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Contact photographer Timo Jäger
What: Sunexpress Boeing 737-800 en route from Antalya to Dusseldorf
Where: Dusseldorf
When: Oct 28th 2011
Why: Coming in to Dusseldorf, the crew discovered a flaps problem on the 737.
They aborted the initial approach and circled while they attempted correction.
They made a fast landing on the second attempt.
The outgoing flight was detained a couple of hours as repairs were performed on the flight.
July 9–The FAA is issuing an Airworthiness Directive (AD) that requires operators of Boeing 757, 767, and 777 airplanes to either inspect or replace certain flight deck windows. The AD only affects the forward viewing windows, not the side windows.
Operators have two options: Begin inspections within 500 flight hours and then continue at intervals that are specific for each of two window designs OR install a new, redesigned window. The inspection takes about an hour.
The AD is aimed at preventing smoke, fire or cracking of the inner layer of the forward viewing window caused by loose electrical connections that are used to heat the window to prevent ice.
Over the past two decades, there have been 11 reports of fire or flames on 757 (five events), 767 (three events), and 777 (three events) airplanes. Improper installation resulted in loose, improperly torqued or cross threaded screws that can contribute to overheating and arcing. The most recent incident was a May 16, 2010 emergency landing by a United 757 at Dulles International Airport.
The FAA proposed the AD in March 2008. The agency received extensive comments and determined additional 757 service information was needed from Boeing. That in-depth review identified unique issues on the upper electrical connections on 757s which will be addressed in a separate AD so as not to hold up the fix for the lower electrical connector issue which constitutes the majority of the service problems identified to date. Although there have been no fire events on 747s, the FAA plans to propose an AD this fall since those later model airplane windows are similar.
This AD affects 1,212 U.S. airplanes out of 2,619 worldwide. The estimated cost for the inspections is $103,020 total for U.S. operators. The window replacement is optional and would be an additional cost.
IndiGo flight 6E-7124 made an emergency landing in Chennai, India, on November 4th.
The plane flying from Rajahmundry, India, was on final approach to Chennai when the crew went around due to an engine failure.
The plane subsequently landed safely. All passengers and crew members remained unharmed.
Thai Lion Air flight SL-515 had to return and make an emergency landing in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on May 12th.
The plane took off for Bangkok, Thailand, but had to turn back after the crew needed to shut down one of the engines.
The plane landed safely. All one hundred and sixty-nine people aboard remained unharmed.
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Contact photographer Andreas Wessel
What: SAS Scandinavian Airlines Airbus A330-300 en route from Oslo to Newark,NJ
Where: Faroe Islands
When: Apr 22nd 2012
Who: 264 passengers
Why: While en route, the plane developed engine problems in one engine. Pilots shut it down, and diverted to Bergen Norway. Pilots made a safe landing in Bergen over an hour later, and passengers were delayed eight and a half hours.
Flybe flight BE-653 made an emergency landing at Belfast International Airport, Northern Ireland, on January 14th.
The plane heading from Birmingham, England, to Ireland West Airport Knock, Ireland, was diverted due to an issue with the flaps.
The plane landed safely. All passengers and crew members remained unharmed.
A privately owned Cessna 421C Golden Eagle en route from Lyon Bron Airport to Aix-Les-Milles/Aix En Provence Airport took off then crashed near Lyon, France. The four passengers, one of whom ejected) died in the crash.
The names of the passengers have not been released.
