Flight Safety Information December 14, 2017 - No. 248 In This Issue Incident: Ural A320 at Ekaterinburg on Dec 13th 2017, rejected takeoff due to engine indication Incident: Southwest B737 near Pensacola on Dec 12th 2017, burning odour in cabin EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection 13-DEC-2017 - West Wind Aviation ATR 42-300 accident FAA issues safety alert: High Collision Risk During Runway Crossing Delta Plane's Near-Taxiway Landing Prompts U.S. Safety Probe Air New Zealand flight delayed by concerns over Samsung phone battery overheating Student slightly injured as Marine aircraft's window falls onto Okinawa elementary school yard Does it seem like airplane behavior is getting worse - much worse? You're right, study says CommutAir, a United Express Carrier, Receives FAA Approval for Safety Management System (SMS) Who are the best US airlines for in-flight Wi-Fi in 2018? Big Aviation Plant in Kansas Will Add Jet Engine Work Bow Tie Method of Safety Risk Management - Course Upcoming USC Courses Incident: Ural A320 at Ekaterinburg on Dec 13th 2017, rejected takeoff due to engine indication An Ural Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration VQ-BCZ performing flight U6-223 from Ekaterinburg to St. Petersburg (Russia), was accelerating for takeoff when the crew received indication of an engine (CFM56) fault and rejected takeoff. The aircraft returned to the apron. Following maintenance the aircraft was able to depart and reached St. Petersburg with a delay of 3 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b248991&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Southwest B737 near Pensacola on Dec 12th 2017, burning odour in cabin A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration N905WN performing flight WN-1539 from Orlando,FL to Houston Hobby,TX (USA), was enroute at FL400 about 110nm southsouthwest of Pensacola,FL (USA) when the crew reported a burning odour in the cabin and diverted to Pensacola for a safe landing about 18 minutes later. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 4.5 hours, then continued the journey and reached Houston with a delay of about 5 hours. The airline reported the aircraft diverted to Pensacola due to an odour in the cabin. The source of the odour was identified to be the coffeemaker. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWA1539/history/20171212/1110Z/KMCO/KHOU http://avherald.com/h?article=4b24843b&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top 13-DEC-2017 - West Wind Aviation ATR 42-300 accident: Status: Preliminary Date: Wednesday 13 December 2017 Time: ca 18:15 Type: ATR 42-300 Operator: West Wind Aviation Registration: registration unknown C/n / msn: First flight: Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 22 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 25 Airplane damage: Damaged beyond repair Location: near Fond-du-Lac Airport, SK (ZFD) ( Canada) Phase: Initial climb (ICL) Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Fond-du-Lac Airport, SK (ZFD/CZFD), Canada Destination airport: Stony Rapids Airport, SK (YSF/CYSF), Canada Flightnumber: 280 Narrative: A West Wind Aviation ATR 42-300 impacted terrain shortly after takeoff from Fond-du-Lac Airport (CZFD) in Fond-du-Lac, Saskatchewan. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and there are reports of "multiple injuries " among the twenty-two passengers and three crew onboard the airplane. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20171213-0 Back to Top FAA issues safety alert: High Collision Risk During Runway Crossing The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO), to warn pilots of high-risk category runway incursions and potential collisions in the first two-thirds (2/3) of an active runway. The FAA states a high percentage of Category A or B runway incursions, and the highest risk of collisions, occur in the first two-thirds of a runway. A Category A runway incursion is a serious incident in which a collision is narrowly avoided. A Category B runway incursion is an incident in which separation decreases and there is a significant potential for collision, which may result in a time-critical corrective/evasive response to avoid a collision. The SAFO contains several recommended actions for pilots, vehicle/tug drivers, and operators. https://news.aviation-safety.net/2017/12/13/faa-issues-safety-alert-high-collision-risk-runway-crossing/ Back to Top Delta Plane's Near-Taxiway Landing Prompts U.S. Safety Probe By Alan Levin * Incident in Atlanta on Nov. 29 occurred in cloudy conditions * Air Canada jet missed other planes in similar July episode Investigators have opened a formal probe of an incident last month during which a Delta Air Lines Inc. plane accidentally lined up with a taxiway instead of a runway shortly before touchdown in Atlanta. The Boeing Co. 737-900 flew to the left of the runway where it was attempting to land in cloudy conditions, only aborting the landing and climbing after it came within 60 feet (18 meters) of the ground and had passed the start of the taxiway, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a press release Wednesday. The copilot, who was flying the plane, told investigators he was trying to stay lined up with the runway and over-corrected to the left. When the crew descended to a height of 200 feet and couldn't see the runway, the captain ordered them to abort the landing, the NTSB said. The air-traffic tower was obscured in clouds and the controllers couldn't see the plane. A controller also ordered the pilots to abort the landing after a runway warning system sounded an alert, according to the report. Delta is working with the NTSB on the investigation, Michael Thomas, a company spokesman, said in an email. "The flight crew of the 737-900ER correctly discontinued their instrument approach when they reached the decision height and were not able to visually acquire the runway or approach lighting," Thomas said. "The aircraft overflew a vacant portion of an adjacent taxiway during the go-around procedure and at no point was the crew attempting to align with the taxiway." The episode is the latest case involving pilots mistakenly trying to land on the strip used for taxiing aircraft instead of the parallel runway, creating the potential of a deadly collision on the ground. In Atlanta, another airliner was on the taxiway at the time, but the Delta plane didn't pass directly overhead after it cut short the landing and climbed away from the airport, the NTSB said. An Air Canada plane came within feet of several planes waiting to take off in San Francisco on July 7, according to the NTSB. The Canadian Airbus SE A320 passed over four planes on the ground after mistakenly trying to land on a taxiway that was next to its assigned runway. In that incident, the plane passed as low as 59 feet from the ground and the tail of the lead plane it flew over, a Boeing Co. 787, is almost 56 feet high, according to the NTSB and the manufacturer. The NTSB investigated a similar case in 2009 in Atlanta when a Delta Air Lines Inc. plane actually landed on a taxiway. There were no other planes on the taxi strip at the time and no one was hurt. The safety board concluded the crew had been fatigued after an all-night flight and it made recommendations to improve safety technology. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-13/delta-plane-s-near-taxiway-landing-prompts-u-s- safety- probe?utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=bd&utm_campaign=headline&cmpId=yhoo.headline&yptr=yahoo Back to Top Air New Zealand flight delayed by concerns over Samsung phone battery overheating The Air New Zealand flight was delayed in its departure for Rarotonga this morning. Picture / Jason Oxenham An Air New Zealand flight bound for Rarotonga was delayed this morning after a passenger's phone battery overheated, sparking safety fears. The flight was about to take off from Auckland International Airport shortly before 9am, but was delayed for around 45 minutes due to the concerns. A passenger posted on Facebook about the incident and said the plane had been about to take off when the captain came into the cabin, telling passengers they were returning to a safe zone on the runway. "This is because a passenger with new Samsung phone reports that even though it's turned off, it's so hot they can't touch it," the post said. The passenger said the phone owner had been worried it was about to explode. An Air New Zealand spokesperson confirmed NZ46 returned to the gate prior to take off after a customer raised concerned with crew about "their cell phone potentially overheating". "The phone's battery was removed and the flight departed for Rarotonga shortly after." http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11959620 Back to Top Student slightly injured as Marine aircraft's window falls onto Okinawa elementary school yard An exercise in Okinawa involving a U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter from the deck of the USS Green Bayis shown in this In this Oct. 31, 2016 file video. Department of Defense A window of a Marine Corps aircraft flying over Okinawa fell and landed in a schoolyard Wednesday, slightly injuring a fourth-grader, according to reports. At 10:09 a.m. local time (11:09 a.m. Guam time) a CH-53E window fell onto the sports field of an elementary school in Okinawa, according to a press release from the III Marine Expeditionary Force. According to Japanese media reports, a male student suffered minor injuries from flying debris. The window was about 35 inches in length and width, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK. The school is adjacent to Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, NHK reported. At the time of the incident, about 30 fourth-graders were participating in physical education class in the field. The boy suffered slight injury to his left hand, NHK reported. After the incident, the aircraft returned to Futenma to report the incident, the Marines stated in the press release. "We take this report extremely seriously and are investigating the cause of this incident in close coordination with local authorities," the press release stated. "This is a regrettable incident and we apologize for any anxiety it has caused the community. http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2017/12/13/marine-aircrafts-window-falls-onto-sports-field- elementary-school-okinawa/947101001/ Back to Top Does it seem like airplane behavior is getting worse - much worse? You're right, study says On Sunday, a JetBlue flight heading to Los Angeles was forced to land in Las Vegas because a passenger would not stop biting and attacking others on the plane, CBS Los Angeles reported. And on Saturday, a woman on a Southwest flight to Sacramento was arrested and charged with three felony counts of threats to commit a crime resulting in death or great bodily injury after she threatened to kill everyone on board the plane when she was caught smoking in the bathroom. If it seems like these incidents are on the rise, you're correct. According to a recent study from the International Air Transport Association, severe situations involving air passengers who must be detained are increasing, rising from 113 in 2015 to 169 in 2016, USA Today reports. IATA has seen a small decrease in the number of "unruly passenger" cases reported, from 10,854 in 2015 to 9,837 in 2016. But the organization reports that the "issue remains significant." What worries IATA officials is that the severity of the situations is increasing, Tim Colehan, IATA's assistant director of external affairs, told USA TODAY. "We saw an increase in incidents where all other forms of de-escalation had been exhausted and the cabin crew had no other option but to restrain the unruly passenger for the safety of everyone onboard," he said. The numbers break down to approximately 30 serious "unruly passenger" incidents on U.S. flights every day, Forbes reported. Booze can be blamed as the number one instigator for unruly passengers, IATA reported. The organization notes that most of the incidents involved passengers providing their own alcohol or drinking before the flight. Less than one percent of incidents involved life-threatening behavior or attempt to break into the cockpit, according to IATA. In July, three people were injured trying to detain a man on a Delta flight who was attempting to break into the cockpit, CNN reports. He was charged with one count of interfering with a flight crew. Passengers who exhibit serious unruly behavior aren't always charged because of international laws, according to the IATA. Members are working on changing the legal framework so that more of these passengers are punished for the crime. IATA noted that the data was taken from major 190 airlines, while there are more than 1,000 airlines in the world, so the number of incidents could be under-reported. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article189607844.html Back to Top CommutAir, a United Express Carrier, Receives FAA Approval for Safety Management System (SMS) NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio, Dec. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CommutAir, a United Express® carrier, received approval from the FAA for its Safety Management System "SMS" Under USDOT FAA Order 8000.3698. The massive undertaking to achieve a fully approved SMS program was facilitated by the CommutAir Safety Team, and led by John Darke, Director of Safety. "Our #1 mission is to 'Always emphasize and maintain the highest levels of safety.' At CommutAir, everyone plays their part in identifying, determining and mitigating risks and hazards. The processes and procedures that make up our Safety Management System are at the heart of everything we do, and participation from all coworkers ensures its efficacy," said John Darke, CommutAir Director of Safety. Careers After receiving United's 40% investment in 2016, CommutAir is on its way to tripling in size to 61 all-jet aircraft and hiring an additional 3x pilots and 2x maintenance technicians. CommutAir's industry-leading Pilot benefits include: Fastest United Airlines Career Path Program (CPP) $22,100 sign-on bonus with paid ATP-CTP Rapid PIC upgrades Guaranteed Captain pay for First Officers after 1 year of line qualification Top-Tier pay and benefits - including the industry's first and best Commuter policy CommutAir's CPP is the fastest path to a United flight deck, and the number of pilots heading to United is expected to double in 2018. The Captain pay for First Officers after 1 year of line qualification is a recent addition to pilot benefits. For additional information go to http://www.flycommutair.com/careers/pilots About CommutAir Founded in 1989, CommutAir operates as United Express and is majority-owned by Champlain Enterprises, Inc. and 40% owned by United Airlines, Inc. CommutAir operates 900+ weekly flights to 30+ destinations, using Bombardier Dash-8 Q200 and Embraer ERJ145 aircraft, from bases in Newark, NJ, and Washington- Dulles. CommutAir's 900+ employees are well-known in the industry for fostering a family culture and a friendly work environment. www.flycommutair.com PR@commutair.com (440) 779-4588 Ext. 384 https://www.facebook.com/commutair https://twitter.com/C5Recruiting https://www.linkedin.com/company/commutair SOURCE CommutAir https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/commutair-a-united-express-carrier-receives-faa-approval- for-safety-management-system-sms-300571054.html Back to Top Who are the best US airlines for in-flight Wi-Fi in 2018? Whether it's for business or simply because of a debatably unhealthy obsession, many of us struggle going more than a few minutes without Internet access. This can be particularly troublesome when traveling. When we're heading home for the holidays, going on a business trip, or taking off on a summer vacation, we need to know which airlines do the most to keep us online while in the air. Through painstaking research and expert data analysis, HighSpeedInternet.com put together a report of their exclusive rankings of the in-flight Wi-Fi offerings of domestic airlines. Top Domestic Airline Wi-Fi Services Overall JetBlue offers the best overall in-flight Wi-Fi for personal travel. The biggest reason JetBlue tops the rankings is because when it's available, it comes at no extra cost. JetBlue is the only airline in America that offers free in-flight Wi-Fi. Along with being the most affordable, JetBlue's in-flight Wi-Fi is also among the fastest; it's tied with Delta and Virgin America at 15 Mbps. Southwest grabbed the second spot with a great balance of affordability and availability. It offers in-flight Wi-Fi on 90% of its ASM and charges just $8 per day. https://www.eturbonews.com/172826/best-us-airlines-flight-wi-fi-2018 Back to Top Big Aviation Plant in Kansas Will Add Jet Engine Work GE Aviation plans to add new jet engine work to its Strother Field plant in Cowley County. WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - GE Aviation plans to add new jet engine work to its Strother Field plant in Cowley County. Company spokesman Rick Kennedy said starting in January, GE's CF34-8E jet engine will be built at the plant halfway between Winfield and Arkansas City. He says the new work will stabilize the employee count at the plant, which employs about 720 people. The Wichita Eagle reports the Strother plant currently overhauls GE's CF34 family of jet engines. They also assemble the company's new Passport engine, which is expected to enter service next year. Kennedy said GE decided to move the engine assembly work to Strother because its plant in Durham, North Carolina, needed room to assemble the company's new Leap jet engines that are used on Boeing's new 737 Max aircraft. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kansas/articles/2017-12-13/big-aviation-plant-in-kansas-will- add-jet-engine-work Back to Top Back to Top This ad will run 11/6, 11/8, 11/10, 11/13, 11/15, and 11/17 Upcoming USC Courses Safety Management for Aviation Maintenance Maintenance Safety Principles and Guidelines for Developing Effective Maintenance Safety Programs January 8-12, 2018 4.5 Days Safety Program Administration Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FEMA) Process Prediction, Communication, and Influencing Management Safety Program Organization Safety Climates/Management Styles Reporting Systems Accident Response Planning Tuition: $2500 Data for Aviation Safety Management Creating a Data-Based Safety Case for All Aviation Operations January 8-12, 2018 4.5 Days Evolution of Flight Data Analysis Flight Data Recorders, types, capabilities, and history International Regulatory Standards Relationship to SMS FOQA, ASAP, and ASRS Video and Audio Analysis Commercial Safety Data Services Animation of Flight Data ADS-B Practical Exercise Tuition: $2500 Threat and Error Management Integrating Threat and Error Management into a Safety Management System January 17-19, 2018 2.5 Days Introduction to Threats and Errors Performance and Loss of Situation Awareness Threat Recognition and Error Avoidance Building Barriers to Error Distraction and Interruption Management SOPs role in Threat and Error Management Tuition: $1250 For further details, please visit our website or use the contact information below. Email: aviation@usc.edu Telephone: +1 (310) 342-1345 Curt Lewis