Flight Safety Information October 01, 2012 - No. 198 In This Issue Nepal plane crash: UK team joins investigations UK keen to help Nepal in air safety Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Nigeria lands safely after emergency over landing gear Did the Captain Fly 9 Years Past Retirement Age? Airport Passengers Fined For Concealing Prohibited Agriculture Goods Three injured in crash of north Texas hospital helicopter PRISM Certification Support Aircraft disinfection - a Nigerian case Serbia Asks FAA for Higher Rating to Enable Flights to U.S. 2012 Aviation and Transportation Law Conference NTSB Course - MANAGING COMMUNICATIONS FOLLOWING AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT OR INCIDENT Nepal plane crash: UK team joins investigations (BBC) Investigations have begun into a plane crash in Nepal which killed 19 passengers, including seven Britons. Two members of the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch have arrived in Kathmandu to help the authorities. Reports from Nepal have suggested pilot error may be to blame for the crash, which also killed seven Nepalis and five Chinese nationals. The plane, belonging to Nepal's Sita Air, was heading east from Kathmandu to Lukla, the gateway to Mount Everest. The town is a popular destination for trekkers. All passengers and crew were killed when the Dornier twin-engine propeller plane crashed two minutes after take-off from Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport at 06:15 local time on Friday. Suresh Acharya, a senior official in the aviation ministry, told news agency AFP the British investigators would assist the Nepalese authorities, who were due to report on the cause of the crash within three months. "They will visit the crash site, collect factual information and will work with the investigation commission. They will attend the first meeting of the probe committee scheduled for Sunday afternoon," he said. Trekking expedition Initial reports suggested a bird strike was to blame, but the Nepalese aviation ministry is reported to have said it believes it was due to pilot error. Mr Acharya told AFP on Saturday: "The preliminary finding of the Civil Aviation Authority notices unusual manoeuvring during the takeoff and the pilot communicated to air traffic control the aircraft was hit by a bird. "But a plane crash does not occur simply just because its engine was hit by a bird," he said. "The pilot may have been panic-stricken," he added, and "made a steep narrow turn instead of forming a wider radius required to bring the malfunctioning aircraft back to the runway." Deependra Shahi, Sita Air's Sales and Marketing Manager, told the BBC he had been informed the plane's engine burst into flames after being hit by a bird, adding that the aircraft had been in "sound condition". The dead Britons were named as as Raymond Eagle, 58, from Macclesfield, Cheshire, Timothy Oakes, 57, from Winwick, near Warrington, and his friend Stephen Holding, 60, from Stoke-on-Trent. Christopher Davey spent most of his free time doing charity work, his friends said Vincent Kelly, 50, from Lostock, Bolton, and his brother Darren, 45, who moved from Bolton to the village of Isle of Whithorn in southern Galloway a few years ago, lawyer Benjamin Ogden, 27, from London and Christopher Davey, 51, from Northampton, also died. On Sunday, tributes were paid to Mr Davey, an electronics engineer who was making his second trip to the Everest base camp. His former colleague of 27 years, Andy Pickering, said: "Chris didn't have a family or kids. He spent most of his time outside work working for charities - perhaps his one indulgence was going on these treks around the world. "When we found out all the crazy places he was going, we often used to joke about making sure he came back safe and well because he was such a desperately vital part of our team." Another former colleague, David Brown said: "Chris never made much of all he did with Rotary, and all the people they helped in turn. I suppose that sums him up, quietly generous with his time and not seeking the limelight." Having arrived in Nepal on Wednesday, the British group had been due to start trekking on Friday on an expedition scheduled to last until mid-October. They were travelling with Hampshire-based travel company Explore Worldwide, which said a representative had arrived in Nepal to provide support to staff and other tour groups in the country. Back to Top UK keen to help Nepal in air safety . KATHMANDU: The United Kingdom is willing to assist Nepal improve air safety. A team from the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has said that they will ask the UK government to assist Nepal in maintaining air safety by providing technical assistance in the most essential areas, according to joint secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Suresh Acharya. . The team has asked the ministry to identify the areas where the UK government can offer help, he said, adding that the UK government can provide assistance in installing equipment and other technical support to Nepal, if needed. AAIB has deployed a two-member team to assist the Nepali government in probing Friday's crash of a Sita Air aircraft. The crash had killed all 19 people on board, including seven Britons. The UK government decided to deploy its investigation officials after its citizens too were killed in the crash. . Senior inspector of Air Accidents at AAIB Geraint Herbert and head of Group Projects at MEL Aviation Ltd Stuart Hawkins had arrived in Kathmandu on Saturday evening to initiate the investigation, said Acharya. "Any country can deploy its own investigation team according to International Civil Aviation Organisation standards." . They will work with the five-member probe team formed by the government on Friday evening. The team from UK today visited the crash site, mapped the site in detail, and inspected the airstrip where the dead bird was found, according to Acharya. Similarly, the team members also interviewed eyewitnesses as part of their investigation, he informed. . Meanwhile, alarmed by frequent plane crashes, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has said it will form a separate and permanent body to investigate aviation accidents. It has also decided to form a high-level aviation safety agency to enhance aviation safety. It has also decided to give priority to developing aviation safety infrastructure. . http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=UK+keen+to+help+Nepal+in+air+safety&NewsID=349190 Back to Top Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Nigeria lands safely after emergency over landing gear LAGOS, Nigeria (AP)- A Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Nigeria landed safely Saturday after the pilot discovered a problem with the aircraft's landing gear, authorities said. The Airbus 330 aircraft, carrying 148 passengers and 14 crew members, landed in Lagos just after 1 p.m. local time (1200 GMT) with no one onboard sustaining any injuries, state emergency management director Femi Oke-Osanyintolu said. Qatar Airways said the flight's pilot noticed one of the 10 tires on the aircraft had a low pressure after taking off from Doha early Saturday morning. The airline said the pilot did not declare an emergency over the tire, though local officials said the pilot had. Firefighting equipment and emergency workers stood by for the aircraft's landing at Lagos' Murtala Muhammed International Airport, said Harold Demuren, director-general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. Images of the aircraft after its landing showed the tire had peeled away from the landing gear. Those onboard later said they had no idea the flight had any problem until after it landed. Foreign carriers flying into Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, have had troubles before, including arriving at airports and finding their runway lights out. In one case involving an Air France flight in 2005, an airplane tore through a herd of cattle that somehow found its way onto a runway at Port Harcourt's international airport. Local air carriers in Nigeria remain plagued by funding problems and allegations of corruption in the country. In June, a Dana Air flight from Abuja to Lagos crashed just before landing, killing more than 160 people. Recently, the nation's top carrier, Arik Air Ltd., suspended flights over what it claimed was government interference and corruption by the nation's aviation minister. The airline has resumed its flights. Back to Top Did the Captain Fly 9 Years Past Retirement Age? By: Christine Negroni Thomas Good's Facebook photo Did airline captain Thomas Good fly right by the mandatory retirement age for commercial pilots? The Federal Aviation Administration would like to know. To some of his fellow aviators at American Eagle's Executive Air Good is already a legend. A spokesman for the FAA says it is investigating whether Good, until recently a captain with the regional carrier Executive Air, falsified his age on official documents. Good failed to respond to messages sent to him through Facebook. Pilots who claim to have flown with him say the pilot, who is believed to be 69, was nabbed when authorities noticed a discrepancy on his documents that called his age into question. The mandatory retirement age for airline pilots is 65 after being raised from 60 to conform with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization. If Capt. Good's former co-workers are correct, the regional pilot would have been 4 years past the mandatory retirement age when it was raised in 2007. The Air Line Pilots Association which represents the American Airlines regional pilots and the Allied Pilots Association representing American Airlines, were outspoken opponents of giving older flyers another 5 years in the cockpit. Both labor organizations were concerned that raising the retirement age would slow promotions. In a online chat forum for American Eagle pilots, several posters raised that point, noting that Good had prevented the promotion of pilots beneath him. Pilot pay as well as schedule and route choices are based on seniority. Others said that Good had become "famous" with his "colorful story" and that his antics were a "breath of fresh air." A spokeswoman for American Airlines said "Thomas Good is no longer employed by Executive Airlines" and declined further comment saying it was a personnel matter. http://blog.seattlepi.com/flyinglessons/2012/09/28/did-the-captain-fly-9-years-past-retirement-age/ Back to Top Airport Passengers Fined For Concealing Prohibited Agriculture Goods September 22, 2012 - They're not terrorists, but they could introduce something economically devastating. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists at Washington Dulles and Baltimore Washington international airports fined two travelers $300 each this week for deliberately, but unsuccessfully smuggling prohibited agriculture products in their luggage. The BWI passenger, who arrived from Jamaica concealed four guavas inside the lining of a purse inside her baggage and two peppers inside the liner of her suitcase. The Dulles passenger, who arrived from Mongolia was even more creative, concealing about 12 pounds of raw beef and pork sausage inside juice boxes and other food containers. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists discovered 12 pounds of raw beef and pork concealed inside juice boxes and snack food containers at Washington Dulles International Airport. CBP is the nation's frontline protectors of America's agriculture industries. A third passenger, who arrived to Dulles from Cameroon, failed to honestly declare 4 pounds, 6 ounces of beef that CBP agriculture specialists discovered inside her luggage and was assessed a $300 penalty. Fruit are potential vectors for invasive insect pests and fruit diseases that could cripple America's crop industries. CBP enforces USDA's regulations governing the import of animal products to reduce the risk of introducing exotic animal diseases into the United States. "It is very alarming that passengers are taking extreme efforts to conceal agriculture products that should be declared during the Customs and Border Protection arrivals inspection," said Michael Lovejoy, Director, CBP Baltimore Field Office. "These are very serious threats because of the potentially severe agriculture and economic consequences that plant and animal diseases pose. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists take their job of protecting America's agriculture very seriously." CBP employs several tactics to ensure passenger compliance with U.S. agriculture laws. First is the CBP Declaration Form which asks travelers to truthfully declare what they are bringing to the U.S. A CBP officer will ask those questions again during the primary arrivals inspection. A CBP agriculture detector dog, a beagle, patrols the primary and baggage return floors searching for agriculture products. Some passengers, and in some cases entire flights, may be referred to a secondary examination where CBP x-rays baggage, and if necessary, opens and searches baggage. "Generally, most passengers are honest law-abiding travelers who truthfully declare all agriculture and other products they are bringing to the U.S.," said Lovejoy. "But there is a small percentage of travelers who deliberately attempt to circumvent our compliance inspections. All it takes is one diseased fruit or meat product introduced into our crop or livestock industries and we have the potential for an economic crisis. It is our job to stop those potential threats at our nation's borders." CBP offers passengers several opportunities to truthfully declare all agriculture products that they possess, and only assesses civil penalties to those passengers who remain defiant. A small percentage of travelers remain evasive and are assessed civil penalties. During fiscal year 2011, which spans Oct. 1, 2010 through Sept. 30, 2011, CBP agriculture specialists at Washington Dulles seized more than 30,000 prohibited agriculture products and assessed 234 civil penalties, and at BWI, more than 4,000 prohibited agriculture products and assessed 17 civil penalties. CBP agriculture specialists have extensive training and experience in the biological sciences and agricultural inspection. On a typical day, they inspect tens of thousands of international air passengers, and air and sea cargoes nationally being imported to the United States and seize 4,291 prohibited meat, plant materials or animal products, including 470 insect pests. http://avstop.com/September_2012/ Back to Top Three injured in crash of north Texas hospital helicopter EASTLAND, Texas - A CareFlite medical helicopter with a crew of three on board crashed near Eastland on Sunday morning on its way to pick up a patient. All three CareFlite personnel suffered "minor to moderate" but not life-threatening injuries, said company president and CEO Jim Swartz, who referred to the incident as a "hard landing." The crash site - near County Road 309 - was less than six miles from the Eastland Municipal Airport, where the patient was waiting. Photos from the crash site in a farm field showed the cabin of the helicopter on its left side but with the tail rotor in an upright position. Department of Public Safety spokesman Trooper Sparky Dean said the injured were taken by ground ambulance to a hospital in Eastland. He said the helicopter's engine was still running when it hit the ground around 9:30 a.m. Swartz said the cause of the accident was unknown, but added that the crew of the 10-year-old Agusta 109 helicopter was experienced. He said there will be a full investigation. The company was dispatching ambulances to bring the injured employees back to Fort Worth. They were identified as: *Pilot Scott Wayne Wallace, 58, of Fort Worth *Medic Teresa Lynn Campbell, 53, of Granbury *Medic Rhett Derek Drahen, 34, of Frisco All three were said to be conscious and talking at the crash site. Representatives of the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were expected to examine the wreckage on Monday. Eastland, the seat of Eastland County, is about 90 miles southwest of Fort Worth. A pilot and a mechanic were killed two years ago in the fiery crash of a CareFlite helicopter in Ellis County. http://www.kens5.com/news/Three-injured-in-crash-of-north-Texas-hospital-helicopter-172009491.html Back to Top Back to Top Aircraft disinfection - a Nigerian case The Virgin Atlantic airline was filled with children, mothers, fathers, students and businessmen. Destination: London. Some minutes before takeoff, a smooth female voice filled the plane. She greeted and introduced her crew members. There was a pause. From the plane's speakers, a sigh dropped. It left an echo that bounced inside the plane. Then, like a broken faucet, the voice released these words: "It is a requirement by International Civil Aviation Organisation that the planes must be sprayed with insecticides before takeoff." Immediately, air hosts walked down the aisle and held spitting cans. White smoke filled the plane which died later. This spraying ritual is law. The United Kingdom, United States of America, South Africa, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Indonesia, amongst other countries, require spraying of planes from particular regions where there are contagious or infectious diseases. Nigeria, of course, is one province. Hence, an international airline picking passengers from Lagos or Abuja, by law, is required to disinfect "passengers" and the plane. Under international law, aircraft disinfection is permitted in order to protect public health, agriculture and the environment. Pesticides, therefore, are applied in aircrafts to prevent the spreading of arthropod vectors and ectoparasites and diseases they cause in humans, such as malaria, dengue or yellow fever. When travelling from Nigeria and other ectoparasitic zones, disinfection is pertinent. World Health Organisation (WHO) claims the pesticides are safe. The key word to note here is: "safe". The complaints of some Nigerian passengers who have flown in these "treated" planes range from dizziness to serious breathing conditions. The insecticides used are as common as a can of Baygon. They contain pyrethrins, resmethrin and permethrin. These chemicals are toxic. Exposure, according to medical research, may lead to death. How many individuals stay in their houses after a can of Baygon has been sprayed? Perhaps we should listen to WHO. Furthermore, WHO and the International Civil Aviation Organisation stipulate two approaches for aircraft disinfection - spray the aircraft cabin while the passengers are onboard or treat the aircraft's interior surfaces with a residual insecticide while passengers are not onboard. Although none of the approaches is safe, the latter resembles what some Nigerians do at home. Spray a room, leave the room and return after some minutes or hours. International airlines departing from Nigeria, however, love the former. Some of the air hosts even wear masks. Why? It is fine to save the citizens of these so-called "international" countries from contracting diseases. Undoubtedly, this singular act reeks of imperialism - a case where the master determines what kind of air the servant inhales. Whatever the boss says is always right. Medical savants and researchers have repeatedly stated that malaria, dengue and yellow fever are not communicable diseases. As such, one is left to question the essence of this disinfection. Do the humans from these zones stink? Or do they carry insects in their pockets and bags? The International Civil Aviation Organisation needs to elaborate on the reason(s) for these spurious laws. Dengue and malaria are not good enough. The customer is always right. That rule is not a Nigerian etiquette. Anything can be thrown at "ordinary" Nigerians and they will accept it. If the act is carried out by an "international" organisation, there's no need for questions. What is white is right. Examples can also be drawn from international communication companies that deliver bad services and still get paid. It is like the elephant who told the mosquito, "You can suck my blood but don't suck it all. Leave some for your friends." Enough information must be provided about the "importance" of spraying humans with insecticides. People need to be warned about this. They need to be able to make a decision whether they want to fly under these circumstances. The Nigerian Ministry of Transportation should propose a rule that would allow airlines to tell passengers about a flight on which spraying is required. In addition, the ministry must ensure that these chemicals are tested in Nigerian laboratories to ascertain whether they are "safe". What, if any, are the other ingredients contained in these cans of insecticides? What effect do they have on pregnant women and babies? Do they have future health implications? Various lawsuits have been filed against some airlines in other countries and they have yielded positive results. Some airlines now spray their planes hours before takeoff while some have stopped disinfecting. Nigerian authorities must not wait for families to become casualties of this law. http://www.businessdayonline.com/NG/index.php/analysis/commentary/45201-aircraft-disinfection--a-nigerian-case Back to Top Serbia Asks FAA for Higher Rating to Enable Flights to U.S. Serbia asked the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to "verify" it deserves Category 1 rating that would help open direct flights between the Balkan country and the U.S. The procedure may take three to six months to complete and involves a visit by FAA officials to the Balkan nation to inspect safety and other aviation standards, Serbia's Civil Aviation Directorate said today in an e-mailed statement. The country was downgraded by the FAA in 2004 on "regulatory shortcomings" and for failing to meet FAA criteria, "although we did comply with European norms," Directorate's spokeswoman Katarina Andric-Milosavljevic said in a phone interview. The upgrade will encourage U.S. carriers to open flights to Serbia, whereas Serbia's unprofitable flag carrier, state- owned JAT Airways AD is not likely to start transatlantic flights soon, she said. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-28/serbia-asks-faa-for-higher-rating-to-enable-flights-to-u-s-.html Back to Top 2012 Aviation and Transportation Law Conference Washington, D.C. Wednesday, December 05 - 07, 2012 Advancing Safety Through Effective Advocacy Register today and join your colleagues for the December 5-7, 2012 IATSBA Aviation and Transportation Law Conference in historic Washington, D.C. Online registration is now available. Also, and very important, we urge you to make your hotel arrangements as soon as possible. If the turnout for the conference is as predicted, we expect the reserved rooms to be taken quickly. We have two hotel options this year: the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel and the Hay Adams. We have negotiated discounted rooms at each hotel. The L'Enfant Plaza rates are very competitive by Washington standards at $169 for standard rooms and $199 for superior view rooms, plus tax, per night. The rooms at the Hay Adams are also available at a significant discount and are priced at $260 plus tax per night. The Hay is a short Washington Metro ride from the L'Enfant Plaza NTSB Conference Center where most of the conference activities will occur. However, the conference Banquet and Awards Ceremony will be at the Top of the Hay (the upper floor banquet facilities of the Hay Adams) with shuttle buses providing transportation that evening from the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel. For those who want to make the D.C. trip a most memorable experience, you and a guest may wish to stay at the Hay. The hotel reservations deadline is Tuesday, November 6, but as mentioned previously, the reserved rooms will likely be taken well before that date. This year's program will offer something for everyone. We will have a half day on Wednesday targeted to our Emerging Leaders Section, although all conference attendees are invited to attend those events, too. The Emerging Leaders activities will involve a practicum on opening statements and closing arguments for enforcement cases before the NTSB Administrative Law Judges. The Welcome Reception is that evening in the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel. There will be CLE sessions on Thursday and Friday related to aviation tort litigation, recent NTSB enforcement decisions, and FAA regulatory issues. There will also be a one-hour ethics block. Kathryn Thomson, the FAA Chief Counsel, will deliver the keynote address at the Thursday luncheon. The Honorable Deborah Hersman, Chairman of the NTSB, will be our dinner and awards ceremony speaker Thursday evening. We will also hear from the Honorable Robert Sumwalt, NTSB Board Member; David Tochen, General Counsel for the NTSB; as well as John Delisi, the new Director for the NTSB Office of Aviation Safety. If you have questions about the event, please feel free to contact Bill Elder, the 2012 Program Director, at (202) 637- 8787 or by e-mail at william.elder@hoganlovells.com. We look forward to seeing you in December! When and Where December 5-7, 2012 Washington D.C. Conference Events L'Enfant Plaza Hotel NTSB Conference Center Top of the Hay Agenda The initial Agenda is now available. Registration Online registration is now available. http://iatsba.org/events Hotel Reservations Hotel reservations must be done via individual call-in. A limited number of rooms have been blocked at each hotel for conference attendees. Please call the numbers below and reference the IATSBA Aviation and Transportation Law Conference, as indicated. The L'Enfant Plaza Hotel 480 L'Enfant Plaza S.W. Washington D.C. 20024 800-635-5065 Reference: IATS12 The Hay Adams 800 16th Street, N.W. Washington D.C. 20006 800-424-5054, or 202-638-6600 Reference: IATSBA Conference http://iatsba.org/events Back to Top ____________________ MANAGING COMMUNICATIONS FOLLOWING AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT OR INCIDENT - NTSB Course 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