What: Allegiant McDonnell Douglas MD-83 en route from Mesa to Pasco Washington
Where: Mesa
When: May 16th 2011
Who: 151 passengers, 5 crew
Why: After the flight took off from Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, the cockpit developed smoke and the pilots smelled fumes. They reported the emergency, and returned to the airport where they made a safe landing with 50 firefighters on standby.
Maintenance inspected the affected plane.
Passengers were rebooked on an 11:00 flight.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Josh May
What: Global Air Boeing 737-200 en route from from Mexico City to Puerto Vallarta
Where: Puerto Vallarta
When: Nov 4th 2010 1 p.m.
Who: 99 passengers and 5 crew
Why: While on approach to Puerto Vallarta, the plane’s nose gear would not extend, in spite of several flybys where the tower verified the nose gear was not extended.
The plane eventually made a belly landing on foam with emergency services on standby. Pilot Jorge Luz Campos landed the plane with no injuries.
Pictured: UA Boeing 767-322
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Daniel Nicholson
What: United Airlines Boeing 767 en route from London to Washington D.C.
Where: Bangor International Airport
When: Wednesday April 1
Who: 178 passengers
Why: When the pilot reported smoke in the cockpit, the plane was granted permission to land at Bangor International, which it did, safely.
George’s Point of View
I worry about all emergency landings, I’ve experienced just one.
When I see a United doing an emergency landing for any reason, my skin creeps because I fly United all the time. No pun intended.
Allegiant Air flight 487 had to make an emergency landing in St. George, Utah, on September 7.
According to the airline, the plane, heading from Bismarck, North Dakota, to Las Vegas, Nevada, had to be diverted due to a “possible maintenance issue”.
The plane landed uneventfully.
All 141 passengers and 6 crew members remained safe.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Francisco Muro
What: Air Canada Boeing 777-333ER
Where: Toronto Canada
When: May 28 2012
Who: 318 passengers, 16 crew
Why: After a louder than normal take-off, fifteen minutes into the flight, pilots of the Air Canada Boeing en route from Toronto to Japan shut off an engine. Witnesses reported smoke and fire coming from the right engine.
The flight had to return to Toronto following engine problems. Falling bits of engine debris “hot bits of blackened metal” fell from the sky and caused some damage to parked vehicles near Derry and Kennedy Rds in Mississauga. The entire circuit of the flight took about an hour and a half.
There were no injuries on the flight, but emergency services were on standby on landing, in expectation of trauma.
Pictured: An Air Zimbabwe Boeing 737
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Chaity
What: Air Zimbabwe Boeing 737 en route from Victoria Falls
Where: Harare Airport, Zimbabwe
When: December 6, 2010
Who: not released
Why: Passengers coming back from Victoria falls got a surprise today as, en route, the plane’s fire alarms went off.
The pilots made a safe emergency landing at Harare. The cause of the alarm is being investigated, and there’s no indication of whether passengers were provided transportation, housing or if they had to wait until the plane was examined/repaired.
An American Airlines developed cabin pressure problems while en route from Jacksonville to Fort Worth, and made an emergency landing in Birmingham on Sunday, April 6, 2014.
The McDonnell Douglas MD-82 had 130 passengers and five crew, none of whom were injured. Passengers were provided an alternative plane to Dallas.