News
02 JUL - West Caribbean Airways temporarily suspends operations 06 JUL - Airbus 330 collides with cows on landing at Port Harcourt
06 JUL - Aircraft models used in China to scare away birds at airports
08 JUL - European Commission warns to Cyprus to implement safety board
11 JUL - NATA announces new air charter safety initiative
12 JUL - Swiss suspends 52 pilots over safety dispute
12 JUL - Near miss over Tokyo between Kawasaki C-1 and light aircraft
12 JUL - German pilots suspended after flying risky mid-air maneuver to photograph collea
14 JUL - FAA seeks USD1.8 million from Teterboro-crash company
16 JUL - Passengers refuse to take AMC Airlines flight over safety concerns
20 JUL - Australian government inquiry backs drug tests for air workers
21 JUL - Stepped approach cited in landing short of displaced threshold at Auckland
22 JUL - FAA proposes $1.5 million civil penalty against Atlantic Coast Airlines
23 JUL - JAL Airbus 300 in emergency descent after decompression incident
23 JUL - Mexicana plane hits turbulence: 18 passengers hurt
23 JUL - Lufthansa Airbus A.330 overruns runway at Lagos, Nigeria
26 JUL - UK Airprox Board publishes 2004 report
02 JUL 2005 West Caribbean Airways temporarily suspends operations [to table of contents]
The Colombian airline West Caribbean Airways temporarily suspended its operations after Colombian authorities grounded the MD-80 fleet of the airline reportedly because of non-compliance with an airworthiness directive. The AD ordered the operator to install fire retarding insulation material. (Diario la Republica)
An Air France Airbus A.330 (F-GZCF) carrying 196 passengers collided with six cows on landing at Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Flight AF875 landed at 04:30 on a flight from Paris when a herd of cattle crossed the active runway 03/21. Six cows were killed in the incident. The airplane sustained some damage to the nose, causing the continuing flight to be cancelled. The airport was closed for eight hours. (This Day) 06 JUL 2005 Aircraft models used in China to scare away birds at airports [to table of contents]
Chinese researchers have resorted to aircraft models in a bid to prevent wild birds from disrupting flights at airports. A research team at the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) equipped the aircraft models with computer chips programmed to emit a variety of different birdcalls and high-frequency flashing lights. The models, with a three-meter wingspan, can fly up to 80 meters in height and is controlled by a human operator on the groud. By switching the plane models to the sounds of predators of birds currently in residence near runways, the operator is very likely to dispel birds from around airports. (Xinhuanet) 08 JUL 2005 European Commission warns to Cyprus to implement safety board [to table of contents]
The European Commission has recently sent a reasoned opinion – the last step before a formal complaint to the Court of Justice is lodged – to Cyprus for failure to transpose European legislation regarding the investigation of civil aviation accidents and incidents. The directive requires member states to ensure that technical investigations are conducted or supervised by a permanent and independent civil aviation body or entity. (Cyprus Mail) 11 JUL 2005 NATA announces new air charter safety initiative [to table of contents]
Given the rash of high-profile air charter accidents in the U.S. recently, the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has taken proactive steps to assist air charter operators improve safety. NATA unveiled their new Safety 1st air charter Safety Management System (SMS). The SMS approach involves five crucial steps to make safety a systematic part of business operations. (NATA)
press release
12 JUL 2005 Swiss suspends 52 pilots over safety dispute [to table of contents] Swiss International Air Lines has temporarily suspended 52 Saab 2000 pilots on the grounds that their anxiety about their future with the company could affect cockpit safety. The company has started disciplinary proceedings against the pilots, who had complained in an open letter to management. The 52 pilots will undergo an assessment of their flying abilities. If they pass, the pilots will resume their duties. (swissinfo) 12 JUL 2005 Near miss over Tokyo between Kawasaki C-1 and light aircraft [to table of contents]
A Kawasaki C-1 transport plane of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) undergoing training out of Iruma Air Base came very close to a small aircraft when flying over a Tokyo suburb. The Aircraft and Railway Accidents Investigation Commission determined that it is a serious incident that could have led to an accident and decided to investigate. According to the pilot`s report, the C-1 was circling about 900 meters above Higashi-Kurume City, western Tokyo, and noticed the small aircraft approaching. The JASDF plane descended and the small aircraft crossed just above it with an altitude difference of 30-60 meters. (Kyodo News) 12 JUL 2005 German pilots suspended after flying risky mid-air maneuver to photograph collea [to table of contents]
An investigation has begun into how a Condor Boeing 767 passenger plane came within 600ft of a Thomas Cook U.K. Boeing 757 after diverting off its authorised path. The captain of the 757 was forced to take avoidance action following a TCAS alert. It is thought that the Condor 767 captain had gone off his designated route off the coast of Canada to take a photo of a colleague piloting his last operational flight. Actually his colleague was flying 100 miles ahead. As a result, Condor suspended both flight crew members. The Condor flight, with 234 passengers on board, was en route from Frankfurt to Toronto. The 757 was en route from Gatwick to Toronto, carrying 187 passengers. (Telegraph) 14 JUL 2005 FAA seeks USD1.8 million from Teterboro-crash company [to table of contents]
The U.S. FAA is seeking $1.8 million in civil penalties against the operator of the Challenger corporate jet that ran across a highway and collided with a building after aborting takeoff at Teterboro Airport. The agency alleges Platinum Jet Management "operated the aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another." Platinum Jet was cited with violating numerous regulations, including altering weight records on the charter flight and not properly training its flight crew. (New York Newsday) 16 JUL 2005 Passengers refuse to take AMC Airlines flight over safety concerns [to table of contents]
An AMC Airlines MD-83 was subjected to a safety inspection at Paris-Charles de Gaulle because of specific safety concerns. Reportedly 96 passengers had previously disembarked in Hurghada, prior to the flight to Paris, because they were concerned with ther safety of the airplane. They complained about power cuts, faulty air conditioning, damaged seats and an aborted takeoff. The flight eventually took off with 66 passengers. The authorities declared the aircraft airworthy, after which it departed July 17. (AFP) 20 JUL 2005 Australian government inquiry backs drug tests for air workers [to table of contents]
An Australian CASA investigation prompted by a fatal plane crash at Hamilton Island in 2002 has backed the introduction of mandated drug and alcohol testing for the aviation industry. The draft report estimates that up to 8 % of all pilots are alcohol-dependent, with maintenance personnel, flight attendants and management similarly affected. Current laws do not allow CASA to test aviation workers or for air safety investigators to conduct tests during inquiries. Australian police also have no authority to detain or test pilots suspected of substance abuse. (The Australian) 21 JUL 2005 Stepped approach cited in landing short of displaced threshold at Auckland [to table of contents]
On 16 November 2004, an Asiana Boeing 777, arriving from from Incheon, South Korea, approached Auckland runway 23L when a work party was cleared onto the closed section of the runway for further work. The work party, concerned about the low approach of the 777, elected to remain clear of the runway. Despite repeated ATC advice to the crew about the displaced threshold on runway 23L, the flight landed short of the displaced threshold in an area where the runway workers could have been. An unobstructed runway and the crew flying a stepped approach, which placed them below the normal glidepath for the displaced threshold, may have contributed to the crew's actions. Poor communication skills may have also been a factor. (TAIC)
Investigation 04-006
22 JUL 2005 FAA proposes $1.5 million civil penalty against Atlantic Coast Airlines [to table of contents] The U.S. FAA has proposed to assess a civil penalty of $1.5 million against Atlantic Coast Airlines, now doing business as Independence Air, for operating several of its aircraft for extended periods and thousands of flights when they were not in compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations. The FAA alleged that Atlantic Coast operated the aircraft on thousands of flights in September and October 2004 without completing required scheduled maintenance and inspections. A.o. the airline failed to conduct a required heavy maintenance C-check on one of its Canadair RegionalJets, then operated the aircraft on approximately 455 additional flights without completing the inspection. (FAA)
press release
23 JUL 2005 JAL Airbus 300 in emergency descent after decompression incident [to table of contents] Japan Air Lines flight 1495 from Tokyo-Haneda to Tokushima carried out an emergency descent into Tokushima because of the failure of the cabin pressure control system. The Airbus A.300-600R had, per MMEL been, dispatched with one of the two cabin pressure control systems inoperative. Just three of the 195 passengers and crew members suffered minor injuries to their ears. (Asahi Shimbun) 23 JUL 2005 Mexicana plane hits turbulence: 18 passengers hurt [to table of contents]
Eightheen passengers were injured when a Mexicana Airbus A.319 (N925MX) hit turbulence over the city of Mariquita, Colombia. The airplane was on code share flight AV 6393 from Mexico City to Bogota with 120 passengers on board when the incident happened. (La Crónica de Hoy) 23 JUL 2005 Lufthansa Airbus A.330 overruns runway at Lagos, Nigeria [to table of contents]
A Lufthansa Airbus A.330-343X (D-AIKH) reportedly struck a pothole while landing on runway 18R. The nose gear tires are said to have burst as a result, causing the plane to leave the runway surface. The plane was operating flight LH564 from Frankfurt to Lagos and Accra. None of the 193 passengers were injured in the mishap. A Lufthansa repair team was sent to Nigeria to repair the damage. (The Guardian, This Day) 26 JUL 2005 UK Airprox Board publishes 2004 report [to table of contents]
The UK Airprox Board released their analysis of all recorded Airprox incidents within UK airspace in 2004. During 2004 there were 207 Airprox compared with an average total of 201 over the preceding five years. The proportion of the 207 incidents which were risk-bearing (33 per cent) was the lowest for five years. There was just one actual risk of collision last year involving an airliner. (UKAB)
press release
