ACCIDENTS & INCIDENTS

(31 August – 6 September 2008)

Airline, Corporate, & AeroMedevac

Date/

Location

Aircraft/Reg.

Narrative

Casualties

Comments

31 August

Latacunga, ECUADOR

Conviasa-operated Boeing 737-200

Reg: YV-102

Aircraft  was performing a ferry flight. Radio and radar contact was lost about 30km from Latacunga, approximately 5 minutes prior to estimated landing. The Red Cross reported that the airplane apparently hit a slope at an altitude of 4,000 meters, with the wreckage being spread over a distance of 400 meters.

3 Fatal

31 August

Toronto, CANADA

Westjet-operated Boeing 737-700

Reg: C-GWCN

Aircraft, performing flight from Nassau (Bahamas) to Toronto, was approaching runway when crew reported a bird strike at 200 feet above ground level. The landing was safe.

No injuries

A passenger reported that the aircraft was on final approach when it suffered bird strikes in both engines. "There was a 'whump' sound, followed by a foul odor in the cabin." The landing was normal and the airplane taxied to the gate under its own power. "There were clearly visible blood stains on the left wing and engine nacelle, and on the right nacelle."

31 August

Franklin, GERMANY

Qantas-operated Boeing 747-400

The crew of the aircraft noticed abnormal vibrations in engine #4 (outer right) and decided to shut that engine down. The airplane diverted to Frankfurt/Main (Germany), where it landed safely.

350 Uninjured

1 September

Bukavu, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

Cemair-operated Beech 1900C

Reg: ZS-OLD

Aircraft, which was performing a mission on behalf of the United Nations, crashed into terrain and was found early the following morning (Sept. 2) on a steep ridge 8 miles northwest of Bukavu.

17 Fatal

Radio contact to the airplane was lost about 10 minutes prior to estimated landing at Bukavu. The airplane was pronounced missing later that day as it did not land on any airport in the region. Weather was reported by Air Serv International as heavy rain and poor visibility.

1 September

Madrid, SPAIN

Air Europe-operated Boeing 767-300

Reg: I-VIMQ

Aircraft, which was performing a flight from Fuerteventura, Spain, to Milano Malpensa, Italy, diverted to Madrid Barajas Airport after one layer of a central window on the left side of the passenger cabin cracked. The airplane landed safely.

262 Uninjured

The flight had already had a delay of 17 hours before it initially departed Fuerteventura.

2 September

Mumbai, INDIA

Iran Air-operated Boeing 747

Reg: EP-IAA

Aircraft declared emergency due to a fire in engine #2. The engine was shut down, the airplane returned to Mumbai for a safe landing.

271 Uninjured

2 September

Mauritius, Mauritius

Air Mauritius-operated Airbus A340-300

Flight returned to Mauritius after the crew detected problems with the flaps shortly after departure. The airplane circled Mauritius for about 2 hours to burn off fuel, before the airplane landed safely back.

301 Uninjured

2 September

Brisbane, AUSTRALIA

SkyAirWorld Embraer ERJ-190

Reg: VH-SXK

The flight crew noticed fuel venting from both wings and decided to return to Brisbane for a safe landing.

No injuries

The Australian Transportation Safety Board (ATSB) has opened an investigation.

2 September

Berlin, GERMANY

KLM-operated Boeing 747-400

Reg: PH-BFG

The flight crew noticed the oil pressure of engine #4 (outer right) dropping and decided to shut that engine down and descend to a flight level suitable for three engine flight.

428 Uninjured

Over concerns that the fuel might be insufficient to reach Amsterdam at the lower altitude, the crew decided to divert to Berlin Tegel (Germany), where the airplane landed safely. Two replacement aircraft brought the passengers to Amsterdam, KLM reported.

2 September

Calgary, CANADA

Air Canada-operated Airbus A320-200

Reg: C-FKOJ

Aircraft, which had departed from Calgary, had failures in its navigation system, autopilot and autothrust. The flight continued until, at about 120nm southwest of Calgary, the crew declared an emergency and decided to return to Calgary. The airplane was vectored back to the airport and landed safely about 50 minutes after takeoff.

No injuries

Maintenance determined that a fault had occurred in the inertial navigation reference system #2.

4 September

Phoenix, AZ

American-operated MD-82

Crew of Flight AA439 from Phoenix to Chicago declared emergency due to an acrid smell and haze in the cockpit. The airplane returned to Phoenix for a safe landing.

143 Uninjured

American Airlines reported that apparently residual oil in the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) was heated up causing the smell and haze.

5 September

Dubai, UAE

Dubai Petroleum-operated Bell 212

Helicopter, which was ferrying workers to an oil rig, crashed into a drilling station and plunged into the sea off the coast of Dubai. The helicopter was leased to the oil company by the aircraft firm Aerogulf and had flown from Dubai International Airport to the oilfield, 70km off the Dubai coast. It was thought to be returning to the mainland when it struck the mobile drilling rig seconds after take-off.

7 Fatal

Major Gen Khamis Mattar al Mazeina, the deputy chief of Dubai police, said: “On our initial findings, it seems the pilot lost control and hit a crane on the rig. However, there is a committee looking into the matter and the investigation is ongoing.” The victims were the British pilot, a co-pilot and five passengers, all contractors for Dubai Petroleum. The General Civil Aviation Authority (of UAE) began a preliminary investigation into the crash in the Rashid oil field which is expected to take many days.

6 September

Halifax, CANADA

Westjet-operated Boeing 737-700

Reg: C-FWSX

Aircraft hit a skunk on the runway while landing at Halifax Airport.

No injuries

After the crew reported the "skunk hit," the airport manager went to the site but found he didn't have the proper equipment to remove the (stinky) animal. The airport fire engines were called to spray the animal off the runway. The runway was closed for about 30 minutes causing delays to several arriving and departing flights. All skunks involved in the incident were fatally wounded.

6 September

Kiev, UKRAINE

South Airlines-operated Antonov AN-140

Aircraft could not lower its nose gear despite several attempts by its crew to fix the problem. After about one hour of troubleshooting the crew decided to land the airplane without the nose gear on the foamed runway of Kiev's Borispol Airport.

16 Uninjured

The landing was safe given the circumstances, as no injuries and only minor damage have been reported.

General Aviation and Helicopter

Date/

Location

Aircraft/Reg.

Narrative

Casualties

Comments

31 August

Oregon City, OR

Wasson Loehle P-40

Reg: N510JW

Aircraft was substantially damaged following a forced landing after experiencing a loss of power near Oregon City.

1 Serious

In a telephone interview with the NTSB IIC, the pilot reported that about 35 minutes after departure the engine surged twice then quit; the pilot subsequently made a forced landing to an open field on a dairy farm. After checking the gascolator and observing adequate fuel flow, the pilot added 4 gallons of aviation fuel, ran the engine for about 10 minutes at different speeds, then departed. The pilot reported that less than a mile into flight engine quit a second time, which resulted in the pilot making a forced landing in a private pond. The airplane came to rest in an upright position partially submerged in the pond. The pilot stated that he had purchased the engine new and that it had accumulated about 40 hours of flight time.

31 August

Angel Fire, NM

Cessna 340A

Reg: N397RA

Aircraft was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain one mile east of Angel Fire Airport. A post impact fire ensued. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.

1 Minor

According to a telephone conversation with the pilot, he broke out of the clouds and was "high." He initiated a circling approach and recalls turning back towards the airport. The next event he remembers is waking up in his airplane - the airplane was on fire. The pilot does not suspect mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The airplane was consumed by a post-impact fire.

31 August

Cleburne, TX

Schleicher ASW-20B

Reg: N30WK

The glider, which was owned and operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged upon impact with terrain near Cleburne.

1 Fatal

An eyewitness to the accident informed a local resident that a glider had crashed. An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) responded and documented the crash site. The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination.

31 August

Greensburg, IN

Bell 206L-1

Reg: N37AE

Helicopter, which was operated by Air Evac EMS Inc., was destroyed during an in-flight collision with terrain and post impact fire near Greensburg.

3 Fatal

Witnesses reported that the helicopter appeared to depart the fire station without difficulty. One witness recalled seeing the helicopter clear a set of high-tension power lines east of the departure point. Witnesses stated that they subsequently saw components separate from the aircraft in-flight before impact.

Air Evac, a Missouri based company, had another fatal crash in Alabama late last year. Again, a pilot, nurse and paramedic were all killed. The NTSB has yet to rule on that crash. And the company has also confirmed there is an open FBI investigation into the company's billing and health care compliance matters. The justice department has been working that case more than a year.

31 August

Carlsbad, NM

Fairchild SW3

Reg: N2699Y

While en route to his destination, the 12,250-hour airline transport pilot experienced variations in the airplane's cabin pressure. The pilot removed his noise-canceling headset and was able to detect an air leak from the area of the entrance door. Moments later, the airplane encountered turbulence and the door departed the airplane, causing substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot declared an emergency and was able to land at the nearest suitable airfield.

1 Uninjured

During his preflight inspection, the pilot, who reported 5,200 hours in make and model, secured the door "normally," but could not recall if he visually confirmed that the door was secured. The fuselage door frame did not display signs of deformation where the entrance door's bayonets seat into the door frame. The door was not recovered and an examination for mechanical failure could not be conducted.

1 September

Reno, NV

Lockheed SP-2H

Reg: N4235T

Aircraft was destroyed after impacting terrain following a loss of power and loss of control about 2 miles northwest of the Reno/Stead Airport. The airplane was registered to Neptune Aviation Services Inc., of Missoula, Montana, and operated by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

3 Fatal

An air tanker base employee who witnessed the accident reported observing the airplane taxiing "...and everything appeared normal." After takeoff, at an elevation estimated to be between 100 to 300 feet above the ground, he observed the left jet engine emitting flames, followed by the left wing being engulfed in flames. He further reported that about 2 seconds later the airplane entered a left wing down attitude before impacting terrain and bursting into flames. The NTSB’s initial onsite examination revealed that about 500 feet from the departure end of the runway, several identifiable pieces of the airplane's left jet engine were located. It was also revealed that prior to impacting terrain the airplane had collided with a set of power lines, estimated to be about 50 feet high.

1 September

Columbus, OH

Air Tahoma-operated Convair CV-580

Reg: N587X

Aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff into a field southwest of the Columbus Rickenbacker Airport.

3 Fatal

According to the Sheriff's Office, the pilot had radioed to the airport that he needed a landing strip but no emergency equipment. The accident flight was the first flight following a maintenance "C" check, which included flight control cable rigging as part of the check. The flight was also intended to be a training flight for the first officer and the company pilot seated in the observer seat.

2 September

Camarillo, CA

Lancair Propjet

Reg: N750PJ

Aircraft, which was a single-engine amateur-built airplane, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power during the initial climb after takeoff from the Camarillo Airport. The airplane was registered to Sierra Pacific Holdings Inc. of Malibu, CA.

2 Minor

The pilot reported that during the initial climb the engine lost power. The pilot initiated a forced landing and performed a 180-degree turn back to the runway. The pilot landed within the runway overrun area beyond the departure end of the runway. During the landing roll, the airplane struck a dirt pile and nosed over. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed that the outboard three feet of the left wing was mostly separated and the rudder was partially separated from the vertical stabilizer. Fuel was observed leaking from the airplane at the accident site.

3 September

Harpswell, ME

Cessna 172

Aircraft, which departed from East Hampton Airport, crashed into a stand of trees – just missing three houses, police said.

3 Minor

The crash site was south of Brunswick Airport – southwest of Bath, Maine, and northeast of Portland.

5 September

Orange Grove, TX

Cessna 182

Reg: N8979X

Aircraft, which had been carrying a skydiving team to a football game, sustained substantial damage after is made a forced landing to a field after a loss of engine power.

1 Serious, 2 Minor

According to an FAA inspector, the pilot was returning to his home airport when the accident occurred. The pilot stated that he was at an altitude of 3,500 feet when the engine stopped producing power. He made a forced landing to field and struck a cedar post with the airplane's nose wheel and subsequently flipped over resulting in structural damage to the vertical stabilizer.

6 September

Chelan, WA

Airborne XT-912

Reg: N227EK

The experimental aircraft impacted the ground following a loss of control during initial takeoff climb from the Lake Chelan Airport.

1 Fatal

According to local authorities, witnesses reported that the pilot performed several touch-and-go landings without incident. During initial takeoff climb following another touch-and-go landing, the aircraft climbed at a "steep" angle, and at an altitude of about 100 feet above ground level, the aircraft rolled right, nosed down, and descended to ground impact. The pilot was reportedly in the process of purchasing the aircraft and had been receiving instruction in the aircraft from a flight instructor.

Military

Date/

Location

Aircraft/Reg.

Narrative

Casualties

Comments

31 August

Lanjan, IRAN

Iranian Army-operated Bell 206 training helicopter

Helicopter splashed into a boating regatta.

1 Serious, 1 Missing

The cause of the crash is under investigation. Rescue teams have launched an operation to retrieve the missing victim.

 

5 September

Gweru, ZIMBABWE

Zimbabwean Air Force-operated “military jet”

Aircraft crashing during a training exercise over the Midlands town of Gweru, local residents reported.

2 Fatal

5 September

Honolulu, HI

U.S. Coast Guard-operated HH-65 Dolphin helicopter

Helicopter crashed into the sea while performing small boat hoists with a 47-foot motor lifeboat from Station Honolulu.

4 Fatal

In the minutes before the crash, the line used to lower a rescue basket to the sea apparently malfunctioned, said Rear Adm. Manson Brown, Coast Guard Sector Honolulu Commander.

All entries are preliminary and subject to confirmation/correction by formal accident reports.