News
04 JUN - NTSB issues recommendations on airport diagrams 04 JUN - Air France, insurers suing Toronto Airport, NavCanada over 2005 crash
05 JUN - FSF and AviAssist team to boost aviation safety in East and Southern Africa
13 JUN - NTSB: urgent recommendations for Eclipse 500 throttle quadrant inspections
13 JUN - FAA isses emergency AD on Eclipse 500 throttle quadrants
17 JUN - Kenya: probe air safety, says National Assembly speaker
17 JUN - Nigeria: World Bank approves $46.7m lifeline for aviation infrastructure
18 JUN - Macau, France sign aircraft accident cooperation agreement
18 JUN - Peruvian DGAC grounds scheduled flights of Aerocondor
18 JUN - FAA raises safety rating for Bulgaria
18 JUN - NTSB issues recommendations after Traverse City CRJ overrun
18 JUN - Mexico suspends AOC of Magnicharters
19 JUN - ATSB releases preliminary report into Metro III collision with water
22 JUN - Sudan CAA grounds Sudan Airways over safety issues
24 JUN - Sudan Airways' grounding lifted again by CAA
26 JUN - Study: Analysis, causality and proof in safety investigations
27 JUN - Australians more confident about air safety – survey
27 JUN - Australians CASA grounds Aero-Tropics
04 JUN 2008 NTSB issues recommendations on airport diagrams [to table of contents]
While investigating a ground collision at Newark when two aircraft clipped wings, a safety issue was revealed that, though not causal or contributing to the accident, could compromise safety under other circumstances. At the time of the accident, two taxiway designations were incorrectly labeled on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) EWR airport diagram.
The National Transportation Safety Board thus recommends that the U.S. FAA:
Develop and document formal guidance for the revision, publication, and review of airport diagrams that contains, at a minimum, a review of draft diagrams before publication, as well as a control to ensure that reviews are performed each publication cycle as required in FAA Order 7910.4C, Airport Diagrams. (A-08-30)
Revise FAA Order 7910.4C, Airport Diagrams, to ensure airport district offices review revised airport diagrams in their respective regions each publication cycle. (A-08-31) (NTSB)
NTSB Safety Recommendations A-08-30 and -31
Air France and its insurers are suing the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, and NavCanada for some $180 million, charging they all cut corners that contributed to the crash of its Airbus A340 in 2005. The airline says the design of Toronto International Airport's runway 24L failed to ensure there was an "adequate margin of safety for aircraft in the event of an overrun event." The runway ends at a steep ravine. The claim filed with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice that a.o. states "GTAA failed to provide a safe environment for the conduct of civil air operations." (The Star) 05 JUN 2008 FSF and AviAssist team to boost aviation safety in East and Southern Africa [to table of contents]
Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) and AviAssist Foundation have developed a partnership to address aviation safety and security issues in the East and Southern African (ESAF) region. The independent AviAssist Foundation identifies threats to aviation safety, analyses the problems and works on practical solutions to them. The Foundation provides pro-active safety support to aviation organisations (government and industry) in the 22 States of the ICAO East and Southern African (ESAF) region. (FSF)
news release
13 JUN 2008 NTSB: urgent recommendations for Eclipse 500 throttle quadrant inspections [to table of contents] The National Transportation Safety Board issued two urgent recommendations to the U.S. FAA to address a safety issue concerning a failure that resulted in uncontrollable engine thrust in an Eclipse 500 airplane and the lack of emergency procedures developed for that failure. The Safety Board recommended that the FAA should require immediate inspection of all Eclipse 500 airplane throttle quadrants to ensure that pushing the throttle levers against the maximum power stops will not result in an engine control failure, and that the FAA should further require that all units that fail inspection be replaced and replacement parts be similarly inspected. The Board also recommended that the FAA require Eclipse to immediately develop for the Eclipse 500 airplane an emergency procedure for a dual engine control failure and incorporate the procedure into the airplane flight manual and quick reference handbook via an airworthiness directive. (NTSB)
NTSB Safety Recommendations A08-46/47
13 JUN 2008 FAA isses emergency AD on Eclipse 500 throttle quadrants [to table of contents] The FAA issued an emergency airworthiness direction regarding a.o. an inspection of the Eclipse 500 throttle quadrants following an incident on June 5, 2008. Following a windshear encounter on final approach, the pilot of an Eclipse 500 jet applied full throttle using enough force against the forward stops to exceed the design throttle position signal maximum range. The associated fault mode held the engine thrust settings at the last known throttle position, which was maximum. Following the balked landing, the pilot elected to shutdown one engine. Upon shutdown of one engine, the opposite engine thrust reduced to idle and was unresponsive to subsequent throttle lever movement. The pilot was able to land the aircraft with no injury or substantial damage, although both main tires were blown during the event. Exceeding the throttle position signal maximum range could cause loss of left and right engine control, which could result in the inability to maintain desired airspeed and/or altitude with consequent loss of control. (FAA)
AD 2008-13-51
17 JUN 2008 Kenya: probe air safety, says National Assembly speaker [to table of contents] Kenyan National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende said Kenya Civil Aviation Authority bosses should be fired for alleged incompetence. He said investigations should be carried out to establish the safety of Kenya's air space because the accident in which two ministers died was an indicator that something was not right. (The Nation) 17 JUN 2008 Nigeria: World Bank approves $46.7m lifeline for aviation infrastructure [to table of contents]
The World Bank has approved a $46.7 million lifeline for the upgrading of aviation infrastructure at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT). Speaking in Lagos, the Senior Transport Specialist Africa Transport (AFTTR), Mr. Pierre Pozzo Di Borgo, assured that the execution of all infrastructural projects at the nation's airports would move faster in the next one month. Borgo, who spoke during a meeting with the Managing Director of the FAAN, further said that the project would be completed before 2011. The project development objectives include improving the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) safety standards. (Leadership) 18 JUN 2008 Macau, France sign aircraft accident cooperation agreement [to table of contents]
The Civil Aviation Authority of Macau (AACM) and the Investigation Bureau for Civil Aviation of France (BEA) met in Macau to discuss mutual cooperation relating to aircraft accident and incident investigation. The two parties signed a Declaration of Intent in which Macau and France will cooperate in aircraft accident and incident investigation, investigation training and sharing of information and expertise. According to the cooperation agreement, both parties will exchange views on the latest development of international standards, and share experiences on the making of laws and rules administered in each party that govern aircraft accident and incident investigation. With the agreement, parties are expected to facilitate exchanges of personnel for training and development, including investigation training courses, hands-on experience and observer status at major investigation accident sites, as well as offer assistance and the use of air safety investigation facilities and equipment to the other party as it deems appropriate and as resources permit. (Macau Daily Times) 18 JUN 2008 Peruvian DGAC grounds scheduled flights of Aerocondor [to table of contents]
The Peruvian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) suspended all scheduled Boeing 737-200 flights of Aerocondor indefinitely, citing safety reasons. The suspension went into effect on June 10 ,but the airline is still allowed to operate charter flights. The airline says it grounded those aircraft due to fuel costs. (RPP Noticias) 18 JUN 2008 FAA raises safety rating for Bulgaria [to table of contents]
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that Bulgaria complies with international safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), following a reassessment of the country’s civil aviation authority in January 2008. Bulgaria is now raised from the Category 2 safety rating given in September 2003 to Category 1. A Category 1 rating means the country’s civil aviation authority complies with ICAO standards. A Category 2 rating means a country either lacks laws or regulations necessary to oversee air carriers in accordance with minimum international standards, or that its civil aviation authority — equivalent to the FAA for aviation safety matters — is deficient in one or more areas, such as technical expertise, trained personnel, recordkeeping, or inspection procedures. (FAA)
press release
18 JUN 2008 NTSB issues recommendations after Traverse City CRJ overrun [to table of contents] After completing the investigation into the April 2007 accident at Traverse City (TVC) in which a Canadair Regional Jet overran the runway, the NTSB issued four new safety recommendations. They also reiterated three earl recommendations. The new recommendations to the FAA are: Emphasize with principal operations inspectors the importance of conducting timely postaccident drug and alcohol testing. (A-08-40) As part of the Takeoff/Landing Performance Assessment Aviation Rulemaking Committee, address the need for initial training on the rationale for and criticality of conducting landing distance assessments before landing on contaminated runways. (A-08-41) Issue a CertAlert to all 14 CFR 139 certificated airports that describes the circumstances of this accident, emphasizes the importance of specific and decisive radio communications, and urges airports to ensure that those criteria are being met in all airfield radio communications. (A-08-42) Require all 14 CFR 139 certificated airport operators to include in their airport's snow and ice control plan absolute criteria for type and depth of contamination and runway friction assessments that, when met, would trigger immediate closure of the affected runway to air carrier operations. Friction assessments should be based on pilot braking action reports, values obtained from ground friction measuring equipment, or estimates provided by airport ground personnel. (A-08-43) (NTSB)
Safety recommendations
18 JUN 2008 Mexico suspends AOC of Magnicharters [to table of contents] To ensure the safety of air passengers, the Mexican Ministry of Communications and Transport (SCT), through the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) suspended on June 10, the operations Magnicharters. As part of the routine checks carried out by the DGCA during the previous two weeks the airline Magnicharters was visited by 18 inspectors. A significant number of anomalies in the maintenance of aircraft were found, as well as shortcomings in the area of training. Additionally, there was a difficult financial situation in the company, which hampers their ability to maintain a healthy and sustainable operation. The SCT granted the company a period of up to 90 calendar days to resolve the problems identified, as a prerequisite to enable it to return to service. Magnicharters operates a fleet of five Boeing 737 type aircraft with an average age of 23 years and flies routes within the country to 13 cities. (Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes) 19 JUN 2008 ATSB releases preliminary report into Metro III collision with water [to table of contents]
The Australian ATSB released a preliminary report on the accident involving a Metro III. On 9 April 2008, a Metro III aircraft departing Sydney, NSW was observed on radar to be turning contrary to air traffic control instructions. The pilot reported that he had a slight technical fault. Recorded radar data showed the aircraft then completed a turn to the left before turning back to the right and disappearing from radar at an altitude of 3,900 ft. Searchers later discovered a small amount of aircraft wreckage floating in the ocean, south of the last recorded radar position. The investigation is continuing. (ATSB)
ATSB AO-2008-026
22 JUN 2008 Sudan CAA grounds Sudan Airways over safety issues [to table of contents] The Sudanese CAA has grounded national carrier Sudan Airways because it says the airline does not meet international standards. The decision comes less than two weeks after a Sudan Airways Airbus A310 crashed on landing at Khartoum Airport. But the CAA said in a statement that the decision had nothing to do with the accident and that the airline had failed to take measures put in place by the authority in May. (AFP) 24 JUN 2008 Sudan Airways' grounding lifted again by CAA [to table of contents]
Sudan Airways flights resumed a few hours after the airline's fleet was grounded for violating civil aviation requirements, a civil aviation official said. After an appeal from Sudan Airways, the CAA allowed the airline to resume its flights after it committed to fixing the violations. New audits are planned in two weeks to see if the airline has corrected the issues. (AP) 26 JUN 2008 Study: Analysis, causality and proof in safety investigations [to table of contents]
The Australian ATSB released a study on the analysis, causality and proof in safety investigations. The quality of a safety investigation's analysis activities plays a critical role in determining whether the investigation is successful in enhancing safety. However, safety investigations require analysis of complex sets of data and situations where the available data can be vague, incomplete and misleading. Despite its importance, complexity, and reliance on investigators' judgements, analysis has been a neglected area in terms of standards, guidance and training of investigators in most organisations that conduct safety investigations. To address this situation, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) developed a comprehensive investigation analysis framework. The report provides an overview of the ATSB investigation analysis framework and concepts such as the determination of contribution and standard of proof. The report concludes by examining the nature of concerns that have been raised regarding the ATSB analysis framework and the ATSB's consideration of these concerns. The ATSB believes that its investigation analysis framework is well suited to its role as an independent, no-blame safety investigation body. It is hoped and expected that ongoing development and provision of information about the framework can help the safety investigation field as a whole consider some important issues and help develop the best means of conducting safety investigations to enhance future safety. (ATSB)
ATSB Document: AR2007053
27 JUN 2008 Australians more confident about air safety – survey [to table of contents] A total of 78 per cent of Australians say they are completely confident or very confident about their safety when flying between Australian capital cities – up four per cent on the same survey done three years ago. Confidence in the safety of flights in regional Australia has also increased, with 64 per cent of people saying they are highly confident about their safety. The survey found 55 per cent of Australians believe flights between capital cities are safer than similar flights in other leading aviation nations, such as the United States. Only two per cent believe flights are less safe. The number of people who are concerned about air safety has remained very low, at five per cent – down one per cent on the 2005 survey. Reasons for being worried about safety include psychological factors, mechanical problems with aircraft and human error. The number of people concerned about terrorism fell from 52 per cent in 2005 to 16 per cent this year. (CASA)
media release
27 JUN 2008 Australians CASA grounds Aero-Tropics [to table of contents] The Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has grounded Aero-Tropics after it allegedly failed to meet pilot training and safety standards. Aero-Tropics was served with a notice to ground all aircraft at 6pm (AEST). The grounding comes after a 10 month investigation into training and the checking of pilots at the airline. The airline will be grounded for at least five days. CASA will now apply to the Federal Court for a 40 day extension to the grounding. (AAP)
