|
December 23, 2008
National Transportation Safety Board: EMS Public Hearing Announcement
On Tuesday, February 3, 2009, at 9:00 a.m. the National Transportation Safety Board will begin a public 4-day public hearing on the safety of helicopter emergency medical services (EMS) operations. The board is requesting submissions regarding aviation safety from the EMS community (including pilots, medical personnel, managers, and FAA officials) for a public docket in support of the hearing. NTSB officials hope the upcoming hearing will allow them to better evaluate the factors that lead to nine fatal EMS accidents, which killed 35 people, in the past year. The hearing will take place in the Board Room and Conference Center at 429 L'Enfant Plaza, S.W., Washington, D.C. It will also be telecast on www.ntsb.gov, the Board’s website.
December 23, 2008
Rocky Mountain News: Investigators back at scene of DIA plane crash
Five out of the six runways are now open at Denver International Airport in the wake of Saturday’s crash. Runway 34 will remain closed throughout the Christmas week as the National Transportation Safety Board continues to investigate the crash of Continental Airlines flight 1404, which injured 38 people when the Boeing 737 veered into a ravine during take off and erupted in flames. Airport officials say that traffic flow is back to ‘normal’ even though the runway remains closed. As the peak week of Christmas travel commences, however, officials expect 145,000 travelers to crowd the Denver Airport. With one runway closed, and a forecast calling for 60 percent chance of snow on Tuesday, Airport officials say that passengers should expect longer lines than usual this week. Both ‘black-box’ voice recorders were recovered intact from the wreckage and the NTSB believes the recorders will help them discover the cause of the crash and subsequent fire. Of the 38 injured during the evacuation of the crash, five people remain hospitalized, one in serious condition.
The two 'black-box' data recorders were recovered intact from the wreckage of Saturday's Continental Airlines crash which injured 38 people, one seriously. Federal Crash investigators hope the recovered data recorders, which have been sent to NTSB headquarters in Washington, will help them determine why the aircraft veered 2,000 feet from the runway before exploding into flames. Some of the possible causes that the NTSB will likely examine during the investigation are: Crosswind, braking problems, tire blow-out, engine problems or engine failure, and a sudden downdraft of wind. Runway 34 at Denver International Airport will remain closed as NTSB investigators search for clues and conduct interviews in order to explain the cause of the crash. As of now, the Captain of the aircraft has yet to be interviewed.
December 20, 2008
CBS News: At Least 38 Injured In Denver Plane Crash
AVweb: NTSB Go Team To Investigate 737 Crash At DIA
At least 38 people were injured, two critically, when a Continental Airlines 737 skidded off the runway during takeoff from Denver International Airport and veered into a ravine after the engine and right wing exploded. Although the aircraft never appeared to be airborne, witnesses aboard reported feeling a slight lift before the explosion. All 112 individuals aboard, including passengers and crew members, successfully evacuated the burning plane, as rescuers fought to contain the fierce blaze and removed runway debris. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has sent a Go Team to investigate this incident which the FAA has attributed to "unknown causes."
December 8, 2008
CNN: Officials: 3 dead after military jet crash
 According to the San Diego Medical Examiner's office, two adults and one infant are dead after an F/A-18 military jet crashed into a San Diego neighborhood. Another individual believed to be in the house is still missing. The jet was returning to the Miramar field after a Navy aircraft carrier landing training when the pilot reported trouble, the exact nature of which is yet unknown. The pilot, who was the only occupant of the two-seat aircraft, ejected safely and was taken to a nearby hospital. Another home hit by the plane was unoccupied.
October 20, 2008
MSNBC: Jet engines found with damaged, missing parts
Safety officials urge FAA to take 'immediate action', order more inspections
Federal safety officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have found that several passenger aircraft engines made by Pratt & Whitney are damaged or have missing parts. The model of engine is used on Boeing 757 aircraft. The NTSB is urging the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to order inspections of all similar engines. The FAA's acting administrator, Robert Sturgell, stated, "Information gathered to date has raised serious concerns that warrant immediate action by the FAA." In early August, a Delta Air Lines flight experienced a loss of power during a takeoff attempt from Las Vegas, Nevada. There were no injuries, but the incident prompted the NTSB to begin examining Pratt & Whitney engines. No decision has been made about whether to order inspections of all Pratt & Whitney PW 2037 engines. A spokeswoman for Pratt & Whitney said they are cooperating with investigators.
October 20, 2008
Daily Herald: Camera may have captured chopper crash
An Air Angels medical helicopter crashed on October 15, 2008, in Aurora, Illinois, killing three crew members and an infant. The crash occurred shortly before midnight when the helicopter clipped a wire that was supporting a local radio tower. Investigators have now received a video which may show the crash. They are continuing to collect information and are looking into the possibility the light at the top of the tower was not lit at the time of the crash.
August 21, 2008
Forbes: Spanish plane that crashed had overheated valve
Spanair's MD-82, which crashed on August 20, 2008, had an overheated air intake valve right before the first take-off attempt. Both black boxes, the CVR and Flight Data Recorder, have been recovered. One of the boxes is damaged. Witnesses to the crash stated that the left engine exploded and caught fire on take-off. Spanair is stating that the left engine failed and may have caught fire. One of the airline's MD-82 aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing on August 16, 2008 because of problems with both its engines. It hasn't been confirmed if it was the same aircraft as the one that crashed. Spanair is Spain's second largest airline. It's owner, SAS, put the airline up for sale more than a year ago due to its losing money.
July 27, 2008
CBS News: Did Oxygen Tank Explode On Qantas Jet?
On July 25, 2008, a Qantas Airlines Boeing 747 was forced to make an emergency landing in the Philippines following a mid-air explosion over the South China Sea that left a nine foot hole in the aircraft’s fuselage. Although senior investigator from the Australian Transport and Safety Bureau, Neville Blyth, cannot yet specify the cause of the explosion, Qantas Airlines has been instructed to inspect each of the oxygen cylinders aboard the plane.
July 14, 2008
WCCO.com FAA Announces Runway Safety Improvements
The installation of lights that signal pilots when a runway is safe to enter, will be installed at several major airports. This move by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will improve runway safety. Congressional investigators warned, in December 2007, that air travelers could face a high risk of a collision on U.S. airport runways because of overworked air traffic controllers, malfunctioning technology and failing federal leadership. Sixty three people have died in six U.S. runway collisions since 1990. Airports in Atlanta, Baltimore-Washington, Boston, Chicago O'Hare, Denver, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston International, LaGuardia, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Orlando, Newark, San Diego, Washington-Dulles, Charlotte, John F. Kennedy, Philadelphia, Seattle, Ft. Lauderdale and Las Vegas will have the lighting systems installed over the next three years. The lights change color to signal when a runway is safe to enter or cross.
July 7, 2008
Fox Business: Report: Southwest Airlines and the FAA too Close for Comfort
The U.S. Department of Transportation released a report that alleges the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) allowed Southwest Airlines to fly 46 Boeing 737s that should have been inspected for fuselage cracks, but were not. This oversight by the FAA may have led to safety lapses.
July 2, 2008
Fox News: Feds: Arizona Medical Aircraft Crash 9th Such Accident in 2008
The National Transportation Safety Board is concerned there is a trend growing in midair collisions. There have been 16 deaths so far in 2008, not counting the midair collision on June 29, 2008 of two medical helicopters in Arizona. The latest crash killed six people and injured three. Fatalities had dropped between 2006-2007, but we are now seeing an increase. NTSB Chairman Mark Rosenker stated, "This has been a serious issue. Just this year there have been eight of these incidents. We want to see if there are issues that we need to fix to prevent these midair collisions from happening." In a January 2006 NTSB report which investigated emergency medical helicopters, it was noted that emergency medical operations are unique in their inherent danger. These include the high pressure circumstances which they respond to, 24 hour emergencies, unfamiliar landings and many times these occur in inclement weather. There were also several safety issues identified which include: lack of aviation flight risk evaluation programs, and no requirements to use technologies such as terrain awareness or warning systems.
June 30, 2008
Fox News: Medical Choppers Collide Over Arizona, Killing 6
Two medical helicopters collided in mid-air, in northern Arizona, killing six people and critically injuring a nurse. The Air Methods helicopter and the Classic Helicopters were both coming in for landing at the Flagstaff Medical Center. The Air Methods helicopter, out of Englewood, Colorado, was carrying three people and the Classic Helicopters helicopter was carrying four people. The flight nurse from the Classic Helicopters is in critical condition. There are no flight controllers at Flagstaff Medical Center and it's up to the pilots to watch for each other as they approach the medical center. The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) as well as the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) are sending investigators to the crash site.
June 30, 2008
WTOP News: 3 hurt, 1 critically, in AZ medical chopper crash
An Air Evac, Inc. Eurocopter AS350 crashed Friday, June 27, 2008 near Ash Fork, Arizona. The medical helicopter was on its way to pick up an injured motorcyclist when it crashed. Three crew members were on board and all were injured, one critically. The flight originated from Air Evac's base at Prescott airport. Air Evac is a subsidiary of PHI Inc., which is located in Louisiana and provides services for the energy industry and medical evacuation.
June 23, 2008
KPUA AM: Bodies, wreckage of missing plane found in Hawaii forest
The Island Hoppers aircraft that had been missing since its departure from Kona International Airport on June 17, 2008, has been located. A helicopter search team located the wreckage on Sunday, finding the two bodies of the passengers and the body of the pilot. The Cessna was found in the Ka'u Forest Reserve, approximately eight miles west of Pahala. It had been on a three hour tour of the Big Island when it disappeared. Search crews had flown over the area twice since the search began on June 17th, but the area where the aircraft was found is not accessible from the ground since there are no roads in the area.
June 20, 2008
KNX 10.70 NewsRadio: Search For Missing Plane Resumes
An Island Hoppers tour aircraft departed on June 17, 2008 from the Kona International Airport and never returned. Extensive air searches have been going on since the aircraft became missing. It was carrying two Japanese tourists along with the pilot. Search crews are focusing on the area near Kilauea's volcano eruption area since the aircraft was spotted there. Investigators believe the plane may have been heading south.
June 11, 2008
Sudan Airways A-310 Plane Consumed by Flames on Landing
An Airbus A310 operated by Sudan Airways burst into flames after it overshot the runway at Khartoum International Airport. The pilot tried to land the plane amid a thunderstorm and overshot the end of the runway and rammed into the lights used by pilots to navigate when landing in bad weather. Preliminary reports stated that as many as 100 passengers and crew were killed. However, reports later, confirmed 173 of the 203 passengers the plane was carrying survived along with one crew member. One person remains missing. Yusuf Ibrahim, the airport's director said the plane had landed normally and the flight crew was discussing the taxi route with the tower when an explosion occurred. A technical problem caused the explosion and not the weather.
May 30, 2008
TACA Airlines crash in Honduras -- Five dead; at least
65 injured
On Friday, May 30, 2008 at approximately 10 AM, an Airbus A-320 owned by Central America’s GRUPO TACA Airline, skidded off a Toncontin International Airport runway in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras. Five people were killed and at least 65 others were injured. Three passengers injured in this crash have hired Baum Hedlund to represent them in this matter.
May 27, 2008
Sight-seeing Helicopter Crashes on Catalina Island
A tour helicopter operated by Island Express of Long Beach, California crashed on May 24, killing three people and critically injuring three others. The helicopter took off from Long Beach and was on a private sightseeing tour. The Eurocopter AS-350 was shooting flames from its exhaust pipe while over the ocean and went down near Two Harbors on Santa Catalina Island, and burned beyond recognition. The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating.
May 22, 2008
The New York Times: F.A.A. Bans Anti-smoking Drug, Citing Side Effects
The FAA has banned the smoking cessation drug Chantix for use by pilots and air traffic controllers. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices, a watchdog group, linked Chantix to a variety of safety and health problems. These include heart attacks, seizures, potentially lethal heart rhythm disturbances, accidents, falls, diabetes and various psychiatric disturbances, including suicide. An analysis was completed using adverse events that were reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from May 2006 through December 2007. There were 397 cases of possible psychosis, 525 reports of hostility or aggression and 227 reports of suicide attempts or suicides. The reports also included 60 cases of paranoia, 55 hallucinations, 41 homicidal thoughts and 28 suicides. The report states that the risks of treatment with Chantix have been underestimated. Earlier this year, Public Citizen's Health Research Group called for a black box warning. The FAA is planning on notifying associations that represent private and commercial pilots that Chantix is no longer permitted for use.
May 15, 2008
Federal Aviation Administration: Runway Safety Fact Sheet
There were 370 runway incursions in 2007. An incursion is an incident where any aircraft or vehicle encroaches on space that is reserved for takeoffs and landings. Aviation experts are warning that near-misses on the ground are becoming one of the most serious safety issues in aviation. When airports try to alleviate the bottleneck of aircraft traffic by adding runways, the danger rises even more. By adding more taxiways intersecting the runways, it raises the risk of accidental incursions in which an aircraft or vehicle could possibly venture onto a runway that is being used for takeoffs and landings. Regulators in the United States and Europe are looking into speeding up certification for new electronic displays that will provide commercial pilots with detailed information. An international pilots group said that standardizing the use of external lights on aircraft would also help prevent collisions. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Eurocontrol (European Organization for the safety of air navigation) have drawn up a set of common sense guidelines on using the external lighting. The guidelines include turning on rotating beacons before starting engines so ground staff are warned to switching on all exterior lighting whenever the aircraft is taxiing across a runway. The International Civil Aviation Organization is responsible for standardizing procedures regarding the use of lighting.
Watch Aviation Attorney Ron Goldman's TV Interview About an LAX Runway Incursion.
April 23, 2008
Fox News: Investigators: Cracked Wing Parts Found on US Airways Planes
US Airways has fixed and found faulty wing fasteners on their 757s after part of a wing broke off and struck a passenger window on March 22, 2008. Three clips that secure the leading edge of the panel to the wing failed, causing the 4x5 foot panel of the wing to fly off during flight. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating to determine whether the wing clip failures were caused by maintenance, poor inspection, design or improper installation. The NTSB did say the clips that failed were redesigned and installed in 1991 after problems were identified with the 757 wings in late 1980. US Airways reported they had inspected all 18 of their 757s and found cracked wing fasteners on six of them, in addition to the plane that lost the wing panel. The incident was reclassified from an accident to an incident after it was found there was no injury and no change in the aircraft's handling after the panel flew off.
April 15, 2008
Los Angeles Times: Investigators remove plane wreckage in Compton
The Cessna 310 aircraft which slammed into three homes in Compton, California injuring several people on April 12, 2008, most likely experienced a loss of engine power, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Wayne Pollack, a senior air investigator with the NTSB said, "We also have a witness who heard the engine rev up just before the loss of power." A 105 foot crane was used to lift the remains of the Cessna 310 from the homes. The plane has been taken to an NTSB investigation site in Lancaster, California for further inspections.
See: Plane lifted from Compton homes
April 12, 2008
Long Beach Press-Telegram: Officials probe area plane crash
A Cessna 310, owned by Eureka International of Carson City, NV, crashed into two homes in Compton, California, injuring five people. The pilot and passenger are in critical condition and three people in the homes are in critical and serious condition. The plane was flying from Hawthorne to Montgomery Field in San Diego. At the time of the crash, the plane was headed back to Compton, when the pilot tried to make an emergency landing. The fuselage of the aircraft landed in one house while one of the wings landed in another house.
March 19, 2008
United Press International:
FAA orders safety audit of U.S. airlines
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) set two deadlines. Inspectors must audit 118 airlines for compliance with 10 airworthiness directives, which include inspecting older aircraft for fatigue cracks. This must be completed by March 28, 2008. The second deadline is June 30, 3008, in which inspectors must audit compliance with 10% of all airworthiness directives. This was ordered due to Southwest Airlines having to pay $10.2 million for missing inspections for fatigue cracks. When their aircraft were inspected, six had cracks as long as 3.5 inches.
March 12, 2008
Three employees of Southwest Airlines have been put on leave due to allegations from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that the company flew 46 airplanes that had not been inspected for dangerous fuselage cracks. Gary Kelly, Southwest chief executive, said he is concerned with some of the findings of their own internal investigation. He said in a statement, "I have insisted that we have the appropriate maintenance organizational and governance structure in place to ensure that the right decisions are being made." The FAA and Southwest Airlines are the subjects of a congressional investigation. The U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has scheduled a hearing on this case for April 3, 2008.
March 10, 2008
The Baltimore Sun: 'Lapses' by FAA deplored
Oberstar assails 'complacency' over Southwest's safety checks
Representative James Oberstar, chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) should "clean house from top to bottom." He also said that the FAA’s relationship with the airlines is too cozy. These problems, he believes, led to the lax enforcement that allowed Southwest Airlines to fly at least 100 planes past mandatory inspection deadlines. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee inspected evidence that Southwest, with the complicity of the FAA, allowed the aircraft to fly in violation of federal aviation regulations. Southwest stated that it voluntarily disclosed its maintenance violations. Oberstar said the law requires that planes be grounded until they are in full compliance, however, the Southwest planes continued to fly with the full knowledge of an FAA inspector.
March 7, 2008
Southwest Airlines has been fined $10.2 million for failing to inspect their planes for structural cracks. Southwest continued to fly undisputed aircraft after the airline notified the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that it had missed the mandatory deadline to complete the inspections. Southwest flies 737s and even though commercial jetliners are built to fly for decades, the fuselage inspections imposed in 2004 are aimed at finding minor cracks or other structural issues that occur with heavy use. The FAA states that Southwest operated 46 planes on nearly 60,000 flights while the airline failed to comply with the inspection requirement between June 2006 and March 2007. Cracks were found on six planes after the inspections were completed. A team of inspectors from the FAA are being sent to review the maintenance program. The fine would be the largest ever against an airline.
March 6, 2008
Fox News:
Planes Avert Mid-Air Collision Near Pittsburgh by 400 Feet
A Delta Airlines plane and a PSA Airlines (a subsidiary of US Airways) aircraft averted a mid-air collision east of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by 400 feet on March 4, 2008. Delta Flight 1654 was flying from Cincinnati, Ohio to LaGuardia International Airport in New York. PSA Flight 2273 was flying from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania to Charlotte, North Carolina. Each flight was carrying more than 50 passengers. The Delta Airlines pilot was told by an Ohio air traffic control trainee to turn into the path of the oncoming PSA aircraft. The Delta pilot had to make a nosedive and missed the PSA plane by approximately 400 feet. The cockpit collision avoidance system alerted both pilots to the danger.
March 6, 2008
The Dallas Morning News: Southwest Airlines reportedly facing
$3 million fine over improper inspections
Southwest Airlines is facing a $3 million penalty for failing to inspect close to four dozen older planes for hazardous structural cracks. The penalty would be the largest imposed against any air carrier in two decades. A congressional committee and the Department of Transportation are investigating why the Federal Aviation Administration did not ground the planes last March after it learned of the missed inspections. Southwest voluntarily notified the agency of the problem and the airline completed all the inspections approximately ten days after notification. Six of the affected 46 aircraft ended up having cracks. Some of the cracks were as long as four inches, this according to a person familiar with the details of the inspections. Mandatory inspections of aircraft are designed to detect and repair cracks when they are smaller and pose less of a safety risk.
March 3, 2008
FAA Press Release: FAA to Install Runway Safety Warning System at LAX
A runway safety warning system will be installed at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) under a partnership of the Federal Aviation Administration and the City of Los Angeles. The new system, named Runway Status Lights, uses a series of red lights embedded in the pavement warning pilots if it unsafe to enter a runway or cross over. Pilots will begin testing the system early next year. With the new system, as pilots approach a runway which has the Runway Status Lights, they will see red lights illuminated if the airport's ground surveillance radar detects traffic either on that runway or approaching that runway. Air Traffic Control will have to give clearance to cross or enter a runway. Pilots must verify the clearance before proceeding. The lights system has already improved runway safety at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and San Diego International Airport where the system is already in place.
February 26, 2008
Northwest Airlines Flight 19, flying from Manila in the Philippines, made an emergency landing in Tokyo, Japan. Smoke was reported in the passenger cabin. When the plane made its emergency landing, only smoke was found and no passengers were injured.
February 25, 2008
Dallas News: American Airlines defends woman's care
Carine Desir, a 44 year-old nurse, was a passenger on American Airlines Flight 896, flying from Haiti to New York. The aircraft was nearly full carrying 263 passengers. Carine was sitting with her brother and her cousin in Row 10, four rows back from first class. Five hours into the flight, she became very ill and died.
Her family and American Airlines are now in disagreement of what exactly occurred. American Airlines claims their crew was professional and the oxygen tanks and defibrillator were working. Carine's cousin however said the crew ignored her pleas for help and that the emergency equipment did not work correctly.
After eating, Carine complained she wasn't feeling well and was very thirsty. A flight attendant brought her some water, but a few minutes later, she was having trouble breathing and asked for oxygen. Per Carine's cousin, the flight attendant refused twice saying that they usually don't treat diabetes with oxygen and that she would check and get back to her. Meantime, a pediatrician on board, went to assist Carine who by this time was detoriating quickly.
Other passengers were becoming agitated over what was happening and the flight attendant tried to administer oxygen to Carine, but the tank was empty. They tried another tank and the defibrillator. The defibrillator indicated that Carine's heart was too weak for the unit to work.
Carine's cousin asked for the plane to land right away so they could get her to a hospital and the pilot agreed to divert to Miami, which was about 45 minutes away. But during that time, Carine died. Her body was moved to the floor of first class and covered with a blanket. When the plane touched down in New York, passengers had to walk around her body to get off the plane.
February 22, 2008
An ATR 42-300 carrying 43 passengers and three crew members crashed in the Andes Mountains in Venezuela on February 21, 2008. The Venezuelan Santa Barbara Airlines Flight 518 crashed shortly after take-off from Merida's airport. The pilots failed to contact control towers in two cities as expected after it took off en route to Caracas on its schedule one hour and 45 minute flight. The wreckage was located at 13,500 feet in the Andes Mountains, which are notoriously difficult for pilots to navigate around. All passengers and crew died. This was the second major air accident in Venezuela this year after a plane carrying 14 people crashed into the sea close to a group of Venezuelan islands in January.
February 4, 2008
Nebraska TV: United flight makes emergency landing after smoke reported in the cabin
United Airlines Flight 871 made an emergency landing in Kansas City today after smoke was reported in the cabin. The flight was headed to San Francisco from Washington and landed safely at Kansas City International Airport. No injuries were reported and all 215 passengers were being placed on other flights.
January 31, 2008
The Denver Channel: 757 Diverted To Grand Junction Over Smoke In Cabin
An American Airlines flight from New Jersey to California made an emergency landing in Grand Junction Colorado. The Boeing 737 was flying from Newark when passengers on Flight 119 said there was haze in the plane with a bad smell. When the plane landed in Grand Junction all passengers and crew members were immediately evacuated. No injuries occurred and another plane was sent to take the passengers on to Los Angeles.
January 31, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer: Smoke fills cockpit of Philadelphia-bound plane
American Airlines Flight 1738 left San Juan, Puerto Rico at 5:40 pm and was scheduled to arrive in Philadelphia at 9:40 pm. However, a couple of hours into the flight, the captain reported smoke in the cockpit and declared an emergency. As the Boeing 757 carrying 139 passengers descended for the emergency landing, a section of glass in front of the first officer cracked and shattered. The outer pane remained intact so cabin pressure was not lost. The plane landed safely at Palm Beach International Airport and taxied to the gate. The pilot, first officer, three flight attendants and two passengers were taken to a hospital for treatment.
January 30, 2008
WSAZ.com: Trial Earlier Than Expected
U.S. District Judge Karl Forester has announced that the liability trial against Comair will occur earlier than was expected. Comair Flight 5191 crashed in August 27, 2006 at Lexington Blue Grass Airport in Kentucky. The liability aspects of the case will begin on August 4th instead of in December. These proceedings will decide who is at fault in the crash. The crash killed 49 people.
January 23, 2008
The Desert Sun: Visibility may be factor in fatal plane collision over Corona
Two Cessna planes collided in mid-air in Corona, California on January 20, 2008 killing four people in the two planes and one man on the ground. Parts of the planes, a Cessna 172 and a Cessna 150, scattered debris across a wide area with one of the planes crashing into a car dealership. The sky was clear tha day but investigators think visibility may have been a factor in the crash as the sun was shining very bright in the late afternoon and the pilots probably didn't see each other until it was too late. The Corona airport does not have a staffed control tower and the skies over Corona on the weekend are very crowded with pleasure flights. Although it is not required, neither pilot had filed a flight plan and neither of them announced their location over the radio as some pilots do during landings and takeoffs. There have been five fatal plane crashes in Corona over the past 10 years, killing 10 people.
January 18, 2008
WCBS Channel 2: Another Near Collision Rattles Newark Liberty
Continental Airlines Flight 536 from Phoenix and Continental Express Flight 26-14 from Halifax, came within 600 feet of each other as the planes came in for landings on January 16, 2008, at Newark Liberty Airport. It was the second time in two months that two planes barely missed each other. In December, two planes came within 300 feet of each other. One of the aircraft had to make an emergency adjustment in mid-air and fly over the other aircraft. In the incident occurring on Wednesday, an air traffic controller at TRACON (Terminal Radar Approach on Long Island) was supposed to give the Continental Express crew the tower frequency for Newark, which he did not, instead guiding the crew to the wrong frequency for Teterboro Airport which is 13 miles away. As a result, some procedures at TRACON are now suspended.
January 15, 2008
San Francisco Chronicle: FAA investigators examine slow-speed jet collision at SFO
A United Airlines 757 and a smaller United Express Bombardier CRJ700 jet collided in a ramp area at the San Francisco International Airport. The 757 was headed to the maintenance area when it backed into a Bombardier CRJ700 jet operated by SkyWest Airlines under the United Express name. The collision damaged the tail sections on both aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating. Earlier reports quoted FAA spokesman, Ian Gregor, as saying San Francisco International Airport was one of the riskiest airports for collisions. Today Gregor denied declaring the airport as one of the riskiest. There are no "wing walkers," workers on the ground who guide the planes with air motions. FAA regulations do not require wing walkers, instead leaving the control of aircraft in the ramp areas to the airlines. Gregor said, "The accident, given its location, does not constitute a runway collision."
January 10, 2008
The Windsor Star: Air Canada flight plummets, makes emergency landing
Air Canada Flight AC190 carrying 83 passengers and five crew members, en route from Victoria, BC to Toronto had to make an emergency landing at Calgary International Airport after it plummeted during its flight. At least 10 passengers were injured on the Airbus SAS A319. The seriously injured passengers suffered C-spine injuries and were taken off the plane on a long spine board or stretcher with potential injuries to their neck, spine or back. One passenger whose friend was hurt stated, "The aircraft went up and then sideways. She flew up to the ceiling and right down."
Baum Hedlund has handled inflight accidents including one in 1993, when a China Eastern Airlines MD-11 jetliner traveling from Shanghai to Los Angeles, experienced an accidental flap/slat deployment, which the NTSB later determined was caused by the pilot accidentally hitting the flap/slat handle in the cockpit. Two people died and dozens were injured. Baum Hedlund represented 26 passengers, including a flight attendant, in this accident.
January 4, 2008
USA Today: Passenger jets get anti-missile devices
Airline passenger jets will soon be equipped with anti-missile systems to protect them from terrorist attacks. American Airlines will be among the first to install the anti-missile laser jammers this spring on three of its Boeing 767-200 jets which fly round-trip between New York and California. The jammer device will be mounted on the belly of the planes between the wheels. The system's sensors detect heat-seeking missiles and shoot a laser at it to send the missile off course. Anti-missile systems have been tested on cargo planes, but this is the first time they have been placed on passenger jets. Homeland Security has warned about the possibility of an attempt to take down a jet on U.S. soil because the portable, lightweight shoulder fired missiles can be bought on the black market. There have been numerous attacks on military jets and cargo planes overseas and several near collisions with passenger planes.
2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007
|
