Southwest Airlines flight WN-43 had to return and make an emergency landing in Dallas, Texas, on December 7th.
The Boeing 737-300 plane took off for Houston, Texas, but had to return shortly afterwards after the crew reported issues with cabin pressure.
The plane landed uneventfully. All passengers and crew members remained safe.
American Airlines flight AA-64 made an emergency landing in San Antonio, Texas, on December 21st.
The Boeing 737-800 plane heading from Miami, Florida, to Phoenix, Arizona, was diverted due to an engine issue.
The plane landed uneventfully. All passengers and crew members remained safe.
Contact photographer Alex G.-Denicourt
What: Continental Airlines Boeing 737-700 en route from Houston,TX to McAllen,TX
Where: McAllen, TX
When: Apr 18th 2009
Who: 104 passengers and 5 crew
Why: First, severe thunderstorms delayed takeoff. Then, en route, fasten seat belt signs were on. The plane experienced turbulence while a woman was in the bathroom; she hit the ceiling and sustained serious back injuries. A flight attendant and another passenger also were injured. On landing, the seriously injured women was ported to the hospital and underwent (2?) neck surgery/ies. It is not known if the severely injured passenger will be permanently paraplegic.
George’s Point of View
Do not think the seatbelt sign does not apply to you. You’re not someone exempt from turbulence. The seatbelt sign applies to everyone.
What: Nordwind Airlines Boeing 767 en route from Krasnoyarsk to Phuket
Where: Krasnoyarsk Airport
When: Dec 9 2012
Who: 279 passengers
Why: While en route, the Boeing flight from Krasnoyarsk to Phuket developed flaps problem. After an alarm indicated the problem, the pilot returned to Krasnoyarsk and made a safe landing at 15:35. The plane was examined, and passengers were “sent to the Phucket reserve board.” (We take this to mean they were pointed to alternative flights to their destination.)
There were no reported injuries. The incident is under investigation by the Yenisei transport office.
Philippe Jernnard was wearing an Air France shirt, a fake Air France badge, had an Air France bag and was carrying a falsified an Air France ID card when he boarded a US Airways Philadelphia-West Palm Beach flight.
Instead of taking his seat in coach, he asked if there was room in first class, then seated himself on the cockpit’s jump seat.
The impersonation attempt began after Jernnard was denied an upgrade to business class.
When the captain told Jernnard he hadn’t filled out the paperwork and had to return to his seat, Jernnard argued.
The argument led to authorities being called, and they took him into custody.
He is charged with criminal trespass, tampering with records, impersonating a person privately employed and false ID to law enforcement. Jernnard is a French citizen.
Southwest flight 987 made an emergency landing in San Antonio, Texas, on December 13.
The plane was heading from Austin to Valley International Airport, Harlingen, when the crew noticed that a part of the wing was missing and decided to divert.
The plane landed uneventfully. There were 109 passengers and 5 crew members aboard at the time; all of them remained unhurt.
The airline arranged a replacement plane for the passengers.
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact Photographer John Harris
What: Continental Airlines Boeing 767-200 en route from Rio de Janeiro to Houston
Where: turbulence occurred southeast of Puerto Rico; diversion to Miami.
When: Aug 3rd 2009
Who: 168 passengers and 11 crew members
Why: About an hour out of Miami, the flight encountered turbulence. Four received severe injuries and there were multiple lesser injuries. 28 individuals were treated at the airport on site; 9 were taken to hospitals. (Alternate reports say 13 were taken to hospitals.) The flight landed at Miami, an hour and fifteen minutes after the turbulence.
Uninjured passengers were routed to Houston; in fact, they remained on the plane nearly three hours after landing because it was an International flight and had to be cleared by customs to arrive.