investigation

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    Two Killed as Small Plane Crashes in Santa Rosa

    A small plane crashed into a soggy field near Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa, California, on January 28.

    Authorities said the plane, flying from Palm Springs to Santa Rosa, went down near the end of Wood Ranch Road.

    Both occupants of the plane, including the pilot, Donald MacKenzie, 69, and his passenger, Marsha Gastwirth, 68, were killed in the crash.

    The cause of crash is being investigated.

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    3 Dead, 1 Missing after Small Plane Crashes in Victoria

    A small plane crashed into water at Barwon Heads on Bellarine Peninsula, Victoria, Australia, on January 29.

    Authorities said the four-seater plane, flying from Moorabbin, went down some 2 kilometers off Collendina Beach.

    Three people were killed in the accident while a fourth occupant is missing. The passengers included a 68-year-old man from Noble Park, a 63-year-old woman from Black Rock, a 65-year-old man from Black Rock, and 55-year-old man from Mordialloc.

    The incident is being investigated.

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    GoAir Flights Diverts to Nagpur Over Bomb Threat

    GoAirGoAir flight G8 243 made an emergency landing in Nagpur, Maharashtra, India, on January 23.

    The plane, heading from Bhubaneshwar to Mumbai, was diverted after the authorities received a call saying there was a bomb in the aircraft.

    The plane landed safely. There were 150 passengers onboard at the time; all of them remained unhurt.

    An airline spokerspon said, “After deplaning the 150 passengers, checks were conducted by the airport security and there was no bomb found onboard the aircraft. Post clearance from the authorities, the passengers are now being boarded and flight is scheduled to take off at 12 noon to Mumbai. The GoAir officials at Bhubaneshwar immediately informed the local and the police is investigating the matter.”

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    Pilot Feared Dead after F-16 Fighter Jet Crashes in Arizona

    An F-16 fighter jet crashed in a remote area near Bagdad, Yavapai County, Arizona, on January 21.

    The jet that took off from Luke Air Force Base near Phoenix, was carrying a student pilot from Taiwan when it went down. Authorities said the pilot was practicing air-to-air combat with an instructor as part of training.

    According to Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus, commander of the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke, “All indications lead me to believe that the pilot did not survive the accident…But until we have 100 percent confirmation, we will continue search efforts.”

    The cause of crash is not clear at the moment.

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    Eastern Airways Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Aberdeen

    Eastern AirwaysEastern Airways flight EZE514 made an emergency landing at Aberdeen International Airport in Scotland, on January 20.

    According to an airline spokesperson, “The captain operating charter flight EZE514 from Scatsta to Aberdeen received a cockpit warning indication en-route to Aberdeen relating to one of the aircraft’s two engines…The airport fire service was put on standby but was stood down shortly after the aircraft landed in Aberdeen.”

    All 28 passengers and 3 crew members remained safe.

    The incident is being investigated.

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    JetBlue Plane Makes Emergency Landing due to Laser Blinding

    JetBlueA JetBlue flight had to make an emergency landing at Las Americas Airport, Dominican Republic, on January 9.

    Authorities said the pilots declared emergency after one or more individuals pointed a laser beam on the plane, impairing pilot’s visibility. The flight was coming from New York at the time.

    The plane landed uneventfully. There were 120 people aboard at the time; all of them remained unharmed.

    The police are investigating.

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    Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing in Tulsa

    A Cessna 172SP plane made an emergency landing in a field along 41st Street and Lynn Lane in east Tulsa, Oklahoma, on January 11.

    The pilot decided to make an emergency landing after the plane, that took off from Jones Riverside Airport, developed an engine problem. According to Terry Maurer with the Tulsa Police Department, the pilot first thought of landing at Harvey Young Airport but it is surrounded by a residential area and “he didn’t want to try and land a disabled plane around a residential area.”

    The plane landed safely. The pilot Zach Prewitt, who is a flight instructor at the Christiansen Flight School, Jones Airport, remained uninjured.

    The FAA is investigating.

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    Jin Air Plane Returns to Cebu Airport Because of Improperly Shut Door

    Jin AirA Jin Air plane had to return and make an emergency landing at Mactan–Cebu International Airport, Philippines, on January 3rd.

    The Boeing 737-800 jet took off for Busan, South Korea, but had to return shortly afterwards after the crew noticed that one of the doors was not completely shut.

    The plane landed uneventfully. None of the 163 passengers were injured, although, some of them complained of nausea during return trip.

    The passengers were accommodated in another flight.

    The incident is being investigated.

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    1 Killed, 1 Injured as Tiger Moth Plane Crashes in Australia

    A vintage Tiger Moth plane crashed on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, on December 28.

    The biplane, operated by Gold Coast-based Tiger Moth Joy Rides, went down shortly after taking off from an airstrip in Norwell.

    A 58-year-old sightseer from New South Wales was killed in the crash. The 21-year-old pilot, who was the only one aboard sustained injuries and was airlifted to Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane.

    The accident is under investigation.

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    Seven Killed as Cargo Plane Overshoots Runway in Congo

    A cargo plane plowed into a residential area in Mbuji-Mayi, Democratic Republic of Congo, on December 24.

    Authorities said the Airbus 310 plane, operated by the cargo company Services Air, overshot the runway due to rainy weather and near-zero visibility before hitting several houses.

    At least seven people on the ground were killed in the accident. The plane was carrying four crew members at the time; all of them remained unhurt.

    The accident is being investigated.

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    Border Security Force Plane Crashed in New Delhi; 10 Killed

    A Border Security Force (BSF) plane crashed near Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Dehli, India, on December 22.

    The Beech SuperKing B200 aircraft, carrying 10 BSF personnel, went down just after taking off from the Delhi airport. Authorities believe the plane’s left engine stopped working, causing it to crash into the wall of airport’s sewage treatment plant and ending up in the water.

    All ten personnel aboard the plane were killed in the crash.

    The accident is being investigated.

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    Five Killed as Small Plane Crashed near Bakersfield

    small planeA small plane crashed in an orchard near Bakersfield, California, on December 19.

    The single-engine Piper PA32 aircraft took off from Reid-Hillview Airport, San Jose, to Henderson Executive Airport, Las Vegas, when disappeared from the radar and went down.

    There were five members of a Gilroy, California, family aboard the plane at the time of crash; all of them were killed. Their identities have not yet been released.

    The accident is being investigated.

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    Technician Killed after Being Sucked into Air India Plane’s Engine at Mumbai Airport

    airindialogoAn aircraft technician was killed after he was pulled into the engine of an Air India plane that was getting ready to taxi at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai, India, on December 16.

    Authorities said the plane, performing flight AI 619 between Mumbai and Hyderabad, had just began its pushback when the technician Ravi Subramanian got sucked into the engine.

    Ravi was killed instantly. His body was severely mutilated.

    The incident is under investigation.

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    Fort Campbe Helicopter Crashed in Tennessee; 2 Pilots Killed

    A Fort Campbe helicopter crashed into a rural field, and then caught fire, near Cumberland River, Tennessee, on the night of December 2.

    The helicopter crashed during a training exercise, taking the lives of 2 Fort Campbe pilots.

    According to the Army Combat Readiness Centre Spokesperson, “We’re working on getting all the facts together, and are in the process of getting information”.

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    Turkish Airlines Jet Diverts to Germany Over Bomb Threat

    turkishflagTurkish Airlines flight TK1617 had to divert and made an emergency landing in Nuremberg, Germany, on November 30.

    According to an airline spokesperson, “The aircraft operating Turkish Airlines’ Istanbul to Frankfurt flight today has diverted to Nuremberg due to a suspicious object found onboard.”

    The plane landed uneventfully. All 124 passengers remained safe.

    “The necessary investigation onboard is continuing and the decision concerning the continuation of the flight to Frankfurt will be finalized according the result of such investigation,” the spokesperson said.

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    Four Killed as Small Plane Crashes in Somerset, UK

    small planeA six-seater light plane crashed near Churchinford village in Blackdown Hills, Somerset, United Kingdom, on November 14.

    The plane went down while it was heading from Surrey to Devon.

    There were four people aboard the plane, including two men and two women; all of them were killed in the crash.

    The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) will investigate the cause of crash.

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    Ukrainian Helicopter Crashed in Slovakia; 6 Killed

    A Ukrainian helicopter crashed near Stretavka village, in Zilina, eastern Slovakia, on November 13.

    According to the Slovak Interior Minister Robert Kalinak, pilot of the Russian-made Mi2 “was doing dangerous manoeuvrs especially in very bad weather conditions because he was flying very low.”

    Six people lost their lives in the crash.

    The accident is being investigated.

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    FBI Claims Flight Attendant Created Hoax Forcing Emergency Landing in North Dakota

    SkyWestThe Federal Bureau of Investigation alleges that a flight attendant, onboard a Delta Airlines flight operated by SkyWest Airlines, created a hoax that led to an emergency landing at Dickinson Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport, North Dakota, on September 9.

    The documents submitted in the U.S. District Court in Bismarck allege that Justin Cox-Sever communicated false information about a suspicious package onboard and interfered with aircraft’s operation.

    According to the FBI affidavit, Cox-Sever had confessed that he himself stuffed a bag with towels and later on reported it as suspicious.

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    NTSB Report Blames Clear Air Turbulence for United Airline Flight Injuries

    The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released the preliminary investigation report on the February 17 incident of United Airlines Flight 1676, flying from Denver-to-Billings, which suddenly started to jolt, injuring many passengers.

    According to the report, the airplane was in cruise flying mode at an altitude of 34,000 feet, when it ran into extreme clear air turbulence and resulted in several injuries. The report further elaborates that among 114 passengers and flight crew, 2 were seriously injured while 9 were hospitalized with minor injuries.

    The Boeing 737-700 was also damaged and was taken to United maintenance facility in Houston.

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    Automation at Fault?


    Here’s the question: do pilots rely too much on automation? This question has been on my mind since hearing the parallels between the UPS Cargo jet crash and the Asiana passenger jet crash. This is on my mind not only as one who works toward aviation safety but also as a very frequent flyer. You can only imagine how my work carries me into international situations. I don’t fly as frequently as a pilot, but sometimes I fly internationally several times a month. I am on these planes frequently. I rely on them.

    So I find it disturbing that the NTSB’s hearing Thursday revealed parallels between the crash of UPS Flight 1354 and Asiana Filght 214. While I don’t know the answers, I can only hope the investigation shines light on ways to deal with this problem. What is the solution? Less reliance on Automation? Better training for pilots?

    On the other side of the coin, some parties will want even more automation, but I am reluctant to go in that direction. The idea of even more reliance on automation is anathema to me because the engineers and advocates of reliance on even more automation will not be on those even-more automated planes. While the technology and/or training will be on the chopping block, their actual necks won’t be.

    What I don’t find disturbing is the professionalism of the hearings. The webcast is well worth watching.

    The hearing webcast is recorded here: http://ntsb.capitolconnection.org/022014/ntsb_archive_flv.htm

    Note the NTSB cautions participants in the hearing not to engage the media and to stick to the facts.

    Or the recorded captions (unformatted) are here.
    https://airflightdisaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ntsb022014.htm.pdf

    bio docket: https://airflightdisaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/biodocket.pdf

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    UPS Flight 1354 Agenda and Media Logistics for Investigative Hearing


    The National Transportation Safety Board today released the agenda for the investigative hearing on the ongoing investigation into the Aug. 14, 2013 crash of UPS Airlines flight 1354, an Airbus A300-600, on approach to Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport in Birmingham, Ala.

    The hearing will be held February 20 at the NTSB’s Board Room and Conference Center at 429 L’Enfant Plaza SW in Washington and begins at 8:30 a.m.

    Hearing witnesses, including representatives of the Federal Aviation Administration, Airbus, UPS Airlines, Independent Pilots Association and the Transport Workers Union will testify and answer questions from NTSB Board members, technical staff, and parties about non-precision approaches, human factors and flight dispatch issues. The agenda, list of panel witnesses, biographies and other related information is available at the hearing event page at http://www.ntsb.gov/news/events/2014/ups1354_hearing/index.html

    Investigative exhibits for the hearing will be placed in the electronic docket at the start of the hearing and will also be available on the hearing event page once the hearing begins.

    NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman will be available to answer questions from the media at the conclusion of the hearing. Additional details about the availability will be included in an advisory on Wednesday.

    Television coverage of the proceedings will be by network pool provided by CNN. Escorted cutaway for video media will be permitted for brief periods throughout the hearing. Still photographers will be permitted in the seating area of the Board Room and by escort to areas in front of the witness panels.

    Because of construction at and around L’Enfant Plaza, satellite and other media trucks will have to check in for parking and running cable through the construction zone. Please RSVP to eric.weiss@ntsb.gov by Feb. 19. Media access to the Board Room is available beginning at 7:30 a.m.

    A media room is also available with tables, chairs and an audio mult box. Generally-accepted media credentials will be required for access to the media room. In addition, a fully equipped overflow room has been established and will serve as a storage area for video equipment during the hearing.

    Seating for the general public in the Board Room is on a first-come, first-served basis. The hearing will be webcast live. Access to the webcast can be found at www.ntsb.gov.

    ===
    The National Transportation Safety Board has scheduled an investigative hearing on February 20 into the crash of a UPS Airbus A300-600 on approach to Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport in Birmingham, Ala., on Aug. 14, 2013.

    The two flight crew members were killed and the airplane was destroyed when it impacted the ground less than a mile short of Runway 18. The cargo flight had originated from Louisville, Ky. Runway 18 was being used because the main runway at the airport was closed for repairs at the time of the airplane’s arrival.

    The one-day hearing will examine:

    Execution of non-precision approaches, including initial and recurrent training, adherence to standard operating procedures, and proficiency
    Human factors issues associated with effective crew coordination and resource management applicable to this accident, including decision-making, communication, fatigue and fitness for duty, as well as monitoring and cross-checking, policies, standard operating procedures, guidance, and training provided to UPS crewmembers.
    Dispatch procedures, including the training, evaluation, roles and responsibilities of UPS dispatchers and the limitations of dispatch-related software.
    The investigation is ongoing and this hearing will develop additional facts to support the investigation. The hearing will be held in the NTSB Board Room and Conference Center in Washington, D.C. A detailed agenda and a list of attendees will be forthcoming.

    Parties to the hearing will include the Federal Aviation Administration, UPS, Airbus, the Independent Pilots Association and the Transport Workers Union. The accredited representative from the French Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses pour la sécurité de l’aviation civile (BEA) will participate on the technical panels.

    The determination of the probable cause of the crash will be released when the investigation is complete. Just prior to the start of the hearing, the public docket will be opened. Included in the docket are photographs, interview transcripts and other documents.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________

    NTSB public events are also streamed live via webcast. Webcasts are archived for a period of three months from the time of the meeting. Webcast archives are generally available by the end of the event day for public Meetings, and by the end of the next day for Technical conferences.

    If you wish to obtain a copy of NTSB meetings, please contact the NTSB Records Management Division at (202) 314-6551 or 800-877-6799. You may also request this information from the NTSB web site or write the following: National Transportation Safety Board, Records Management Division (CIO-40), 490 L’Enfant Plaza, SW,Washington, DC 20594.

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    Clutha Helicopter Crash


    The preliminary investigation of the Clutha helicopter crash revealed …

    • 95 liters left in the police helicopter
    • no evidence of engine failure
    • no evidence of gearbox failure
    • all significant components were present
    • all rotor grades were attached at the time of the crash
    • neither main blades nor tail blades were rotating

    Other than ruling out what is not the cause, investigators may be no closer to determining the reason the helicopter fell out of the air. The report says there was “no evidence of major mechanical disruption of either engine” of the Eurocopter EC135 as it returned from a police operation in Dalkeith, Midlothian, on the night of the crash.

    There were no flight recorders, but there is radar data and radio communications. The pilot had 5,500 hours, 646 in type.

    The wreckage is at AAIB’s headquarters, and the investigation continues.

    A fund has been opened for the victims. Donations can be made to the fund by calling 0141 287 7878 and paying by debit or credit card. Cash or cheques can be handed in to the council’s service desk at 45 John Street, Glasgow G1 1JE and bank payments can be made to Clutha Appeal Fund, sort code 83-44-00, account 10804129.