A Note to Our Readers

Dear Readers,
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.
Meditation XVII - (with apologies to) John Donne


Showing posts with label Airbus 320. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Airbus 320. Show all posts

2008/07/19

Arrestor Blocks Save Lives

Chicago -Friday , July 18, 2008 A Mexicana Airlines eAirbus A320 originating from Juarez International Airport in Mexico City overshoots the runway at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport but an arrestor bed of lightweight concrete blocks at the end of a runway stops the plane

Flight 802 was arriving from Mexico City and one flight attendant was injured. However, none of the 145 passengers on the flight were injured, even though crosswinds forced Flight 802's nose gear off the runway.

The fire department says 142 people were evacuated from the plane, although Mexicana Airlines said there were 145 passengers and crew aboard.

The arrestor bed was installed "probably in the past year." O'Hare Runway 22L closed Friday following the emergency landing.

Mexicana Airline operates 15 daily flights to O'Hare.

This non-fatal emergency landing occurred exactly one year and a day after the tragic TAM Linhas Aéreas overran the end of runway 35 at the Sao Paulo Congonhas Airport, killing 6 crew members, 162 passengers, and 18 persons on the ground.

2007/07/18

Brazil's Call for Change: A320 Crash

One day after a TAM Airlines Airbus A320 crashed in Brazil, killing at least 189 people, the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations chimed in on Wednesday, "Runways around the world have inadequate overrun areas."

The airbus was trying to land on a wet runway at Sao Paulo Cagonhas Airport, and when they were unable to stop, they took off again.

The airbus managed to clear the airport fence and a highway. However it crashed into a gas station and a building then exploded into flame.

IFALPA said, Runway-end safety areas should be established at all airports with airline operations, with an overrun space at least 800 feet long or an arrestor system that could halt an errant aircraft.

The 6,362-foot runway in question has often been criticized as being too short.

BRAZIL'S WORST-EVER AIR DISASTER

BRAZIL'S WORST-EVER AIR DISASTER
200 Feared Dead in Sao Paulo Crash

At least 195 people were killed in Brazil's worst plane crash, a product of a country with an inadequate air travel network that has been plagued by havoc.

Witness Paulo Carol imagined he was at the set of a Hollywood disaster film when right in front of his taxi, an airplane crossed six lanes of the Avenida Washington Luis. He and his passengers fled on foot.

Airbus A-320 operated by the Brazilian airline TAM, skidded off the runway after touching down and collided with cars and through a gas station before slamming into a TAM maintenance building. 180 deaths were passengers on the Airbus jet. Fifteen more deaths included Tam employees in the building.
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Luiz Santos who barely escaped the explosion, said "The airplane was coming right at me. I could hear the sound of the engines and then it exploded." His windows and the back end of his truck were shattered, but Santos and his passenger escaped.

Flight JJ 3054 left Porto Alegre at 5:16 p.m. and landed at Congonhas two hours later. The plane apparently touched down too far down the runway.

Accidents have made flying in South America dangerous to contemplate. Flight controllers are overworked, underpaid and untrained, and rely on aging and defective radar technology in the Amazon.

In September, a Gol airlines Boeing 737 collided with a private jet over the Amazon, killing 154. That investigation is ongoing.

The country's air travel infrastructure has been unable to keep up with Brazil's fast economic growth.

Almost 200 Feared Dead in Air Crash

Brazilian officials now fear at least 195 people are dead from Tuesday night's jetliner crash in Sao Paulo. The TAM airlines Airbus-320 was on a domestic flight to Sao Paulo from the southern city of Porto Alegre when it skidded off the end of the rain-slicked runway, crashed into a gas station and a building and burst into flames.