investigation is a painstaking process at best even if the accidents occur with witnesses and are recorded on video tape and multiple media perspectives such as the the black boxes. (And many times those records do not exist or are lost.) The investigative teams look at the obvious records, and then they go through the wreckage with a fine-toothed comb, examining concrete evidence, and use this evidence to put together the most accurate reconstruction of events possible. And frequently there are opposing perspectives of how something happened. Sometimes of the actual facts of the incident, only a partial percentage of concrete evidence is found; and sometimes it takes months or years to surface. When a new piece of evidence does surface, the entire conclusion may end up revised. (Think of the of the Titanic disaster which occurred in 1912 whose initial investigation closed that same year; and whose rediscovery in 1985, lead to a reinvestigation which actually begun in 1994, and salvage beginning in 1995.) Thus the investigative process can take an indeterminate length of time.

    So we do apologize to our readers for putting anything at all in the “why” area of our records, because we well know that the why and how of what happened is simply not going to be concluded for a long, long time. We hope that it is understood that our presentation of the “why” is a cursory summary at best, but that the final conclusion that will be years in coming is the result of conscientious, painstaking, scrupulous investigation by seasoned experts.

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