Flight Safety Information - October 31, 2022 No.210 In This Issue : Incident: American B738 at Seattle on Oct 28th 2022, suspected fuel leak : Incident: Korean A333 at Seoul on Oct 30th 2022, engine shut down in flight : Incident: Indigo A320 at Delhi on Oct 28th 2022, rejected takeoff due to engine failure : Incident: British Airways B772 at Bangalore and London on Oct 28th 2022, bird strike : Incident: Jetblue A320 at Richmond on Oct 27th 2022, dropped panel from engine pylon : Embraer EMB-110C Bandeirante - ground accident (Uruguay) : Jet lands with smashed windshield and broken nose after extreme weather that left passengers in terror : Courts Side With American Airlines Pilot Fired After He Declined Flawed Drug Test Request : FAA Nudges Pilots On See And Avoid : FAA warns of aviation safety risks without U.S. mandate on 5G limits : Airplane Passenger Sets Toilet and Trash Can on Fire Mid-Flight : China launches 3rd and final space station component : Research Study: Professional Pilot Occupational Risk(s) Survey : GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Incident: American B738 at Seattle on Oct 28th 2022, suspected fuel leak An American Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration N993NN performing flight AA-710 from Seattle,WA to Phoenix,AZ (USA), was climbing out of Seattle when the crew stopped the climb at FL250 due to a suspected fuel leak and decided to return to Seattle for a safe landing on runway 16L about 35 minutes after departure. The aircraft remained on the ground in Seattle for about 16 hours, then departed again the following day and reached Phoenix with a delay of about 16.5 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=500531ed&opt=0 Incident: Korean A333 at Seoul on Oct 30th 2022, engine shut down in flight A Korean Air Airbus A330-300, registration HL7702 performing flight KE-401 from Seoul (South Korea) to Sydney,NS (Australia) with 271 passengers and 12 crew, was climbing out of Incheon Airport's runway 34R when one of the engines (PW4168) emitted bangs and streaks of flames prompting the crew to level off at about 7000 feet, shut the engine down and return to Seoul for a safe landing on Incheon's runway 34R about 35 minutes after departure. A replacement A330-300 registration HL7710 is estimated to reach Sydney with a delay of about 4.5 hours. The airline confirmed an engine failure involving bangs and sparks prompted the return to Seoul, however, denied passenger reports of an engine fire. https://avherald.com/h?article=50052da7&opt=0 Incident: Indigo A320 at Delhi on Oct 28th 2022, rejected takeoff due to engine failure An Indigo Airbus A320-200, registration VT-IFM performing flight 6E-2131 from Delhi to Bangalore (India) with 177 passengers and 7 crew, was accelerating for takeoff from Delhi's runway 28 when the crew rejected takeoff at low speed (about 45 knots over ground) due to the failure of the right hand engine (V2527) that emitted lots of sparks. The aircraft slowed safely, vacated the runway and taxied to the apron. Delhi Police reported there were 184 people on board, who were not evacuated. Passengers reported the crew announced some malfunction with the right hand engine. A replacement Airbus A320-200N registration VT-IJW reached Bangalore with a delay of about 3 hours. On Oct 29th 2022 India's DGCA reported preliminary investigation results show the right hand engine surged causing loud noise and streaks of flames and sparks in the engine exhaust. There were no injuries. https://avherald.com/h?article=5003b11a&opt=0 Incident: British Airways B772 at Bangalore and London on Oct 28th 2022, bird strike A British Airways Boeing 777-200, registration G-YMMJ performing flight BA-118 from Bangalore (India) to London Heathrow,EN (UK), departed Bangalore's runway 09R, climbed to FL380 enroute and landed on Heathrow's runway 27R about 10:10 hours later. A post flight inspection revealed a dent to the radome. https://avherald.com/h?article=50039f55&opt=0 Incident: Jetblue A320 at Richmond on Oct 27th 2022, dropped panel from engine pylon A Jetblue Airbus A320-200, registration N519JB performing flight B6-1281 from Boston,MA to Richmond,VA (USA), departed Boston's runway 33L, climbed to FL300 enroute and landed on Richmond's runway 34 about 80 minutes later. The FAA however reported: "AIRCRAFT LANDED AND POST FLIGHT INSPECTION REVEALED A SMALL PANEL MISSING FROM THE NUMBER 2 ENGINE (V2527) PYLON, RICHMOND, VA." https://avherald.com/h?article=5003a9c0&opt=0 Embraer EMB-110C Bandeirante - ground accident (Uruguay) Date: Friday 28 October 2022 Embraer EMB-110C Bandeirante Operator: Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya - FAU Registration: FAU-583 MSN: 110082 First flight: 1975 Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Aircraft damage: Substantial Location: Montevideo-Carrasco Airport (MVD) ( Uruguay) Phase: Taxi (TXI) Nature: Military Departure airport: ? Destination airport: ? Narrative: An Embraer EMB-110C Bandeirante impacted a building and a pole on the apron at Montevideo-Carrasco Airport, Uruguay. The nose became wedged between the building and the pole, causing significant damage. According to the Uruguay Air Force, the aircraft was engaged in a maintenance task. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20221028-0 Jet lands with smashed windshield and broken nose after extreme weather that left passengers in terror A passenger plane was forced into an emergency landing by extreme weather over South America. The Airbus A320 landed in Paraguay with a broken nose cone and a smashed windshield, images show. Officials said that nobody on board was harmed. A passenger plane was forced into an emergency landing late on Wednesday after its nose cone and windscreen were shattered mid-flight, according to multiple reports. The Airbus A320, operated by Chilean airline LATAM, et off from Santiago de Chile and made the emergency landing at Asunción, Paraguay, at around 11 p.m. local time, Chile's General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics said. The plane hit "extreme and unforeseen weather conditions," according to the Chilean officials, who did not give precise details. According to Paraguayan news outlet Telefuturo, the flight had resumed its journey after an initial diversion to avoid the weather. Dramatic images broadcast by Telefuturo show the aircraft with a large portion of its nose cone broken off, its windshield shattered and equipment dangling from its base. The network also obtained footage shot by a passenger from inside the plane, in which passengers scream in fear and the craft appears to be under violent turbulence. In a further clip shared by ABC7News, what seem to be hailstones can be heard hammering at the plane's exterior and lightning flashes in the windows. "They gave us the instruction, how to put our hands, our head, and just wait for the impact," passenger Gerardo Ampuerol told ABC7News. "By that moment I really thought I was going to die, and I just started praying." All passengers and crew are in a "good condition," the airline said in a statement, per Telefuturo. The outlet reported that there were 48 passengers. Chile's General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics said on Thursday that it would open up a joint investigation into the incident with its Paraguayan counterparts. https://news.yahoo.com/jet-lands-smashed-windshield-broken-142925377.html Courts Side With American Airlines Pilot Fired After He Declined Flawed Drug Test Request In August 2020 Ingram, 64, became trapped in a nightmarish scenario involving a botched attempt by an employee of a ground services company. The employee sought to notify him to take a random drug test after a flight to Miami. He didn’t know his name and apparently thought he was somebody else. Pilots are routinely administered random drug and alcohol tests. But under the circumstances, Ingram declined to be tested. Two months later, American fired him. Then the Federal Aviation Administration revoked his pilot license. He has lived in limbo ever since. Unable to work in his profession, he spent his life savings. “That night was the end of all pay and benefits,” Ingram said. “I’ve exhausted my 401K and sold stock and two cars to survive. “Never in my worst nightmare could I have dreamed my happy world of personal and professional achievement and pride could end so disastrously as it did,” he said. “It’s been a long dark hole in the ground prison - alone and told repeatedly to never tell anyone so as to protect me.” Ingram began flying for American predecessor MetroJet, a US Airways offshoot, in 1999. In 2000, a ramp agent took his picture at Palm Beach International Airport. (See photo) “How I wish I could go back to 2000 and live in that picture and the simple life of joy and pride I once had,” he said. The truth of Ingram’s case began to emerge publicly this month in two court hearings in Miami. In one, a judge dismissed the FAA’s case. In the other, a judge allowed his lawsuit to proceed. Now he and the Allied Pilots Association, which represents American pilots, will pursue a third case, a grievance against American. Whatever the outcome, Ingram will never fly for American again. He cannot be retrained quickly enough to fly before his 65th birthday in January. The grievance and the civil suit will establish whether there is liability for American and Eulen America, the ground services company that employed the woman who mistakenly notified him that he should be tested. American declined to comment. Eulen did not respond to emails. In one case, which had a Miami hearing on Oct. 19th , an administrative law judge at a National Transportation Safety Board hearing ruled that the FAA took his license illegally. “Yesterday was a great day for your union,” wrote Ed Sicher, president of the Allied Pilots Association, which represents American pilots, said in an Oct. 20th message to pilots. After the FAA presented its case, “APA special counsel Sue Edwards made a motion to dismiss the case based upon the lack of credible factual evidence produced by the FAA,” Sicher said. The FAA’s intent was “ to establish that proper notification had occurred or that there was a refusal to test on the part of the pilot,” he said. The judge quickly struck down the FAA’s case. “Following a brief recess, the chief administrative law judge returned to the courtroom and rendered a decision from the bench granting the motion in its entirety,” Sicher said. “American Airlines and the FAA took the position that the pilot was properly notified by a Eulen Aviation notifier and that his failure to complete the test constituted a ‘refusal.’,” Sicher wrote. “The pilot repeatedly and consistently insisted that the notifier had never notified him that he was selected for a random alcohol/drug test. “Many services and employees were transferred to Eulen in advance of the American Airlines bankruptcy,” wrote Sicher, himself a Miami-based pilot. “Eulen is the preferred contractor that American Airlines utilized for many services from logistics and ground support to drug testing notification, despite its obviously lackluster performance.” “This fight will continue as APA shifts its focus to now assisting this pilot through representation in the pending wrongful termination grievance and by offering support in his civil court action,” Sicher said. Ingram “needs to be made whole for the loss of his earnings, the loss of his license, and the abuse he was administered.” The day before the NTSB case, a Florida State Court judge allowed Ingram’s lawsuit against American Airlines and Eulen America to proceed. The two companies had sought a dismissal. In a prepared statement, Scott Mager, Ingram’s attorney, described the sequence of events that led to the case. “Random testing is enabled through a notification process whereby a notifier directly approaches the pilot and notifies him by name.” Mager wrote. However, in Ingram’s case, the notifier “asked the flight attendant at the aircraft door for ‘David’,” Mager wrote. Subsequently, Ingram met the notifier and told her his name was not David, and the two “both walked up the jet bridge and into the terminal.” “The next day, Ingram awoke to several voice mail messages from American Airlines flight department, expressing their shock that he refused to take a drug and alcohol test,” Mager wrote. Ingram, upset by the call, scheduled tests, including a blood test, that showed no alcohol or drugs were in his system, Mager wrote. Nevertheless, Mager wrote, American requested that the FAA revoke his pilot licenses and aircraft ratings. As a result, Mager wrote, “Ingram was grounded forever and all FAA public records of him ever having been a pilot were gone from the FAA Airmen Registry public website.” https://www.forbes.com/sites/tedreed/2022/10/31/courts-side-with-american-airlines-pilot-fired-after-he-declined-flawed-drug-test-request/?sh=23d17c221874 FAA Nudges Pilots On See And Avoid The FAA has published a reminder to all pilots to lift their heads from the electronics when circumstances demand. The agency issued an advisory circular on Friday laying out all the regs that mention see and avoid as fundamental to the pilot’s role in preventing midair collisions. “The most advanced piece of flight equipment in any aircraft is the human eye, and since the number one cause of midair collisions is the failure to adhere to the see-and-avoid concept, efficient use of visual techniques and knowledge of the eye’s limitations will help pilots avoid collisions,” the AC says. The AC comes after a number of high-profile midairs all over the U.S. in recent years in VFR, but the publication uses Alaska air tour accidents as examples. The AC contains a comprehensive list of regulations, studies and supporting information to buttress the see-and-avoid fundamental. “When weather conditions permit, pilots operating IFR or VFR are required to observe and maneuver to avoid other aircraft (refer to § 91.113 for right-of-way rules),” the AC notes. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/faa-nudges-pilots-on-see-and-avoid/ FAA warns of aviation safety risks without U.S. mandate on 5G limits Oct 25 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) wants the U.S. telecommunications regulatory agency to ensure a delay in some 5G C-Band transmissions from smaller operators. Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen said the agency wants the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to mandate voluntary mitigations that AT&T (T.N) and Verizon agreed to earlier this year mandated for 19 smaller telecoms and other spectrum holders. In a previously unreported letter dated Friday, Nolen cited industry data established "aviation safety would be compromised if the U.S. government does not codify certain additional operating limits in the 5G C-Band environment." The letter was sent to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel was copied. The NTIA, FAA and FCC did not immediately comment. Concerns that the 5G service could interfere with airplane altimeters, which give data on a plane's height above the ground and are crucial for bad-weather landing, led to disruptions at some U.S. airports earlier this year. Nolen's letter warns that without the FCC mandating the mitigations "the FAA would be forced to take immediate steps to ensure the safety of the traveling public, raising the likelihood of flight disruptions across the United States." In June, Verizon and AT&T voluntarily agreed to delay some C-Band 5G usage until July 2023 as air carriers work to retrofit airplanes to ensure they will not face interference. Airlines CEOs on Jan. 17 had warned of an impending "catastrophic" aviation crisis that could have grounded almost all traffic because of the 5G deployment. A deal struck shortly before a January deadline did not prevent dozens of foreign carriers from canceling international flights to the United States, and it cast the U.S. regulatory system in an ugly light. Nolen's letter said "the aviation industry is aggressively retrofitting the current U.S. domestic and international fleets that fly in the United States" with radio frequency filters. But it added "data indicates that even retrofitted aircraft would be susceptible to interference if the report and order is not modified, resulting in renewed concerns about unsafe interference." Earlier this year, the FAA and altimeter manufacturers divided the U.S. commercial passenger airline fleet into four groups based on their tolerance to interference. It remains unclear if the four-member FCC has the authority to retroactively impose conditions on companies that purchased spectrum at auction or if would have the votes to make any changes. The FAA has shrunk zones around airports where Verizon and AT&T cannot fully use towers. Verizon said the June agreement would allow it to "lift the voluntary limitations on our 5G network deployment around airports in a staged approach." The FAA letter said the voluntarily mitigations by AT&T and Verizon "have resulted in the safe deployment of more than 50,000 wireless antennas across the nation." It noted that "the FAA has no authority" to require the 19 other spectrum holders to adopt the same precautions. Nolen's letter seeks near-term conversations at senior levels between the NTIA, FAA and FCC. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/exclusive-faa-sees-aviation-safety-risks-without-us-telecom-agency-mandate-2022-10-25/ Airplane Passenger Sets Toilet and Trash Can on Fire Mid-Flight Johnny Jet I wrote a post yesterday about how some travelers do really stupid things like getting too close to wildlife or disobeying warning signs when hiking ... and it almost never ends well, from being severely injured to sometimes death. You can read the story about a woman who was gored while filming a bison and another person who was chased and bitten by a seal here. Both are crazy! It seems like a lot of crazy things happen on airplanes these days. The latest? A passenger caused a fire in an airplane bathroom yesterday on an El Al flight to Bangkok. Well, the latest crazy travel story I've happened upon occurred on an airplane. According to the Jerusalem Post, a passenger caused a fire in an airplane bathroom yesterday on an El Al flight to Bangkok. Per the article: “The incident took place on a flight that took off last night from Tel Aviv, after a passenger who probably wanted to smoke without being detected threw a cigarette butt into the trash can in the toilet compartment - but the cigarette ignited the toilet paper inside, which caused both the trash can and the toilet to catch fire.” The craziest part? “After the fire was extinguished, an assessment of the situation was conducted, and it was determined that there was no danger to the plane. El Al decided not to involve the police in Thailand, but the company will take legal action against the man.” How can you not press charges against someone who puts everyone’s life in jeopardy? He should have been arrested on arrival and thrown in jail so he can never do it again. https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/airplane-passenger-sets-toilet-and-trash-can-on-fire-mid-flight/ar-AA13wOG3?li=BBnb7Kz China launches 3rd and final space station component BEIJING (AP) — China on Monday launched the third and final module to complete its permanent space station and realize a more than decade-long effort to maintain a constant crewed presence in orbit, as its competition with the U.S. grows increasingly fierce. Mengtian was blasted into space on Monday afternoon from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on the southern island province of Hainan. A large crowd of amateur photographers, space enthusiasts and others watched the lift-off from an adjoining beach. Many waved Chinese flags and wore T-shirts emblazoned with the characters for China, reflecting the deep national pride invested in the space program and the technological progress it represents. “The space program is a symbol of a major country and a boost to the modernization of China's national defense," said Ni Lexiong, a professor at Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, underscoring the program's close military links. “It is also a boost to the confidence of the Chinese people, igniting patriotism and positive energy,” Ni said. Mengtian, or “Celestial Dream,” joins Wentian as the second laboratory module for the station, collectively known as Tiangong, or “Celestial Palace.” Both are connected to the Tianhe core module where the crew lives and works. Like its predecessors, Mengtian was launched aboard a Long March-5B Y4 carrier rocket, a member of China’s most powerful family of launch vehicles. Mengtian was due to spend 13 hours in flight before reaching Tiangong, which is populated by a crew of two male and one female astronauts, according to the China Manned Space Agency. Chen Dong, Cai Xuzhe and Liu Yang arrived in early June for a six-month stay on board, during which they will complete the station’s assembly, conduct space walks and carry out additional experiments. Following Mengtian’s arrival, an additional uncrewed Tianzhou cargo craft is due to dock with the station next month, with another crewed mission scheduled for December, at which time crews may overlap as Tiangong has sufficient room to accommodate six astronauts. Mengtian weighs in at about 20 tons with a length of 17.9 meters (58.7 feet) and a diameter of 4.2 meters (13.8 feet). It will provide space for science experiments in zero gravity, an airlock for exposure to the vacuum of space, and a small robotic arm to support extravehicular payloads. The already orbiting 23-ton Wentian laboratory is designed for science and biology experiments and is heavier than any other single-module spacecraft currently in space. Next year, China plans to launch the Xuntian space telescope, which, while not a part of Tiangong, will orbit in sequence with the station and can dock occasionally with it for maintenance. No other additions to the space station have been publicly announced. In all, the station will have about 110 cubic meters (3,880 cubic feet) of pressurized interior space. China’s crewed space program is officially three decades old this year. But it truly got underway in 2003, when China became only the third country after the U.S. and Russia to put a human into space using its own resources. The program is run by the ruling Communist Party’s military wing, the People’s Liberation Army, and has proceeded methodically and almost entirely without outside support. The U.S. excluded China from the International Space Station because of its program's military ties. Prior to launching the Tianhe module, China’s Manned Space Program launched a pair of single-module stations that it crewed briefly as test platforms. The permanent Chinese station will weigh about 66 tons — a fraction of the size of the International Space Station, which launched its first module in 1998 and weighs around 465 tons. With a lifespan of 10-15 years, Tiangong could one day find itself the only space station still running if the ISS adheres to its 30-year operating plan. China has also chalked up successes with uncrewed missions, and its lunar exploration program generated media buzz last year when its Yutu 2 rover sent back pictures of what was described by some as a “mystery hut” but was most likely only a rock. The rover is the first to be placed on the little-explored far side of the moon. China’s Chang’e 5 probe returned lunar rocks to Earth for the first time since the 1970s in December 2000 and another Chinese rover is searching for evidence of life on Mars. Officials are also considering a crewed mission to the moon. The program has also drawn controversy. In October 2021, China’s Foreign Ministry brushed off a report that China had tested a hypersonic missile two months earlier, saying it had merely tested whether a new spacecraft could be reused. China is also reportedly developing a highly secret space plane. China’s space program has proceeded cautiously and largely gone off without a hitch. Complaints, however, have been leveled against China for allowing rocket stages to fall to Earth uncontrolled twice before. NASA accused Beijing last year of “failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris” after parts of a Chinese rocket landed in the Indian Ocean. China's increasing space capabilities also featured in the latest Pentagon defense strategy released Thursday. “In addition to expanding its conventional forces, the PLA is rapidly advancing and integrating its space, counterspace, cyber, electronic, and informational warfare capabilities to support its holistic approach to joint warfare," the strategy said. The U.S. and China are at odds on a range of issues, especially the self-governing island of Taiwan that Beijing threatens to annex with force. China responded to a September visit to Taiwan by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi by firing missiles over the island, holding wargames and staging a simulated blockade. https://www.yahoo.com/news/china-launches-3rd-final-space-074833448.html Research Study: Professional Pilot Occupational Risk(s) Survey My name is August Parker, and I am a Doctor of Occupational Therapy Student at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. I am inviting employed professional pilots to participate in this study by completing an internet survey for a project entitled, “An Occupational Perspective: Therapeutic Interventions to Facilitate Job Performance in Aviators and Astronauts”. The purpose of this study is to assess professional pilots experience with risk(s) in musculoskeletal functioning, mental health, and overall well-being for flight performance. This is a one-time, voluntary survey that is anticipated to take no more than 10 minutes to complete. If you agree, your identity as a participant will remain anonymous during and after the study. This survey is not affiliated with any aviation-related organizations or facilities. I would be grateful if you could forward this message to other pilots in your workforce. If you have any questions, please contact me, August Parker by email at a.parker@usa.edu. For more information and access to the survey, please access the link provided below: https://sway.office.com/ksURu4OaOEAXm7mC?ref=Link THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE FOR HEALTH SCIENCES INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE CONTACT THE INSTITUTIONAL IRB CHAIR, DR. LORI KUPCZYNSKI, EMAIL: LKUPCZYNSKI@USA.EDU, PHONE: 904-330-1559 Thank you for your participation! August Parker, OTDS a.parker@usa.edu The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Dear Pilots and Flight Attendants, Did you know that the difference between a 14-hour flight time and an 18-hour flight time is 28%, which means 28% more exposure by occupants to the cabin environment and other aircraft influences. Keeping this in mind, I am working on a new research study that aims to review current Health & Safety International and National Regulations and best practices for operating Ultra-Long-Range Routes (ULR). ULR operations refer to "An operation involving any sector between a specific city pair (A-B-A) in which the planned flight time exceeds 16 hours, taking into account mean wind conditions and seasonal changes. The scope of this study is to identify different health-related factors affecting Aircrew (Pilots & Flight Attendants) who operate these routes. Based on this review, a gap analysis will be conducted, and recommendations will be presented to mitigate health and safety-related impact factors on Aircrew. As a part of this study, a survey is designed for Aircrew (Pilots and Flight Attendants) who operate on ULR flights. This survey aims to learn about their experience and the different health and safety impact factors that Aircrew experience while operating these routes. Aircrew sought to participate in this study needs to meet the following criteria: - Employed (in the last 24 months) by an air carrier operating scheduled ULR flights (>16hrs); - Qualified as an aircrew member to operate ULR flights. During this study, you will be asked to complete a brief online survey about your opinions concerning health-related issues while operating ULR routes. You will answer several questions about different health-related factors and how it affects your lifestyle, including any prominent experiences you have encountered. The completion of the survey will take approximately 15-20 minutes. If you meet the criteria and are interested in helping, sign up for the study by clicking the link - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SV2D9KT You can also sign up by scanning the QR code below. Please let me know if you have any questions I can answer. Thank you for your participation Kind Regards, Aditya Rathi ISASI Robertson Fellow M.S. Safety Science '22 (Aviation Safety) Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott rathia@my.erau.edu | (928)-632-2707 Curt Lewis