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: private helicopter en route from Veta to branches of the Banco Agrario. Where: northeastern Colombia in the mountainous area of the northwestern province of Santander. When: Monday Who: 3 victims Why: unknown cause. Rescue efforts were being hampered by difficult access to the crash site.
What: Airbus A320 maintenance flight leased by Germany charter airline XL Airways and was due to return to service for Air New Zealand next month; flying from Perpignan airport Where: off France's southern coast in the Mediterranean as it was approaching the Perpignan airport When: Who: 7 on board: Two German pilots, Another pilot and three engineers from Air New Zealand were also on board, as well as an aircraft inspector from the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority. 2 bodies were recovered at sea Why: 150-passenger plane, which was delivered to Air New Zealand in July 2005, had accumulated approximately 7,000 flight hours. The plane is in several pieces. A search is underway for the flight data boxes.
The survival of the 5 aboard the medevac Beech King Air A100 that crashed in the northern Manitoba forest is nothing less than a miracle. After fire broke out in the cockpit, and the pilot managed a crash landing in the bush, the instant the plane rolled to a stop, the pilot ran out to open the door and rushed his passengers out of the plane before it exploded.
No one was killed; and no one had worse than scratches and bruises, even the baby whose dehydrated condition had required the medical evacuation in the first place.
pictured: Beech Bonanza What: twin-engine Beech Baron propeller plane en route from Arkansas to Nashville International Airport Where: 100 yards from a cluster of a half-dozen homes in a rural area on Nashville's northwestern edge, at the intersection of Laws Road and Whites Creek Pike in Joelton. When: November 24, 2008 10:40 a.m. Who: The crash killed the three people aboard, Greg Secrest, 67, the pilot; Rodney (Nick) Tillman, 49, and his wife, Rebecca Ann Tillman, 42, all from Hot Springs, Arkansas. Why: Witnesses heard the plane circling, then an explosion. The plane spiraled counterclockwise as it fell from the sky. The plane was too damaged to identify
What: Piedmont Airlines deHavilland turboprop en route from Allentown to Philadelphia Where: Philadelphia International Airport When: Sunday morning 11-16 Who: 38 passengers and crew Why: On approach, the crew got an indication the nose gear was not down. The plane slid down the runway on its nose. Fire crews foamed the runway and there was neither smoke nor fire.
What: two-seat single-engine plane (2006 Flight Design CTSW) (not pictured) Where: Avon Lake's Walker Road Park When: 4 pm Who: Pilot Roger Johnson and passenger Matthew Wilson Why: Experienced engine trouble over Lake Erie. He was heading for Lorain County Airport but after more engine trouble, air traffic controllers directed him to land at Walker Road Park/ and a field belonging to a local stable. The frozen ground plus the fact that the property had been mowed contributed to the successful landing.
What: Beechcraft Bonanza Where: Lehigh Valley International Airport, Allentown When: late Sunday afternoon Nov 23 Who: pilot was only person aboard Why: The plane's landing gear would not release, forcing the pilot to land the plane on its belly. No injuries.
What: Continental Express Flight 5570 Bombardier CRJ-200 operated by Chautauqua Airlines, en route to Louisville, Ky., but returned to Houston Where: Bush Intercontinental Airport When shortly after 8 a.m Who: 30 passengers and three crew members Why: Smoke in the cockpit. Passengers reported seeing white smoke coming from the engine. The plane landed safely; No one was injured and no other flights were delayed. Officially the source of the smoke has not yet been found.
What: twin-engine King Air A100 SkyNorth Air Ltd medevac flight en route to Thompson Where: Northwest of the Gods Lake Narrows aboriginal reserve in Manitoba. When: 9:45 p.m. Saturday Who: 5 passengers on a medical evacuation and pilot Why: When the plane caught fire midflight, the pilot landed in the bush. Passengers included Jane Halcrow, her 10-month-old son Zachias who was sick, copilot and a flight nurse. Everyone survived the crash although the plane was completely destroyed.
What: Piper Meridian en route to the Marshfield airport. Where: near the Marshfield airport into the backyard of a home near 17th Street and Devine Avenue. Marshfield is located about 40 miles southwest of Wausau. When: 11 p.m. Saturday. Who: pilot James Franklin Edwards and two sons, James Franklin Edwards IV, age 15, and Joshua James Edwards, age 9. It is believed that these three members of the Edwards family perished in the crash. (We offer our condolences) Why: NTSB and FAA are investigating
Travis Barker filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against Bombardier Inc., Clay Lacy Aviation and Goodyear Tire and Rubber, alleging the Learjet he crashed in was defective and pilots were negligent.
You may know Travis Barker as the former Blink 182 drummer. Now you know he's also a plane crash survivor. Barker's bodyguard died in the learjet's crash on Sept. 19. Thelma Martin Still, the mother of Charles Still, also filed a suit.
According to the lawsuit, the learjet's "landing gear, tires, wheels, brakes, reverse thrust system, squat switches and component parts were not airworthy...The pilots' decision was a breach of their duty owed to the passengers onboard and was a substantial factor in causing the crash and resultant injuries and deaths."
See below from the archives
What: Learjet N999LJ owned by Global Exec Aviation en route to Van Nuys, Calif Where: South Carolina When: departed shortly before midnight Friday Who: carrying six people Chris Baker, 29, of Studio City, Calif., and Charles Still, 25, of Los Angeles — died, as did pilot Sarah Lemmon, 31, of Anaheim Hills, Calif., and co-pilot James Bland, 52, of Carlsbad, Former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and celebrity DJ AM were critically injured Why: air traffic controllers reporting seeing sparks. The plane was traveling at least 92 mph, its minimum takeoff speed, when the crew thought the tire burst The plane hurtled off the end of a runway and crashed through antennas and a fence, crossing a five-lane highway and ending up on an embankment in flames.The plane was heading to Van Nuys, Calif.
The FAA is researching the possibility that a blown tire caused the jet crash. Investigations have turned up evidence that tire may have blown just before takeoff at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport. The cockpit voice recorder indicates that the pilot and co-pilot informed air traffic controllers they'd heard a tire burst and they attempted to abort takeoff.
In serious condition is Travis Barker, who was the drummer for the band Blink-182. Barker was one of the two people wounded when the Learjet 60 crashed on a highway and caught fire.
Listed in critical condition is Adam Michael Goldstein otherwise known as celebrity disc jockey DJ AM. He reportedly saved his own life by jumping from the burning plane while it was skidding down a runway.
Joseph M. Still Burn Center said they both suffered second- and third-degree burns
What: Flybe flight BE887 from Glasgow Where: Southampton Airport When: Friday Nov 21 shortly at 1845 GMT Who: 45 passengers Why: One engine lost power. The flight landed safely at Southampton Airport. Rescue crews were on standby.
What: small plane Where: dirt road near Lemmon and Chickadee drives between Spanish Springs and Lemmon Valley on a dirt road west of Reno-Sparks Indian Colony in Hungry Valley. When: 3 p.m. Friday Who: Washoe County Search and Rescue pilot Don Osborne Why: The plane experienced a sudden drop in oil pressure and made an emergency landing two miles from Reno Stead Airport. The pilot was off-duty.
What: Cessna 172 en route from Salt Lake City to Colorado Springs Where: emergency landing in the Uinta mountains in Wasatch County at an elevation of about 9,800 feet When: 12:30 p.m Who: Craig Weaver and Bryon Meyer, in critical condition and the third, Dylan Hopkins, dead. Why: The cause of the crash is still under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration. The passengers were all part of the heavy rescue team for the Salt Lake Fire Department, a group that specializes in rescues above or below ground.
What: Pacific Coastal Airlines Grumman Goose amphibious aircraft chartered to deliver personnel and supplies to an energy project under construction for Plutonic Power Corporation in Toba Valley. The flight left Vancouver at 10:17 a.m. for Powell River but never arrived. Where: crashed in thick fog into a hillside on Thormanby Island 56 miles Northwest of Vancouver When: Sunday Who: 8 aboard, 1 survivor. The badly burned survivor took approximately two hours to climb down from the crash site. Terrain and foggy weather hampered rescuers. Why: under investigation. After the crash, the fuel tanks exploded.
Fort Saskatchewan's Thomas Wilson is the only survivor.
What: two-seater kit-built aircraft known as a VANS RV7 en route from from Darwin to Jindare Station Where: Jindare Station airstrip about 40 kilometres south-west of Pine Creek When: 1:30pm Who: Territory sprintcar driver Mark Grosvenor was one of two people killed in the crash Why: Under investigation
What: A Danish Air Force plane Where: Cypriot coastal city of Paphos airport When: Thursday afternoon 1.30 p.m Who: foreign minister Per Stig Moller Why: Pilot detected a crack in the cockpit windshield and made an emergency landing
What: 1954 Beech Bonanza Where: Bloomington in a field/rock quarry along Rockport Road When: Thursday morning Who: Pilot Larry Gering Why: After Gering experienced engine trouble, he landed, one wing hit a tree, and part of the landing gear broke. A witness said "the plane coming down making a circle. . . see the smoke and hear his motor . . ."
What: single-engine Cessna Where: LaSalle County: North 43rd Street When: 3:30 p.m. Nov 18 Who: pilot Keith R. Brown and passenger Michael Bontrager Why: After experiencing engine trouble, pilot Keith Brown made an emergency landing in a Lasalle County field. There were no injuries.
What: single-engined light plane en route from French Island, in Westernport Bay south-east of Melbourne to Moorabbin Airport Where: Quarry Rd, Langwarrin, in Melbourne's outer south When: about 2pm. Who: student pilot and his instructor Why: It is believed the engine failed. Teacher and student are unhurt.
What: single-engine Cessna en route from New York to Groton-New London Airport Where: Bluff Point State Park. When: Wednesday night Who: Anthony Calanca, and Philip Baker. Why: The pilot said he was making an approach to Groton-New London Airport but he landed short of the runway, Flying north over Mumford Cove, the plane went off the radar. Bicyclers directed searchers to the site of the wreckage in Bluff Point State Park. The plane was flown by a student pilot.
What: Mexican attorney general's helicopter Where: between Chihuahua City and Juárez When: Tuesday 11/18/2008 Who: two men on board: Capt. Hugo Federico Martinez Sanchez and federal police officer Miguel Ulises Ventura Hinojosa were killed. Why: In the course of landing exercises, the helicopter became entangled in cables in the area of kilometer 38 of the Chihuahua-Juárez highway,
What: RAF Sea King helicopter from Leckenfield Where: Skegness in the North Parade car park, opposite the Sea View Hotel When: November 19th, 2008 6pm Who: not listed Why: Helicopter developed a tail rotor problem while on an "exercise" and landed without injury. A partner helicopter was sent to base to retrieve engineering maintenance personnel to repair the problem.
What: twin-engine Cessna Where: Toledo Express Airport When: 11 a.m. Tuesday Who: The pilot was the only person aboard Why: After the pilot experienced a problem with his navigation equipment, he landed safely at Toledo Express Airport.
What: BMI Baby jet Flight WW1022en route from from Belfast Where: Birmingham International Terminal One When: 19 November 2008 9.30am Who: 76 passengers and five crew members Why: The plane declared an emergency landing due to a cracked side window.
What: British Midland Airbus A320 en route from London Heathrow to Dublin Where: Dublin Airport When: Wednesday November 19 2008 8:48 pm Who: 93 passengers Why: The pilot made a distress call at about 8.42 pm to report that a burning smell was detected in the cabin on approaching Dublin. The plane landed six minutes later without injuries.
What: experimental single-engine FlightStar Where: hard emergency landing on San Fernando Road several blocks from Whiteman Airport in the northern Los Angeles suburb of Pacoima in the San Fernando Valley. When: Wednesday just after 9 p.m. Who: The pilot's name was not released. Why: The plane lost power as it approached the airport The plane dodged utility lines and clipped a parked car and touched down on on San Fernando Road while vehicles swerved out of the way.
What: Shanghai Airlines Boeing 737 flight FM833, en route to from Shanghai to Phnom Penh, Cambodia Where: Meilan International Airport in Haikou in south Hainan province When: late Wednesday night Nov. 19, 2008 Who: 149 passengers Why: After an alarm light came on indicating a mechanical problem with a fuel pump, the plane diverted to Meilan International Airport. Mechanics found that one of the plane’s two hydraulic pressure pumps was damaged, causing hydraulic oil to leak. The hydraulic oil caused a large amount of smoke. Passengers were provided water and instant noodles.
What: Cirrus SR-20 Where: Crashed in a wooded, swampy area just west of the runway at Reynolds Park in Green Cove Springs. When: Wednesday morning Who: Passenger Yi Jun Zhao, of Palm Coast, was transported to Orange Park Medical Center. Pilot Kevin Black and passenger Jian Feng Guo were not hurt. Why: The pilot radioed authorities about 7:45 a.m. to report trouble with his throttle. He was attempting a landing at the landing strip along the St. Johns River.
What: Helicopter subcontracting for ElectraNet, which operates the state's high-voltage transmission lines. flying between rows of 10m-high powerlines Where: on sheep-grazing land near Wagenknecht Rd, about 8km north of Murray Bridge. When: 11.54 am Who: ETSA sub-contractors flown to Flinders Medical Centre by the Adelaide Bank Rescue Helicopter. Why: a rotor blade struck the cables and sent the helicopter hurtling to the ground. One blade snapped off and landed about 100m away. The tail section broke off.
What: Helicopter Where: between the Haitian coastal cities of St. Marc and Gonaives When: Tuesday Nov 18 Who: two unidentified passengers were lost in the crash. Names will be unreleased until next of kin notified. Why: Helicopter plummeted into a swamp
What: red-and-white single-engine Piper En route from T.F. Green Airport in Warwick to do a practice approach Where: In the woods between Clark Road and Limerock Road about a half-mile from the North Central State Airport in Smithfield When: Nov 17, 2008 Who: Ronald Tetreault, 64, of Glocester, and Robert Zoglio Jr., 43, of Richmond Why: The plane lost power for an unknown reason.
What: ultralight/motorized glider en route from Mexico Where: over Arizona Border crashed in a lettuce field about one mile from the Colorado River. When: 7:15 a.m Who: San Luis Why: The pilot died as a result of injuries to the head. He was carrying 140 lbs of pot.
A fifteenth victim of the Lear jet crash in Mexico has died. The 44-year-old woman died Tuesday; she had been hospitalized since the crash on November 4th.
The NTSB has concluded that wake turbulence was the problem that downed the jet. Air traffic controllers told the Learjet pilots to slow down significantly so as to not gain ground on the 767, but they flew into wake 4 miles behind the jet. This action has been interpreted as pilot error. Additionally, the contract pilots may not have been qualified on the jet as deficiencies in their certifications were uncovered.
The Learjet departed San Luis Potosí (SLP) at 18:04 on a flight to Mexico City (MEX). On board were a.o. Mexican Interior Minister Juan Camilo Mourino, Deputy Attorney General Josi Luis Santiago Vasconcelos and Miguel Monterubio Cubas, the director of social communication.
The flight was uneventful and the Learjet passed LUCIA VOR at 18:40 and ATIZAPAN VOR at 18:42. It passed SAN MATEO VOR at 18:44, at an altitude of 11000 feet and an airspeed of 262 kts. It was trailing a Boeing 767-300 (Mexicana Flight 1692 from Buenos Aires). At 18:45 hours the aircraft was instructed to switch to the Tower frequency which the pilot acknowledged but never contacter Mexico Tower. At 18:46 the flight was observed approaching runway 05L. The last radar position of the aircraft was 7.5 miles from the Mexico VOR on the 256 radial, at an altitude of 9700 feet at 185 kts airspeed. The airplane crashed on the Avenida Reforma and caught fire. Several cars were destroyed and at least five people on the ground were killed.
What: Learjet 45 flown by the Mexican government en route from San Luis Potosí Airport (SLP/MMSP) to Mexico City-Benito Juárez International Airport Where: Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City When: 04 NOV 2008 Who: Passengers included:
Mexican Secretary of the Interior Juan Camilo Mouriño, top aide to President Felipe Calderón.
José Luis Santiago Vasconcelos-former assistant attorney general and current head of the federal technical secretariat for implementing the recent constitutional reforms on criminal justice and public security.
Miguel Monterrubio, director general of social communications with the Interior Secretariat.
Arcadio Echeverría, coordinator of special events, office of the Interior Secretary.
Norma Díaz, director in the communications department of the Interior Secretariat.
Julio César Ramírez Dávalos, pilot.
Álvaro Sánchez, co-pilot.
Gisel Carrillo, stewardess.
Why: At 18:45, although the aircraft was instructed to switch to the Tower frequency, the pilot acknowledged but never contacted the Mexico Tower. The Learjet then crashed on the Avenida Reforma and caught fire. Several cars were destroyed and at least five people on the ground were killed.
Voice Data Recorder Excerpts Pilot: That one’s got some turbulence. Co-pilot: Hey man. Pilot: Hey [expletive]. Pilot: Alvaro, what do we do, Alvaro? Co-pilot: Hand it over to me, hand it over to me, hand it over to me. Pilot: It’s yours Alvaro. Pilot: [expletive] Pilot: No, Alvaro. Co-pilot: Diosito.
What: Air Nelson Dash-8 flight NZ8079 en route from Wellington to Invercargill Where: emergency landing at Wellington Airport New Zealand When: 9.45am. Tue, 18 Nov 2008 Who: 19 passengers. Why: pilots noticed a warning indicator light on. The flight returned to Wellington and landing safely at 9.45am.
What: 2 Boeing 747s being towed. Where: Qantas maintenance base at Avalon airport outside Melbourne. When: 11/18/2008 Who: Maintenance staff was responsible. No passengers were involved. Why: The planes ran into each other at the maintenance base. One plane hit the left wing of the other. The nose cone collapsed; the wing was dented.
What: small turboprop plane Where: Charlotte/Douglas International Airport. When: 7 a.m Who: information not available Why: Pilot reported a hydraulic problem at 6:30 am and landed safely at 7. Passengers were taken off the plane and transported by bus to the concourse.
What: Brussels Airline flight en route from Stockholm's Bromma Airport to Brussels Where: Gothenburg Landvetter airport When: Tuesday November 18 Who: 63 passengers Why: cracked windshield forced an airliner to make an emergency landing. Initially news reports said that the crack caused a loss of cabin pressure, but apparently this was not the case. Tickets were sold through Malmö Aviation.
What: Sunstate Airlines, a subsidiary of Qantas--Dash 8 en route from Roma in southern inland Queensland Where: emergency landing at Brisbane Airport When: Nov 18; touched down at 7.23 pm. Who: 39 people (35 passengers) Why: Pilot contacted air traffic control in Brisbane to report smoke in the cabin. There were no injuries. Officially: "The pilot contacted the Air Traffic Control tower at 7.10pm after white smoke filled the cabin and passengers had all disembarked by 7.25pm."
What: 1965 B-2B Brantly helicopter owned by David Spencer of Portland Where: Grove Field Airport near Camas When: Monday morning November 17 around 11:30 AM Who: Flight instructor and student pilot sustained minor injuries but "walked away" Why: The helicopter’s power cut out at an altitude of 20 to 30 feet and fell to the ground.
What: Piper PA-32 registered to Robert A. Zoglio Jr. en route from T.F. Green Airport in Warwick to the smaller facility in Smithfield. Where: a half-mile southeast of the runway at North Central State Airport in Smithfield. When: The crash was reported after 5 p.m. Who: Two occupants of the plane were killed. Both were pilots. Why: Under investigation. The intent had been to do a practice approach, but the plane lost power.
What: Bell OH-58 helicopter Where: field northeast of Quitman Arkansas When: 1 a.m. Who: contract pilot, Jerry Fryar of Ozark and Sgt. Monty Carmikle. Sgt. Monty Carmikle was killed; the pilot was taken to the hospital with injuries Why: The helicopter crashed while on patrol looking for hunting violators. The helicopter crashed, the rotor broke off and the fuselage buckled.
What: Pacific Coastal Airlines Grumman Goose amphibious aircraft chartered to deliver personnel and supplies to an energy project under construction for Plutonic Power Corporation in Toba Valley. The flight left Vancouver at 10:17 a.m. for Powell River but never arrived. Where: crashed into a hillside on Thormanby Island 56 miles Northwest of Vancouver When: Sunday Who: 8 aboard, 1 survivor. The badly burned survivor took approximately two hours to climb down from the crash site. Terrain and foggy weather hampered rescuers. Why: under investigation
What: US Airways Express Flight 4551 Piedmont Airlines deHavilland Dash-8 turboprop aircraft en route from from Lehigh Valley International Airport Allentown Where: Philadelphia International Airport When: November 16, 2008 9:20 a.m Who: 35 passengers and three crew members Why: After landing gear did not deploy, the flight landed safely on foam at around 9:20 a.m. Passengers were bussed to the terminal.
What: Hawker-Beechcraft, Model 100, N525ZS registered to Woolie Enterprises Inc departed SBBU Where: Bauru Airport (SBBU), Bauru, Brazil When: Accident occurred Friday, October 12, 2008 Who: Pilot Why: Visual flight rules conditions prevailed at the time. Flight impacted the ground after takeoff
What: Brazilian air force model H-IH chopper en route from Natal, the capital of Rio Grande do Norte to Fortaleza, the capital of Ceara. Where: forced landing in the city of Icapui in the northeastern state of Ceara. When: Friday night Who: 3 fatalities, 3 survivors who got first aid in Aracati before they were taken to a Fortaleza hospital. Why: Under investigation
What: four-seat Grumman Tiger registered to Skyway IV LLC. en route from Wing South Airport in East Naples in Florida Where: Wing South Airport When: 6 p.m. Friday Who: two people escaped with minor injuries, one had serious injuries and one was in critical condition. Both couples jave property in condos adjacent to the air strip. Pilot John Oros, Wendy Oros, Roy Myers, Lora Richichi. Oros has been treated and released; Myers is at Downtown Naples Hospital. Why: plane crashed on takeoff probably due to engine failure.
What: TAM Linhas Aereas Airbus A320 Flight JJ3054 Where: Sao Paulo Brazil Congonhas airport When: July 17, 2007 Who: 199 fatalities Why: Sao Paulo Institute of Criminology 16-month investigation places blame on government agencies for failing to ensure runway safety. Government failure to set rainy-day landing rules for the short runway whose new surface had not yet been grooved to drain rainwater.
NTSB Factual NTSB Identification: DCA07RA059 Scheduled 14 CFR operation of TAM Linhas Aéreas Accident occurred Tuesday, July 17, 2007 in Sao Paulo, Brazil Aircraft: Airbus Industrie A320-233, registration: PR-MBK Injuries: 199 Fatal. On July 17, 2007, at 21:54 UTC, an Airbus A320-233, Brazilian registration PTMBK, serial number 789, operated by TAM Linhas Aéreas overran the end of runway 35 at the Sao Paulo Congonhas airport upon landing. The airplane was on a scheduled domestic flight from Porto Alegre, Brazil. The airplane departed the runway to the left side near the departure end and crossed over a road prior to impacting a cargo depot and gas station. The end of the runway is on elevated terrain approximately 80 meters above the surface of the road. The 6 crew members, 162 passengers, and 18 persons on the ground suffered fatal injuries. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and fire.
What: Single engine Cirrus SR-22 en route from Columbus, Ohio to heading to Tallahassee Regional Airport Where: two miles short of the runway on Blue Jay Drive When: left Columbus at approximately 2:59 pm Thursday; crashed into a house 7:17 p.m Who: Pilot and passenger Donald Hess and his wife, Victoria, were killed; 2 in the house were taken to the hospital with injuries. Hess was co-founder of Amherst Systems and on theboards of several health science companies Why: Under investigation.
The plane struck two vehicles in the driveway. Under investigation. 50 homes are out of power as a result of the crash. The plane struck a series of power lines prior to crashing into two vehicles parked in a nearby driveway.
The NTSB has concluded that wake turbulence was the problem that downed the jet. Air traffic controllers told the Learjet pilots to slow down significantly so as to not gain ground on the 767, but they flew into wake 4 miles behind the jet. This action has been interpreted as pilot error. Additionally, the contract pilots may not have been qualified on the jet as deficiencies in their certifications were uncovered.
The Learjet departed San Luis Potosí (SLP) at 18:04 on a flight to Mexico City (MEX). On board were a.o. Mexican Interior Minister Juan Camilo Mourino, Deputy Attorney General Josi Luis Santiago Vasconcelos and Miguel Monterubio Cubas, the director of social communication.
The flight was uneventful and the Learjet passed LUCIA VOR at 18:40 and ATIZAPAN VOR at 18:42. It passed SAN MATEO VOR at 18:44, at an altitude of 11000 feet and an airspeed of 262 kts. It was trailing a Boeing 767-300 (Mexicana Flight 1692 from Buenos Aires). At 18:45 hours the aircraft was instructed to switch to the Tower frequency which the pilot acknowledged but never contacter Mexico Tower. At 18:46 the flight was observed approaching runway 05L. The last radar position of the aircraft was 7.5 miles from the Mexico VOR on the 256 radial, at an altitude of 9700 feet at 185 kts airspeed. The airplane crashed on the Avenida Reforma and caught fire. Several cars were destroyed and at least five people on the ground were killed.
What: Learjet 45 flown by the Mexican government en route from San Luis Potosí Airport (SLP/MMSP) to Mexico City-Benito Juárez International Airport Where: Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City When: 04 NOV 2008 Who: Passengers included:
Mexican Secretary of the Interior Juan Camilo Mouriño, top aide to President Felipe Calderón.
José Luis Santiago Vasconcelos-former assistant attorney general and current head of the federal technical secretariat for implementing the recent constitutional reforms on criminal justice and public security.
Miguel Monterrubio, director general of social communications with the Interior Secretariat.
Arcadio Echeverría, coordinator of special events, office of the Interior Secretary.
Norma Díaz, director in the communications department of the Interior Secretariat.
Julio César Ramírez Dávalos, pilot.
Álvaro Sánchez, co-pilot.
Gisel Carrillo, stewardess.
Why: At 18:45, although the aircraft was instructed to switch to the Tower frequency, the pilot acknowledged but never contacted the Mexico Tower. The Learjet then crashed on the Avenida Reforma and caught fire. Several cars were destroyed and at least five people on the ground were killed.
Voice Data Recorder Excerpts Pilot: That one’s got some turbulence. Co-pilot: Hey man. Pilot: Hey [expletive]. Pilot: Alvaro, what do we do, Alvaro? Co-pilot: Hand it over to me, hand it over to me, hand it over to me. Pilot: It’s yours Alvaro. Pilot: [expletive] Pilot: No, Alvaro. Co-pilot: Diosito.
What: Virgin Atlantic Airbus A340 Flight VS06 en route from Miami to London Where: Wilmington International Airport, NC When: Thursday night Who: 350 Why: Crew members felt heat coming from the plane's floor and made an emergency landing. The problem may have been caused by an overheated toilet pump
What: LIAT flight 544 de Haviland Dash 8 -311 en route from Nevis (leaving at 5:30pm) to RLB International Airport, St. Kitts Where: emergency stop in Antigua When: Wednesday night (Nov. 12) Who: 42 passengers Why: The control panel indicated problems, so that the plane diverted to Antigua. (The landing gear was activated but the control panel said otherwise.) The flight landed at 7:00 after circling for some time.
What: single-engine Piper Cherokee en route from Illinois to Florida Where: near the Tuscaloosa County Airport near Upper Columbus Road and Boyd Road northwest of Lake Lurleen near Echola When: 2 pm Thursday Who: four people aboard with minor injuries Why: Under investigation. A passenger was able to call 911. No one was killed
What: single-engine Piper Cherokee registered to a Texas company. Where: a few miles from the Sedona Airport. When: Thursday afternoon about 4 p.m. Who: 3 aboard. Pilot Rockney Herring was able to exit the plane and was then airlifted to Flagstaff Medical Center; brothers Michael Johnson and Tommy Johnson died. Why: The pilot said he did not know why the plane had lost power.
What: Single engine Cirrus SR-22 en route from Columbus, Ohio to heading to Tallahassee Regional Airport Where: two miles short of the runway on Blue Jay Drive When: left Columbus at approximately 2:59 pm Thursday; crashed into a house 7:17 p.m Who: Pilot and passenger were killed; 2 in the house were taken to the hospital with injuries Why: The plane struck two vehicles in the driveway. Under investigation. 50 homes are out of power as a result of the crash.
What: single engine Cessna 182 en route from Rocky Mountain Regional Airport to Price City in Carbon County, Utah Where: found a tenth of a mile east of Josephine Lake in the Holy Cross Wilderness area When: Scheduled to land 8 p.m. on Monday but flight was lost. Wreckage spotted on Wednesday. Who: pilot Michael Loveless of Price, Utah Why: found by a National Guard Helicopter; Vail Mountain Rescue Group and Western Eagle County Search and Rescue are helping with recovery, but weather has prevented crews from reaching the wreckage
What: Boeing 737-800 en route from Anchorage to Fairbanks Where: Anchorage When: 7:49 a.m. Who: 61 passengers and five crew members. Why:one of the plane's two engines malfunctioned about 30 minutes after takeoff. Passengers described an "orange glow" outside the windows followed by vibration. (The event was alternately described as an "engine surge." The crew "idled the engine" and the pilot returned to Anchorage for an emergency landing. Passengers debarked and were put on a 10:05 a.m. flight to Fairbanks.
What: missing Piper Cherokee registered to Douglas Bowles of Hesperia Where: mountainside in the San Gorgonio Wilderness When: Flight disappeared Monday Who: four occupants: Douglas Bowles of Hesperia, and his passengers Joshua Chlebek, 28, David Helland, 60, and Oludare Akinwunmi, 29. Why: On 2:30 p.m. Monday a sheriff's helicopter pilot spotted a wreckage. Searchers rappelled down to it; no survivors have been found.
What: Cessna 177RG registered to Jerry L. Smith of Willow Springs, Mo. Where: Rich Mountain in rural Polk County near Queen Wilhelmina State Park, western Arkansas When: 2 p.m. Who: Jerry L. Smith Why: The aircraft appeared to have clipped some trees before plummeting into the right-of-way off Arkansas 88. Someone driving by saw the wreckage around 2:15 p.m. and called it in. The pilot died in the crash
What: Pinnacle Airlines Canadair CRJ-200 on behalf of Northwest Airlines, flight 9E-2515/NW-2515 from Oklahoma City,OK to Detroit,MI Where: Indianapolis When: Tuesday (3 minutes later) Who: 26 passengers on board Why: When cabin pressure problems were indicated (possibly originating with the seal around the aircraft's windshield) the plane had to proceed with an emergency landing at the Indianapolis airport, where the plane taxied to the gate and were able to disembark normally.
What: Pinnacle Airlines Canadair CRJ-200 on behalf of Northwest Airlines, flight 9E-2544/NW-2544 from Detroit,MI to St. Louis,MO Where: Indianapolis When: Tuesday (3 minutes earlier) Who: 18 passengers on board Why: Flight diverted when the window developed a crack
100 airport employees are opposed to their new labor contracts, causing the cancellation of 39 Alitalia flights at Rome's Fiumicino airport. Hundreds of passengers are stranded and spending the night at the airport.
Lines at Alitalia check-in counters at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci airport struggled with a backlog of hundreds of passengers who spent the night on the floor after the wildcat strike by some Alitalia workers
Rome's Ciampino airport is closed for the second day, ever since the Ryanair jet had a run-in with a flock of starlings. At last report, the plane is still sitting on the tarmac unable to be moved.
54 flights were cancelled At Milan's airport, 4 in Naples and 4 in Sicily
What: Fla governor's Cessna en route to Miami Where: diverted to Sarasota When: 1:30 Who: Governor Charlie Crist Why:apparent generator malfunction, specifically " a circuit breaker malfunction on one of the generator systems." Last week, the plane was serviced for a generator malfunction.
What: CBS Sky 12 Bell Ranger III traffic helicopter Where: 1000 W. Industrial Avenue When: Tuesday November 11, 2008 at 6:11 a.m Who: Pilot, Takayuki Tanaka and television and radio traffic reporter Paul Cavanaugh, both transported to Bethesda Hospital with minor injuries. Why: After the pilot reported an engine problem, he attempted to land at a Boynton Beach industrial park. Witnesses said the helicopter"did not have full power."
The rear rotor assembly was cutoff at mid-shaft. The news organization calls this incident a "hard landing"
What: Chartered Dynamic Aviation geophysical survey flight ( twin-engine Beech King Air, N87V) on behalf of Canadian mining company Prometheus Resources Inc Where: Guyana South America near the border of Venezuela When: Saturday Nov 8 Who: 3 men reported missing, including Pilot Wes (James Wesley) Barker, co-pilot, Chris Paris, 23, and Canadian Patrick Murphy, a geophysics technician Why: Cause is unknown but the search is currently underway although hampered by cloud cover. The plane departed Timehri, in western Guyana at 2:14 p.m. local time and was last reported at 3:06 p.m
What: Loganair Saab aircraft, operating for Flybe Where: Isle of Man Airport When: 10 November 2008 Who: 19 persons onboard Why: Reported problems with the plane's undercarriage-but the plane landed without incident. Roads around the airport were closed in accordance with safety directives.
What: Ryanair Boeing 737-800 flight FR4102 from Frankfurt Where: approached Rome Ciampino Airport at 7.56am When: Monday November 10 2008 Who: two crew members and eight of the 166 passengers received medical treatment Why: After the both of the plane's engine ingested a number of European starlings, smoke started pouring out of one of the engines and oxygen masks fell from the ceiling. As the plane was coming in to land, Passengers debarked via emergency exits and escape chutes. The landing gear sustained damage also. The pilots did not have the time or momentum to bypass a huge flock of birds encountered on landing.
What: Rotorway Executive 162F experimental helicopter Where: north end of the airfield at Summit Aviation When: November 9, 2008 Who: Amanda Randall, 51, of Fenwick Island Why: While flying a few feet off the ground, the helicopter flipped on its side. Randall sustained a non-fatal head injury.
What: single-engine Cessna 182 en route from Red Deer Regional Airport heading to the Innisfail Airport. Where: Red Deer, Alta When: Saturday 10:30 p.m. Who: Pilot Herluf Nielsen 61, from the Spruceview area, was the only person aboard. Why: There was heavy fog in the area. Nielsen left the airport around 10:30 p.m. and was reported overdue at the Innisfail Airport.
What: single-engine Globe Swift (GC-1A) manufactured in 1946 in Texas en route from Rancho Murieta airport to Rancho Murieta airport Where: on the exposed dry lake bottom of Camanche Reservoir, Calaveras County When: Thursday. Who: Walter Guy Boeck, 68, of Rancho Murietta Why: The flight plan was to fly with another plane for a couple of hours and return to the airport. The other pilot reported seeing Boeck's plane flying erratically and Boeck slumped unconscious over the controls and tracked him until he was low on fuel. The search for the missing craft began about 5 p.m. Thursday after eyewitnesses reported the aircraft going down over Lake Comanche . 9:30 a.m. Airborne searchers discovered the wreckage. Boeck's body was discovered about 10:00 a m.
What: Partenavia P.38 registered to Robert Valle of St. Croix. Where: Found short of the runway at about 7:40 a.m. When: 2:45 a.m Friday Who: 3 occupants killed in the crash Why: Under investigation. (See video)
What: Private homebuilt kit plane that resembled a Cessna. Where: Covington Field in Spencer on a private air strip in Henry County just west of Blue Ridge Airport, near Virginia 58 and the Patrick County line. When: Friday afternoon 2:30 p.m Who: Pilot Jerome Tuttle, 71, of Stoneville, N.C. was taken to the Martinsville Hospital and died of his injuries. Why: The pilot was attempting to land on the private air strip when the plane crashed.
What: Piper PA-31-350 Navajo en route from Moorabbin Aerodrome, east of Melbourne to Port Macquarie on the NSW mid-north coast. The plane had stopped at Bathurst to re-fuel. Where: Bathurst Airport When: 8.30pm (AEDT) Friday November 7, 2008 Who: Pilot Timothy O'Brien, 51, pilot's girlfriend Jackie, 40; Senior Constable Erin Condon, 40, and her nine-year-old son Matthew Why: crashed shortly after takeoff from Bathurst. The plane exploded when it hit the ground and caused fires in the immediate area. The pilot tried to return to the airport but crashed 3 km shy. The families are in mourning.
The big question: was there foul play involved in the crash of the Mexican governmental airplane that resulted in the death of José Luis Santiago Vasconcelos, Miguel Monterrubio, Arcadio Echeverría, Norma Díaz, Álvaro Sánchez, Gisel Carrillo, and several people in the vicinity of Paseo de la Reforma?
The Mexican government is at war against the drug cartels and apparently the drug cartels had put a price on the head of Vasconcelos. The problem of figuring out the truth is exacerbated by the citizenry's distrust; the Mexican government is not exactly known for disclosure. In fact, if the facts prove this was indeed an accident, how will people ever be convinced of it? Because no sign of any explosives were found in the wreckage; and the presumed cause of the crash is that the Lear Jet was adversely affected by turbulence from a large Boeing jet in front of it.
What: Learjet 45 flown by the Mexican government Where: Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City When: 04 NOV 2008 Who:Passengers included:
Mexican Secretary of the Interior Juan Camilo Mouriño, top aide to President Felipe Calderón.
José Luis Santiago Vasconcelos-former assistant attorney general and current head of the federal technical secretariat for implementing the recent constitutional reforms on criminal justice and public security.
Miguel Monterrubio, director general of social communications with the Interior Secretariat.
Arcadio Echeverría, coordinator of special events, office of the Interior Secretary.
Norma Díaz, director in the communications department of the Interior Secretariat.
Julio César Ramírez Dávalos, pilot.
Álvaro Sánchez, co-pilot.
Gisel Carrillo, stewardess.
Why: At 18:45, although the aircraft was instructed to switch to the Tower frequency which the pilot acknowledged but never contacter Mexico Tower. The Learjet then crashed on the Avenida Reforma and caught fire. Several cars were destroyed and at least five people on the ground were killed.
What: Thomas Cook Airlines Flight TCX569K Airbus A320 en route from Manchester to Tenerife Where: touched down at Manchester Airport When: 12.15 pm Friday 7th November 2008 Who: 180 passengers on board Why: A passenger is quoted as saying" “The captain made an announcement about the problems and the plane went silent. You could have heard a pin drop. It circled for around five minutes before landing. As soon as it did, there was a surge of chatter as everyone started talking."
After the engine malfunctioned just after take-off, the Airbus returned to the Manchester airport. Passengers were scheduled to leave at 17.15 pm on another plane.
Update:Thursday investigators found the "black box" voice recorder; the data recorder with navigation information was recovered on Wednesday. The boxes will be examined in the US. Rumors abound that the crash was not an accident. Information released (In Spanish):
Galería fotográfica de la conferencia de prensa en formato.DOC.
Presentación Audio /Video con las imágenes y audio de la Torre de Control.Formato ZIP (para utilizarla, descomprimir la presentación, y ejecutar el archivo "play.bat" dentro del directorio "CDPresentación").
What: Learjet 45 flown by the Mexican government Where: Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City When: 04 NOV 2008 Who:Passengers included:
Mexican Secretary of the Interior Juan Camilo Mouriño, top aide to President Felipe Calderón.
José Luis Santiago Vasconcelos-former assistant attorney general and current head of the federal technical secretariat for implementing the recent constitutional reforms on criminal justice and public security.
Miguel Monterrubio, director general of social communications with the Interior Secretariat.
Arcadio Echeverría, coordinator of special events, office of the Interior Secretary.
Norma Díaz, director in the communications department of the Interior Secretariat.
Julio César Ramírez Dávalos, pilot.
Álvaro Sánchez, co-pilot.
Gisel Carrillo, stewardess.
Why: At 18:45, although the aircraft was instructed to switch to the Tower frequency which the pilot acknowledged but never contacter Mexico Tower. The Learjet then crashed on the Avenida Reforma and caught fire. Several cars were destroyed and at least five people on the ground were killed.
United States investigators have been called in to help quell the rumors that the flight was sabotaged by drug cartels. Two investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration began working at the crash site on Tuesday night and the NTSB sent a team to investigate. Due to a history of government cover-ups, Mexicans don't believe the Mexican government will tell the truth about the cause of the crash.
What: Metro helicopter Where: vacant lot near Fremont Street and Bruce in Downtown Las Vegas. When: Nov 5, 2008 Who: Unnamed officers and pilot Why:Witnesses saw the helicopter swaying back and forth before it landed safely. Pilots anticipated a problem and landed on the empty lot. Maintenance staff was able to do on site repairs to the part that controls the rotor speed so that the helicopter was able to take off, and return the helicopter back to the hanger where it landed safely.
What: Challenger II Special (described as a step up from ultralight aircraft) Where: south of the County Airport in a field at 695 Township Road 1275. When: 12:40 p.m Who: Pilot and plane owner Jeffrey K. Edmondson with 29 years of flying experience. Why: When Edmondson's new plane's engine decided to quit when he cut the throttle, Edmonson decided to quit the plane. (Since he did make a safe landing.) The plane has sensitive rudder controls which require a lot of practice, which hopefully the buyer will be able to get. Although Edmondson was in the process of registering the plane, it is now for sale.
What: single-engine Cessna 172 Where: Archerfield Airport, Brisbane When: 4.00 pm Who: instructor and student Why: landed on one wheel and skidded along the runway. The landing is being described as "near-perfect emergency landing " and "best possible outcome" in spite of the fact that the Cessna's undercarriage would not lower. Royal Queensland Aero Club (RQAC) plans to investigate.
According to Special Agent Peter Carricato, Maria Esther Castillo of Oswego is in court today charged with resisting arrest and interfering with the operations of United Airlines Flight 645--after spanking a flight attendant, standing on a blind passenger, hair pulling and assorted (possibly alcohol-related) bad behavior. Her disruption was actually bad enough that the flight crew was forced to duct tape her to her seat until the flight was diverted to Charlotte-Douglass International Airport where authorities forcibly removed her from the plane.
Before she was bound to the seat by duct tape, Castillo was bound to Chicago from Puerto Rico.
The criminal complaint was filed in U.S. District Court in Charlotte.
What: Learjet 45 flown by the Mexican government Where: Mexico City When: 04 NOV 2008 Who: Mexican Interior Minister Juan Camilo Mourino, Deputy Attorney General Josi Luis Santiago Vasconcelos and Miguel Monterubio Cubas, the director of social communication. Why: At 18:45, although the aircraft was instructed to switch to the Tower frequency which the pilot acknowledged but never contacter Mexico Tower. The Learjet then crashed on the Avenida Reforma and caught fire. Several cars were destroyed and at least five people on the ground were killed.
United States investigators have been called in to help quell the rumors that the flight was sabotaged by drug cartels. Two investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration began working at the crash site on Tuesday night and the NTSB sent a team to investigate. Due to a history of government cover-ups, Mexicans don't believe the Mexican government will tell the truth about the cause of the crash.
What: AirAsia A320 Where: Kuching International Airport When: 9.30am. Who: 65 passengers and crew Why: undesignated technical problems were cited as the cause
What: Air Canada A319 Airbus en route from Winnipeg to Toronto Where: Richardson International Airport Winnipeg When: Wednesday, November 5, 2008 Who: 100 passengers Why: The crew smelled burning rubber and returned to the airport and had a safe landing.
What: N79PD helicopter en route from Midway Airport. Where: Emergency landing in Chicago's Garfield Park ( touched down in Smith Park, near North Rockwell Street and West Grand Avenue.) When: Tuesday Who: 3 passengers on board. No injuries. Why: The helicopter made slow decent because of a cautionary light.
What: Lear jet en route from the north-returning from an event in the city of San Luis Potosi, central city of San Luis Potosi to Mexico City Where: in the street street in an upscale business district in Mexico City When: Tuesday Nov 4 during rush hour Who: Eight people killed , including Mexican Interior Minister Juan Camilo Mourino, former Deputy Attorney General Josi Luis Santiago Vasconcelos and Miguel Monterubio Cubas, the director of social communication. Forty people on the ground were injured. Why: The vice president of the national civil aviation rescue committee is quoted as saying, "It could have been anything, from mechanical failure to sabotage." It appeared that something happened to the plane in the air before the plane nosedived straight into the ground and set two dozen cars on fire in the posh Lomas de Chapultepec neighborhood.
Eight are confirmed dead. 40 have been hospitalized. 1800 locals were evacuated. Sabotage has not been ruled out, because Jose Luis Santiago Vasconcelos, the deputy attorney general was a key player for years in Mexico's army-led war on drug cartels. Mourino was 37, married with three children, and a rising star in Mexican politics.
What: Robinson R22 helicopter en route from Haast and to Wanaka Where: Lake Wanaka When: Missing Saturday. 13 boats, 4 helicopters 70 Land SAR (search and rescue) volunteers have been searching since Saturday. Who: helicopter pilot Morgan Saxton missing and presumed dead Why: Helicopter reported missing on Saturday, overdue on a flight from Haast. The pilot was flying to Wanaka to reposition a machine for frost-fighting work. Saxton was on bail, pending appeal, after he and his father, David, were jailed stealing Ngai Tahu greenstone. Both Saxton and his father have flown many rescue missions
What: ex-military Gazelle helicopter en route from Stratford-upon-Avon to Yeovilton in Somerset. The helicopter was co-owned by Rod (Rick) Praskey and fellow flying enthusiast Christopher Evans. Christopher Evans was NOT aboard. Where: in open grassland about 800-900 feet high - one of the highest spots in Gloucestershire, crashed in a field at Langley Hill Farm in Winchcombe, near Cheltenham. When: Noon Nov 1 Who: Two men (both West Midland company directors) and a woman; Pilot Rod Paskey, aged 55, from Fazeley, near Tamworth director of Dekko Exclusive Gifts, Laurence Bailey an executive of Cunningham Cash Registers. The 27 year old woman's name has not been released. Why: poor visibility is conjectured to be part of the cause of the crash. It had been flying in heavy mist. No survivors, no cause known yet. The helicopter was described as a wreck of mangled metal. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch is investigating. Post Mortem examinations were due to be carried out Tues Nov 4
What: World War I-era vintage Avro 504K owned by Wellington-based company The Vintage Aviator Where: Hood Aerodrome When: took off about 10.30am but crashed a few minutes later Who: The pilot's name was not released. Why: the engines failed and the pilot, 34, tried to land the plane but was unable to clear the trees. The pilot was able to successfully exit the plane. The plane was disassembled in the tree and removed to be reassembled and repaired later.
What: P-35 Beechcraft in the southern state of Paraná, Brazil en route from Sonora to Arapongas Where: in a school yard lf Municipal School Ilda Campano Santini in the city of Paranavai 250 km from the Paraguay border When: 10:50 Sunday Who: All five aboard were killed, 3 were family members. One woman was aboard. Why: The accident is attributed to heavy rains.
What: Single engine plane en route from Sky Ranch in Edinburg to Glens Falls Where: Barkersville Road and Southline Road in the Town of Providence When: 10:47 a.m Who: pilot Timothy J. Cowper Why: When the engine failed, the pilot circled and attempted a landing in the area of Barkersville Road and Southline Road. On hitting a small hill in the field, the plane overturned.
Where: A field on Township Road 1275, Ashland Ohio When: Saturday Who: Pilot Jeffrey K. Edmondson Why: When the engine cut out, the pilot had to make an emergency landing. There was damage to the landing gear.
What: ex-military Gazelle helicopter en route from Stratford-upon-Avon to Yeovilton in Somerset Where: in open grassland about 800-900 feet high - one of the highest spots in Gloucestershire, crashed in a field at a farm in Winchcombe, near Cheltenham. When: Noon Nov 1 Who: Two men and a woman Why: poor visibility is conjectured to be part of the cause of the crash. It had been flying in heavy mist. No survivors, no cause known yet. The helicopter was described as a wreck of mangled metal. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch is investigating.
What: Commemorative Air Force T6 Texan modified to resemble a Nakajima B5N2 "KATE" Torpedo Bomber, a type of aircraft that “devastated Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.” The replica is part of the Central Texas wing from the San Marcos Municipal Airport. The replica had taken off from an air show at Lackland AFB in San Antonio. The plane was being returned to the San Marcos Airport from which it is based. Where: San Marcos Municipal Airport When: Friday Who: Pilot Pat McClure of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) and passenger Why: Airport manager is quoted as saying "There could not have been a better outcome to this emergency, and I’d be putting the former Naval Aviator in for the Air Medal if we were still in the Navy. It was superb airmanship.”
The pilot landed the plane on the right main landing gear, holding the left wing off the runway until the plane’s speed had slowed. The problem was with the left wing gear which would not lock.
What: 1967 cropdusting Cessna Where: Cressy in north Tasmania When: 8 a m Who: 12 year old pilot working for a local aviation company Why: The engine stalled, lost altitude and hit the ground nose first, exploding and igniting fuel from the ruptured tank. The propeller was torn off by the impact.The pilot was wearing a firesuit but his face and hands were on fire.The pilot was taken to Launceston General Hospital. A water tanker driver stopped and helped put out the fire.
What: two-seater de Havilland Chipmunk airplane with dual controls. Where: Seething airfield, near Loddon, UK When: Wednesday afternoon Who: Media boss Ian Davies, 49 and passenger Stephen Shutt, 51. Tractor driver, Andrew Hill, was treated for shock. Why: The plane crashed into a tractor in Norfolk. Ian Davis died on impact, Shutt taken to hospital.
What: Air India's Delhi- Hyderabad-Tirupati flight (IC 942) en route from Indira Gandhi International airport to London Where: Indira Gandhi International airport When: Friday-10.15 takeoff; declared emergency around 11.15 am Who: 66 passengers on board 6 crew members Why: emergency landing an hour after take off. Passengers rerouted in another aircraft around 12.30 and took off around 1 pm. There was a technical emergency. No one was injured.
What: Helicopter en route from Guatemala's northern El Peten Province Where: rainforest in the rural province of Verapaz, some 185 miles (300 kms) northeast of the capital Guatemala City in northern Guatemala When: Thursday Who: Spanish businessman Virgilio Casado was piloting the helicopter along with fellow Spaniards Jose Luis Briz Mateo and Juan Calvo Torre. Carlos Sigfrido Hurtarte Rivas, a Guatemalan citizen, also died in the crash. Why: Cause is under investigation but likely heavy winds and rain
After a search delayed by bad weather, the bodies arrived in Guatemala City on Friday. A local aeronautics official believes the helicopter ran into a cloud and lost orientation and control (by a pilot unaccustomed to flying by instruments.)
What: North Carolina based helicopter working to cut tree limbs and brush from a utility right of way Where: Carroll Township, Washington County When: Thursday, Oct 30 Who: Pilot. Why: The pilot reports losing power precipitating forced landing. The unidentified pilot was conscious and alert when taken to the hospital by a medical evacuation helicopter
What: Airbus 320 en route from Manila to and Bacolod City Where: Philippines When: the flight landed safely at 5:37 p.m. local time Who: Philippine Airlines pilot Alex Carvajal, 79 passengers Why:Pilot suffered a stroke yesterday afternoon while he was at the controls. Co-pilot Donato Cabigo took over the helm and landed without incident. At the time, the pilot felt pain in his neck. The hospital termed it "a cerebrovascular accident" or a stroke
What: home-built airplane classified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as an experimental aircraft Where: Cedar Fort When: Tuesday just after 11 a.m. Who: pilot, 62-year-old David Silfvast, from Salt Lake, and his passenger, 71-year-old David Edgerly both killed in the crash Why: Under Investigation
There have been six deadly crashes in Utah since the middle of July killing 21.
What: small plane Where: mountainous area 20 miles west of Clayton, Northeastern New Mexico. When: Wednesday evening 5:20 p.m Who: pilot Why: cause unknown. The unidentified pilot was killed in the crash
What: 300-pound experimental aircraft taking off from Hiatt Airport Where: neighborhood off Myrtle Drive in Thomasville, Davidson County When: just after 5:30 p.m. November 1, 2008 Who: Pilot John Jones. There were no passengers Why: The pilot walked away after the crash.
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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