News
01 JAN - Aviation Safety Network releases 2005 airliner accident figures 05 JAN - FAA proposes $500,000 civil penalty against Alaska Airlines
07 JAN - TANS Peru grounded by authorities
07 JAN - Draft bill: Japanese airlines required to report service difficulties
07 JAN - JAL MD-90 lands with safety pin locking thrust reverser
08 JAN - Judge considers suit over 2002 Hercules tanker crash
08 JAN - Taxiway work seen as factor in JFK runway incursion
09 JAN - Spanair MD-83 suffers undercarriage fire on landing
10 JAN - NTSB says 2002 Caravan accident not caused by mysterious midair collision
11 JAN - AAIB releases report on Trislander prop de-icer boot separation
12 JAN - Pilot`s cockpit breakdown prompts new Ryanair safety policy
14 JAN - FAA finds `no safety issues` with Alaska Airlines` MD-80 jackscrews
16 JAN - Lightning strike eyed as cause of 2001 crash of Spanish Merlin IV
16 JAN - AFCAC: Africa to tackle aviation safety
16 JAN - Mechanic sucked into Boeing 737 engine, killed
16 JAN - SAS aircraft flew without inspections
17 JAN - Uganda planning to ban old aircraft
17 JAN - Nigerian task force grounds EAS Airlines
17 JAN - Indonesia sets 20-year age limit for commercial jets
18 JAN - AD and urgent safety recommendations issued to reduce Cessna 208 icing accidents
18 JAN - Oslo gets Europe`s first infra-red plane de-icing facility
19 JAN - FAA issues emergency AD on Raytheon 390 hydraulic tube assembly
23 JAN - Solomon Islands passenger plane hits coconut trees on takeoff
24 JAN - ATSB issues recommendations following Lockhart River fatal Metro accident
24 JAN - Families sue air companies after `03 UM Air Yak-42 crash
24 JAN - Japanese government set to tighten up aviation safety laws
24 JAN - NTSB determines cause of fatal BAe Jetstream crash in Kirksville
24 JAN - Transport Canada suspends AOC of International Express Aircharter
27 JAN - NTSB: don`t use thrust reverser credit to determine runway stopping distances
27 JAN - JAL plane wreckage from 1985 crash to go public in April
29 JAN - Iran Supreme Leader orders air transport probe
31 JAN - TSB issues safety recommendations on Cessna 208 aircraft operating in icing cond
01 JAN 2006 Aviation Safety Network releases 2005 airliner accident figures [to table of contents]
The Aviation Safety Network today released last year`s airliner accident statistics showing a total of 1059 airliner accident fatalities, as a result of 35 fatal accidents. Africa still is the most unsafe region with 13 accidents.
CFIT occurs when an airworthy aircraft under the control of the flight crew is flown unintentionally into terrain, obstacles or water, usually with no prior awareness by the crew. CFIT accidents in 2005 were probably responsible for almost one quarter of all fatal accidents, killing over 160. * Approach and landing
Twelve accidents happened in the approach and landing phase last year, killing 228 passengers and crew members. * Loss of control
Again several accidents last year can be attributed to a loss of control of some kind. In August an MD-80 crashed when the flight crew were not able to recover from an engine flameout, airplane stall and high speed descent at night over unlit mountainous terrain. All 160 on board were killed. * Human factors
As most accident investigations are not completed yet, it's too early to tell in what cases human actions were a causal factor in accidents in 2005. However the investigation into the August 14 crash of a Cypriot Boeing 737 plane in Greece will surely focus on questions like why the Pressurization Mode Selector (PMS) was left in the "Manual" position after maintenance, why the crew did not detect this, how the crew interpreted the various warnings and indications and that the aircraft did nor pressurize after takeoff. Another issue will be the intra-cockpit communications. It must be stressed that human factors does not mean "pilot error"; in human factors it is important to determine which mistakes were made, why, under what circumstances etc. (ASN)
Airliner Accident Statistics 2005
05 JAN 2006 FAA proposes $500,000 civil penalty against Alaska Airlines [to table of contents] The FAA has proposed to assess a $500,000 civil penalty against Alaska Airlines for allegedly operating a Boeing 737 aircraft on 478 flights when it was not in compliance with federal aviation regulations. The FAA alleged that between July 12 and December 2, 2004, Goodrich Aviation Technical Services, an Alaska Airlines authorized repair and maintenance vendor, performed extensive maintenance on a Boeing 737, but failed to reinstall the floor proximity lighting system`s emergency exit identifier lights, as required by Alaska`s Continuous Airworthiness Maintenance Program. Without this cabin floor lighting system the aircraft is not in compliance with regulations and may not be operated in revenue service. (FAA)
press release
07 JAN 2006 TANS Peru grounded by authorities [to table of contents] The Peruvian airline TANS was grounded by authorities for an indefinite period of time. The decision was made following two serious occurrences. During the last four weeks two aircraft had suffered engine problems. On January 9 a safety audit will be initiated to determine when the airline will be permitted to fly again. (El Diario La Prensa) 07 JAN 2006 Draft bill: Japanese airlines required to report service difficulties [to table of contents]
Japan`s transport ministry has worked out a draft bill framework for revising the Aviation Law that requires airline operators to report minor problems such as engine component trouble, according to ministry officials. The revision, planned to be implemented this fall, is aimed at establishing measures to prevent accidents at an early point by collecting information on various problems and analyzing their causes. (Kyodo) 07 JAN 2006 JAL MD-90 lands with safety pin locking thrust reverser [to table of contents]
A JAL MD-90-30 (JA8004) landed at Kagoshima (KOJ) with the nr.1 engine thrust reverser locked. Flight 3913 from Osaka-Itami (ITM) landed without problems, but the company was given a verbal warning by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. It appeared that a mechanic forgot to remove the safety pin locking the engine thrust reverser during maintenance operations. JAL had a similar maintenance problem last July. (Kyodo, NHK) 08 JAN 2006 Judge considers suit over 2002 Hercules tanker crash [to table of contents]
A federal judge is considering a request to dismiss a lawsuit against former aerial firefighting company Hawkins & Powers Aviation and others over a fatal crash of a C-130 Hercules in 2002. The lawsuit was brought in 2004 by relatives of the two men killed in the crash. It names the company, Hawkins & Powers employees and a host of others and claims, among other things, negligence and wrongful death. The families seek unspecified damages. Attorneys asked the Chief U.S. District Judge either to dismiss the entire case or to drop certain defendants, such as the U.S. Forest Service, from the matter. An attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice said the Forest Service, which contracted with Hawkins & Powers for use of the air tanker in fighting wildfires, had no obligation to supervise the plane's maintenance. (The Billings Gazette) 08 JAN 2006 Taxiway work seen as factor in JFK runway incursion [to table of contents]
The crew of an Israir Boeing 767 that were involved in a runway incursion in a rainstorm at New York-JFK International Airport last July apparently did not know that one of the taxiways was closed for reconstruction, according to an Israeli investigator. The crew had to turn left at the second taxiway, Bravo, but ended up on the active runway 22R because the lights of taxiway Alpha were out because of work in progress. A DC-8 cargo plane had to climb away fast and missed the 767 by 100 feet. (The New York Times) 09 JAN 2006 Spanair MD-83 suffers undercarriage fire on landing [to table of contents]
A tire of the left hand main undercarriage of a Spanair MD-83 (EC-GAT) burst on landing at Barcelona Airport (BCN). A small localized fire erupted and the 90 passengers and six crew members were evacuated on the runway. Five passengers were slightly injured. (Metro, La Vanguardia) 10 JAN 2006 NTSB says 2002 Caravan accident not caused by mysterious midair collision [to table of contents]
NTSB investigators concluded that a Cessna Caravan crash that killed a pilot in 2002 likely happened because he was disoriented, discounting an earlier theory that something may have hit the aircraft over the swampy bayou where it went down. (NTSB)
accident brief
11 JAN 2006 AAIB releases report on Trislander prop de-icer boot separation [to table of contents] The UK AAIB released the report of their investigation into the July 2004 accident involving a BN-2A Trislander at Guernsey. During take-off a de-icer boot from the left propeller separated, entering the cabin. The de-icer boot separated due to peel stresses generated by forces on the propeller. The peel stresses arose because of physical or contamination damage to the adhesive bond which occurred because the required filler material was not used at the root of the de-icer boot. (AAIB)
Report No: 1/2006
12 JAN 2006 Pilot`s cockpit breakdown prompts new Ryanair safety policy [to table of contents] Ryanair pilots are stood down from flying duties for safety reasons following family bereavements after a captain suffered a breakdown in the cockpit days after burying one of his children. The procedure was introduced last year after a captain froze on approach to Roma-Fiumicino Airport and failed to act to correct a descent. The first officer took over control and diverted the plane to Pescara. (Irish Examiner) 14 JAN 2006 FAA finds `no safety issues` with Alaska Airlines` MD-80 jackscrews [to table of contents]
Alaska Airlines inspectors in Seattle found 15 incidents of dry jackscrews on MD-80 series jets since March 2003, according to an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration. But the FAA, in a summary report made public by the airline, said a dry jackscrew does not necessarily indicate that it is unsafe or has not been properly lubricated. The assessment done by the FAA did not find any improperly or inadequately lubricated jackscrews. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) 16 JAN 2006 Lightning strike eyed as cause of 2001 crash of Spanish Merlin IV [to table of contents]
The Spanish accident investigation commission CIAIAC concluded that the Merlin IV that crashed in the Mediterranean in October 2001, was probably caused by a lightning strike. The aircraft encountered a powerful electrical storm with associated rain and turbulence. The lightning strike probably caused the failure of the electrical system after which the airplane lost control. (CIAIAC)
Informe Técnico A-055/2001
16 JAN 2006 AFCAC: Africa to tackle aviation safety [to table of contents] Publicly naming unsafe destinations, grounding aircraft and funding airlines to buy newer rather than older aeroplanes are just some of the urgent steps to be taken this year to improve aviation safety over Africa. There was a growing concern internationally about the safety of civil aviation in Africa, African Union`s African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) president Tshepo Peege, said at a press conference in Pretoria. (iafrica.com) 16 JAN 2006 Mechanic sucked into Boeing 737 engine, killed [to table of contents]
A ground crew member at the El Paso International Airport was sucked into the nr.2 engine of a Continental Airlines Boeing 737-500 and killed. Flight 1515 was at the gate, preparing for departure with 114 passengers and 5 crew members on board when the accident occurred. (KVIA) 16 JAN 2006 SAS aircraft flew without inspections [to table of contents]
Scandinavian airline SAS said it was tightening up the inspection and servicing of its planes after Swedish authorities identified gaps in its safety checks on 10 aircraft. The aircraft hadn't been inspected according to international regulations after engine installations. The Swedish CAA reported that the company`s international operation permit could be limited or withdrawn as a result of the misconduct. SAS said the problem could partly be due to the fact that some of the maintenance had been outsourced to other companies. (AP, Reuters) 17 JAN 2006 Uganda planning to ban old aircraft [to table of contents]
In a significant move to improve air safety and strengthen the aviation industry, the Civil Aviation Authority in Uganda has advised airlines operators to acquire new models of aircrafts before applying for an operation licence. `The CAA will not continue to grant license to airline operators who still have old model aircrafts models like An-12 to conduct flights, whether schedules or non schedules in Uganda`, the CAA Managing Director. (The Monitor) 17 JAN 2006 Nigerian task force grounds EAS Airlines [to table of contents]
All the four airplanes of Executive Airline Services (EAS) of Nigeria have been grounded over deficiencies discovered by the task force on the verification of airworthiness status of aircraft and operational competencies of commercial aircraft operators. EAS will only be allowed to resume operations upon evidence of rectification of the problems. EAS operates three Boeing 737 and one HS 125 aircraft. (Daily Independent) 17 JAN 2006 Indonesia sets 20-year age limit for commercial jets [to table of contents]
The Indonesian government has banned the registration of commercial jet aircraft aged more than 20 years in a bid to improve aviation safety. The Transport Minister signed a decree limiting the operational age of passenger and cargo jets in the country at 20 years, or 50,000 landings and take offs. The decree applies to aircraft registered after its signing. Aircraft can currently be used for a maximum of 30 years or 70,000 landings and take offs. (AFP) 18 JAN 2006 AD and urgent safety recommendations issued to reduce Cessna 208 icing accidents [to table of contents]
The U.S. FAA adopted a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Cessna 208 and 208B aircraft, a.o. to install deicing boots on the cargo pod and landing gear fairings. The AD (2006-01-11) resulted from reports of several accidents during operations in flight and in ground icing conditions. The AD is issued to provide a safe method to detect ice, snow, frost, or slush adhering to the upper wing prior to takeoff; and to reduce drag in-flight by shedding ice on the cargo pod and landing gear fairings. Also, the NTSB issued three urgent safety recommendations to the FAA, advising to require all operators of Cessna 208 series airplanes to maintain a minimum operating airspeed of 120 knots during flight in icing conditions, even if a descent is required to do so; to prohibit all operators from conducting flight into any icing conditions determined to be more than light icing; and to require these operators to disengage the autopilot and fly the airplane manually when operating in icing conditions. (NTSB, FAA)
Recommendation A-06-01/03
18 JAN 2006 Oslo gets Europe`s first infra-red plane de-icing facility [to table of contents] Europe`s first airliner de-icing machine using infra-red heatwaves opened at Norway`s Oslo Airport, aiming to cut costs and protect the environment. Planes will taxy through the hangar as heatwaves from the roof melt ice on the planes. In New York, a similar system has been in use at Newark airport since 1999. SAS, who runs the facility, will study whether the system could save money and protect the environment by reducing use of glycols, currently sprayed on planes for de-icing. (Reuters) 19 JAN 2006 FAA issues emergency AD on Raytheon 390 hydraulic tube assembly [to table of contents]
Four cases of the in-flight loss of hydraulic fluid following the failure of the hydraulic tube assembly located on the left engine assembly on Raytheon 390 airplanes, forced the FAA to issue an emergency AD. The AD a.o. calls for the inspection and replacement of certain part numbers (FAA)
AD 2006-02-51
23 JAN 2006 Solomon Islands passenger plane hits coconut trees on takeoff [to table of contents] Reports from Solomon Islands say a plane taking off from Lata in Temotu province narrowly avoided an accident. The plane, operating on a flight for Solomon Airlines with 17 passengers on board had just taken off for Honiara when eyewitnesses say the plane hit the top of some coconut trees and then veered off to avoid crashing into a plantation. The airplane was reportedly leased from Air Fiji. (Radio New Zealand International) 24 JAN 2006 ATSB issues recommendations following Lockhart River fatal Metro accident [to table of contents]
The Australian ATSB has released recommendations to CASA as part of the investigation into the Lockhart River fatal Swearingen Metro accident on 7 May 2005. ATSB recommendations have been issued to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority to review current legislation and regulations: to seek to ensure that in an aircraft requiring a flight crew of two, both crewmembers are appropriately qualified to carry out an instrument approach; and to provide a mechanism for the phased introduction of autopilot equipment to all aircraft on the Australian civil aircraft register engaged on scheduled air transport operations. (ATSB) 24 JAN 2006 Families sue air companies after `03 UM Air Yak-42 crash [to table of contents]
The Association of the Victims of the May 2003 accident of a Yakolev 42 in Turkey are suing three companies for EUR 1 million in compensation for each person who died. The accident killed 62 Spanish peacekeeping forces and 12 crew members. Relatives of 61 of the 62 soldiers who died are suing the aircraft company UM Air from the Ukraine, the air brokers Chapman Freeborn Air marketing GmbH and the Ukrainian insurance company, Busin Joint Stock Insurance Company. (Expatica) 24 JAN 2006 Japanese government set to tighten up aviation safety laws [to table of contents]
In an effort to ensure airline and railway safety, the government will amend safety laws to permit inspections of holding firms and investment funds that control or hold a large number of shares in airline and railway firms, ministry officials said. Holding companies and investment funds are currently not subject to safety inspections. The Construction and Transport Ministry is concerned that these companies and funds may be underinvesting in safety measures to make short-term profits. The ministry will question companies during and after April about their safety measures, including whether their executives are actively involved in drawing up and implementing safety measures, and whether they have set guidelines to deal with emergencies. Executives of holding companies and representatives of investment funds, including those who have a stake of more than 33 percent in a transport firm, will be required to attend safety seminars. (The Yomiuri Shimbun) 24 JAN 2006 NTSB determines cause of fatal BAe Jetstream crash in Kirksville [to table of contents]
The NTSB determined that the cause of a BAe Jetstream accident in Kirksville, Missouri was the pilots` failure to follow established procedures and properly conduct a nonprecision instrument approach at night in IMC. This included their descent below the MDA before required visual cues were available and their failure to adhere to the established division of duties between the flying and nonflying pilot. The NTSB determined that the pilots` failure to establish and maintain a professional demeanor during the flight and fatigue likely contributed to their degraded performance. The pilots` nonessential conversation below 10, 000 feet for instance, was contrary to established sterile cockpit regulations. (NTSB)
NTSB News release
24 JAN 2006 Transport Canada suspends AOC of International Express Aircharter [to table of contents] Transport Canada suspended International Express Aircharter`s air operator certificate, effective immediately. International Express Aircharter Ltd. also does business as Regency Express Flight Operations and Sonicblue Airways. The decision to suspend the Air Operator Certificate was based on a review of the company`s record and concerns with the company`s ability to exercise operational control, including proper record keeping and aircraft maintenance. This action follows the January 21, 2006 tragic accident near Port Alberni involving a Cessna 208 Caravan operated by Sonicblue Airways (Transport Canada)
news release
27 JAN 2006 NTSB: don`t use thrust reverser credit to determine runway stopping distances [to table of contents] The U.S. NTSB urged the FAA to prohibit airlines from using credit for the use of thrust reversers when calculating stopping distances on contaminated runways. The urgent safety recommendation is the result of information learned by the NTSB during its investigation into a fatal runway overrun in Chicago last month. If the thrust reverser credit had not been allowed in calculating the stopping distance for flight 1248, the on-board laptop performance computer would have indicated that a safe landing on runway 31C was not possible. As a result a single event, the delayed deployment of the thrust reversers, can lead to an unsafe condition, as it did in this accident. (NTSB)
Safety Recommendation A-06-16
27 JAN 2006 JAL plane wreckage from 1985 crash to go public in April [to table of contents] japan Airlines will set up a center to display the wreckage of the JAL Boeing 747 that crashed in a mountainous area in Gunma Prefecture in August 1985, claiming 520 lives. The center to be established inside a building at Tokyo`s Haneda airport is to put some 30 items before the public, such as the ruptured bulkhead believed to have been the direct cause of the accident, the cockpit voice recorder and part of the main wing. JAL`s president Shimmachi said he hopes the center will be used to educate its company employees and contribute to nurturing an emphasis on safety for the entire aviation industry. All Nippon Airways is also planning to set up a facility to display the wreckage of its plane which collided with a Self-Defense Forces plane in midair over Shizukuishi, in July 30, 1971, killing all 162 people onboard. (Kyodo News) 29 JAN 2006 Iran Supreme Leader orders air transport probe [to table of contents]
Iran`s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has set up a special body to probe the condition of Iran`s ageing fleet of civilian and military aircraft. The council has been set up to provide more coordination in order to upgrade the aviation fleet and improve security and safety. The new investigative council will begin its work by looking into the two most recent accidents, in which a military C-130 crashed in Tehran and a Falcon jet carrying top army officials went down in the northwest. (IranMania) 31 JAN 2006 TSB issues safety recommendations on Cessna 208 aircraft operating in icing cond [to table of contents]
The TSB of Canada released Aviation Safety Recommendations following the fatal accident that occurred in Winnipeg, on October 6, 2005 involving a Cessna 208 aircraft. A review of aircraft performance data and the occurrences involving the Cessna 208 aircraft type indicated that it is more significantly affected by atmospheric icing than some other types of Cessna turbopropeller aircraft certified for flight into known icing conditions. A review has led the TSB to recommend that the DoT take action to restrict the dispatch of Canadian Cessna 208 series aircraft into forecast icing meteorological conditions exceeding `light,` and prohibit the continued operation in these conditions, until the airworthiness of the aircraft to operate in such conditions is demonstrated. TSB also recommends that the DoT and the FAA require that Cessna 208 operators maintain a minimum operating airspeed of 120 knots during icing conditions and exit icing conditions as soon as performance degradations prevent the aircraft from maintaining 120 knots. (TSB)
TSB Communiqué
