News
02 FEB - NTSB investigating cause of smoke in cockpit on flight over Atlantic Ocean 04 FEB - Drunk crew members ground aircraft at Malmö, Sweden
04 FEB - Garuda Indonesia pilot arrested over crash
13 FEB - CASSOA board approves activities to improve civil aviation safety and security i
13 FEB - EASA issues 26 notices of deficiencies to Finnish CAA
14 FEB - Swedish SHK releases report on B747SP airbridge collision at Stockholm
15 FEB - AAIB: Jetstream near-belly landing caused by LG switch contamination
19 FEB - ATSB Preliminary factual report on Boeing 747 electrical system event
22 FEB - Go! pilots who overshot Hilo Airport suspended
27 FEB - FAA to install runway safety warning system at LAX
27 FEB - Santa Barbara Airlines keeps ATR-42 planes grounded
28 FEB - FAA probing FedEx planes' near miss at Memphis
29 FEB - U.S. audit finds lax aircraft parts oversight
29 FEB - Aer Arann sues White Eagle Aviation over safety worry
02 FEB 2008 NTSB investigating cause of smoke in cockpit on flight over Atlantic Ocean [to table of contents]
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating an incident that occurred on January 30, 2008, in which an American Airlines B757-200, en route from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Philadelphia, diverted to West Palm Beach, Florida, and made an emergency landing after the cockpit filled with
smoke.
Of the 139 passengers and 7 crewmembers, several were transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation. All have since been released. No other injuries were reported.
According to reports from the crew, while at cruise altitude over the Atlantic Ocean, smoke began emanating from the window heating system connected to the first officer's windshield. The crew donned oxygen masks and smoke goggles and diverted to Palm Beach International Airport. During the descent to land, the inner pane of the first officer's windshield shattered. The crew continued the descent and landed without further incident.
While the cause of this particular incident is unknown and remains under investigation, the NTSB is aware of five events between 2004 and 2006 in which smoke, and in some cases fire, were reported to have originated from window heating systems in B-757 aircraft.
Based on these incidents, in September 2007 the NTSB issued two Safety Recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) asking the agency to require the installation of redesigned window heating systems in all Boeing 747, 757, 767, and 777 series aircraft. These Safety Recommendations have yet to be implemented by the FAA. (NTSB)
press release
Swedish airport officials prevented a Russian cargo plane from departing after two of its crew members were found to be under the influence of alcohol. The Antonov aircraft was ordered to remain on the ground at Malmo Airport after tests determined that its radio operator and a flight engineer were not fit to travel. (UPI, Aftonbladet) 04 FEB 2008 Garuda Indonesia pilot arrested over crash [to table of contents]
The pilot of a Garuda Indonesia aircraft that crashed at Yogyakarta airport killing 21 people in March 2007 has been arrested by police on charges that include manslaughter. The captain, who was arrested after eight hours of interrogation, was also charged with other offences including violating aviation law and could face more than five years in jail. (Reuters) 13 FEB 2008 CASSOA board approves activities to improve civil aviation safety and security i [to table of contents]
The Civil Aviation Safety and Security Oversight Agency (CASSOA) Board approved several activities geared at improving the safety and security of civil aviation industry in East Africa. The Board approved, among others, the programme of activities and budget for the financial year 2008/09; the qualifications, training and sharing of airworthiness and flight operations inspectors; and aerodrome and aviation security technical guidance materials. The Board also considered the gap analysis in airworthiness and flight operations inspectors within the region. (African Press Organization) 13 FEB 2008 EASA issues 26 notices of deficiencies to Finnish CAA [to table of contents]
The European Aviation Safety Agency has handed the Finnish Civil Aviation Authority 26 notices of deficiencies, based on inspections carried out last November. Two of the warnings are for serious incidents. The Finnish Civil Aviation Authority emphasizes that passenger safety was never at risk, and that the deficiencies included small details which have already been fixed. The European Agency's report also criticized the fact that the Aviation Authority's responsibilities and authority were not outlined specifically in Finnish law. The Ministry of Transport and Communications says it is working to address the problem. (YLE) 14 FEB 2008 Swedish SHK releases report on B747SP airbridge collision at Stockholm [to table of contents]
The Swedish SHK released their final investigation report on the accident involving a Boeing 747 SP of Syrianair in December 2006. When taxiing in to the gate the pilots were guided regarding distance and lateral deviations from a display board on the terminal building. The display was programmed by an operator from a handling company. She had received information about the arriving aircraft type from the data system at the airport, where the type code 74L was stated. She was not familiar with this specific code, but presumed it was a standard Boeing 747, which her colleagues also assumed. A standard B 747 is longer than a SP-version, implying that parking is considerably closer to the terminal building. The computer system laser scans the front profile of the parking aircraft to confirm that the correct type is programmed. Some gates at Arlanda have versions of this system that can separate different versions of the same aircraft type ( B747 – B 747 SP). This modification was not implemented at the actual gate. The operator supervised the intaxiing and when she realized that the aircraft came alarmingly close to the airbridge housing, she activated the emergency stop button. This was however already activated by the ground staff at the ramp. The top of the left wing struck the under side of the airbridge at the same time as the display indicated “STOP” and a large hole was torn up at the upper side of the wing. The accident was caused by an inadequate training programme and deficient safety guidance in respect of the gate operator’s handling of the docking system. A contributory factor was that safety shortcomings that had been pointed out earlier had not been rectified. (SHK)
SHK Report RL 2007:23e
15 FEB 2008 AAIB: Jetstream near-belly landing caused by LG switch contamination [to table of contents] The AAIB released their final investigation reporting regarding the accident involving a Jetstream 31 in October 2006. The aircraft was on a scheduled flight from Aberdeen to Wick. The commander, who was the Pilot Flying, flared the aircraft for touchdown at the normal height but as the aircraft continued to sink, he realised that the landing gear was not down. He carried out a go-around and, following a recycling of the landing gear, flew past the control tower. The controller confirmed that the landing gear was down and the aircraft diverted back to Aberdeen Airport where a safe landing was made. It was subsequently found that, during the go-around, the underside of the fuselage and the tips of the right propeller had contacted the runway surface. The investigation found that contamination of the landing gear selector switch points had acted as an electrical insulator preventing current flow to the landing gear lowering system and audible warning systems. The three green landing gear indicator lights, which are independent of this circuit, had functioned correctly. The crew had not checked the indication prior to landing and were therefore unaware that the landing gear was retracted. (AAIB)
AAIB Report No: 3/2008
19 FEB 2008 ATSB Preliminary factual report on Boeing 747 electrical system event [to table of contents] An ATSB preliminary factual report into an electrical system failure involving a Boeing 747-400 near Bangkok on 7 January 2008 indicates that the event was less serious than first reported. The aircraft, with 346 passengers and 19 crew on board, was being operated on a scheduled service between London and Bangkok. When the aircraft was at about 21,000 feet on descent to Bangkok Airport, the customer service manager notified the flight crew that a substantial water leak had occurred in the forward galley. Over the following 12 to 13 minutes, cockpit indications showed a number of electrical bus and system failures that indicated alternating current (AC) buses, 1, 2 and 3 were not powered. The status of AC bus 4 appeared normal and some systems were powered by batteries. The captains primary flight display, navigation display, and some other instruments were available in a degraded mode and the crew conducted an uneventful approach and landing in day visual meteorological conditions. Post-flight inspections identified a minor water leak in the forward galley sink drain and that an ice drawer drain was blocked. That inspection also found cracks in a fibreglass drip shield located above an electrical component rack in the aircrafts main equipment centre, as well as evidence of dark liquid stains on the shield. Further inspection found that a ribbon heater on a drain line leading to the forward grey water drain mast was inoperative, and that a length of hose on the drain line at that location was split. (ATSB)
ATSB AO-2008-003
22 FEB 2008 Go! pilots who overshot Hilo Airport suspended [to table of contents] Mesa Air Group said it has suspended two pilots of a go! airlines flight that overshot Hilo International Airport, HI (ITO) on February 13, 2008. The FAA and the airline are investigating whether the pilots had fallen asleep during the incident. Flight 1002 from Honolulu (HNL) turned back and landed safely after overshooting the airport in Hilo by 15 miles around 10:00. Officials said air traffic controllers tracking the plane by radar were unable to contact the cockpit for 25 minutes. (The Honolulu Advertiser) 27 FEB 2008 FAA to install runway safety warning system at LAX [to table of contents]
Technology that warns pilots about potential runway safety hazards will be installed at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) under a partnership between the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the City of Los Angeles. The system, called Runway Status Lights, uses a series of red lights embedded in the pavement to warn pilots if it is unsafe to cross over or enter a runway. Under an agreement between the FAA and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), pilots will begin testing Runway Status Lights at LAX — the nation’s fourth busiest airport — early next year. LAWA is funding the system, which costs an estimated $6 million. The FAA will install, test, evaluate and maintain the system. Pilots approaching a runway equipped with Runway Status Lights will see red lights illuminated if the airport’s ground surveillance radar detects traffic on or approaching that runway. Clearance to cross or enter a runway must be given by air traffic control. Pilots must verify clearance before proceeding even after the warning lights are no longer illuminated. Runway Status Lights will also be used by vehicle operators. The system is in place at Dallas/Fort Worth and San Diego and has improved runway safety without reducing capacity or increasing controller workload. (FAA)
press release
27 FEB 2008 Santa Barbara Airlines keeps ATR-42 planes grounded [to table of contents] Venezuela's Santa Barbara Airlines announced that it has voluntarily postponed the resumption of flights with turbo-prop planes of the type involved in a crash last week. The decision "is in line with the need to provide our crew members, flight assistants and other comrades with the emotional and spiritual stability that after these difficult moments they will need to start doing their jobs again," the company said in a communique. (AMT) 28 FEB 2008 FAA probing FedEx planes' near miss at Memphis [to table of contents]
Two FedEx jets got too close to each other on takeoff from Memphis Airport (MEM) because of confusion over flight numbers for the planes. On Feb. 21, two aircraft flying in the same direction on takeoff came within 200 feet vertically and 3/4 of a mile horizontally to each other, an FAA spokesperson said. Separation should have been at least 1,000 feet vertically and 3 miles horizontally. The incident began with the pilot of one plane getting on the wrong radio frequency "and accepting instructions intended for another aircraft. The flights had similar numbers - FDX527 (an MD-10 to Boston) and FDX257 (a DC-10 bound for Aguadilla, Puerto Rico (BQN). (Herald-Leader) 29 FEB 2008 U.S. audit finds lax aircraft parts oversight [to table of contents]
The U.S. DoT's Office of Inspector General issued an assessment of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) oversight of aircraft manufacturers' quality assurance systems for domestic and foreign aircraft part suppliers. Because aircraft and engine manufacturers are increasingly taking an international partnership approach to business, aircraft parts and component suppliers now produce significant parts of U.S.- and foreign- manufactured aircraft. Although aviation manufacturers are ultimately responsible for the quality of their products, FAA's Aircraft Certification Service personnel oversee manufacturers' processes for ensuring that the products meet approved design specifications and are in a condition for safe operation. The Office of Inspector General found that FAA's risk-based oversight system for suppliers needs improvement as it does not consider the degree to which manufacturers now use suppliers to make aviation products. Specifically, (1) FAA has not ensured that manufacturers are providing oversight of their suppliers, (2) FAA does not require inspectors to perform enough audits of suppliers to determine how well manufacturers' quality assurance systems are working, and (3) the systemic deficiencies we identified at 21 supplier facilities indicate that both manufacturers and FAA need to strengthen their oversight of these facilities. It was recommended that the FAA focuses on: requiring manufacturers to establish criteria for conducting on-site (initial and periodic) supplier audits, assessing risks at suppliers that produce flight-critical parts, ensuring objectivity and consistency in inspectors' risk assessments of manufacturers, correlating the number of inspector audits with the number of suppliers a manufacturer uses, and enhancing inspector training. (OIG)
OIG assessment report
29 FEB 2008 Aer Arann sues White Eagle Aviation over safety worry [to table of contents] Aer Arann from Ireland has taken legal proceedings against White Eagle Aviation (WEA) of Poland, alleging that two crewed aircraft provided by the company were defective and that the pilots' flying raised serious safety concerns. Aer Arann claims WEA has breached a contract to operate the aircraft in a safe and effective manner and in accordance with rules and regulations governing air travel. In one incident, Aer Arann alleges a pilot in one of the aircraft went 10 miles wrong when proposing to land in Galway and, in another case, claims a plane had to be diverted to Kerry airport. The aircraft involved are ATR-42's SP-KCA and SP-KCN. (ireland.com)
