ACCIDENTS & INCIDENTS

(21 September – 27 September 2008)

Airline, Corporate, & AeroMedevac

Date/

Location

Aircraft/Reg.

Narrative

Casualties

Comments

21 September

Tokyo, JAPAN

Air India-operated Boeing 747-300

Reg: VT-EPW

Aircraft suffered the failure of engine #4 (outer right) shortly after takeoff, the engine spitting parts of its compressor and turbine onto a parking lot and destroying the windshield of a car. The crew declared emergency and decided to return to Narita, where the airplane landed safely about 80 minutes after departure.

No injuries

The Japanese Ministry of Railway and Aviation has opened an investigation into the incident.

22 September

Quito, ECUADOR

Icaro Air-operated Fokker F28-4000

Reg: HC-CDT

Aircraft slid off the runway at Quito after rejecting takeoff. During the overrun after the rejected takeoff the airplane destroyed 9 of 12 ILS antennas leaving the airport without an instrument landing system, before the aircraft went almost completely through a brick wall in the north of the airfield.

66 Uninjured

Extent of damage to fuselage, undercarriage and wings is so severe that the aircraft is declared a total loss. According to information from the airline, the pilots received a fire warning in the cargo hold that prompted them to stay on the ground. The cargo consisted of livestock chicken in cages.

One wonders about the sensitivity of smoke alarms to animals. A few years ago, smoke alarms activated on the odor from pigs in the cargo hold and the taxiing aircraft had to return to the gate.

22 September

Chicago, IL

American-operated Boeing 757-200

Aircraft diverted to Chicago O'Hare due to an electrical problem. The ILS receivers became inoperative forcing the crew to perform a visual landing, blowing a tire on the left main landing gear. The airplane veered to the left just short of the runway end and stopped with the nose gear in the grass to the left of the runway just short of the runway end.

No injuries

Airport officials said that the airplane was approaching faster than normal as the crew could no longer rely on their instruments and had to find safe flying speeds for the approach.

23 September

Tokyo, JAPAN

Northwest-operated Boeing 747-400

Reg: N666US

Aircraft returned to Narita Airport after the crew received an abnormal indication for the right hand flaps after takeoff. The landing was safe.

339 Uninjured

Typhoon Hagupit had delayed the departure by 13 hours already, when a minor mechanical problem prompted the crew to return to Narita adding to the delay, Northwest reported.

23 September

Frankfurt, GERMANY

Lufthansa-operated Airbus 340-600

Reg: D-AIHL

Aircraft, performing flight LH493 from Vancouver to Frankfurt, declared emergency while on approach to Frankfurt due to a nose gear steering problem. The landing was safe; the airplane stopped at the end of the runway and remained 20 minutes in that position, before it taxied to the gate.

No injuries

About two hours later, the airplane set off again for flight LH492 to Vancouver, where it again suffered a nose gear steering problem and had to be towed off the runway.  (See below)

23 September

Vancouver, CANADA

Lufthansa-operated Airbus 340-600

Reg: D-AIHL

Flight crew advised during approach to Vancouver that they had a nose gear steering problem. Emergency services stood by for the landing, although the crew did not declare emergency. The airplane landed safely, but got stuck on the runway and needed to be towed off the runway.

No injuries

24 September

Ft. Lauderdale, FL

JetBlue-operated Airbus A320-200

Reg: N621JB

Aircraft returned to its originating city of Fort Lauderdale due to pressurization issues for a safe landing.

No injuries

25 September

Denver, CO

United-operated Boeing 757-200

Reg: N554AN

Aircraft, performing flight UA82 from Los Angeles to New York, diverted to Denver, CO after a galley oven emitted fumes and smoke.

6 Minor

While the landing was safe, six people needed to be treated at the airport for smoke inhalation.  They were released the same day.

25 September

Managua, NICARAGUA

American-operated Boeing 737-800

Reg: N968AN

Aircraft, performing flight AA2127 from Miami, FL to Liberia (Costa Rica), declared emergency and decided to divert to Managua, after a layer of one of the cockpit windows cracked.

73 Uninjured

The Nicaraguan Institute of Civil Aviation (INAC) reported that the airport issued a level 1 emergency response after the crew declared emergency and reported that they had everything under control. INAC has opened an inquiry into the incident.

25 September

Izmir, TURKEY

Thomas Cook-operated Boeing 757-300

Reg: G-JMAB

Aircraft was struck by lightning shortly after departure from Dalaman (Turkey), which caused various electrical failures. The crew decided to divert to Izmir, where the airplane landed safely.

275 Uninjured

The passengers were brought to a hotel. The airplane was able to continue the flight the following day.

26 September

Athens, GREECE

Swiss International Airlines-operated Airbus 321-100

Reg: HB-IOL

Aircraft suffered a lightning strike while on approach to Thessalonica (Greece). One engine temporarily failed as a result. The crew decided to abort the landing at Thessalonica and diverted to Athens, where the airplane landed safely.

173 Uninjured

An examination of the airplane revealed no damages, Swiss reported. The airplane later resumed the journey and reached Thessalonica with a delay of approximately 7 hours; however about half of the passengers preferred to fly on another airplane.

26 September

Dortmund, GERMANY

Nouvelair-operated Airbus 321-200

Reg: TS-IQA

Aircraft overran runway at Dortmund on landing. The nose gear departed the paved surface and got stuck in the grass beyond the runway end.

168 Uninjured

26 September

Alexandria, LA

American Eagle-operated ERJ-135

Reg: N834AE

Aircraft declared emergency and diverted to Alexandria International Airport after smoke was smelled in the cockpit. The landing was safe, and passengers disembarked on the runway.

47 Uninjured

Fire fighters did not find any trace of fire, and the source of the smoke remains unclear.

26 September

Prince George’s County, MD

Maryland State Trooper-operated Eurocopter Dauphin II

Helicopter collided into terrain in the heavily wooded Prince George’s County. 

4 Fatal, 1 Serious

The crash occurred after the helicopter had picked up two patients from a car accident nearby. The helicopter was not equipped with a terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS), which the NTSB has stated would have likely prevented the accident.  Also, it was operated by a lone pilot, who had been operating the radio while trying to maneuver in dense fog.

27 September

Kuching, MALAYSIA

AirAsia-operated Airbus 320-200

Aircraft diverted to Kuching after the airplane encountered clear air turbulences about one hour into the flight.

3 Minor

During the turbulence, three flight attendants were injured. A passenger reported that two of the three flight attendants were brought off board on stretchers after landing.

27 September

Boston, MA

Northwest-operated Boeing 757-200

Reg: N545US

Aircraft returned to Boston after the cover of the right hand engine pylon separated from the about 90 minutes into the flight. The airplane landed in Boston without further incident.

No injuries

General Aviation and Helicopter

Date/

Location

Aircraft/Reg.

Narrative

Casualties

Comments

21 September

Kenosha, WI

Robinson R44 II

Reg: N999ZD

Helicopter was destroyed when it impacted an occupied house and terrain near Kenosha. A ground fire subsequently occurred.

2 Fatal

Witness stated that a low flying helicopter was heard. It circled once then went away and came back. The witness saw an orange flash through the window and heard a "boom." The witness said the helicopter sounded "really low" and the "engine sounded like it was at low RPMs."

22 September

Killeen, TX

Quicksilver MX II light sport aircraft

Ultra-light aircraft crashed on a suburban street, colliding with pavement and mailboxes after taking off from Skylark Field a few miles away. 

2 Uninjured

The plane had been stolen from the nearby airport, local officials stated.  After the plane's landing, witnesses to the incident saw two white males run from the scene.  Sounds like these two ultra-light thieves were not ultra-bright.

23 September

Chamblee, GA

Piper Saratoga PA-32

Aircraft collided with terrain shortly after takeoff from DeKalb Peachtree Airport.

1 Fatal

Local officials have not determined the cause of the accident, but the plane appeared to clip power lines and trees as it went down. DeKalb County fire spokesman Capt. Eric Jackson says the plane landed about 20 feet from the front door of a home.

23 September

Glenville, NY

P-51 "Warbird" fighter plane remodel

The experimental airplane, built to look like a WWII-era P-51 fighter, crashed into trees near the Schenectady County Airport in the town of Glenville.

1 Serious

Witness stated that the pilot lost control at the end of the runway, causing the plane to hit some trees and land upside-down.  The aircraft belonged to a local museum and was being test-flown by the pilot.

24 September

Hoxton Park, AUSTRALIA

Liberty Aerospace Inc. XL-2

Reg: VH-CZX

Aircraft collided with terrain near Hoxton Park.

1 Fatal

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