An Indian Malayalee pilot Abraham Tiju George (25), son of Elathikal George Abraham from Pathanamthitta was killed on Friday night when a small plane crashed in Florida in north Georgia. Tiju was working as a flying instructor in a training school and has been residing in America for three years.
Tiju was an aeronautical engineer from the Hindustan Aviation Academy at Bangalore.
Another person was also killed and a third person seriously injured. According to Miami Herald daily, authorities say a Cessna SkyHawk crashed around 10:45 p.m. Friday near Highway 225 south of Chatsworth. Witnesses say the plane circled before crashing into the ground near a driveway. The injured person was flown to Erlanger Medical Center for treatment.
Resident Barbie Cochran says the plane came through her son's yard and hit some trees while her children were playing hide-and-seek.
Showing posts with label Aircraft Crashes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aircraft Crashes. Show all posts
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Mid-Air Crash which Claimed the lives of two Teenage Girl Pilots
A mid-air crash which claimed the lives of two Air Training Corps cadets and their RAF instructors was said today to have been caused by the instructors being unaware of the position of the other aircraft.
Armed Forces Minister Bill Rammell said the inquiry into the accident near Porthcawl in South Wales last February concluded that 'either the pilots did not see each other, or they did not do so until it was too late'.
It is believed the planes clipped wings before tumbling in flames from the sky during a 20-minute 'air experience' flight from RAF St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan.
He said the RAF inquiry panel found 'the cause of the accident was the controlled flight of both aircraft into the same airspace at the same time as a result of both aircraft captains being unaware of the position and proximity of the other aircraft'.
In a written statement, Mr Rammell said a number of 'contributory, probable and aggravating factors' were identified and the 29 recommendations made by the panel to address them would be implemented 'as soon as practicable'.
Among the recommendations were fitting 'collision warning systems' to the training aircraft.
Cadets Nikkita Walters, 13, and Katie-Jo Davies, 14, who were cousins from Evanstown, near Gilfach Goch in the South Wales valleys, died in the crash.
Their instructors, Hylton Price, 63, from Bridgend, and Andrew Marsh, 24 from Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, were also killed.
Mr Rammell said the purpose of the inquiry was to establish the circumstances of the accident and to learn lessons from it, adding: 'It does not seek to apportion blame.'
He added: 'Our deepest sympathies remain with their families and friends. I know that the RAF community was deeply saddened and shocked by this terrible accident.'
The girls set off for the flight in the Grob Tutor aircraft used by the University of Wales Air Squadron based at the St Athan RAF base near Barry, South Wales.
The RAF Service inquiry said radar showed both were making different turns and heights until crossing above the sand dunes at Kenfig Hill.
Katie-Jo and Nikkita - who had grown up toge
Katie-Jo had joined her cousin in the 1004 Air Training Corps based in Pontypridd, South Wales, just two months earlier and both had put their names down for the taster flight.
Nikkita had been a member of the ATC for eight months and had just passed her first class cadet examinations.
Their parents declined to comment on the inquiry. But earlier the families said: 'Words cannot describe how devastated we are at the loss of our girls. They were much loved and will be so sorely missed.'
Flying Officer Price was a retired wing commander who once flew Tornados and Phantoms and was a member of the RAF voluntary reserves.
Flt Lt Marsh had only been promoted a week before the tragedy and was waiting to start advanced fast jet training at RAF Valley on Anglesey.
An inquest will be held later by Bridgend coroner Phillip Maddox. Mr Rammell said the Ministry of Defence would co-operate fully with the coroner.
Armed Forces Minister Bill Rammell said the inquiry into the accident near Porthcawl in South Wales last February concluded that 'either the pilots did not see each other, or they did not do so until it was too late'.
It is believed the planes clipped wings before tumbling in flames from the sky during a 20-minute 'air experience' flight from RAF St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan.
He said the RAF inquiry panel found 'the cause of the accident was the controlled flight of both aircraft into the same airspace at the same time as a result of both aircraft captains being unaware of the position and proximity of the other aircraft'.
In a written statement, Mr Rammell said a number of 'contributory, probable and aggravating factors' were identified and the 29 recommendations made by the panel to address them would be implemented 'as soon as practicable'.
Among the recommendations were fitting 'collision warning systems' to the training aircraft.
Cadets Nikkita Walters, 13, and Katie-Jo Davies, 14, who were cousins from Evanstown, near Gilfach Goch in the South Wales valleys, died in the crash.
Their instructors, Hylton Price, 63, from Bridgend, and Andrew Marsh, 24 from Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, were also killed.
Mr Rammell said the purpose of the inquiry was to establish the circumstances of the accident and to learn lessons from it, adding: 'It does not seek to apportion blame.'
He added: 'Our deepest sympathies remain with their families and friends. I know that the RAF community was deeply saddened and shocked by this terrible accident.'
The girls set off for the flight in the Grob Tutor aircraft used by the University of Wales Air Squadron based at the St Athan RAF base near Barry, South Wales.
The RAF Service inquiry said radar showed both were making different turns and heights until crossing above the sand dunes at Kenfig Hill.
Katie-Jo and Nikkita - who had grown up toge
Katie-Jo had joined her cousin in the 1004 Air Training Corps based in Pontypridd, South Wales, just two months earlier and both had put their names down for the taster flight.
Nikkita had been a member of the ATC for eight months and had just passed her first class cadet examinations.
Their parents declined to comment on the inquiry. But earlier the families said: 'Words cannot describe how devastated we are at the loss of our girls. They were much loved and will be so sorely missed.'
Flying Officer Price was a retired wing commander who once flew Tornados and Phantoms and was a member of the RAF voluntary reserves.
Flt Lt Marsh had only been promoted a week before the tragedy and was waiting to start advanced fast jet training at RAF Valley on Anglesey.
An inquest will be held later by Bridgend coroner Phillip Maddox. Mr Rammell said the Ministry of Defence would co-operate fully with the coroner.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Dhruv helicopter crashed in Ecuador
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has asked its team in Ecuador to look into the reasons behind the crash of a Dhruv helicopter during a military parade in Quito today in which two pilots were injured.
"Our team is stationed in Ecuador to support their Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) fleet and it is looking into the reasons behind the crash," HAL spokesperson Anantha Krishnan said over phone from Bengaluru.
"We don't have any further details of the incident," he added.
After the crash, Ecuadorian authorities grounded their fleet of the remaining six ALHs, a report from Ecuador said.
The chopper was destroyed in the accident and the crew members, who had trained in India, were injured, it added.
An ALH helicopter crashed before the start of the Aero India exhibition in 2007, killingpilot.
Ecuador had procured seven ALHs from India and one of them was being used in their Presidential fleet also.
In 2005, Indian armed forces had grounded the ALH fleet after one of the choppers made a forced landing due to problems in its tail rotors.
"Our team is stationed in Ecuador to support their Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) fleet and it is looking into the reasons behind the crash," HAL spokesperson Anantha Krishnan said over phone from Bengaluru.
"We don't have any further details of the incident," he added.
After the crash, Ecuadorian authorities grounded their fleet of the remaining six ALHs, a report from Ecuador said.
The chopper was destroyed in the accident and the crew members, who had trained in India, were injured, it added.
An ALH helicopter crashed before the start of the Aero India exhibition in 2007, killingpilot.
Ecuador had procured seven ALHs from India and one of them was being used in their Presidential fleet also.
In 2005, Indian armed forces had grounded the ALH fleet after one of the choppers made a forced landing due to problems in its tail rotors.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Air France 447 crashed with 228 people on board
An Air France plane with 228 people on board was presumed to have crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on Monday after hitting heavy turbulence on a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris.
Air France said the Airbus flew into stormy weather four hours after its scheduled take-off from the Brazilian city and shortly afterwards sent an automatic message reporting electrical faults.
Company spokesman Francois Brousse said several of the plane's mechanisms had malfunctioned, preventing it from making contact with air traffic controllers.
"It is probably a combination of circumstances that could have led to the crash," he said.
The airliner might have been hit by lightning, he said. The Brazilian air force said the plane was far out over the sea when it went missing. Military planes took off from both Brazil and Africa to hunt for it.
Flight AF 447 left Rio de Janeiro on Sunday at 7 p.m. (11 p.m. British time) and had been expected to land at Paris's Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport on Monday at 11:15 a.m. (10:15 a.m. British time).
The carrier said 216 passengers were on board, including seven children and one baby, and 12 crew members. Air France said the pilots were highly experienced.
Tearful relatives and friends were led away by airport staff after they arrived at Roissy expecting to greet the passengers.
About 20 relatives of passengers on board the flight arrived at Rio's Galeao airport on Monday morning seeking information after hearing news of its disappearance.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Emergency Landing of MD-83
The engine of an American Airlines jet broke apart in midair and showered a Queens neighborhood with shards of turbine blades as it made an emergency landing Wednesday. Luckily, no one was hurt on the Chicago-bound plane or on the ground, though pieces of the MD-83 hit a warehouse and cracked the windshields of two parked cars in College Point.
"We heard a very loud explosion followed by 30 seconds of debris raining down," said Bob Bellini, who owns Varsity Plumbing and Heating Corp. on 123rd St.
The twin-engine plane, carrying 88 passengers and five crew members, took off from LaGuardia around 8 a.m. The pilot reported trouble with the right engine minutes later, reversed course and made a beeline for Kennedy Airport.
"Captain got on and said we lost an engine and would be doing an emergency landing at Kennedy Airport," one passenger told WNBC's "News 4 New York." "[I] thought about my wife and children and just was praying that we would land safely."
The engine turbine failed but the blades did not pierce the cowling, the metal covering around the engine, or the plane's fuselage, officials said.
The aircraft was built to spit out pieces of the blades during a failure and it appears that's what it did, said National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson.
A repair history for the plane, built in 1999, was not immediately available. The Federal Aviation Administration had no record of accidents, but the model was grounded last April because of hydraulic problems.
MD-83s are a newer version of the MD-80s. Queens Borough President Helen Marshall said the series is outdated, bad for the environment and potentially dangerous.
"We are lucky no one was hurt here," she said in College Point. "They certainly need to be taken out of operation."
American spokesman Tim Smith, however, defended the model. "These aircraft are fully safe," he said.
"We heard a very loud explosion followed by 30 seconds of debris raining down," said Bob Bellini, who owns Varsity Plumbing and Heating Corp. on 123rd St.
The twin-engine plane, carrying 88 passengers and five crew members, took off from LaGuardia around 8 a.m. The pilot reported trouble with the right engine minutes later, reversed course and made a beeline for Kennedy Airport.
"Captain got on and said we lost an engine and would be doing an emergency landing at Kennedy Airport," one passenger told WNBC's "News 4 New York." "[I] thought about my wife and children and just was praying that we would land safely."
The engine turbine failed but the blades did not pierce the cowling, the metal covering around the engine, or the plane's fuselage, officials said.
The aircraft was built to spit out pieces of the blades during a failure and it appears that's what it did, said National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson.
A repair history for the plane, built in 1999, was not immediately available. The Federal Aviation Administration had no record of accidents, but the model was grounded last April because of hydraulic problems.
MD-83s are a newer version of the MD-80s. Queens Borough President Helen Marshall said the series is outdated, bad for the environment and potentially dangerous.
"We are lucky no one was hurt here," she said in College Point. "They certainly need to be taken out of operation."
American spokesman Tim Smith, however, defended the model. "These aircraft are fully safe," he said.
Friday, March 6, 2009
SARAS Crash Claims the life of two IAF Pilots and one Flight Engineer
India's national pride and the second prototype of Saras, India's first indigenously designed civilian plane, crashed during a test flight on Friday killing all the three crew members on board at Bidadi near here in a "setback" to the project.
The NAL-built small prototype aircraft crashlanded in an open area at Sheshagirihalli at 3.45 PM and burst into flames. Charred bodies of Wing Commander Praveen, Wing Commander Shah and Squadron Leader Ilayaraja were retrieved from the wreckage of the aircraft which was completely destroyed in the accident. All the three crew members were experienced persons drawn from Air Force.
Saras is a twin turboprop powered multi-role aircraft. It is designed to take-off and land on short semi-prepared runways. Saras is capable of flying upto a maximum speed of 550 Km/ hour at a cruise altitude of 7.5 km.
According to an eye witnesses, people around the spot, where the incident took place, heard a loud sound and saw the air craft coming down. It fell on a vacant plot and burst into flames. The pieces of the charred aircraft were strewn around the area.
The army, police and the fire brigade are at the spot with a rescue chopper from the HAL.
This aircraft was second prototype of Saras and was on its test flight schedule.
The aircraft crash-landed near Bidadi. It is too early to say the reason for the crash of saras. The aircraft, which is eight to 14-seater, was on its 49th test flight.
This will create a major impact on the saras project.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Turkish Airlines crash that killed nine people and injured more than 100
Investigators are examining turbulence as one of the possible causes of the Turkish Airlines crash that killed nine people and injured more than 100 near Amsterdam's main airport, a spokesman said Saturday.
Fred Sanders, a spokesman for the Dutch Safety Authority investigation team, also said that the wreckage that has lain in a muddy field since it plunged out of the sky Wednesday one mile short of the runway could be moved Sunday evening.
A Turkish pilots' group claimed that turbulence from a large plane landing at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport shortly before the doomed flight, which was carrying 135 passengers and crew from Istanbul, may have caused the crash.
Turkey Airline Pilots' Association Secretary-General Savas Sen said late Friday that a large Boeing 757 had landed at Schiphol Airport two minutes earlier. Sen said that plane most likely created "wake turbulence" that hampered the Turkish aircraft's landing.
Wake turbulence forms behind an aircraft as it passes through the air. "All possible causes are (being) investigated and turbulence is known to have caused problems in the past, so you never know," Sanders said.
The investigators on Saturday continued to analyze flight data and cockpit recordings retrieved from the Boeing 737-800's "black boxes" and hope to be able to give a preliminary cause of the crash next week.
In Istanbul, the head of Turkish Airlines' board of directors paid tribute to pilots Hasan Tahsin Arisan, Olgay Ozgur and Murat Sezer and flight attendant Ulvi Murat Eskin at their funerals.
Candan Karlitekin said that, of the 135 people on board, 126 survived due to the pilots' skills. "It was a miracle but a sad miracle," Karlitekin said in a teary address. "They saved the lives of 126 people and made their families happy, but they died themselves."
Dozens of survivors remained hospitalized Saturday and one was still in critical condition, said Heske Pohlmann, a spokeswoman for Haarlemmermeer municipality.
Boeing Co. said late Friday that three of the American victims were its employees and a fourth Boeing worker remained hospitalized.
Boeing on Friday identified the dead men as Ronald A. Richey of Duvall, Wash.; John Salman of Kent, Wash., and Ricky E. Wilson of Clinton, Wash. A fourth Boeing employee on the flight, Michael T. Hemmer, of Federal Way, Wash., was injured and remained hospitalized, a Boeing statement said.
Boeing Saturday issued a statement on behalf of Hemmer's family that said Hemmer "continues to respond well to treatment in the hospital."
Authorities did not release the identity of the other American and Turk killed.
Pieter van Vollenhoven, head of the Dutch agency investigating the crash, has said that the plane fell almost vertically from the sky, which pointed toward its engines having stopped. He said a reason for that had not yet been established.
Other possible causes under investigation include weather-related factors, insufficient fuel, loss of fuel, navigational errors, pilot fatigue or bird strikes.
Witnesses on the ground said the plane dropped from about 300 feet. It smashed into three pieces as it skidded to a halt in the mud but there was no fire.
The airline also denied reports that the plane, which was built in 2002, had had technical problems in the days before the accident. The plane underwent routine maintenance Feb. 19, and had to delay a flight Feb. 23 - the day before the crash - to replace a faulty caution light.
Fred Sanders, a spokesman for the Dutch Safety Authority investigation team, also said that the wreckage that has lain in a muddy field since it plunged out of the sky Wednesday one mile short of the runway could be moved Sunday evening.
A Turkish pilots' group claimed that turbulence from a large plane landing at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport shortly before the doomed flight, which was carrying 135 passengers and crew from Istanbul, may have caused the crash.
Turkey Airline Pilots' Association Secretary-General Savas Sen said late Friday that a large Boeing 757 had landed at Schiphol Airport two minutes earlier. Sen said that plane most likely created "wake turbulence" that hampered the Turkish aircraft's landing.
Wake turbulence forms behind an aircraft as it passes through the air. "All possible causes are (being) investigated and turbulence is known to have caused problems in the past, so you never know," Sanders said.
The investigators on Saturday continued to analyze flight data and cockpit recordings retrieved from the Boeing 737-800's "black boxes" and hope to be able to give a preliminary cause of the crash next week.
In Istanbul, the head of Turkish Airlines' board of directors paid tribute to pilots Hasan Tahsin Arisan, Olgay Ozgur and Murat Sezer and flight attendant Ulvi Murat Eskin at their funerals.
Candan Karlitekin said that, of the 135 people on board, 126 survived due to the pilots' skills. "It was a miracle but a sad miracle," Karlitekin said in a teary address. "They saved the lives of 126 people and made their families happy, but they died themselves."
Dozens of survivors remained hospitalized Saturday and one was still in critical condition, said Heske Pohlmann, a spokeswoman for Haarlemmermeer municipality.
Boeing Co. said late Friday that three of the American victims were its employees and a fourth Boeing worker remained hospitalized.
Boeing on Friday identified the dead men as Ronald A. Richey of Duvall, Wash.; John Salman of Kent, Wash., and Ricky E. Wilson of Clinton, Wash. A fourth Boeing employee on the flight, Michael T. Hemmer, of Federal Way, Wash., was injured and remained hospitalized, a Boeing statement said.
Boeing Saturday issued a statement on behalf of Hemmer's family that said Hemmer "continues to respond well to treatment in the hospital."
Authorities did not release the identity of the other American and Turk killed.
Pieter van Vollenhoven, head of the Dutch agency investigating the crash, has said that the plane fell almost vertically from the sky, which pointed toward its engines having stopped. He said a reason for that had not yet been established.
Other possible causes under investigation include weather-related factors, insufficient fuel, loss of fuel, navigational errors, pilot fatigue or bird strikes.
Witnesses on the ground said the plane dropped from about 300 feet. It smashed into three pieces as it skidded to a halt in the mud but there was no fire.
The airline also denied reports that the plane, which was built in 2002, had had technical problems in the days before the accident. The plane underwent routine maintenance Feb. 19, and had to delay a flight Feb. 23 - the day before the crash - to replace a faulty caution light.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Great Escape of Continental Airlines Flight 1404 at Denver
It was a miracle that no one was killed when an airliner veered sharply off a runway during takeoff, burst into flames and nearly broke apart, firefighters said Sunday.
There was no official word on the possible cause of the crash of Continental Flight 1404 at Denver International Airport, which injured 38 people. Flight data and cockpit voice recorders were recovered and appeared to be in good condition, the National Transportation Safety Board said Sunday.
The weather was clear but cold when the plane attempted to take off for Houston around 6:20 p.m. Saturday. Winds at the airport were 31 mph, said Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor.
"No other aircraft opted against taking off due to wind" before Flight 1404 tried to lift off, Gregor said.
The entire right side of the Boeing 737-500 was burned in the Saturday evening accident, and melted plastic from overhead compartments dripped onto the seats. Investigators said the plane's left engine was ripped away along with all the landing gear.
There was no official word on the possible cause of the crash of Continental Flight 1404 at Denver International Airport, which injured 38 people. Flight data and cockpit voice recorders were recovered and appeared to be in good condition, the National Transportation Safety Board said Sunday.
The weather was clear but cold when the plane attempted to take off for Houston around 6:20 p.m. Saturday. Winds at the airport were 31 mph, said Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor.
"No other aircraft opted against taking off due to wind" before Flight 1404 tried to lift off, Gregor said.
The entire right side of the Boeing 737-500 was burned in the Saturday evening accident, and melted plastic from overhead compartments dripped onto the seats. Investigators said the plane's left engine was ripped away along with all the landing gear.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Seven Killded and One Survived in BC Plane Crash
A remarkable story of survival is emerging from a plane crash that killed seven people Sunday off British Columbia's Sunshine Coast.
The sole survivor scrambled out of the wreckage just before it burst into flames and, enduring burns to his body, hiked for several hours down a hillside to the waterfront, according to reports. There, wrapped in a yellow sheet, he was able to flag down a coast-guard boat.
The chartered plane, a Grumman Goose flown by Pacific Coastal Airlines, crashed around 10:30 a.m. on remote South Thormanby Island, 35 miles northwest of Vancouver in the Strait of Georgia, said Wayne Bamford, a Canadian coast-guard officer. It had been taking a construction crew from Vancouver International Airport to Powell River, B.C.
It was the second deadly crash for Pacific Coastal since August, when another Grumman Goose went down on Vancouver Island, killing five people. There were two survivors. Pacific Coastal has now decided to temporarily suspend its floatplane operation.
The plane that crashed Sunday was chartered to take construction workers to Plutonic Power's hydroelectric-power plant being built in the area. The main contractor for the project is Peter Kiewit Sons, which is based in Omaha, Neb., and has offices throughout North America, including Seattle.
A Plutonic spokeswoman said her understanding is that all of the victims were Canadian. Families of the victims were being contacted Sunday night.
The rescue crew saw the survivor wave to them, said crew spokesman Drew McKee. The man looked like he was enduring terrible pain.
"His face was burned, his chest was burned, his hands were burned and he had some gashes on his body," McKee said Sunday night.
"He didn't have to fight his way out of the plane, because it was in pieces," McKee said. "He got out, and pretty close to after he got out, the plane went up with a whoomph."
The survivor was "in remarkable shape," given the disaster, said Bamford, the coast-guard officer. He was lucky to make it to the beach to be rescued before fog set in.
The man was taken to a small community hospital at Sechelt and later transferred to Vancouver General Hospital.
There had been no communication from the pilot to indicate anything was amiss, said Spencer Smith, a Pacific Coastal spokesman. The amphibious World War II-era plane was perhaps 60 years old, he said, but had been overhauled last year. According to some reports, conditions for flying were marginal Sunday morning, with thick fog in places.
Plutonic CEO Donald McInnes said 297 people are working at the plant, and crews are rotated in and out three times a day on Grumman Goose planes. He hadn't had concerns about the planes in the past.
Because Pacific Coastal Goose planes have been grounded, McInnes said, workers would be transported for now with boats, helicopters or other types of aircraft.
The sole survivor scrambled out of the wreckage just before it burst into flames and, enduring burns to his body, hiked for several hours down a hillside to the waterfront, according to reports. There, wrapped in a yellow sheet, he was able to flag down a coast-guard boat.
The chartered plane, a Grumman Goose flown by Pacific Coastal Airlines, crashed around 10:30 a.m. on remote South Thormanby Island, 35 miles northwest of Vancouver in the Strait of Georgia, said Wayne Bamford, a Canadian coast-guard officer. It had been taking a construction crew from Vancouver International Airport to Powell River, B.C.
It was the second deadly crash for Pacific Coastal since August, when another Grumman Goose went down on Vancouver Island, killing five people. There were two survivors. Pacific Coastal has now decided to temporarily suspend its floatplane operation.
The plane that crashed Sunday was chartered to take construction workers to Plutonic Power's hydroelectric-power plant being built in the area. The main contractor for the project is Peter Kiewit Sons, which is based in Omaha, Neb., and has offices throughout North America, including Seattle.
A Plutonic spokeswoman said her understanding is that all of the victims were Canadian. Families of the victims were being contacted Sunday night.
The rescue crew saw the survivor wave to them, said crew spokesman Drew McKee. The man looked like he was enduring terrible pain.
"His face was burned, his chest was burned, his hands were burned and he had some gashes on his body," McKee said Sunday night.
"He didn't have to fight his way out of the plane, because it was in pieces," McKee said. "He got out, and pretty close to after he got out, the plane went up with a whoomph."
The survivor was "in remarkable shape," given the disaster, said Bamford, the coast-guard officer. He was lucky to make it to the beach to be rescued before fog set in.
The man was taken to a small community hospital at Sechelt and later transferred to Vancouver General Hospital.
There had been no communication from the pilot to indicate anything was amiss, said Spencer Smith, a Pacific Coastal spokesman. The amphibious World War II-era plane was perhaps 60 years old, he said, but had been overhauled last year. According to some reports, conditions for flying were marginal Sunday morning, with thick fog in places.
Plutonic CEO Donald McInnes said 297 people are working at the plant, and crews are rotated in and out three times a day on Grumman Goose planes. He hadn't had concerns about the planes in the past.
Because Pacific Coastal Goose planes have been grounded, McInnes said, workers would be transported for now with boats, helicopters or other types of aircraft.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
50th Year Memorial of the Island Plane Crash
A monument has been unveiled in memory of 45 people who died when a flying boat crashed on island 51 years ago. The Aquilla Airlines plane, carrying 50 passengers and eight crew, crashed into a disused chalk pit near Chessell on 15 November 1957.
Forty-three passengers and crew died at the scene and two died later. A permanent memorial was dedicated to St Mary's Church in Brook, close to the crash site, on Sunday afternoon.
The plane, en route from Southampton to Las Palmas and Madeira via Lisbon, developed engine problems shortly after take-off and crashed at about 2250 GMT. It was a rather nasty scene, what with the 2,358 gallons of 130-octane aviation fuel all going up in smoke
Three honeymooning couples were among those who died. Ivor Passmore, of Ringwood, was rostered to work on the flying boat on the night of the disaster, but was taken off at the last moment. The news was broken to him the next morning.
He said: "I swapped my trip with an engineer onboard because he wanted to take his driving test, and also his mother-in-law had died and he wanted to go to her funeral. "We were down there seeing it off at 10 o'clock at night."
Mr Passmore said the first he knew about the crash was when his landlady woke him in the morning to tell him the flying boat had crashed. He immediately went to the crash site. "It was a rather nasty scene, what with the 2,358 gallons of 130-octane aviation fuel all going up in smoke. "You can imagine that it was pretty horrific."
Last year, a special service attended by survivors and relatives of those who died was held at St Mary's Church to mark the 50th anniversary of the crash.
Forty-three passengers and crew died at the scene and two died later. A permanent memorial was dedicated to St Mary's Church in Brook, close to the crash site, on Sunday afternoon.
The plane, en route from Southampton to Las Palmas and Madeira via Lisbon, developed engine problems shortly after take-off and crashed at about 2250 GMT. It was a rather nasty scene, what with the 2,358 gallons of 130-octane aviation fuel all going up in smoke
Three honeymooning couples were among those who died. Ivor Passmore, of Ringwood, was rostered to work on the flying boat on the night of the disaster, but was taken off at the last moment. The news was broken to him the next morning.
He said: "I swapped my trip with an engineer onboard because he wanted to take his driving test, and also his mother-in-law had died and he wanted to go to her funeral. "We were down there seeing it off at 10 o'clock at night."
Mr Passmore said the first he knew about the crash was when his landlady woke him in the morning to tell him the flying boat had crashed. He immediately went to the crash site. "It was a rather nasty scene, what with the 2,358 gallons of 130-octane aviation fuel all going up in smoke. "You can imagine that it was pretty horrific."
Last year, a special service attended by survivors and relatives of those who died was held at St Mary's Church to mark the 50th anniversary of the crash.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Yeti Airlines plane crashed in Nepal Killed 17
Nepal—An airport official says a Yeti Airlines plane has crashed in Nepal, killing 17 people, including 14 tourists from Germany and Switzerland and two Nepalese crew members.
Mohan Adhikari, general manager of the Katmandu airport, says the plane hit the airport boundary fence while landing at Lukla airport. Lukla is 185 miles (300 kilometers) east of Katmandu.
Adhikari says those killed in Wednesday's crash included 12 German tourists and two Swiss. The identity of one passenger killed in the crash was not immediately known.
Adhikari said a total of 18 people were on board. One Nepalese pilot survived the crash.
Mohan Adhikari, general manager of the Katmandu airport, says the plane hit the airport boundary fence while landing at Lukla airport. Lukla is 185 miles (300 kilometers) east of Katmandu.
Adhikari says those killed in Wednesday's crash included 12 German tourists and two Swiss. The identity of one passenger killed in the crash was not immediately known.
Adhikari said a total of 18 people were on board. One Nepalese pilot survived the crash.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Itek Air Boeing 737 Crash
A passenger plane has crashed shortly after take-off from Kyrgyzstan's capital, Bishkek, killing 68 out of the 90 passengers and crew, officials say.
There were many foreigners on board, including Iranians and Canadians.
The Itek Air Boeing 737 took off bound for Iran, but turned round about 10 minutes later.
An airport spokeswoman said the crew had reported a technical problem, and the plane crashed not far from the airport and caught fire.
Ambulances and fire-fighting equipment from the nearby US air base at Manas, 30km (20 miles) from Bishkek, were despatched to help with the rescue effort.
The passenger list is as follows:
52 Iranians
24 Kyrgyz
Three Kazakhs
Two Canadians
One Chinese
One Turk
Seven crew
There were many foreigners on board, including Iranians and Canadians.
The Itek Air Boeing 737 took off bound for Iran, but turned round about 10 minutes later.
An airport spokeswoman said the crew had reported a technical problem, and the plane crashed not far from the airport and caught fire.
Ambulances and fire-fighting equipment from the nearby US air base at Manas, 30km (20 miles) from Bishkek, were despatched to help with the rescue effort.
The passenger list is as follows:
52 Iranians
24 Kyrgyz
Three Kazakhs
Two Canadians
One Chinese
One Turk
Seven crew
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