Flight Safety Information - September 18, 2023 No. 180 In This Issue : Incident: Indigo A20N near Delhi on Sep 16th 2023, hydraulic failure : Incident: Lufthansa A321 at Ibiza on Sep 16th 2023, burst tyres on landing : Incident: British Airways B789 at Hong Kong on Sep 15th 2023, slats did not retract : Incident: THY A21N at Bishkek on Sep 14th 2023, engine vibrations : A pilot training in one of America's most expensive weapons systems ejected over South Carolina. Officials can't find the F-35 he was flying. : 2 pilots were killed in a collision at a Reno air show : Embraer EMB-110P1 Bandeirante - Fatal Accident (Brazil) : Two Virgin aircraft pulled from flying due to unauthorised engine parts : Police investigating after box cutter found inside Jin Air airplane at Incheon airport : Update: Ural Airlines Plans To Fly A320 Out Of Field! : MIT Looks Ahead to Hydrogen’s Aviation Future Challenges include refueling logistics, safety, and H2 production : GRADUATE RESEARCH REQUEST Incident: Indigo A20N near Delhi on Sep 16th 2023, hydraulic failure An Indigo Airbus A320-200N, registration VT-IPY performing flight 6E-93 from Lucknow (India) to Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) with 150 people on board, was enroute at FL380 about 320nm west of Delhi already in Pakistan's Air Space when the crew received indication of a hydraulic failure and decided to divert to Delhi. The aircraft turned around, descended to FL370, later FL210 and landed safely on Delhi's runway 11 about 70 minutes after turning around. A replacement A320-200N registration VT-IJW reached Abu Dhabi with a delay of about 9 hours. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 10 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=50e80bcc&opt=0 Incident: Lufthansa A321 at Ibiza on Sep 16th 2023, burst tyres on landing A Lufthansa Airbus A321-100, registration D-AIRU performing flight LH-1466 from Frankfurt/Main (Germany) to Ibiza,SP (Spain), landed on Ibiza's runway 06 at 14:55L (12:55Z) but burst both right hand main tyres on landing and became disabled about 2300 meters/7500 feet down the runway. The airport was closed for about 4 hours as result. 14 arriving aircraft needed to divert to other airports including Palma Mallorca,SP (Spain). https://avherald.com/h?article=50e7601a&opt=0 Incident: British Airways B789 at Hong Kong on Sep 15th 2023, slats did not retract A British Airways Boeing 787-9, registration G-ZBKA performing flight BA-28 from Hong Kong (China) to London Heathrow,EN (UK), was climbing out of Hong Kong when the crew stopped the climb at FL160 and decided to return to Hong Kong reporting problems with the slats. The aircraft dumped fuel and landed safely back on Hong Kong's runway 07L about 2 hours after departure. A passenger reported the first officer told the passengers during the flight they were dumping fuel and were returning to Hong Kong. After landing the captain explained there had been a problem with the slats not retracting. The flight was postponed to Sep 17th 2023 (approximately 25 hours), the passengers were taken to hotels. https://avherald.com/h?article=50e76668&opt=0 Incident: THY A21N at Bishkek on Sep 14th 2023, engine vibrations A THY Turkish Airlines Airbus A321-200N, registration TC-LSL performing flight TK-347 from Bishkek (Kyrgizstan) to Istanbul (Turkey), was enroute at FL320 about 150nm west of Bishkek when the crew decided to return to Bishkek. The aircraft landed safely on Bishkek's runway 08 about 55 minutes after departure. Passengers reported they returned due to engine (PW1133G) vibrations. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Bishkek about 64 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=50e80dd6&opt=0 A pilot training in one of America's most expensive weapons systems ejected over South Carolina. Officials can't find the F-35 he was flying. An F-35 Lightning II doing maneuvers to the Eglin Air Force Base runway.US Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr. A pilot ejected from his F-35B Lightning II jet after a "mishap" during a Sunday training flight. • While the pilot was unharmed, the jet was lost and has not yet been recovered by officials. • The F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter program is the DOD's most expensive at $1.7 trillion. • An expensive F-35 jet has been lost somewhere in South Carolina following a training mishap. A Marine Corps pilot was flying one of the country's most expensive fighters near Joint Base Charleston on Sunday afternoon when an unknown problem occurred, forcing the pilot to abandon the aircraft and eject. "We can confirm a mishap involving an F-35B Lightning II jet from Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron (VMFAT) 501 with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing," a United States Marine Corps spokesperson told Insider. "The pilot safely ejected from the aircraft. We are currently still gathering more information and assessing the situation. The mishap will be under investigation." The F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter program is the Department of Defense's most expensive weapon-system program, according to the US Government Accountability Office. Officials estimated it would cost American taxpayers about $1.7 trillion to "buy, operate, and sustain the aircraft and systems over its lifetime," the GAO reported. A 2020 report from the Project On Government Oversight found a single Marine Corps F-35B cost $135.8 million. The pilot, after ejecting, was found in a residential neighborhood near South Kenwood Drive in North Charleston and transported to a local medical center in stable condition, the local news outlet WCBD reported. His wingman safely landed in a separate aircraft, the outlet reported. Representatives for Joint Base Charleston did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider but posted on X that officials were working with Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort to locate the lost F-35. Details regarding the training exercise that prompted the mishap are under investigation. A former test pilot said F-35 jets — Lockheed Martin's fifth-generation stealth aircraft — were intended for air superiority and strike missions and were "designed precisely" to fight and win in the kind of war happening in Ukraine, Insider previously reported. The US Air Force deployed F-35s to NATO's front line to patrol for Russian missiles following the invasion of Ukraine. While each aircraft has various weaponry configurations, the jets have a powerful electronic intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance suite. In a configuration known as "beast mode," which Insider previously reported sacrifices stealth for firepower, F-35s can be equipped with laser-guided bombs on their wings and an AIM-9 air-to-air heat-seeking missile. https://www.yahoo.com/news/pilot-training-one-americas-most-235801415.html 2 pilots were killed in a collision at a Reno air show Two pilots died after a collision the National Championship Air Races and Air Show in Reno, Nevada, on Sunday, September 17. Two pilots were killed when their planes collided Sunday during the National Championship Air Races and Air Show in Reno, Nevada, organizers of the event said. “Around 2:15 p.m. this afternoon, at the conclusion of the T-6 Gold race, upon landing, two planes collided and it has been confirmed that both pilots are deceased,” the Reno Air Racing Association said in a statement posted on Facebook. In a later statement, organizers identified the two pilots as Nick Macy and Chris Rushing. “Both expertly skilled pilots and Gold winners in the T-6 Class, Macy piloted Six-Cat and Rushing flew Baron’s Revenge,” the updated statement said. “Families of both pilots have been notified and support services are onsite as they deal with this tragedy.” No other injuries were reported, it added. The remainder of the races were canceled, organizers said. The National Transportation Safety Board said in a statement sent to CNN it is investigating the cause of the crash. The agency, which is leading the probe, identified the two aircraft as a North American T-6G and North American AT-6B, and said they had just completed the race. “The wreckage of each plane came to rest one-half mile from each other,” NTSB said, adding the wreckage will be taken to an off-site facility for analysis. Event organizers said they are cooperating with the NTSB, the Federal Aviation Administration and “all local authorities to identify the cause of the accident and ensure that all of our pilots, spectators and volunteers have the necessary support during this time.” The event, which has been running for more than five decades, prides itself in being an “institution for northern Nevada and aviation enthusiasts from around the world,” according to its website. Over the past decade, the event has brought more than a million spectators and “generated more than $750 million” for the regional economy, according to the site. This is not the event’s first fatal crash. A pilot was killed last year in a plane crash during a race and In 2011, 11 people were killed and more than 60 others injured when a plane veered out of control and slammed into spectators. https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/17/us/reno-nevada-plane-crash/index.html Embraer EMB-110P1 Bandeirante - Fatal Accident (Brazil) Date: Saturday 16 September 2023 Time: 15:00 LT Type: Embraer EMB-110P1 Bandeirante Owner/operator: Manaus Aerotaxi Registration: PT-SOG MSN: 110490 Year of manufacture: 1991 Fatalities: Fatalities: 14 / Occupants: 14 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Category: Accident Location: Barcelos Airport (BAZ/SWBC), Amazonas - Brazil Phase: Landing Nature: Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi Departure airport: Manaus-Eduardo Gomes International Airport, AM (MAO/SBEG) Destination airport: Barcelos Airport, AM (BAZ/SWBC) Investigating agency: CENIPA Narrative: An Embraer EMB-110P1 Bandeirante crashed at Barcelos Airport (BAZ/SWBC), Amazonas, while landing in heavy rain and bad weather. The pilot aborted the landing and attempted a go-around and crashed after the runway on an access road to the Airport. The two pilots and twelve passengers died in the accident. They were all Brazilian. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/345624 Two Virgin aircraft pulled from flying due to unauthorised engine parts Two Virgin Australia aircraft have been temporarily pulled from service after the airline became aware their engines were fitted with unauthorised parts. Virgin confirmed on Monday the affected aircraft were part of its fleet of Boeing 737-800s, which fly most of its domestic services between destinations including Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. The airline became aware of the issues after being notified of falsified certification documents for aircraft parts that came from British-based supplier AOG Technics, as first reported by Bloomberg. AOG supplies engine parts that power many Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s, two of the most common types of commercial aircraft in the world. A low-pressure turbine blade on VH-VUT, a Boeing 737-800, was replaced last week after the airline was notified of the false documents. Although the airline originally thought VH-VUT was the only aircraft affected, this masthead has confirmed that Virgin uncovered a second unauthorised part on another 737-800 aircraft at the weekend. An unauthorised seal on an inner high-pressure turbine nozzle on VH-YFR is being replaced. This aircraft remains in maintenance in Brisbane, where the part is being removed. A Virgin spokesperson said safety was the airline’s highest priority. “We apply a highly stringent approach to maintenance to ensure our safety standard is upheld,” the spokesperson said. ‘We were there for Australia’: Qatar Airways boss says flight decision unfair Virgin is the latest airline to become embroiled in the false-certification scandal, which has plagued AOG Technics in recent months. US carrier Southwest Airlines said it had removed two suspect parts from a Boeing 737 this month. The world’s biggest jet engine manufacturer, CFM International, launched legal action against AOG in Britain this month after uncovering that 68 of its aircraft engines were allegedly fitted with falsely certified components. CFM is a joint venture between General Electric Aerospace and Safran. The business alleges it became aware of fraudulent parts with 50 different part numbers on its CFM56 engine – which powers older Airbus A320s and Boeing 737 NGs – in July. The AOG documentation indicates the parts were new, but CFM alleges its technicians have said they are clearly used. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has since determined the parts were supplied with a falsified authorisation release certificate, which is the document that determines whether a part is safe to fly. Qantas and Regional Express – which also fly Boeing 737-800s– said their respective fleets were not affected. Qantas also flies a mix of A320s and A321s, which have also been cleared. Rex confirmed it had been contacted about the potential issue on August 12 and an internal investigation had confirmed its aircraft did not contain false parts. Australia’s fourth domestic airline, Bonza, exclusively flies Boeing’s newer make of 737s, which is not affected by the issue, known as the Boeing 737 Max-8. Two fatal crashes, in 2018 and 2019, grounded all Max-8s across the world for two years while the manufacturer addressed regulatory concerns. They were cleared to return to service in 2020 and are now used by 60 airlines all over the world, including Bonza and Virgin. https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/two-virgin-aircraft-pulled-from-flying-due-to-unauthorised-engine-parts-20230918-p5e5ka.html Police investigating after box cutter found inside Jin Air airplane at Incheon airport Police launched an investigation Monday after a box cutter was found inside a Jin Air airplane pending a takeoff from Incheon International Airport, officials said. A security official filed the report at around 9:15 a.m., saying the utility knife was discovered under a seat of the passenger aircraft operated by the Korean low-cost carrier, according to airport police officials. The Jin Air airplane had returned from Japan's Narita International Airport to the Incheon airport, the country's main gateway west of Seoul, the previous day and was scheduled to fly to Guam earlier in the morning. The blade was about 5.5 centimeters long and believed to have been brought in some while ago, given the dusty condition. "So far, we believe that there is no suspicion of terrorism in relation to the utility knife," a police official said. "We're going to investigate further how it was brought onto the plane." A Jin Air official said it filed the report with related authorities in accordance with the due procedures, adding it will "cooperate with the investigation." (Yonhap) https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2023/09/113_359469.html Update: Ural Airlines Plans To Fly A320 Out Of Field! It now appears that Ural Airlines is preparing to fly an Airbus A320 out of the field where its crew landed it, during a recent emergency. We covered this accident shortly after it happened, on Tuesday the 12th of September. Ural Airlines flight U6-1383 should have landed in Omsk (UNOO), having departed from Sochi (URSS) in Russia. Initially, the information we had was that the flight went around during its final approach into Omsk, because of a hydraulic issue. It now seems that this was inaccurate. The airline and Russian authorities now say that the crew abandoned their approach because of bad weather in Omsk. Then, the green hydraulic system failed when the pilots retracted their landing gear, AFTER going around. But this still doesn’t explain how the Ural Airlines A320 ended up in a field. However, it appears that the landing gear didn’t retract fully, and/or that the gear doors remained open. https://mentourpilot.com/update-ural-airlines-plans-to-fly-a320-out-of-field/ MIT Looks Ahead to Hydrogen’s Aviation Future Challenges include refueling logistics, safety, and H2 production As investment in hydrogen-powered flight expands, airports and air carriers today are realizing that it’s not enough to retrofit or design new planes for hydrogen power. So while researchers and companies large and small invest in the zero-carbon future of the field, others are beginning to study what supplies and infrastructure on the ground would also be needed to make hydrogen aviation a reality. “Hydrogen may be a good thing, but you gotta look at it from the full system level, right?,” asks Professor R. John Hansman, an aeronautics and astronautics professor at MIT and director of the university’s International Center for Air Transportation. “Because it won’t work unless you have all the pieces to make it work as an operating system. There’s a lot of technology that would have to be developed.” Chicago O’Hare would demand the equivalent of 719 tonnes of liquid hydrogen per day. The first challenge is hydrogen production. A paper co-authored by Hansman and several MIT students—and presented this summer at the IEEE International Conference on Future Energy Solutions at the University of Vaasa in Finland— considered the case of supplying enough liquid hydrogen for 100 airports worldwide, each with long-haul flights. (Only a few hundred airports support flights that travel more than 4,800 kilometers globally.) The idea, Hansman says, was to focus on a smaller set of airports and, theoretically, limit the potential new infrastructure that might be required by hydrogen-powered flight. But just supporting liquid hydrogen-powered long-haul flights at these airports would amount to more than 30 percent of current global nuclear energy production per day, according to the researchers’ calculations. Chicago O’Hare, for instance, would demand the equivalent of 719 tonnes of liquid hydrogen per day. And the hydrogen would have to either be produced through clean or nuclear energy to provide real climate benefits, the paper noted. The research hinted at other logistical challenges, too, including transporting and storing hydrogen in an efficient way. For example, according to the researchers, maintaining two days’ worth of liquid hydrogen for long-haul flights at Chicago O’Hare would require five storage tanks equal to the size of the liquid hydrogen storage tank at the NASA Kennedy Space Center—the largest in the world as of 2021. It’s possible that some airports could produce hydrogen onsite, the researchers added, but others might not have the room. Liquid hydrogen could require a new loading process, too. Fueling hydrogen in a way that’s similar to standard jet fuel could require cryogenic machinery, since the liquid hydrogen would need to be transported at extremely low temperatures, according to Arnaud Namer, the chief operating officer at Universal Hydrogen, a hydrogen-focused transportation startup. This machinery could be expensive and heavy, he noted, and transporting hydrogen in this way could also create the risk of loss, creating less-than-ideal safety and climate impacts. One company is developing modular hydrogen capsules, which can each carry around 200 kilograms of liquid hydrogen—the “Nespresso model.” In a similar vein, a 2022 paper from researchers in Germany analyzing hydrogen refueling logistics considered the potential benefits of several different refueling systems, such as trucks and pipelines and hydrants. The primary method expected by Julian Hölzen, one of the authors of that project, are trucks. “These are nearly available [and] commercialized today, easily scalable, come with relatively low capital costs, and at airports with no traffic constraints they are a perfect first step for LH2 aircraft refueling,” Hölzen said in an email. “The pipeline-and-hydrant option is the best option from an engineering perspective. But might not offer the economics for medium-sized airports and comes with less flexibility.” Refueling raises another open question. Hydrogen, Hansman adds, is extremely flammable, which means fuel lines would need to be cleared. While NASA typically relies on helium, a new way to purge fuel lines may be needed to work for a commercial aviation setting. “Let’s just say you want to refuel the airplane in an hour or two, right? Well, so it turns out, it’s tricky to do that,” he said. Right now, there are other ideas, but they may not work for all kinds of flights. Universal Hydrogen is developing modular hydrogen capsules, which can each carry around 200 kilograms of liquid hydrogen. While Hansman notes this approach might not be workable for long-haul flights, Namer says this technology could be used on any sized aircraft. “That’s similar to the Nespresso model. You actually use capsules, where you fill the hydrogen at the production site with these capsules,” explains Namer. “In that sense, there’s no infrastructure development to be done at the airports or on the ground handling because you’re moving your fuel like you’re moving cargo with the same kind of equipment.” https://spectrum.ieee.org/hydrogen-aviation-infrastructure#toggle-gdpr GRADUATE RESEARCH REQUEST I started my academic career with a BSc. in Aviation Management at Florida Institute of Technology and graduated in 2005. After relocating to Europe and completing the ATPL training, I started flying the B737NG for a scheduled low-cost carrier for four years. Afterwards, relocating to Dubai to fly for a major long-haul airline on the B777 for 8.5 years. In 2020 relocated to the UK to fly for a British long-haul airline. During Covid while there wasn't any flying, I started the MSc. in Aviation Safety, Risk Management and Regulation studies with Cranfield University and I am currently working on my thesis to complete the master's program. My thesis looks at Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) and the overall effectiveness that FRMS has achieved so far. It intends to focus on organisational factors within the operators and regulators to identify those factors that contribute to implementing an effective FRMS. The survey is targeted for pilots that are actively flying (either long or short-haul) and would like to share their experiences with the FRMS within their organisation. It is a short survey and should take no longer than two to three minutes of your time. I will hugely appreciate everyone's feedback. Survey Link: https://cranfielduniversity.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4UdHcIxHD4Wweb4 Kind regards, Erdem Serifoglu Curt Lewis