Flight Safety Information June 3, 2013 - No. 110 In This Issue Two Jet planes almost collide over Mumbai airspace Sensor problem found in Japan Airlines Boeing 787 jet Jet overshoots runway: all safe Ontario air ambulance crash kills pilots and paramedics Pilot Injured In Small Plane Crash Near Bucks County Annual SMS Audit Results Released British Airways Safety Under Scrutiny After Heathrow Emergency Landing Iranian airports to halt flights due to Imam Khomeini's death anniversary Disabled children get free airplane rides Two Jet planes almost collide over Mumbai airspace A major catastrophe was avoided at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) on Saturday when two Jet Airways aircraft came in close proximity of each other during landing. Air Traffic Control (ATC) officials blamed the pilot of one of the aircraft for misunderstanding instructions. On their part, airline sources have blamed ATC saying that the controller allegedly mistook one aircraft for another and subsequently gave instructions to the wrong aircraft. ATC officials said if that would have been the case then the other aircraft would have not descended. They added that the communication transcript between controller and the pilots would clearly bring out the truth. Separate inquiries have been initiated into the case by the ATC and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). According to sources, the incident happened around 1.30pm. Jet Airways flight 2106 (Indore-Mumbai, which lands at 1.50pm) and another Jet Airways flight 306 (Delhi- Mumbai, which lands at 1.55pm) sought descending clearance at the same communication frequency from the ATC. As per ATC sources, the ATC gave clearance to flight 2106 for descending, but it was wrongly misunderstood by the pilot of flight 306, which then began to descend. The pilot of flight 2106 however found something suspicious and thereby asked ATC whether there is any other aircraft moving around it. ATC officials found that flight 306 was descending and had come dangerously close, within seven nautical miles, of flight 2106. The ATC immediately alerted flight 306 to make a lateral diversion towards its right, thereby diverting a possible catastrophe. Who is to blame? ATC officials blamed the pilot of one of the aircraft for misunderstanding instructions. Airline sources blamed ATC saying that the controller allegedly mistook one aircraft for another and subsequently gave instructions to the wrong aircraft. http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/1842594/ Back to Top Sensor problem found in Japan Airlines Boeing 787 jet A Japan Airlines Boeing 787 plane sits on a tarmac with others at Haneda Airport in Tokyo. A Japanese broadcaster is reporting that a sensor problem was found in one of the exchanged batteries for a Japan Airlines (JAL) Boeing 787 jet. The Boeing jets had been grounded for four months until their safety could be reconfirmed. TOKYO (AP) - A Japanese broadcaster is reporting that a sensor problem was found in one of the exchanged batteries for a Japan Airlines (JAL) Boeing 787 jet. The Boeing jets had been grounded for four months until their safety could be reconfirmed. NHK TV says the problem emerged on Sunday in a sensor that detects overheating in the modified version of the lithium-ion batteries used in the aircraft. The batteries were encased to prevent overheating from spreading. The report said the sensor problem did not endanger safety. JAL offices were closed for the weekend, and officials were not immediately available for comment. Back to Top Jet overshoots runway: all safe DAVAO CITY - A Cebu Pacific plane from Manila overshot the runway of the Davao International Airport last night. Colonel Leopoldo Galon, chief of the military's 5th Civil Relations Group, said Flight 5J 971 hit the non-concrete portion after the runway lights suddenly went out at around 7:10 p.m.. All passengers were unhurt, Galon said. All flights to Davao airport were temporarily canceled as of 9 p.m. Nigel Paul Villarete, general manager of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, said two Manila-Davao flights, PR819 (Philippine Airlines) and DG7028 (SeaAir), were diverted to Cebu due to airport closure in Davao. Both flights already returned to Manila, he said./with Inquirer http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/419479/jet-overshoots-runway-all-safe#ixzz2V8JgsEot Back to Top Ontario air ambulance crash kills pilots and paramedics An Ontario air ambulance on its way to pick up a patient has crashed, killing two pilots and two paramedics. The helicopter went down at 00:11 EST (04:11 GMT) on Friday as it took off from Moosonee, an isolated community on Canada's James Bay. Ornge, the province's air ambulance provider, said there was no indication of the cause of the accident. But the firm has grounded two other Sikorsky S76 helicopters in case mechanical issues were to blame. The four people killed in the crash were identified as Capt Don Filliter, First Officer Jacques Dupuy, and paramedics Dustin Dagenais and Chris Snowball. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has sent investigators to the scene. "Everybody at Ornge is deeply saddened by this tragic incident, and our hearts go out to the families and friends of those who lost their lives," the company's chief executive Andrew McCallum said in a statement pledging co-operation with investigators. The company's operating officer Rob Giguere said all crew members aboard were "very well experienced". Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne said she was "devastated" to learn of the deaths. "They lost their lives ensuring the people of this province receive the help they need," she said. "Their service and sacrifice will be honoured and remembered." And Prime Minister Stephen Harper tweeted his sympathies on Friday: "Condolences to the families of the 4 victims of the Northern Ontario air ambulance crash last night. You are in my thoughts and prayers". http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22738454 Back to Top Pilot Injured In Small Plane Crash Near Bucks County Highway Authorities say a pilot crashed his twin engine fixed-wing plane into power lines along a road in Doylestown, Bucks County Saturday morning. This happened shortly after the plane took off from Doylestown Airport around 11:45 a.m. near the intersection of Routes 313 and 611. "You just saw a whole bunch of smoke and the tail end of the plane hanging on to wires," witness Neli Genner said. "I was driving down N. Main Street and seen a bunch of power lines go down and about to spark and nearly hit a few cars." Genner was one of hundreds of people who witnessed the aftermath, which included pieces from the plane, scattered about the grass. Genner says several people came to the aid of the pilot: "I was talking to people at the scene who sad the pilot was on fire and was being pulled from the plane." Emergency officials flew the pilot to Temple University Hospital. Authorities have not released his name or condition. PECO says there were about 150 outages earlier Saturday due to the crash. The highway was shutdown for hours, but has now reopened. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. Right now, it would only say that the twin engine plane departed runway 23 at Doylestown Airport and crashed on the southwest side of the Intersection. http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/06/01/small-plane-crashes-in-bucks-county/ Back to Top Back to Top British Airways Safety Under Scrutiny After Heathrow Emergency Landing Safety procedures at British Airways' maintenance depots at London's Heathrow Airport are likely to be re-assessed following suggestions that the BA Airbus A319 forced to make an emergency landing on 24 May had been mistakenly cleared for take-off. The plane, bound for Oslo, was forced to double back after both of its protective engine cowlings blew away on take-off, setting one engine alight. The pilot landed the plane safely. According to a report in the Sunday Express, BA engineers commonly work on two or more similar planes during a shift. It is thought that the engine cowling covers on two different planes were confused, and mistakenly marked as secure on the plane to be used for the Oslo flight. In a preliminary report issued on Friday 31 May, Britain's Air Accident Investigations Branch noted: "The aircraft had undergone scheduled maintenance overnight. This required opening the fan cowl doors on both engines to check the Integrated Drive Generator (IDG) oil levels." It implied, too, that even though the engineers should not have signed the plane out, the fault should have been spotted by the aircrew. "The Airbus A320-family Flight Crew Operating Manual Standard Operating for the exterior walk-around includes a check on each engine that the fan cowl doors are closed and latched. To perform this check it is necessary to crouch down so that the latches are visible." The Bureau concluded with the following safety notice: "It is recommended that Airbus formally notifies operators of A320-family aircraft of the fan cowl door loss event on 24 May 2013, and reiterates the importance of verifying that the fan cowl doors are latched prior to flight by visually checking the position of the latches." Watch dramatic passenger footage of the emergency landing on YouTube by clicking the video window below. FOOTAGE FROM inside BA plane during Emergency Landing http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/473703/20130602/ba-heathrow-emergency-airbus- landing-fire-cowling.htm Back to Top Iranian airports to halt flights due to Imam Khomeini's death anniversary Iranian airports in the Tehran province will stop all local and international flights on June 4, due to death anniversary of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, ISNA reported. There are 8 airports functioning in Tehran province, and all of them will be closed tomorrow for both incoming and outgoing flights from 8 to 12 o'clock, local time. Iran will mark Imam Khomeini's 24th death anniversary. The founder of Islamic Republic of Iran was an Iranian religious leader and politician, and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran. Following the revolution, Khomeini became the country's Supreme Leader, a position created in the constitution as the highest ranking political and religious authority of the nation, which he held until his death in 1989 (3-4 June, 14 Khordad by Iranian calendar). http://en.trend.az/regions/iran/2157278.html Back to Top Disabled children get free airplane rides More than 20 children, some facing terminal illnesses, did something on Saturday that most people never do in an entire lifetime: Fly a plane. Flying Vikings, a nonprofit organization based in Central Texas, hosted the event at Skylark Field in Killeen, using several small airplanes to provide rides for the children and their parents. "What we do is take kids who are chronically ill or physically disabled for free airplane rides, and the best part is we make them become the pilot," said Paul Hansen, executive director of Flying Vikings. "We give them the controls." Terrence Orr-Crofoot, 15, was among the group that stepped out of the plane after flying over Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir and the Bell County Expo Center. "It felt like it was going sideways," he said. "It was fun." The Nolan Middle School student has cerebral palsy. He said he was nervous, but had an awesome experience and would like to do it again. Nick Martin's daughter, 6-year-old Jaylin, has stage-four brain cancer, and doctors told the family she has eight to 24 months left to live. "We just do everything we can to keep her active everyday," said Martin, a Temple resident. "Whether it's a bike ride in the park or bowling, it's whatever she wants to keep her going." Martin said he was happy his daughter got to try something new. "I didn't even know an organization like this existed, but it's an awesome thing they are doing." Philip Marbut, a teenager from Joshua, near Fort Worth, said he was counting down the days before he could get behind the controls of an airplane. Philip has cerebral palsy and uses a walker or wheelchair to get around. But his mother described him as a normal teenager. "He's my little daredevil and up for anything," said Andrea Marbut, Philip's mother. "I appreciate everything and that the (Flying Vikings) gave the kids the opportunity for what they normally don't get to do." This was the fifth year the organization held the event, which also included free food and arts and crafts. The youth came from local cities, as well as Dallas, Round Rock and Georgetown. Hansen said he enjoys seeing the impact the rides bring to the children and their families. "We just tell them what to do and we are sitting literally four inches from them," he said. "There is actually two controls and we give the feel of the plane and they can do whatever they want, within certain limits." http://kdhnews.com/news/disabled-children-get-free-airplane- rides/article_4e3e1306-cb37-11e2-a27a-001a4bcf6878.html Curt Lewis