Flight Safety Information August 7, 2012 - No. 160 In This Issue FAA proposes $162.4M in penalties against AMR Corp Waterbomber operator offers reward after vandalism puts aircraft in jeopardy ICAO scores Nigeria high on safety Volcano erupts in New Zealand national park, spews ash that cancels flights NZ flights grounded over safety fears Embraer 505 Runway Excursion (Switzerland) PRISM Certification Support NTSB TRAINING CENTER - Course: MANAGING COMMUNICATIONS FOLLOWING AN AIRCRAFT Invitation to the 4th Global Humanitarian Aviation Conference FAA proposes $162.4M in penalties against AMR Corp. The FAA has proposed $162.4 million in civil penalties against AMR Corp. over maintenance issues at American Airlines. The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed $162.4 million in civil penalties against Fort Worth-based AMR Corp. (PK: AAMRQ) for alleged safety and maintenance infractions by American Airlines and its affiliates. The Wall Street Journal, citing documents in AMR's bankruptcy case, reported that the FAA investigations were previously undisclosed and show that investigators and officials with the FAA have extensive concerns about American's maintenance system. Some of the problems disclosed in the investigation go back to 2007, the Journal reported. Among the investigations are several major enforcement cases, the Journal reported, including some in which investigators contend American willfully violated rules. The paper said such proposed penalties often are negotiated down and can take years to resolve. An American spokesman told the Journal that the company is aware of the claims and that the claims process is not an admission that money is owed. The spokesman said the company is continuing to discuss the alleged violations with the FAA. http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/blog/morning_call/2012/08/faa-proposes-162m-in- penalties.html Back to Top Waterbomber operator offers reward after vandalism puts aircraft in jeopardy The Martin Mars bomber was suffered vandalism damage over the weekend while moored at Sproat Lake. The operator of the Martin Mars waterbombers is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of vandals who punched holes in the tail fins of one of the planes, which could have caused it to crash. An estimated $25,000 in damage to Hawaii Mars occurred Saturday evening while the aircraft was moored on Sproat Lake, near Port Alberni. The aircraft, owned by Coulson Group of Port Alberni and on contract to the province to be called out to douse forest fires, will now be subject to 24-hour security. One or two boatloads of people came up to the aircraft where it was moored and at least one person climbed onto the wings, owner Wayne Coulson said Monday. One person scrambled down the top of the fuselage and got onto the horizontal stabilizers, which are made of a canvas-like fabric. Their feet went through the fabric, jeopardizing the aircraft's flight worthiness. Unaware of the incident, a crew arrived Sunday when they were called to a forest fire on Bowen Island. The usual pre-flight check, carried out by boat, didn't reveal any damage, so the crew boarded and got the plane underway. The Martin Mars was called off enroute because ground firefighters were able to handle the fire, so the crew did drills instead, which fortunately did not involve scooping water, Coulson said. "That's when there's a ton of torque on the aircraft." The four members of the flight crew suspected something was different with the aircraft but couldn't figure out what it was. It was only on return that someone saw the damage to the fins on the tail. The seasoned crew members, who range in age from 55 to 65, were sickened by the thought that they had flown a damaged aircraft that could have crashed, said Coulson. "It just shakes everybody - this could have been catastrophic for the aircraft and the four souls aboard." Repairs were made Sunday. Six weeks ago, someone got onto the aircraft at night and left footprints on the wing, Coulson said. The company is reluctant to put spotlights on the aircraft for fear it would disturb the growing number of residents living around the lake. Hawaii Mars is the only operational waterbomber of its kind in the world, and is capable of dropping 27,000 litres of water and fire-suppressing gel. Coulson owns a similar aircraft, Philippine Mars, which is parked on shore and not operational. Anyone who witnessed the vandalism can call Port Alberni RCMP at (250) 723- 2424 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477 . Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Back to Top ICAO scores Nigeria high on safety PLAUDITS came the way of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on its safety oversight from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO.) THE International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has scored the safety oversight carried out by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) high. ICAO's President, Mr. Roberto Gonzalez, gave the commendation in an online letter on Sunday. Reacting to the letter, the Director General of the NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren told The Moment that such recommendation is the true position of things in Nigeria aviation. 'Nigeria is the yardstick for aviation in Africa. Such recommendation is making us to do more and remain focused,' Demuren said. Speaking further, the NCAA boss said that Nigeria has been safe in terms of aviation after the ADC incidence in Abuja in 2006. He said that since 2006 up till May 2012, no accident has occurred in the country. Within this period, Demuren said Nigeria has flown over 49.76 million passengers with flight operations numbering about 978,000 within the same period. He, however, lamented that within 24 hours, the country recorded two incidence, stressing that Nigeria remains safe despite the unfortunate accidents. Nigeria is one of the 13 countries, out of the 54 in Africa, whose Level of Effective Implementation (LEI) of the critical elements of ICAO safety oversight is above the world average,' Gonzalez said in the memo. The critical elements are legislation, regulation, organisation, technical staff and training, technical guidance and tools, licensing, certification, approval, continuous surveillance and resolution of safety concerns. Gonzalez noted that the NCAA had established and implemented the elements in a consistent way, scoring 86 per cent in compliance during the audit conducted by ICAO officials. It would be recalled that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and ICAO in July also expressed confidence in the competence of the NCAA. In August, 2010, Nigerians were full of excitement when the United States Ambassador Dr. Robin Renee Sanders announced that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has awarded the much-desired Category 1 certificate to Nigeria after scaling the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) audit in July that year. http://www.momentng.com/en/news/7649/icao-scores-nigeria-high-on-safety.html Back to Top Volcano erupts in New Zealand national park, spews ash that cancels some domestic flights WELLINGTON, New Zealand - A volcano quiet for more than a century erupted in a New Zealand national park, spreading thick ash for several kilometers (miles) and causing some residents to evacuate their homes. Some domestic flights were canceled Tuesday. Mount Tongariro spewed ash and rocks for about 30 minutes late Monday night after a few weeks of increased seismic activity. It didn't cause any injuries or damage in the sparsely populated central North Island region. Tongariro National Park has three active volcanos, is a popular tourist destination and was the backdrop for many scenes in the "Lord of the Rings" movies. Some residents left their homes as a precaution, and authorities temporarily closed roads. National carrier Air New Zealand canceled or delayed domestic flights to towns near the mountain, though by Tuesday afternoon, it said it was resuming service to locations where the ash cloud had cleared. No international flights were affected. Police said a witness to the eruption described flashes and explosions followed by a cloud of ash coming from a hole in the north face of the mountain. The Department of Conservation said three hikers were staying in a hut on the opposite slope of Mount Tongariro when it erupted but they walked out of the area safely. Steve Sherburn, a volcanologist at the government agency GNS Science, said the eruption spread a layer of ash several centimeters (one or two inches) thick for several kilometers (miles). He said he'd heard reports of ash traveling on wind currents to coastal towns 100 kilometers (60 miles) away. He said the eruption was likely caused by steam pressure building within the mountain. The nation's civil defense ministry said eruption activity was subsiding though it still urged caution for people who were in the vicinity of the volcano. The park has closed hiking trails and sleeping huts on the mountain for now. New Zealand is part of the Pacific's "Ring of Fire" and has frequent geothermal and seismic activity. However, the last verified eruption of Mount Tongariro occurred in 1897, marking the end of a decade of volcanic activity. Sherburn said it was too early to determine whether the latest eruption was the start of a renewed cycle of activity. http://www.startribune.com/world/165154656.html?refer=y Back to Top NZ flights grounded over safety fears Air New Zealand says engineers are inspecting all 18 of the twin-turbo prop planes in its Eagle Air regional services fleet. Air New Zealand has cancelled all its Eagle Air regional services after hairline cracks were found in the tail of its Beech 1900D aircraft during routine maintenance. Air New Zealand has cancelled all its Eagle Air regional services after hairline cracks were found in the tail of its Beech 1900D aircraft during routine maintenance. The airline says engineers are inspecting all 18 of the twin-turbo prop planes in Eagle Air's fleet. Inspections completed on the first four aircraft have found three to be affected. Eagle Air general manager Carrie Hurihanganui said Eagle Air services had been cancelled as a precaution while the Beech fleet was checked. Alternative arrangements were being made for about 800 affected customers, using other Air New Zealand aircraft. "We apologise to customers for the inevitable inconvenience caused by undertaking a full check of our fleet. However, the safety of our customers, our staff and our aircraft is paramount and non-negotiable for the airline," she said in a statement. An airline spokeswoman told AAP there had been no flight incidents caused by the cracks. The Beech 1900D aircraft have been in service with Eagle Air since October 2001 and have an average age of 10.5 years. The 19-seat aircraft operate to 20 destinations around New Zealand. http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1679286/NZ-flights-grounded-over-safety-fears Back to Top Embraer 505 Runway Excursion (Switzerland) Date: 06 AUG 2012 Time: ca 15:40 Type: Embraer 505 Phenom 300 Operator: Dalia Air Registration: CN-MBR C/n / msn: 50500025 First flight: 2011 Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney PW535E Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 Airplane damage: Substantial Location: St. Gallen-Altenrhein Airport (ACH) (Switzerland) Phase: Landing (LDG) Nature: Executive Departure airport: Genève-Cointrin Airport (GVA) (GVA/LSGG), Switzerland Destination airport: St. Gallen-Altenrhein Airport (ACH) (ACH/LSZR), Switzerland Flightnumber: 211 Narrative: An Embraer 505 Phenom 300 corporate jet was damaged following a runway excursion accident at St. Gallen-Altenrhein Airport (ACH), Switzerland. All three on board survived. The jet departed Genève-Cointrin Airport (GVA) about 15:00 on a flight to St. Gallen. It landed on runway 10 but overshot the runway, broke through a fence and came to standstill in a field. The weather reported about the time of the accident (ca 13:40 UTC / 15:40 LT) was: LSZR 061350Z AUTO VRB01KT 9999 -RA SCT060/// OVC080/// 18/16 Q1017 [13:50 UTC: Winds Variable at 1 knot; Visibility 10+ km; light rain; Scattered clouds at 6000 feet, Overcast at 8000 feet; Temperature: 18°C, Dew point 16°C; Pressure 1017 mb] LSZR 061320Z 28014KT 9000 +RA BKN045 18/16 Q1016 NOSIG RMK I [13:20 UTC: Winds 280 degrees at 1 knot; Visibility 9000 m; heavy rain; Broken clouds at 4500 feet; Temperature: 18°C, Dew point 16°C; Pressure 1016 mb] www.aviation-safety.net Back to Top Back to Top NTSB TRAINING CENTER - Course ____________________ MANAGING COMMUNICATIONS FOLLOWING AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT OR INCIDENT October 25-26, 2012 NTSB Training Center, Ashburn, VA Tuition: $852 (Early Bird Discount: $802 for registrations received by October 8) CEUs: 1.3 DESCRIPTION The course will teach participants what to expect in the days immediately following an aviation disaster and how they can prepare for their role with the media. OVERVIEW * How the National Transportation Safety Board organizes an accident site and what can be expected in the days after an aviation disaster from the NTSB, FAA, other federal agencies, airline, airport, media and local community * Strategies for airline and airport staff to proactively manage the communication process throughout the on-scene phase of the investigation * How the NTSB public affairs officers coordinate press conferences and release of accident information and what information the spokespersons from the airport and airline will be responsible to provide to the media * Making provisions for and communicating with family members of those involved in the accident * Questions and requests likely encountered from the airlines, airport staff, family members, disaster relief agencies, local officials and others PERFORMANCE RESULTS Upon completion of this course the participant will be able to: * Be better prepared to respond to a major aviation disaster involving a flight departing from or destined for participant's airport * Demonstrate greater confidence in fielding on-scene questions about the many aspects of the investigation and its participants, including what types of specific information may be requested * Identify the appropriate Public Affairs roles for the various organizations involved in an accident investigation. * Be more productive in the first few hours after an aviation disaster by understanding which tasks are most important and why * Perform job responsibilities more professionally and with greater confidence given the knowledge and tools to manage the airport communications aspect of a major aviation disaster COMMENTS FROM PREVIOUS PARTICIPANTS "A must for people in the industry." - participant from a U.S. airline "Best two professional days I have ever spent. Very Beneficial. Provided real-life examples of guidelines of what can and can not be said." - participant from a state transportation department "Provided great insight into the role of print, wire, and live media in disseminating accurate and valid information free of spin and speculation." - participant from business aviation "Very good information for those who have never been through a major accident." - participant from a U.S. airport "As a corporate communications manager, the information is invaluable." - participant from a U.S. airline See more comments and a complete list of the 219 organizations from 28 countries that have sent staff to this training: http://www.ntsb.gov/TC/CourseInfo/PA302comments.htm Complete course description and registration information>>> http://www.ntsb.gov/trainingcenter/CourseInfo/2012-Courses/PA302_2012.html List of area hotels and restaurants>>> http://www.ntsb.gov/TC/facilityloc.htm GROUP TRAINING NOW AVAILABLE: Do you have 10 or more people in your organization that could benefit from this training? If so, it may be more cost-effective to have the course come to you. A one-day version of this course is now available and can be customized and delivered at any location. See the course description for more details: http://www.ntsb.gov/TC/CourseInfo/2011-Courses/PA303_2011.html MORE INFORMATION Web: http://www.ntsb.gov/TC/TrainingCenter.htm E-mail: TrainingCenter@ntsb.gov Phone: 571-223-3900 Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP, FRAeS, FISASI CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC