News
08 JUL - US SilkAir trial blames defects instead of pilot suicide 09 JUL - FAA investigating after drivers ended up on O'Hare runways
14 JUL - Man sucked into jet engine
15 JUL - AFA wants standard for managing use of personal wireless devices
23 JUL - Passengers hurt after prop cover smashes window
27 JUL - Air organisations issue Costa Rica flight warning
27 JUL - Ghana Airways flights suspended in the U.S. over safety concerns
27 JUL - Crew actions factor in low flying incident at Nantes
28 JUL - Pilots oppose call for in-cockpit cameras
28 JUL - B767 emergency landing at Rome following engine fire
30 JUL - Court clears JAL pilot over fatal '97 turbulence accident
31 JUL - B777 fuel leak incident caused by open CWT purge door
31 JUL - AAIB issues recommendations on emergency evacuation procedures
08 JUL 2004 US SilkAir trial blames defects instead of pilot suicide [to table of contents]
"Parker Hannifin, the world's largest maker of hydraulic equipment, was told by a Los Angeles jury to pay USD43.6 million to the families of three people killed in a 1997 crash of a SilkAir plane in Indonesia. The L.A. Superior Court jury determined that defects in a rudder-control system caused the Boeing 737 to crash, killing all 104 people aboard. The NTSB concluded that there were no mechanical defects and the pilot intentionally caused the crash. " (Seattle Times)
The FAA is investigating the training of two truck drivers involved in a June 27 incident in which two planes were forced to abort their landings at Chicago-O'Hare. The first man drove into the intersections of runways 32L and 27L, forcing a Northwest Airlines DC-9 to go-around. Four minutes later, at 23:15, the second driver drove into the same intersection at the same place, realized his mistake, turned around and crossed back. His incursion forced a Polar Air Cargo 747 to abort it's landing. (Daily Herald) 14 JUL 2004 Man sucked into jet engine [to table of contents]
A Russian aircraft maintenance engineer died at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport after he was sucked into the engine of an Air Astana Boeing 737-700. A spokesman said nighttime conditions and heavy rain might have contributed to the accident. (The Moscow Times) 15 JUL 2004 AFA wants standard for managing use of personal wireless devices [to table of contents]
The world’s largest flight attendants’ union has called on the airline industry to address the growing use of wireless electronic devices onboard commercial aircraft. Concerned that several carriers recently loosened restrictions on in-flight use of wireless devices, the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) has joined with other industry groups to call for developing standard practices to deal with the growing use of wireless technology. (AFA)
media release
23 JUL 2004 Passengers hurt after prop cover smashes window [to table of contents] Two passengers were injured after an aircraft propeller cover smashed into a window after take off. The aircraft, a Trislander, had just departed Guernsey on Aurigny flight 808 to Jersey and was climbing through 500 feet when the incident happened. The flight returned safely to Guernsey Airport, UK. (PA News) 27 JUL 2004 Air organisations issue Costa Rica flight warning [to table of contents]
Four main organisations representing workers in civil aviation worldwide (IFALPA, ATCA, IFATSEA, ITF) took the unprecedented step of asking all airlines flying into and out of Costa Rica to consider suspending flights in its airspace on safety grounds. The organisations acted in response to what they describe as a safety-critical situation, after striking air traffic controllers providing emergency cover were removed by armed police and replaced with strike breakers from other couuntries. Not only are the newcomers not used to controlling Costa Rican airspace, but also many of them are known to not even be qualified air traffic controllers. (ATCA)
27 JUL 2004 Ghana Airways flights suspended in the U.S. over safety concerns [to table of contents] The U.S. Department of Transportation banned Ghana Airways from flying into and out of the U.S. until aviation investigators can resolve serious questions surrounding the safety of its aircraft and why it continued to fly to the U.S. despite the fact that it had allowed its operating license to expire earlier this month. (Dept. of Transportation)
DoT statement
27 JUL 2004 Crew actions factor in low flying incident at Nantes [to table of contents] The French BEA released the final report of their investigations into the March 21 incident of a Luxor Air MD-83 at Nantes. The MD-83 descended to approx. 400ft over the city after deviating from the VOR-DME approach path of a presumed thunderstorm ahead. Factors were a.o. the crew's inexperience in VOR/DME approaches and the decision to carry out an improvised manoeuver. (BEA)
BEA accident report su-f040321
28 JUL 2004 Pilots oppose call for in-cockpit cameras [to table of contents] "Airline pilots are dead set against putting cameras in cockpits as safety officials step up the pressure to require them as an aid to accident investigation and prevention. The NTSB launched a two-day hearing to renew its call for all civilian planes to be equipped with crash-resistant cockpit image recorders. " (NTSB, AP)
NTSB Public Hearing
28 JUL 2004 B767 emergency landing at Rome following engine fire [to table of contents] An East African Safari Boeing 767-300 (5Y-QQQ) suffered an engine fire shortly after departing Rome-Fiumicino Airport on a flight (S9 1458) to Zanzibar. A safe emergency landing was carried out on Fiumicino's runway 34L. None of the 10 crew memebers and 165 passengers were injured. (ANSV) 30 JUL 2004 Court clears JAL pilot over fatal '97 turbulence accident [to table of contents]
A Japan Air Lines pilot accused of negligence resulting in death and injuries after he failed to control his plane during heavy turbulence was acquitted by a court. A report made by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission suspected the 1997 accident was caused by the actions of the captain. Based on the report, prosecutors concluded that the captain pulled the control stick to reduce speed although rules ban such actions. They added he probably knew of the risk. But the Presiding Judge said that the captain couldn't have foreseen the possibility of an accident, although his ruling found that the captain's operation of the plane was a factor in the accident. (Mainichi Daily News) 31 JUL 2004 B777 fuel leak incident caused by open CWT purge door [to table of contents]
According to a UK AAIB report a British Airways Boeing 777 had to carry out an emergency landing at London-Heathrow when it was observed with a two-mile fuel vapour trail from the rear of the aircraft soon after takeoff. It appeared that centre fuel tank purge door was not in place. The purge door was hanging on a lanyard inside the fuel tank and a plastic bag contained screws was attached to the purge door opening. The aircraft's pitch attitude during climb-out caused fuel to start flowing through the purge door opening into the left main gear bay. (AAIB)
AAIB Bulletin No: S2/2004
31 JUL 2004 AAIB issues recommendations on emergency evacuation procedures [to table of contents] Following a February 2002 incident involving a Ryanair B737-800 at London-Stansted, the AAIB issued four safety recommendations. The airplane was evacuated after landing when ARFF advised the crew to do so because of smoke coming from the right hand engine. Two cabin crew members had difficulty opening doors R1 and R2 and passengers used the right hand overwing exits, close to the faulty engine. (AAIB)
AAIB Bulletin No: 7/2004
