We make a special effort here to record the facts as we receive them. At times, there may be error but we do try to use our best judgement at the time of posting, and will be glad to amend any details which are proved incorrect. Furthermore, even though we do not here discuss the human cost, we realize that losing anyone in an air accident is insurmountable tragedy to individuals, families and communities. We do extend our heartfelt sympathy to those whose loss we record here. "...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for..." us all.
What: Ilyushin Il-76 cargo jetliner belonging to Ababiel Where: Less than half a mile from Sudan's Khartoum International Airport. When: after takeoff Who: 4 Russian crewmembers killed Why: under investigation. Plane appeared to have careered across a major road and exploded in an open space near an office building
The crash is the fourth Sudanese air crash, and the second one this week.
Friday a Juba Air Cargo Antonov An-12 crash killed seven of 8..
Twenty-seven including two Southern Sudanese ministers were killed in another crash.
Sudan Airways lost a plane at Khartoum International, with at least 30 dead. Sudan Airways was grounded over safety failings.
What: Schweizer 269 helicopter owned by a San Mateo-based company Where: Sheridan Road between Fremont and Sunol When: 12:32 a.m Who: fight instructor and student were killed Why: Aircraft hit power lines and caught fire. Cloudy weather conditions but not raining.
The burning helicopter ignited a 5 acre grass fire.
What: Nippon Airways Boeing 777 cargo plane Where: O'Hare airport When: 12:15 p.m. Who: No injuries Why:engine malfunction (Possibly birds in the intake) Prior to landing, the plane dumped its fuel over Lake Michigan
What: Bell 407 helicopter operated by Air Methods out of Englewood, Colo. What: Bell 407 helicopter operated by Classic Helicopters of Woods Cross, Utah. Where: Flagstaff Medical Center When: Sunday Who:Air Methods: 3 fatalities, including a patient; Classic Helicopters: 3 fatalities plus one critical injury-- pilot, paramedic and patient died. Flight nurse in critical condition two emergency ambulance ground crew suffered burns. Names not released. Why: Flagstaff Medical Center doesn't have flight controllers.
What: single-engine Piper Cherokee en route from the North Las Vegas airport to Byron, Calif. Where: Las Vegas Nevada When: 2:45 p.m Saturday Who: 4 people. Four Oakley residents, including a candidate for Contra Costa County supervisor (Erik Nunn and wife) and their neighbors Michele and Craig Wilson. Why: Struck power lines.under investigation by the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board. Subsequent wildfire burns Spring Mountain Recreation Area
What: twin-engine plane bound for for Gulf Shores on the Alabama coast Where: north Alabama, near Jasper Who: Jasper car dealer, his wife and son, and an Iowa woman -- 19-year-old Lauren Brue of West Des Moines, a student at the University of Alabama, all fatalities Why: n/a
What: Departing from Guatemala City bound for the northern jungle region of Peten Where: north of the Guatemalan capital, near the small town of Senahu When: Who: All four people aboard the aircraft were killed, including Interior Minister Vinicio Gomez, deputy interior minister, Edgar Umana, the plane's pilot and co-pilot. Why:Bad weather
What: Single-engine, four-seat plane Where: En route from Destin . Eight miles from refueling in Gadsden, Ala. When: n/a Who: Pilot Lexington Police Officer Don Evan, and wife, Rick Paynter, and Paynter's wife Why: vibrations, and there was a smell of burnt oil
What: 2006 Cessna 172S four-seater based at Montgomery Field in San Diego and had initially flown to Long Beach; and apparently headed back when it crashed. The craft is registered to San Diego Flight Training International Inc., which is owned by San Diego City Council candidate Phil Thalheimer. Where: more than a mile off of the coast of Oceanside. En route-flew from Montgomery Field in Kearny Mesa to Long Beach Airport When: June 22. Reported at 5:11 p.m Who: 3 Mexican citizens on board, passenger with a broken leg transported to hospital, search for the other two passengers called off at 9:00 because of heavy fog; all young pilots in training. The dead were pilot Alejandro Jimenez-Zatarain and passenger Rodrigo Navarro. The San Diego Union Tribune learned the names through Oceanside Department of Harbor and Beaches and a California Public Records Act request after authorities refused to release the information. Why: Preliminary investigation has shown that the pilot may have been unable to get out of a spin that he had intentionally entered. Not known.
What: Small, privately owned aircraft Where: Emergency landing on the Ohio River near Carrollton, Kentucky, When: Late Wednesday morning Who: Glen Moorman and two passengers Why: Unknown problem currently under investigation.
What: white 2001 Cessna 172SP Skyhawk Where: Kent Island, Bay Bridge Airport in Stevensville in Queen Anne's County When: 5:30 p.m Who: Pilot, Matthew Parrish Partovi, 42, of Annapolis and passenger David James Miller, 23, Why:skidded off the runway while landing. FAA has not published a report yet.
What: 1959 Piper Where: on U.S. Highway 191 north of Vernal. The incident occurred just north of Steinaker Reservoir When: 8 a.m. Wednesday Who: Bart Hyde, 45, of Layton, was flying the plane with his son 17-year-old Austin Hyde Why:The results of the NTSB report have not been released.
Injuries were not due to landing but to collision with semis hauling gravel. The pilot had injuries to his face and the passenger had an injured arm.
What: 1971 twin-engine Aero Commander out of Kansas City's Downtown Wheeler Airport. Where: Leavenworth County in a field south of Tonganoxie When: Tuesday morning 10:20 a.m Who: James Phillip Jambor, ( pilot training to be a captain), of Fort Worth, Texas, and Murray Brown, of Kansas City, Kan ( Director of Operations for Central Airlines. ). Why: A survey crew saw the plane traveling northeast when it violently crashed nose-first in a field. " it appears Jambor may have lost control during a maneuver and went into a tail spin. They think Brown was not able to regain control before crashing." but the cause is under investigation.
Eudora news. Authorities respond to the scene of a plane crash near the intersection of Cantrell Road and Leavenworth County Road 1.
What: single-engine crop duster owned by Valley Air Service Where: farm field off Noble Road about 10 miles south of Glenns Ferry When: 7:30 a.m. Tuesday Who: Jamie Nau, 21 Why:Plane slowed down and nosedived on the way back from cropdusting.
What: homemade the single-engine biplane taking off from Seymour Airport Where: emergency landing in the field south of Seymour and about 50 miles north of Louisville, Kentucky. When: Who: Pilot/owner Phillip E. Krueger Why:failed to develop sufficient power, plane’s landing gear dug into the field and spun the craft around on its belly; minor injuries to his face and head
What: Air Canada Airbus A330 bound for Paris Where: Emergency landing in St. Johns When: 2:25 a.m. Who: 209 passengers and 12 crew Why: One of its engines shut down
What: Arctic Air Service charter company's Sikorsky copter Where: 10 miles west of the Vandenberg Air Force Base, on platform Irene (oil rig) When: 12:45 p.m. Friday Who: Not released. two pilots and eight passengers on board, 4 injuries, 10 on deck. No fatalities. Why: The copter's tail hit a derrick and the aircraft ended up on its side.
What: Homebuilt Thorp T-18 Where: a housing development west of the Ambassador Bridge over the Detroit River When: 11 am Who: Pilots Bob Affleck and Dennis Dionne, both injured Why: Engine of Mr. Thorp's T-18 stopped suddenly; then, attempting an emergency landing in a housing development west of the Ambassador Bridge, but clipped power lines
What: American Flight 442 Boeing 757 from San Francisco to Miami Where: Los Angeles When: 2 pm Who: Passengers were removed from the plane. (Number not available.) Why:pilot reported smoke and the smell of fuel in the cockpit.
Plane was carrying hazardous material in its forward cargo area-- aircraft part from San Francisco to Miami for a repair, and such parts are classified as hazardous because they may contain residual oil, jet fuel or other chemicals.
What: Czech-made L-29 Delfin military training jet (vintage trainer) manufactured in 1971 by Aero Vodochody Where: about a mile from the airport in dense woods off Buckshutem Road in neighboring Lawrence Township. When: Sunday morning (June 22) just after 8 am Who: Owner/pilot William Crean and passenger were both killed. Why: Cause unknown, Shortly after takeoff, the plane banked toward the left and may have leveled off before seemingly going out of control.
* second fatal plane crash in southern New Jersey in the last three days
What: single-engine Piper Cub airplane Where: Placid Lakes Airport in central Florida conducting aerial surveys of Highlands County black bears as part of a multi-year project When: mid-day Friday Who: pilot and passenger: pilot citrus grove owner Mason Smoak; and passenger: David Maehr associate professor of wildlife and conservation biology in the Department of Forestry Why:plane apparently stalled, did a 360 and went straight down."
What: 2007 F1 Harmon Rocket Acrobatic Plane Where: Cape May County, parking lot of the Belleplain Fire Department in Dennis Township, on county road 605 just north of county road 550 When: 7:45 p.m. Friday Who: Police officer Dennis McGurk Jr., 37, (pilot) and Oksana McGurk, 34, (his wife) Why:The engine suddenly cut out on a dive. The cause is currently under investigation. Witnesses said "There was a big ball of fire, and obviously, a horrible sound"
What: Helicopter Where: Martha's Vineyard Sound, Tashmoo Pond When: Saturday Who: Four people Thomas and William O'Connell (pilot and son), Michelle Moussau and Melanie Smith Why: Engine failure
What: Qantas plane bound for Cairns; QantasLink Dash-8 aircraft operating as QF2495, 72-seat turbo-prop Where: diverted to Weipa, on Cape York When: 12.10pm (AEST Who: 60 passengers. Why:Precautionary in-flight shutdown of the aircraft's number two engine (right-side engine), in response to a cockpit warning. The engine stopped about 10 minutes after take-off. Front landing gear may have been damaged on landing. The passengers disembarked, leaving the plane stuck halfway down the runway.
What: small plane emergency landing; The left wing was sheared off and the front of the plane spun into the trailer. Where: making an emergency landing on a road in eastern Utah on U.S. 191 near Vernal When: Not Released Who: pilot and his teenage son; treated and released Why: engine trouble
What: Single-engine Cessna 150 owned by Ormond Beach Aviation en route from Ormond Beach to Flagler beach Where: In the median of Interstate 95 in Volusia County When: Tuesday June 17 around noon Who: Instructor and student were aboard. The owner came to the scene to make repairs. The plane had no damage and on landing, did not hit or graze any of the hundreds of vehicles on the road caught in noonday traffic. (Eric McRee and Craig Highes) Why: The plane"blew a cylinder head in the motor" and the engine failed, forcing the landing.m
What: American Eagle regional jet Embraer 145 Where: Kansas City International airport When: 7:30 a.m June 18 Who: Three crew, four passengers were safely evacuated Why: Smoke inside the passenger aircraft
What: Acroduster TOO: Experimental byplane stunt plane Where: From Panama city When: June 16, 2008 1:00 pm Who: Pilot Kevin Gorham (killed) told the passenger Craig Ellis to parachute out. Why: Passenger said, "Something in the controls ... the rudder or the stick ... got screwed up" News report said "a malfunction with the engine."
What: two-seat Helton Lark 95 Where: WEST CARROLLTON, Ohio When: Tuesday morning 10:30 AM Who: killed pilot Leonard Notek; passenger Nikki Romerojust removed to hospital. The pilot was employed by Frontier Airlines. Why: Struck a utility pole and cartwheeled into the ground.
What: DeHavilland DHC-6 Twin Otter fixed-wing airplane; Wiggins Airways Flight 6601 Where: Barnstable Municipal Airport in Hyannis When: June 18 10:00 AM Who: Pilot was killed Why: Under investigation
Grupo de cerca de 150 pessoas esteve neste domingo (15) no local do acidente. Manifestantes querem que sejam entregues relatório do Cenipa e laudo do IC.
A quase um mês de completar um ano do maior acidente da aviação brasileira, parentes e amigos das 199 vítimas da queda do vôo JJ 3054 da TAM decidiram trocar o luto por uma mensagem de esperança e luta pela impunidade.
Na tarde deste domingo (15), eles substituiram da cor preta que coloria os tapumes que circulam o terreno onde ficava o antigo prédio da TAM Express, na Zona Sul de São Paulo, por um céu azul estrelado 199 vezes. Em cada desenho branco, uma flor de mesma cor foi colocada para representar um dos mortos no início da noite de 17 de julho de 2007.
Veja a cobertura do acidente
“A gente sempre diz que eles viraram estrelinhas”, disse a secretária Beth Dorneles Haenser, que teve a irmã Ângela morta no acidente. Esta foi a primeira vez que ela deixou a cidade de Porto Alegre (RS) para participar de uma manifestação de parentes de vítimas do acidente em São Paulo. “Eu custei até ter coragem de vir. Aqui tu vês o local e imagina que podia ter sido bem pior, muito mais gente podia ter morrido”, afirmou.
Cerca de 150 pessoas participaram da manifestação neste domingo. A chuva forte que atingiu a cidade chegou a atrapalhar o grupo, que saiu correndo do terreno e, em seguida se dirigiu ao saguão de embarque do Aeroporto de Congonhas.
Protesto O grupo passou cerca de 30 minutos no saguão do aeroporto. Com faixas e banners com nomes de várias das vítimas, eles se concentraram em frente ao check in da TAM, que foi paralisado. Um megafone foi usado pelo pai de Rebeca Gunter Haddad, de 14 anos, que também morreu no acidente. Christopher Haddad fez um discurso emocionado repleto de frases de ordem como “o lucro acima de tudo mata”.
“São 11 meses de dor e de tragédia. Nós queremos o laudo do Instituto de Criminalística e o relatório do Cenipa”, disse. Segundo ele, para que a polícia possa concluir o inquérito que investiga o acidente os dois documentos são necessários, mas eles não são entregues. “Dessa vez, a lei nesse país vai ser cumprida. Senão, daqui a 30 anos, nós vãos continuar vindo aqui todos os meses. Dessa vez os culpados vão para a cadeia”, afirmou.
A reportagem do G1 entrou em contato com a TAM, que até a publicação desta nota não havia se pronunciado. Também foi tentado contato com o Cenipa e o IC, mas não houve retorno.
What: Robinson R44 (4 seat) helicopter out of Whiteman Airport in Pacoima Where: Topanga Canyon near Malibu When: while signtseeing Who: Steve Soulsby, 22, and Amanda McGoldrick, 21. Minor injuries. Why:rear rotor broke, and the copter fell 500 feet
A mechanic was killed in Tenerife Sur airport at around 9.40 last evening after being sucked into the engine of the plane he was repairing. If you read Spanish, the original article is here:
What: Cessna 337 Skymaster Where: off the Maine coast When: NA Who: Edward and Maryann Mainardi whose bodies were recovered Sunday afternoon Why:Brunswick Naval Air Station Air traffic controllers had lost communications and radar contact with the aircraft, which crashed about a half-hour after takeoff. The cause is under investigation
What: two-seater SA750 Where: After leaving Bay County International Airport, crash landed in a tree in the heavily wooded area, about one mile from Morar Road. When: Monday afternoon Who: Pilot, Kevin Gorham died in the crash, after directing his passenger Craig Ellis to use a parachute. Why: unspecified problems which caused the biplane began to go into a spin.
What: Cessna Skyhawk 172 Where: farm field near Ledgedale Airpark in the town of Sweden When: Sunday June 1 Who: Davy G. Merritt, 47, of Caledonia, the owner of Merritt Aire LLC, a flight school based at Ledgedale, and Merritt's student, Benjamin Bruce Why: landing after the engine started to shake and then lost power. According to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board, the Cessna 172 plane started to shake and then lost power at an altitude of 1,600 feet.
What: ultralight Where: Silver Wing Ultralight Club When: Sunday night. At 5:45 p.m Who:pilot William Sullivan Why: While attempting a landing, when the plane fell out of the sky from about 30 feet. Attributed to lack of training"
Though the Cessna Caravan disappeared and the pilot, Nelson Bahamondes, died a couple of days after the crash (Monday), nine passengers survived the freezing forests of Chile. They survived very cold weather, wind storms and exposure to the elements. One of the passengers had milk and salmon. Searchers knew where to look because of the the plane's electronic locator transmitter. The crash site was near the erupting Chaiten volcano.
The pilot is credited with saving his passengers, even though he died before the rescue. Not only did he manage to maneuver his landing so that everyone survived (but him), he also gave advice regarding using the plane's gas to keep warm, etc. His body was recovered by Air force commandos.
What: ultralight Where: private air strip near Dunn off Tart Town Road,, wooded area in Johnston County When: Saturday Morning Who: Charles (Chuck) Zeira (Zeigra?) (pilot) suffered leg and pelvis injuries; died at the hospital Why: Zeigra was staging a landing attempt and accelerated to pull up, but the wing hit the ground and flipped the plane over
After the June 5th emergency landing at Chicago’s Midway Airport,the FAA issued an airworthiness directive for the Eclipse 500 jet
The pilot slammed the thrust levers of the twin jet to the max during a wind shear landing attempt. Subsequently, the full-authority digital engine control system defaulted to the last known setting—full thrust for both engines. The pilot could not further manage the thrust. The pilot shut down one engine, which, for an unknown reason, caused the second engine to roll back to idle.
The AD requires a pilot nw to conduct a one-time 10-minute inspection of the thrust controls. Eclipse gave owners two temporary aircraft flight manual supplements and quick reference handbooks changes. NTSB investigation continues.
What: First Choice Airways Boeing 767 from Cancun, Mexico en route to Gatwick Airport in Europe Where: Orlando Sanford International Airport When: landed safely at 9:50 p.m Who: 259 passengers and 11 crew members Why: smoky odor in the cabin
On July 17 2008, carrying 187 people, the TAM Airbus 320 overran the runway while landing at Sao Paulo's Congonhas airport. The plane crossed a road and slammed into an airport building.
Crew error has not been ruled out; but the investigation is still being carried out by Brazil's Centre for the Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (Centro de Investigação e Prevenção de Acidentes Aeronáuticos, CENIPA).
The Flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder data was downloaded by the National Transportation Safety Board in the United States.
On July 25, Airbus cautioned A320 pilots to ensure that both thrust levers are set to idle during flare. When the transcript of the CVR was released on August 1, the record revealed that the pilots were aware of the wet runway conditions and the deactivated thrust reverser.
Their comments suggest that the spoilers did not deploy and that they were unable to slow the aircraft.
What: DC-9 Northwest Flight 143 from Chicago to Minneapolis Where: Chippewa Valley Regional Airport When: just before 9 p.m. Thursday, June 12 Who: 108 passengers. No injuries Why:lost cabin pressure.
Crash helicopter 'tried to land'A helicopter crashed in Cumbria, killing four men, after the pilot attempted to make an emergency landing in poor weather, say investigators.
Though the Cessna Caravan disappeared and the pilot, Nelson Bahamondes, died a couple of days after the crash (Monday), nine passengers survived the freezing forests of Chile. They survived very cold weather, wind storms and exposure to the elements. One of the passengers had milk and salmon. Searchers knew where to look because of the the plane's electronic locator transmitter. The crash site was near the erupting Chaiten volcano.
What: Metro Networks helicopter Where: North Houston in Home Depot parking lot at the North Loop and North Shepherd Drive When: 7 a.m. Who: Photographer and pilot Why: Warning light flashed on the helicopter; possible transmission problem
Lula: I know that nothing comes close to the pain and suffering of the families of people who lost their loved ones in the accident. But on behalf of all Brazilians, I'd like to say that we feel for your losses. We cry and revolt together.
Lula: We are not capable of accepting the tragedy. And I, personally, suffer as a father, as a husband, and as the president.
Lula: Above any consideration, it's time to give support to the mothers, to the fathers, to the sons, to the relatives and friends of the passengers and crew of flight 3054, and from (incorrect Portuguese) the TAM employees that died in the tragedy. That our affection and solidarity may help the irreparable pain that (they) are feeling. Nothing can be done to bring back the ones we love and lost.
Renato César Rubinick (father of two of the victims): They are indifferent to this (plane crash) and we are infuriated, as if all the pain we are suffering is not enough, we still have to go through this now (the obscene images).
Lula: But I want everyone to know that the government is doing and will continue to do the possible and the impossible to obtain the causes of the accident.
Radio: An order estalished by President Lula on March 27th. Let's hear what he said: "I want a date, with day and time, for us to announce to Brazil that there are no problems with Brazilian airports." Radio: Ok, on June 13th he already wanted this date to be established in March...
The Minister Marta Suplicy gave the passengers an advice. Radio(2): A very wise advice. Radio: Let's listen to Marta Suplicy's advice: "Relax and cum, because, like, you forget all troubles" - exact words Radio(2): (Ironic laughs) Good one. Good one!
Later, the Secretary of Treasury Guido Mantega declared, between Marta Suplicy's advice and our current days, the following: "First of all, there isn't an 'aerial chaos'. There is an 'aerial problem'. And there is also an increase in air traffic. It is due to the prosperity of the country, right? More people travelling, more planes in the air routes." - exact words
Radio(2): (Ironic) Yeah, that's right! There are so many people wanting to "spread butter" on their breads and eating it. (Pun) Mantega = Manteiga = Butter
Radio: Brigadier General José Carlos Pereira, President of Infraero, also gave his advice on June 21st: "The only thing that I can recommend is patience, patience, and patience. Mine has been... I have been patient, but it's been reaching its limit. But I recommend to the passengers that theirs doesn't come too close to the limit." - exact words
Radio: On July 2nd, the Brigadier General reached his limit, stating the following: "The country's entire mesh has gone to space" - exact words, meaning "The country's entire (aviation) mesh is out of control"
Radio: During an interview, the President of the Air Controllers Federation Carlos Trifilio affirmed that: "Any one enters (the Brazilian air control system). I have stammering controllers, I have deaf controllers. These guys are on the net, opperating. And, since we need people, they are qualified in precarious conditions" Radio(2): (Ironic) (Imitating stammering and deaf controllers).
Lula: I ask of God to give strength to all of you, to overcome the suffering. May God bless all of us. Good night.
If it Wasn't for this second tragedy ten months after the first one, would the authorities still be with their arms crossed in wait of another tragedy?
Video of the burning Sudanese Airbus 310 moments after landing in Khartoum. Fourteen passengers are unaccounted for, 171 survived and 29 people died inside the plane. Many were transported to local hospitals. This is just one of a number of Airbus crash incidents where the plane has had difficulty on landing.
Air France 296
1988:
First crash of a new 'Fly-By-Wire' aircraft, the Airbus A320-100 impacted trees while performing a fly-by at an airshow and burst into flames. The crew, and Air France maintenance officials, have all been sentenced to probation for manslaughter; the Captain has been imprisoned. Evidence, including photographs, has now been exposed that an Airbus official at the scene switched the Digital Flight Data Recorder before the court hearing.Read More
In a dust (or thunder) storm with limited visibility, an eighteen year old Sudanese Airbus 310 en route from Amman and Syria turns into a fireball after landing in Khartoum. Although half of the 217 passengers and the 14 crew members were feared dead, it appears that 14 are unaccounted for, 171 survived and 29 people died inside the plane. A number of victims were taken to local hospitals.
As they were instructed to taxi, the plane veered off the runway and exploded. Visibility was an issue. A spokesman for the Sudanese Police was quoted as saying that"weather caused the plane to crash land, split into two and catch fire." Prior to the landing, a sandstorm had with 20 mph winds between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. and although some reports say there was a thunderstorm and similar winds at the time of the crash, reports on role the weather vary.
Flames consumed the fuselage and cockpit. Sudan's bad aviation safety record rivals Brazil's; last month a Sudanese crash killed 24 and in July of 2003 an earlier crash killed 115.
The twin engine wide body Airbus A310 has approximately 220 seats, and was developed as a smaller version of the A300. As well as France's Inquiry and Analysis Bureau, the French Airbus company is sending investigators to assist in the investigation.
These video frame grab images taken from Sudan TV via AP Television News show a plane that burst into flames after apparently veering off a runway at an airport in Khartoum, Sudan, Tuesday June 10, 2008 (AP Photo/Sudan TV via APTN)
In a dust (or thunder) storm with limited visibility, a Sudanese Airbus en route from Amman and Syria turns into a fireball after landing in Khartoum. Half of the 217 passengers and the 14 crew members are feared dead.
As they were instructed to taxi, the plane veered off the runway and exploded. Visibility was an issue. A spokesman for the Sudanese Police was quoted as saying that"weather caused the plane to crash land, split into two and catch fire."
An undermined number of passengers survived. (More than 100.) Flames consumed the fuselage and cockpit. Sudan's bad aviation safety record rivals Brazil's; last month a Sudanese crash killed 24 and in July of 2003 an earlier crash killed 115.
TAM is a huge airline with all the resources necessary to have assigned human beings to notify families of their dead.
Such a notification would be painful, indeed, more than words can describe.
But even worse, imagine going on the internet, reviewing the manifest that was made available to the public within hours and finding your mom’s name or your mom and dad’s name or your wife, or your husband.
Imagine that for a moment.
Imagine that days go by and no one from TAM makes any personal notifications to families. No one calls, no one connects on a one on one basis.
What were they thinking when they released the manifest to the public prior to any attempt of locating the next of kin?
TAM, fire the person or persons who made the decision to release the manifest.
Get your act together.
Have a plan in place.
Have people who can be on call immediately to handle these matters.
No matter what you end up paying the family for their losses, they will never forget how they learned about the death of their loved ones.
Shame on you, TAM
----------------------
How about giving a choice to a passenger about boarding a plane that has 1/3 of its braking system disabled.
In the Tam crash of July 2007, all parties agree that the right thrust reverser was disabled. They defend that position by stating that the documentation for an Airbus A320 allows the plane to fly for up to 10 days with a disabled thruster(s).
So let's say that Tam had let everyone that was boarding that plane know about the thrust reverser. Let's say they had even played down the importance of having it operational. Had the passengers known about the disabled thruster, and had they known that it compliments the braking system, what would they have done?
It is possible that not all the passengers would have boarded. Some probably would have transferred to another flight, or would have gone home and waited for another day. But no one was given that notice.
Think about it: the wheel brakes, the wing flaps and the thrust reverser are the breaking system for an airbus a320. I'm not certain that even a seasoned flyer as I am that I would have gone on board knowing that part of the breaking system was not functional.
Mandatory warnings should be required when a plane with broken, flawed, or partially disabled systems is used as if functioning at 100%. Speaking personally on my own behalf, I believe this warning issue–or failure to warn issue–should be legally addressed.
If only one person had not boarded that plane, that would have been one less fatality.
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