ACCIDENTS & INCIDENTS

(13 July – 19 July 2008)

Airline, Corporate, & AeroMedevac

Date/

Location

Aircraft/Reg.

Narrative

Casualties

Comments

13 July

Minot, SD

Northwest-operated DC-9

Reg: N9333

Flight NW1696 out of Minot resulted in an emergency landing. The pilots shut down the engine as a precaution and declared an emergency.

76 Uninjured

The airplane was just 40 miles out of Minot when it experienced engine problems. The pilots then turned the plane around and landed safely at the Minot International Airport.

14 July

Mumbai, INDIA

Air India-operated Airbus A320-200

Flight IC148 originated in Jamnagar and was destined for Mumbai. The plane's crew declared an emergency due to a hydraulics leak.

138 Uninjured

The airport's main runway was closed for 20 minutes after the incident as the aircraft had to be towed from where it came to a stop on the runway and spilled hydraulic fluid had to be cleared from the tarmac.

16 July

Rochester, NY

United-operated MD-80

Aircraft made an emergency landing in Rochester, N.Y., because of smoke in the cockpit produced by a faulty air conditioning unit.

71 Uninjured

75 minutes later a military plane had an emergency landing on the same runway (see below)

17 July

Tokyo, JAPAN

Korean Air-operated Boeing B747-400

A lamp had come on in the cockpit during the flight, indicating that a fire could break out around the auxiliary power unit, an airport official said.

322 Uninjured

The plane, which was bound for New York, dumped fuel in the ocean and changed course after a cockpit indicator showed a problem with a power source, a spokesman for Japan's Transport Ministry said.

17 July

Bermuda

First Choice-operated Boeing B767

The holiday jet was forced to land after a passenger tried to open a door in the plane at an altitude of 35,000 feet.

268 Uninjured

Passengers claimed the man had been drinking and become abusive before making a lunge for one of the doors. On landing in Bermuda the disruptive passenger was met by airport officials and placed in their custody."  Probably had a first-class hangover the next day.

18 July

Chicago, IL

Mexicana Airlines-operated Airbus A320

Flight overshot a runway while landing at O'Hare and struck a safety barrier.

1 Minor, 144 Uninjured

The safety barrier, known as an arrestor bed, was specifically installed to stop planes that overshoot runways, and according to an O’Hare spokesman, “'It did its job, it stopped the plane.”

General Aviation and Helicopter

Date/

Location

Aircraft/Reg.

Narrative

Casualties

Comments

13 July

Beijing, CHINA

Beijing Pan-Asia General Aviation Company Helicopter

A helicopter working for the city's horticulture and forestry department crashed, killing the pilot. The incident happened over Jinhai lake in the Northeastern Beijing suburbs, state media reported.

1 Fatal

A 10-kilovolt high-tension transmission line was broken in the crash that caused a localized power blackout, the Beijing Electric Power Company said.

14 July

Budapest, HUNGARY

Russian-made MI 34

The low-flying helicopter was conducting air tours for holiday celebrants at a nearby village festival and got caught in a high-tension power line, which caused the pilot to lose control of the vehicle.

4 Minor

A truly international affair: the helicopter was registered in Romania, its owner is a German national, and it was being piloted by a Hungarian.

14 July

Nikiski, AK

Stoddard Hamilton SH-4 GlaStar floatplane

Reg: 212DR 

Floatplane crashed and reportedly caught fire on impact near Kustatan, a small community south of Tyonek, on the west side of Cook Inlet, Alaska State Troopers say.

3 Fatal

So far, there's no official word on what may have caused the plane to crash... though it's notable registry information lists the accident SH-4, built in 1997, as a two-place aircraft.

14 July

Montreal, CANADA

DHC-6 Twin Otter

The seaplane was forced to make a crash landing in a field near the town of Ste. Marthe, 75 kilometers (45 miles) west of Montreal.

2 Uninjured

A mechanical problem was the likely cause of this small plane crash, but no reports have yet been filed.

15 July

Salesville, AR

Hughes 269B

Reg: N469E

Helicopter collided with a power line while conducting a power line patrol.

2 Fatal

Examination of the accident site revealed a single broken strand of high power tension wire above the helicopter wreckage. The broken wire was one of three high power wires and two grounding wires which ran north-south and crossed perpendicular and above the power line being surveyed.

15 July

Tappahannok, VA

Starduster 2

Reg: N27ED

2 Serious

The airplane came out of a dive, was nearly level before it entered a 90 degree left roll. The airplane turned 90-degrees to the left towards the south and disappeared from view below the tree line. The airplane was heard colliding with trees and the ground.

15 July

Kennesaw, GA

SOCATA TBM-700

Reg: N484RJ

1 Fatal

ATC Tower instructed the pilot to complete an "S" turn so that he could get two airplanes off the ground. The pilot acknowledged and proceeded to execute the turn. Then the airplane seemed to do a wing over onto its back and go straight down. Shortly after, a huge fire occurred that could be seen by several witnesses.

16 July

Sun River, OR

Cessna 441

Reg: N441HK

1 Fatal

Airplane attempted to touch down several times, during which the nose was cracked and a propeller damaged.  Eventually the plane banked and impacted a field and was soon engulfed by flames.

17 July

Rockford, IL

Eclipse Aviation Corporation EA500

Reg: N875NA

Aircraft sustained minor damage during an in-flight separation of the aft, lower, left hand side, wing to body fairing.

2 Uninjured

The flight last departed from Pinedale, Wyoming, and was en route to Chicago Executive Airport where it landed without further incident.

18 July

Inverness, FL

Sport Flight Talon XP

Reg: N1856P

Airplane lost engine power approximately one minute into the flight. The engine completely lost power as the instructor attempted to return the airplane to the runway. The airplane impacted trees prior to reaching the runway.

1 Serious, 1 Uninjured

19 July

Kemp, TX

Piper PA-22

Reg: N9980D

Airplane was destroyed upon impact with terrain following a loss of control during the takeoff-climb from a private airfield

3 Fatal

As the airplane commenced a turn after takeoff it lost altitude and the nose dropped. There was no change in the sound of the airplane's engine. It impacted the ground at a steep angle, in a vacant field near several residences. A post crash fire erupted and consumed the majority of the airplane

19 July

Cleveland, TX

Aerotek Pitts S-2A

Reg: N80053

Plane was destroyed when it impacted terrain shortly after leaving the runway

1 Fatal

Shortly after takeoff, the airplane entered a "barrel roll" maneuver. The airplane "veered off to the right, nose and right wing low, [until] it hit the west edge tree line."

20 July

Ulysses, KS

Air Tractor AT-402B

Reg: N61318

Crop duster was destroyed when the it struck a center-pivot sprinkler and impacted terrain while maneuvering

1 Minor

The plane was registered to and operated by Tri-Rotor Spray & Chemical

Military

Date

Aircraft Type

Narrative

Casualties

Comments

17 July

Rochester, NY

Merlin military cargo plane

Pilot was having hydraulic problems and radioed for help.  The plane was bound for Syracuse and was operated by the Syracuse National Guard.

2 Uninjured

This emergency landing was conducted 75 minutes after the United emergency landing at the same airport (see above).

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