Flight Safety Information November 19, 2012 - No. 232 In This Issue Tiger Airways 'inconsistent' on safety management, ATSB official report finds AirTran flight makes emergency landing at San Antonio International Airport Aircraft's tyre bursts while taking off PIA's London-bound flight develops fault, lands safely (Pakistan) Pilot who buzzed Santa Monica Pier loses license for second time Pair of prairie plane crashes kill pilots in Manitoba and Alberta Altitude data wrong on Tiger jet's low landing approach BP Air says contaminated jet fuel 'isolated' at OR Tambo (South Africa) PROS IOSA Audit Experts Military gets first F-35 operational squadron Turning an airplane boneyard into a booming business in Rosewell, New Mexico David McCullough Plans Book About Aviation 6 Injured as Police Helicopters Collide in LA Area Tiger Airways 'inconsistent' on safety management, ATSB official report finds An investigation into the low landing approach of a Tiger Airways' plane has found pilots used incorrect altitude information. (AAP) AN investigation into the low landing approach of a Tiger Airways plane that contributed to the airline being grounded has found pilots used incorrect altitude information and the airline had an inconsistent safety management system. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigated the June 7, 2011 low approach of a Tiger Airbus A320, after it approached Melbourne Airport at 2000 feet altitude rather than the 2500 feet cleared by air traffic control. The ATSB official report, released today, found that flight crew members based their descent profile on incorrect altitude data on the aircraft's display unit provided by a third party. Flight crew were also using the flawed data for paper charts and had not identified the error when preparing for the landing approach, the ATSB report states. It found there was an increased risk of Tiger unintentionally failing to follow published instrument approach procedures, because it was inconsistent in carrying out its safety management system for identifying and managing database "anomalies'' or errors. "In addition, different assumptions by the data suppliers and the operator compromised the quality assurance of the navigational data,'' the report states. CASA grounded Tiger's Australian fleet on July 2, 2011 after a series of safety concerns, including two low flight approaches into Melbourne and Avalon airports, saying it had lost confidence in the airline's ability to manage safety appropriately. After a six-week grounding, it cleared Tiger to resume flying in August that year. In its report released today, the ATSB said that after being alerted to their low approach by air traffic control, the Tiger crew corrected altitude to 2500 feet, continued the approach and landed. Tiger had responded to the incident by implementing "an auditable process for identifying and managing any navigational database anomalies in its aircraft fleet''. The ATSB said the incident "reinforces the safety benefits of a resilient safety management system and operator procedures'' and that "the accurate application of those procedures by all key personnel, is also important as a safety defence''. Back to Top AirTran flight makes emergency landing at San Antonio International Airport SAIA spokesman: Drop in cabin pressure forced landing SAN ANTONIO - An AirTran 737 plane was forced to make an emergency landing in San Antonio late Sunday night after experiencing a drop in cabin pressure. The plane landed at San Antonio International Airport at 10:40 p.m. The flight was initially set to land at 9:55 p.m., but spent more than 30 minutes in the air burning off fuel, an airport spokesperson said. Emergency crews were called to the scene to prepare for the landing, but the AirTran flight landed safely. Airport officials said no one was injured. http://www.ksat.com/news/AirTran-flight-makes-emergency-landing-at-San-Antonio- International-Airport/-/478452/17469162/-/d8sxcrz/-/index.html Back to Top Aircraft's tyre bursts while taking off KOZHIKODE: Front landing tyre of the Saudi Airlines aircraft burst when the flight was taking off from the Karipur airport on Sunday. Sources at the airport said the tyre burst when the SV 743 Kozhikode-Jeddah-Riyadh aircraft reached the end of the runway at 1.40 pm. Emergency landing was not possible as the flight was fully loaded with fuel, cargo and passengers. Airport sources said they got the information in the evening that the flight has safely landed at Jeddah. There were 176 passengers in the aircraft. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kozhikode/Aircrafts-tyre-bursts-while-taking- off/articleshow/17274214.cms Back to Top PIA's London-bound flight develops fault, lands safely (Pakistan) KARACHI: London-bound PIA plane returned here safely after one of its engine developed technical fault on Sunday, informed Civil Association Authority spokesman Pervaiz George when contacted on phone. He said flight No. PK- 787 took off at 11.46 hours with 168 passengers and crew on board. The pilot soon felt some technical fault in his plane's engine No.1 and reported to land back. The plane returned here at 12.08 hours in a normal and safe manner. However, all necessary precautionary measures were taken and the passengers were evacuated, he said. PIA denies plane caught fire: PIA flight PK-787 Karachi-London took off normally from Jinnah International Airport at 11:25 am and safely landed back at 12:20 pm. PIA spokesman said here on Sunday. He said that the aeroplane Airbus A-310 was airborne for about 55 minutes. Capt Ahmed Saeed noticed that one of the two engine malfunctioned and the Safety procedure demanded that the aircraft had to be land back. The pilot skillfully made safe landing at Karachi. The airbus is designed to safely take off and land back on one engine. PIA management announced a medal for the operating pilot for his professionalism and for observing the safety procedures. The PIA engineering took control of the aircraft and started checking the engine, which would take time. An aircraft was available, so the passengers were boarded on another plane. Some of the TV channels wrongly reported about the fire on the aircraft, which is not true. PIA spokesman added. Later, PK 787 with 147 passengers and crew on board took off for London at 03:15 pm and will reach Heathrow Airport at 07:15 pm local time Sunday. http://paktribune.com/news/PIAs-London-bound-flight-develops-fault-lands-safely- 255061.html Back to Top Pilot who buzzed Santa Monica Pier loses license for second time David G. Riggs, a local aviator whose flight privileges were revoked after buzzing the Santa Monica Pier in 2008, lost his pilot's license again this week for illegally selling rides to the public in a Soviet-era military jet. The enforcement action by the Federal Aviation Administration stems from an accident in Nevada on May 18 in which an Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros crashed in the desert, killing a veteran pilot and a passenger who had purchased a ride in the two-seat trainer. Authorities said Riggs was flying with another passenger in his own L-39 next to the ill- fated plane shortly before it crashed. Both high-performance aircraft had flown that day from Van Nuys Airport to the Boulder City Municipal Airport, where eight people who had bought flights were set to take turns riding in the Czechoslovakian-built jets. Investigators said Riggs took three of them on separate flights and was prepared to take a fourth for a ride. FAA officials issued an emergency revocation order against Riggs on Tuesday. A copy of the document was obtained Friday by The Times. The order states that Riggs violated federal regulations that forbid the operators of experimental or exhibition aircraft from selling rides unless they have permission from the government. It notes that two weeks before the flights in question, Riggs assured FAA inspectors in Van Nuys that he would not carry passengers for compensation. "In this case, you were willing to sacrifice the safety of others for your own personal financial gain," the order states. "Your enforcement history of deliberately compromising aviation safety demonstrates that you lack the qualifications to hold any FAA issued pilot certificate." Under the emergency order, Riggs must surrender his flight certificates to the FAA immediately, but he has the right to appeal the year-long revocation to a federal administrative law judge. Riggs first lost his flight privileges for making several low-level passes over the Santa Monica Pier in an L-39 on Nov. 8, 2008. FAA officials said he streaked along the beach at low altitude and then pulled up or turned away abruptly when he reached the pier, endangering the public. His pilot certificate was reinstated after the year-long penalty period. Killed in the Boulder City crash were Richard Winslow, 65, of Palm Desert and Douglas E. Gilliss, 65, of Solana Beach, a former U.S. Air Force captain with years of experience flying vintage military jets. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board have been investigating the accident. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/11/local-pilot-loses-pilots-license-for-a- second-time.html Back to Top Pair of prairie plane crashes kill pilots in Manitoba and Alberta RCMPRCMP say a 52-year-old man died after the Piper Meridian turbocraft plane he was flying crashed between La Crete and High Level, in northwest Alberta on Saturday. There were no other occupants on board.. SNOW LAKE, Man. - Rescue crews on snowmobiles had to beat a path through thick bush in northern Manitoba on Sunday to reach the survivors of one of two fatal plane crashes which took place on the Prairies over the weekend. Low cloud cover meant a rescue helicopter was unable to reach seven people who were injured after a plane enroute to Winnipeg from Snow Lake, Man., went down just after 10 a.m. local time on Sunday. The crash which killed one person came after a separate aircraft went down in northern Alberta on Saturday evening, killing the 52-year-old pilot, who was the plane's sole occupant. In Sunday's incident, authorities said a Cessna 208 Caravan went down in a remote area about 10 kilometres from the town of Snow Lake, Man., which is some 700 kilometres north of Winnipeg. Police said the pilot, a 40-year-old man from Snow Lake, was killed and that seven others were injured, some seriously. RCMP spokeswoman Sgt. Line Karpish said a passenger on the plane used a cellphone to call 911 and alert authorities about the crash. A Canadian Forces Hercules helicopter was dispatched and rescuers on board had parachutes they could use to reach the survivors, but Karpish said crews weren't able to jump because the cloud ceiling was so low. That meant the RCMP, volunteer firefighters, wildlife officers and other locals had to use snowmobiles to reach the scene. "Just to get to the plane crash, basically it took over an hour and a half to cover the six miles," said Karpish, adding that the area is covered in thick bush. "I'm told that they ended up having to push a trail. They did end up accessing [the site] using snowmobiles and rescue sleighs to get to them safety." The injured were brought to a small health centre in Snow Lake, but poor visibility at the time meant that medevac flights that would have carried them to larger hospitals couldn't land. Clarence Fisher, the mayor of Snow Lake, said Sunday afternoon that while the sky appeared to be clearing, fast-approaching darkness would have likely made it difficult for planes to land. A decision was made to transport the injured by ground ambulance to Flin Flon, The Pas, or Thompson, which were all between two and three hours away. "We have a local hospital here but people with serious injuries would need to be medevaced out," Fisher said. There's been no word on the conditions of the injured. Snow Lake, a mining community with gold, zinc and copper deposits in the vicinity, has a population of just over 800. Karpish said many people in the community chipped in to help with the rescue. "In the north, it's not unusual when something happens like this, it hits home very closely," Karpish said. "At the end of the day everybody just joins in and helps out and gets these people to safety." Meanwhile, authorities said in Saturday's crash in nothern Alberta, the single-engine turboprop entered an area between La Crete and High Level where visibility was reduced to less that 100 metres due to low cloud cover and heavy fog. RCMP said an emergency beacon was detected by the Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Trenton, Ont., which notified police. Authorities found the plane a few kilometres northeast of the La Crete airport, about 670 kilometres north of Edmonton. The Transportation Safety Board will be investigating both crashes. Board spokesman Chris Krepski said that the plane that crashed near Snow Lake went down not long after taking off from the community. Investigators were on their way to the community and he said more information wouldn't be available until Monday. Fisher said the plane was operated by a local charter company, Gogal Air Service. He said he wasn't able to provide any details about who was on board. http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/11/19/pair-of-prairie-plane-crashes-kill-pilots-in- manitoba-and-alberta/ Back to Top Altitude data wrong on Tiger jet's low landing approach An investigation into the low landing approach of one Tiger Airways' plane that contributed to the airline being grounded has found pilots used incorrect altitude information and the airline had an inconsistent safety management system. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigated the June 7, 2011 low approach of a Tiger Airbus A320, after it approached Melbourne Airport at 2000 feet altitude rather than the 2500 feet cleared by air traffic control. The ATSB official report, released on Monday, found that the flight crew based their descent profile on incorrect altitude data on the aircraft's display unit provided by a third party. Flight crew were also using the flawed data for paper charts and had not identified the error when preparing for the landing approach, the ATSB report states. It found there was an increased risk of Tiger unintentionally failing to follow published instrument approach procedures, because it was inconsistent in carrying out its safety management system for identifying and managing data base "anomalies" or errors. "In addition, different assumptions by the data suppliers and the operator compromised the quality assurance of the navigational data," the report states. CASA grounded Tiger's Australian fleet on July 2, 2011 after a series of safety concerns, including two low flight approaches into Melbourne and Avalon airports, saying it had lost confidence in the airline's ability to manage safety appropriately. After a six-week grounding, it cleared Tiger to resume flying in August that year. In its report released on Monday, the ATSB said that after being alerted to their low approach by air traffic control, the Tiger crew corrected their altitude to 2500 feet, continued the approach and landed. Tiger had responded to the incident by implementing "an auditable process for identifying and managing any navigational database anomalies in its aircraft fleet". The ATSB said the incident "reinforces the safety benefits of a resilient safety management system and operator procedures" and that "the accurate application of those procedures by all key personnel, is also important as a safety defence". AAP Back to Top BP Air says contaminated jet fuel 'isolated' at OR Tambo (South Africa) EFFORTS continued on Sunday to remedy the contamination of 7-million litres of jet fuel supplied to Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport. "The contaminated fuel in the two tanks has been isolated and cannot be used. The airport has certified fuel in the other tanks that is being used for refuelling," BP Air, the managing partner in the fuel consortium at the Airports Company South Africa (Acsa), said on Friday. The airport had fuel for 1.4 days and the fuel supply industry, led by Air BP, was addressing the situation, Acsa said. Airlines and fuel suppliers met on Friday morning to discuss the situation after Acsa announced the contamination of the fuel from Natref on Thursday night. Earlier, Sasol said the Natref jet fuel storage and supply system to the airport was being flushed and an investigation into the cause of the contamination was under way. Sasol spokeswoman Jacqui O'Sullivan said among the options activated to deal with the situation was an agreement with airlines to take up additional fuel at alternative sites in the country, thereby reducing demand at the airport. Sasol had also asked other service providers to provide short-term support pending the resumption of normal pumping activities at Natref. Transnet Freight Rail had made additional capacity available from the coast. It was anticipated the Natref facility would be cleared to resume normal pumping of jet fuel to the airport at the weekend. "The resolution of this matter is our priority and we will restore normal operations as quickly as possible," Ms O'Sullivan said. Earlier, Acsa spokesman Solomon Makgale said the airport was operating normally. Glenda Zvenyika, the managing member of the OR Tambo International Airport fuel consortium, said: "We are now getting fuel from the Durban-Johannesburg pipeline via rail." http://www.bdlive.co.za/national/2012/11/19/bp-air-says-contaminated-jet-fuel- isolated-at-or-tambo Back to Top Back to Top Military gets first F-35 operational squadron Supersonic stealth jet in development for three U.S. services F-35B pilot instructor Maj. Aric Liberman greets Marines upon his arrival Friday at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. The Defense Department is setting up its first operational squadron of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets, the supersonic stealth aircraft intended to replace at least seven types of military aircraft flown by the United States and its allies. Despite long-standing turbulence over the program - including sniping over its price tag, time line and ongoing technological development - the Marine Corps on Tuesday will redesignate a Hornet F/A-18 fighter jet squadron in Yuma as Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121. The F-35 squadron will be the Pentagon's first intended to eventually deploy in combat. Its inaugural jet, a B version designed for the Marine Corps to take off on short runways and land vertically like a helicopter, arrived Friday at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. The $396 billion F-35 program, the Pentagon's most expensive and by some measures most ambitious ever, has been under development by Lockheed Martin since 2001 and is in its third year of low-rate production. The aircraft, also called the Lightning II, was conceived as a relatively affordable "fifth generation" stealth jet to be used across the services, saving money through a common production line, design and parts. Three versions were developed: one for the Marine Corps that would protect the service's ability to operate from short runways in austere locations and small amphibious ships, an Air Force model using conventional runways, and a Navy version for aircraft carriers. As the Air Force tests and trains on its version and the Navy awaits delivery of its first production tailhook model, the Marine variant has faced the most scrutiny and danger of cancellation. Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates put the F-35B on probation, giving developers two years to fix technological and other problems or face cancellation. The B model was cleared from limbo in January, but some lawmakers have continued to press for cancellation to reduce overall F-35 program costs and help balance the federal budget. With hands-on intervention in the program by the commandant, "we righted that ship," said Col. Kevin Killea, who oversees aviation requirements for the Marine Corps. Now the growing fleet of trained F-35 pilots and creation of the first operational squadron "tells me the program is progressing forward and meeting the time lines that the Marine Corps needs to transition out of the F/A-18 (Hornet) and the AV-8B (Harrier)," he said. "For me, if it stays on schedule and meets those time lines, it's more than a success; it's what we paid for." Lockheed Martin officials called the new squadron a significant milestone for the program, showing confidence by the U.S. government in its safety and maturing design. "These are not test airplanes. These are war-fighting machines that people will train on and become familiar with and ultimately deploy," said Eric Van Camp, Lockheed manager of F-35 Marine Corps business development. Lockheed has produced about 65 of the 3,100 F-35 jets in the program of record. The models in operation have flown more than 5,000 hours, a majority of them in the first 10 months of this year, noted Steve O'Bryan, Lockheed's vice president for F-35 program integration and business development. The Marines' short takeoff, vertical landing "B" model is doing particularly well, about 50 percent ahead of its flight test plan this year, he said. "You have an airplane both in production and technical maturity that continues to advance" at an accelerating pace, he said. Richard Aboulafia, an aviation analyst and vice president for Teal Group, said the F-35 is still "far from ready" to deploy: "In terms of operational capability, it's extremely limited." But it is important for Lockheed and the Marine Corps to show the jet in action during development, he added. "Of all the risks in the program, having a vertical landing model is certainly the most problematic and easily the one most mentioned as a possible budgetary casualty," Aboulafia said. The Marines also have the most at stake because of their aging fleet of fighter jets and lack of a modern fallback like the Navy and Air Force, he added. "They need to make this program as firm as possible, both as a form of budgetary protection and to build a bridge from the legacy fleet to the next generation," Aboulafia said. By December, the Marine Corps expects to have 17 of its 38 F-35 purchases contracted through 2012, said Capt. Richard Ulsh, a Marine Corps spokesman. Eventually the service hopes to acquire 420 F-35 jets, including 67 of the F-35C carrier version, assigned to 18 active squadrons, two reserve squadrons and two training squadrons. The first squadron is not expected in San Diego at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar until fiscal 2021. The Navy expects to receive its first production jet in February, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., as it establishes the first F-35C training squadron. Meanwhile, the military has been prepping pilots at the F-35 Integrated Training Center at Eglin and testing the aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., and at sea. The new Yuma squadron has long been in the works. Lt. Col. Jeff Scott, commanding officer of VMFA-121, was selected for the job two years ago. The Harrier pilot and two- time Iraq combat veteran finished his F-35 conversion training at Eglin last week. "It's an amazing airplane, it flies extremely well. It is not just the next step in aircraft, it is five or six steps beyond what we currently have. It is growing into those capabilities in terms of the software and (flight) testing," Scott said, but compared with the Corps' current vertical landing jet - the Harrier introduced in the '80s - it is faster, more stable, more maneuverable and easier to fly because of computerized flight controls. "The integrated sensors of the aircraft are extremely impressive. The computer does a lot of the work. The computer sorts out a lot of things and gives the pilots a lot of information," Scott said. The squadron has about half of the 300 personnel it needs and four pilots qualified to fly the 16 jets that will eventually be assigned to the unit. It is also the first to have its own maintenance crews currently training to service the aircraft, instead of relying on Lockheed contractors. The squadron hopes to be cleared by the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and the Commander of Naval Air Forces to fly around Yuma by late December or early January, pending inspection of its maintenance and other processes. Tactical training may begin within a year after 10 to 12 pilots are qualified to fly. But the squadron won't be able to deploy until it has jets with block 2B software revisions, which Lockheed said it expects to deliver in mid-2015. Currently only F-35 test pilots are allowed to operate the F-35B's signature feature in flight - its ability to land vertically. That should change for the Yuma pilots within a year, said Maj. Aric Liberman, a former Navy SEAL turned Hornet pilot who will be the aviation maintenance officer for VMFA-121. Liberman has been stationed at Eglin for more than three years, training on the F-35 mostly on simulators. He took his first flight in the new jet in August. After powering up and rolling down the runway, his 40-minute midmorning cruise over the Gulf of Mexico was "business as usual," he recalled. "It was the most exciting nonevent I've ever done in my life, because the jet is so easy to fly and because I had so much preparation." Flying the F-35 that first time was similar to flying a Hornet, except for the helmet- mounted display, touch-screen controls on the glass cockpit, and the added thrill that "it's a new aircraft and you're on the edge of Marine Corps aviation." It seemed like a slow start getting the program off the ground. Now the squadron will have a lot of work and learning to do in coming years to help the Marine Corps integrate the F-35 into its operations, Liberman said. "We've really gained a lot of momentum," he said. "I am excited to make that transition. That is what we are here to do - to learn how to employ the aircraft as a weapon system." http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/military/dod-gets-first-f--operational- squadron/article_bdbfcc2a-efbf-5636-8b61-6372667d16e4.html Back to Top Turning an airplane boneyard into a booming business in Rosewell, New Mexico ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO (KTRK) -- Making sure airplanes fly safely and on time during the holiday season takes plenty of spare parts, and not all of them are new. What you see here is all that is left of commercial aircraft which once carried thousands of passengers safely to their destinations. It takes one man, an excavator and just 30 minutes to take a plane apart. "We do about four and a half million pounds of scrap aluminum a year outta here," said Tom Stewart with Stewart Industries. Flying into the airport in Roswell, New Mexico, you see dozens of moth-balled planes. It's almost surreal to see the planes lined up. The names and logos something like ghosts of airlines past. "They're outta business. A lot of 'em are out of business," Stewart said. American Airlines stores their older aircraft here, too, particularly as the fleet shifts to those which are more fuel efficient. This is the old Walker Air Force Base, a corner of Roswell International Airport. Stewart Industries not only recycles the planes, but refurbishes them. Those which aren't being fixed up will be dismantled for parts. Stewart saw this as an emerging industry over 19 years ago as the wait time for new parts from Boeing and Airbus he says is at least a year. Second tier airlines who purchased the older planes he tells us needed a quicker way to get replacement parts. "When your plane is broken and it's sitting on the tarmac and you're wanting to get it up and running, that's unacceptable," Stewart told us. They will meticulously take the planes apart, tag, store and sell the pieces. Stewart took us inside this MD80 which they were working on. It's a view you likely have never seen. The stripped down body of the plane giving a new perspective on just how intricate these aircraft are. Take a look at the cockpit alone. For the untrained eye, it's a spaghetti bowl of wires. Some planes have nearly 2,000 parts that can be resold. They're working to get certified so they can fully refurbish all of these planes. If you want to buy one like this, it costs between $1.7 to $2.2 million. Why Roswell you might wonder. It's primarily because of the climate; low humidity helps keep corrosion of the planes at bay. Roswell is a tiny city on the map mostly because of the aliens and spaceships that supposedly crash landed there in 1947. Years later it is these aircraft which are another boon for business. Not all airplane parts can be resold. According to FAA regulations, some must be thrown away when they reach the maximum number of hours or flights. Those parts that are resold must first meet stringent safety regulations. Back to Top David McCullough Plans Book About Aviation The historian David McCullough is working on a book about social and cultural implications of early aviation beginning with the Wright Brothers and ending with Lindbergh's Paris landing, according to his longtime researcher, Michael Hill. Mr. Hill made this revelation while he was being interviewed by Brian Lamb for an edition of C-SPAN's "Q&A." The interview will air for the first time on Dec. 2, but a transcript was made available to The New York Times by the network. Mr. Hill was being interviewed because he has his own book out, "Elihu Washburne," a biography of a diplomat in the time of Lincoln and Grant. Mr. McCullough's widely popular books have included Pulitzer Prize-winning biographies of Harry Truman and John Adams. His most recent book was "The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris," which explored the importance of Americans who traveled and lived in Paris before World War I. Mr. Hill said Mr. McCullough's new book would follow a similarly sweeping arc and include historical characters like Edith Wharton and Theodore Roosevelt. He said he expected the book to take about three years to complete. http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/18/david-mccullough-plans-book-about- aviation/ Back to Top 6 Injured as Police Helicopters Collide in LA Area . ALTADENA, Calif.(AP) - Federal officials are investigating a collision involving two police helicopters in the Los Angeles area that left five officers and a civilian with minor injuries. Investigators believe Saturday's crash occurred when the rotator blades touched of a chopper that was landing and one that was taking off, Lt. Phlunte Riddle said. The collision caused extensive damage to both aircraft, crumpling the tail and breaking the blades of one and causing the blade to fall off and other damages to the other. The injured were taken to hospitals for evaluation after the 4 p.m. collision at a helipad in Altadena. Riddle said they included a pilot and an observer in each of the Bell OH-58A helicopters and two officers on the ground. One of the observers was a civilian. One helicopter crew was on routine patrol and the other was assigned to monitor traffic from the UCLA-Southern California football game at the Rose Bowl, she said. The weather was drizzly and cloudy at the time of the accident. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board were investigating. The collision follows a much more serious crash in Atlanta this month where two officers in a police helicopter were killed when the aircraft hit wires atop a power pole. Curt Lewis