Flight Safety Information - November 27, 2023 No. 226 In This Issue : Incident: Mesa CRJ9 at Denver on Nov 20th 2023, arrived without nose tyre : Incident: Delta A319 near Ft. Myers on Nov 19th 2023, smoky odour on board : Incident: Emirates B773 near St. John's on Nov 25th 2023, equipment failure : Incident: BAW B772 at London on Nov 24th 2023, electrical problems : Incident: Thai Lion B738 at Bangkok on Nov 24th 2023, engine shut down in flight : Air France jet damaged after hitting, knocking down RDU light pole; flight canceled for a day : Delhi-bound Air India flight returned to Kathmandu after pilots heard noise during take-off : Woman on meth tries to open emergency door to plane 10 hours into Korean Air flight : TSA nabs 40th gun of year at Pittsburgh International Airport : Women in Aviation and Aerospace Day set : Chinese court starts hearing lawsuits against Malaysia Airlines over missing flight MH370 : Russia lost 76 aircraft due to sanctions, according to minister : CALENDAR OF EVENTS Incident: Mesa CRJ9 at Denver on Nov 20th 2023, arrived without nose tyre A Mesa Airlines Canadair CRJ-900 on behalf of United, registration N938LR performing flight UA-6244 from Grand Junction,CO to Denver,CO (USA), departed Grand Junction's runway 29, climbed to FL250 and landed on Denver's runway 34R about one hour after departure and taxied to the apron. The FAA reported: "POST FLIGHT INSPECTION REVEALED MISSING NOSE GEAR TIRE." https://www.avherald.com/h?article=5117630a&opt=0 Incident: Delta A319 near Ft. Myers on Nov 19th 2023, smoky odour on board A Delta Airlines Airbus A319-100, registration N341NB performing flight DL-1472 from Key West,FL to Atlanta,GA (USA), was enroute at FL320 about 20nm northeast of Fort Myers,FL (USA) when the crew decided to divert to Fort Myers reporting a smokey odour on board. The aircraft landed safely on Fort Myers' runway 06 about 15 minutes after leaving FL320. The airline reported there was a smokey odour on board, the crew declared emergency and diverted to Fort Myers, where the aircraft was checked and released to service. The aircraft was able to continue the flight after about 90 minutes on the ground and reached Atlanta with a delay of about 3 hours. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=51174db2&opt=0 Incident: Emirates B773 near St. John's on Nov 25th 2023, equipment failure An Emirates Boeing 777-300, registration A6-EBQ performing flight EK-210 (dep Nov 24th) from Newark,NJ (USA) to Athens (Greece), was enroute at FL330 about 100nm east of St. John's,NL (Canada) about to enter Oceanic Airspace when the crew decided to turn around and divert to Boston,MA (USA) reporting an equipment failure. The aircraft descended to FL320 for the diversion and landed safely on Boston's runway 04R about 3 hours after the decision to divert advising tower no assistance was needed. The airline reported a technical fault, the passengers have been rebooked. The aircraft is still on the ground in Boston about 53 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=511a9485&opt=0 Incident: BAW B772 at London on Nov 24th 2023, electrical problems A British Airways Boeing 777-200, registration G-YMMI performing flight BA-123 from London Heathrow,EN (UK) to Doha (Qatar), was climbing out of Heathrow's runway 27R when the crew stopped the climb at 5000 feet reporting smoke on board of the aircraft. The aircraft returned to Heathrow for a safe landing on runway 27L about 20 minutes after departure, vacated the runway and stopped on the parallel taxiway for an inspection by emergency services before taxiing to the apron. According to information The Aviation Herald received maintenance checked the variable frequency electrical system. A replacement Boeing 777-200 registration G-YMMO reached Doha with a delay of about 6 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in London about 44 hours after landing back and is estimated to return to service about in about 7 hours (about 51 hours after landing back). https://avherald.com/h?article=511a765b&opt=0 Incident: Thai Lion B738 at Bangkok on Nov 24th 2023, engine shut down in flight A Thai Lion Air Boeing 737-800, registration HS-LGJ performing flight SL-538 from Bangkok Don Mueang to Chiang Rai (Thailand), was climbing out of Don Mueng's runway 21R when the crew levelled the aircraft off at 7000 feet after the right hand engine (CFM56) emitted bangs and streaks of flame prompting the crew to shut the engine down. The aircraft returned to Don Mueang Airport for a safe landing on runway 21R about 30 minutes after departure. A passenger reported the captain announced they had flown through a flock of birds at about 6000 feet, he suspected a bird was ingested into the right hand engine which needed to be shut down. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration HS-LGL reached Chiang Rai with a delay of about 3.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Bangkok about 29 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=5119c3fd&opt=0 Air France jet damaged after hitting, knocking down RDU light pole; flight canceled for a day RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — An Air France jet was damaged when it hit a light pole at Raleigh-Durham International Airport on Friday afternoon, officials said. The incident happened at 4:20 p.m. Friday and involved an Air France Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, according to a statement from RDU officials. The incident caused damage to the left wing of the plane which was using Gate C24 that day, according to photos, reports from the scene, and the FlightAware website. There were no reports of injuries. As of Sunday afternoon, the damaged jet was still parked and sitting at RDU. The flight — Air France 693 — was canceled that day from RDU to Charles de Gaulle/Roissy Airport, located about 14 miles northeast of Paris. RDU Airport welcomes Air France amid growing list of airlines, destinations Photos from the scene showed crews examining the wing after the incident. The Air France Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner that hit and knocked over a light pole at RDU Airport on Friday afternoon. Photo courtesy: Tony Cervati Photography. A light pole that was broken at its base and lying on the ground was also seen in photos from the scene. Air France’s inaugural flight from Paris to RDU launched on Oct. 30. Air France will fly the Paris route three days a week until March 31 when it begins daily nonstop service, according to RDU officials. https://www.cbs17.com/news/local-news/wake-county-news/air-france-jet-damaged-after-hitting-knocking-down-rdu-light-pole-flight-canceled-for-a-day/ Delhi-bound Air India flight returned to Kathmandu after pilots heard noise during take-off An airline spokesperson on Sunday said the two issues were not related and at no point was safety compromised. An Air India aircraft that was to fly to Delhi returned to Kathmandu airport on Saturday evening after pilots heard a noise while taking off, according to an airline official. The official said the pilots had decided to return as they heard a noise during take-off and had suspected a possible tail strike. Also, prior to taking off, it was noticed after boarding passengers that a door in the aircraft was unserviceable. The plane was cleared for take-off after following necessary airworthiness protocols. An airline spokesperson on Sunday said the two issues were not related and at no point was safety compromised. While a tail strike was suspected as the plane returned, it was later confirmed that there was no tail strike, the spokesperson said. The official said the pilots had decided to return as they heard a noise during take-off and had suspected a possible tail strike. Further, the official said that after checks, the A321 aircraft operated the flight to Delhi on Sunday morning. "AI 216 from Kathmandu to Delhi on Nov 26 experienced an unserviceable door after boarding was completed. All necessary airworthiness protocols were carried out and the aircraft was cleared for take-off," the spokesperson said. While taking off, the spokesperson said the pilots suspected a tail strike and as a measure of precaution, decided to turn back in accordance with safety protocols. "It was later confirmed that there was no tail strike," the spokesperson said. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/delhibound-air-india-flight-returned-to-kathmandu-after-pilots-heard-noise-during-takeoff-101701009354914.html Woman on meth tries to open emergency door to plane 10 hours into Korean Air flight A passenger onboard a Korean air flight tested positive for meth after she attempted to open up the plane's emergency door several times during the flight. A meth-addled plane passenger tried to open the emergency door as the flight soared over the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, according to local reports. The 26-year-old woman was arrested by the Incheon International Airport Police Corps after trying to yank open the door of the Korean Air flight traveling to Incheon, a South Korean city bordering Seoul, Yonhap News Agency reported. The plane had been nearing the end of its 15-hour flight from New York that had departed at 2 a.m. the previous day. Witnesses told police she had begun showing signs of anxiety about 10 hours into the flight and tried to rip the door open several times before she was finally restrained by flight attendants. She later tested positive for meth, airport officials told the Korea JoongAng Daily. Police said the woman had entered the country after staying in New York for over six months, and had no record of mental illness. It is the third instance of a passenger trying to open emergency doors on Korean flights this year, including a drugged-up 19-year-old who was sentenced to three years in prison. The 26-year-old woman was arrested by the Incheon International Airport Police Corps after trying to yank open the door of the Korean Air flight traveling to Incheon It also comes one month after an Oregon off-duty pilot allegedly tried to down a max-capacity plane while experiencing a days-long mental breakdown exasperated by a magic mushroom trip. Joseph Emerson — who faces a count of attempted murder for each of the 83 lives on board — claims he thought he would snap out of his drug-induced delusional state if he crashed the packed plane. https://nypost.com/2023/11/24/news/drugged-up-woman-tries-to-open-emergency-door-of-plane-during-flight-from-nyc-to-south-korea/ TSA nabs 40th gun of year at Pittsburgh International Airport Pittsburgh International Airport security stopped a North Hills man Saturday from boarding a flight while carrying a handgun, the 40th firearm Transportation Security Administration officers have confiscated this year to date at the Findlay airport. The man’s .380-caliber handgun — which was loaded with seven bullets, including one in the chamber — brings the total number of guns to five more than the previous record, which was 35 firearms caught in 2019, TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said. Allegheny County Police did not charge the man, who TSA did not name. Police determined the passenger had a valid concealed-carry permit, county police spokesman Jim Madalinsky said Sunday. Charges are not expected. “There is no excuse for bringing a gun to the checkpoint,” said Karen Keys-Turner, TSA’s federal security director for the airport. “Responsible gun owners do not bring their guns to a checkpoint. This was irresponsible on the part of this traveler during one of the busiest holiday travel periods of the year.” “Incidents such as this are dangerous,” she added. “They disrupt our security screening operations and cause delays for other law-abiding travelers who just want to get on their flight to travel during the Thanksgiving holiday period.” Farbstein said the man faces “a federal civil penalty that could cost him thousands of dollars.” TSA officers have confiscated 40 guns at Pittsburgh International Airport this year, compared to 26 in 2022 and 32 in 2021, Farbstein said. After its 35-gun peak in 2019, the number dropped to 21 in 2020. Nationwide, TSA officers have stopped more than 6,000 guns from getting through security checkpoints so far this year, Farbstein said. Last year, 6,542 firearms were caught at checkpoints nationwide and the agency is on track to surpass its record-high numbers from 2022. “Pittsburgh is part of that disturbing trend,” she said. Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms only in checked baggage if they are unloaded and packed in a hard-sided locked case, Farbstein said. Then the locked case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. https://triblive.com/local/tsa-nabs-40th-gun-of-year-at-pittsburgh-international-airport/ Women in Aviation and Aerospace Day set OKLAHOMA CITY – The seventh annual Oklahoma Women in Aviation and Aerospace Day has been set for Dec. 8. Planned by the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics, the event will be held at the base of the 137th Special Operations Wing of the Oklahoma National Guard. Lt. Heather “Lucky” Penney, widely recognized for her service on 9/11, will provide the keynote address. The event also will feature Oklahoma Aviation and Aerospace Day Woman of the Year retired Col. Eileen Collins. A former military instructor and test pilot, she made history as the first female pilot and commander of a space shuttle. The day will include panel discussions on topics such as Women in the Military: Leadership, Work Balance and Family. Partners in presenting the event include L3 Harris Technologies, AAR Oklahoma, Acorn Growth, Air Centre LLC, American Jet Charter, American Airlines, Ardmore Development Authority, Aviation Training Consulting, Atlantic Aviation Wiley Post Airport, Boeing, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, City of Goldsby, Critical Components Inc., Consolidated Turbine Specialists, David Jay Perry Airport, Delta Airport Consultants, Enid Woodring Regional Airport, Federal Aviation Administration Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center, Omni Air Transport, Garver, HNTB Corp., Oklahoma City Innovation District, Intrust Bank, Jones Public Relations and Communications Agency, Jviation, Kimley-Horn, Knudsen Institute, KSA Engineers, L3 Harris Technologies, Lochner, Mint Turbines, Nordam, Oklahoma Aerospace and Defense Innovation Institute, Oklahoma Air and Space Forces Association, Oklahoma Defense Industry Association, Oklahoma National Guard, Oklahoma City Airport Trust, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, Oklahoma Department of Commerce ACES Program, Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, Olsson, Parkhill, Pratt & Whitney, Ready 3, Rose State College, Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology, Spirit AeroSystems, Sundance Airport, Tinker Federal Credit Union, True Sky Federal Credit Union, Tulsa International Airport, University of Oklahoma College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences, Women in Aviation Oklahoma City Chapter, and Women in Transportation. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased online. For more information, contact Sandra Shelton at sshelton@oac.ok.gov. https://journalrecord.com/2023/11/women-in-aviation-and-aerospace-day-set/ Chinese court starts hearing lawsuits against Malaysia Airlines over missing flight MH370 For nearly 10 years, Jiang Hui has been searching for answers as to why the plane carrying his 70-year-old mother back from vacation in Malaysia vanished without trace. Jiang’s mother, Jiang Cuiyun, was one of 239 people on board Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 when it deviated from its scheduled path from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing and disappeared over the Indian Ocean on March 8, 2014. To this date, the fate of MH370 remains one of history’s greatest aviation mysteries, and Jiang has never given up on his quest to find out what happened. On Monday, a Chinese court will begin hearing claims for compensation for families of MH370 passengers, who say the disaster not only deprived them of their loved ones, but also plunged some into financial distress. “Almost 10 years on, the family members (who refused to accept settlement offers) did not receive any apology or a penny of compensation,” Jiang, 50, told CNN in an interview ahead of the hearings at the Chaoyang District People’s Court in Beijing, more than seven years after the lawsuits were initially filed. “In fact, my mood is very complicated now. There is both a sense of relief and a deep feeling of helplessness.” Jiang is suing Maylasia Airlines, its insurer, Boeing and the manufacturer of the plane’s engine – companies he believes should be held responsible under Chinese law for damage occured during transportation. His demands include compensation, a formal apology, and the resumption of psychological assistance to family members, as well as the creation of a fund to continue searches for the plane. About 40 Chinese families are taking these companies to court with varying but largely overlapping appeals, with hearings expected to last until December 5, Jiang said. His own case will be heard on Friday, he added. Of the more than 200 people aboard the flight, 153 were Chinese nationals. “The complete lack of legal remedies over the past decade has made our painful lives even more unbearable,” Jiang said. In a statement to CNN on the court hearings, Boeing said: “Our thoughts continue to be with those who were on board MH370 and their loved ones.” CNN has also reached out to Malaysia Airlines, Allianz and Rolls-Royce for comment. It’s unclear what enforcement power the Chinese court can wield over the defendants if it rules in favor of Jiang and the other plantiffs. All of them are international companies headquartered outside China, though Malaysia Airlines, Boeing and Roll-Royce have offices in China. Similar cases brought in the United States by the victims’ families have been dismissed on the grounds that these lawsuits should be handled by the Malaysian legal system. In Malaysia, two young boys who lost their father on the flight sued Malaysia Airlines for breach of contract and the Malaysian government for negligence in 2014. The case was settled out of court the next year. In China, families who signed a settlement agreement with Malaysian Airlines received 2.5 million yuan ($350,000) in compensation. Only a few dozen Chinese families signed initially, but over the years more have opted to settle. By March 2021, about 90 families had still declined to settle, but the number halved after the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Jiang. Now, only about 40 families have not settled, according to Jiang, who said they refused to sign the agreement because it removed all responsibility from the airline and the Malaysian government. Three years of Covid lockdowns and other stringent control measures wreaked havoc on the Chinese economy, leaving many families struggling to make ends meet. “On our long journey seeking the truth, many families fell into a tough livelihood or even survival situation. They settled as a last resort to ensure their lives,” Jiang said. “But no matter having settled or not, our ultimate goal remains the same – which is to find the plane and our loved ones.” A 2018 report by Malaysian authorities concluded the investigation team was “unable to determine the real cause of the disappearance of MH370.” Human interference or error were more likely the cause of the plane’s disappearance than an aircraft or system malfunction, the report found. The lack of conclusive evidence led to various theories and speculation about what happened to the flight, and Jiang said some family members still believe their loved ones are alive. He says he’s keeping an open mind – and will accept any outcome, as long as there is evidence. While the jetliner was never found, pieces of apparent debris have washed up on islands in the southern Indian Ocean and the shores of Africa – suggesting the plane had broken up. Years-long quest Jiang’s persistence was driven by a key motivation – the urge to do something for his mother, who enjoyed traveling in her retirement. “I’m at an age where I should pay filial piety to my mother, but I no longer have the chance to do that. So, finding her is the only way I can be filial to her,” he said. Before the MH370 tragedy, Jiang was an ambitious manager at the Beijing office of a state-owned communications company. But one year after the flight went missing, he left the company and has since focused his time and energy on finding the plane. Over the years, he has visited search teams in Australia and roamed the remote shores of Mauritius, Madagascar and Réunion – a French island in the Indian Ocean – to scour for the Boeing jetliner’s debris. In Beijing, he has held regular gatherings with family members of other flight victims to discuss the next step in seeking answers and justice for their loved ones’ disappearance. “I used to get completely immersed in my job, but now I can truly understand what’s the meaning of life, and what are its most precious things,” he said. “If I can push for any progress (in finding MH370), or I can try my best till the end, I would feel very gratified and happy – and such happiness is beyond comparison with earning a higher salary.” https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/27/china/chinese-court-mh370-lawsuit-hearing-intl-hnk/index.html Russia lost 76 aircraft due to sanctions, according to minister Russia has had 76 commercial aircraft seized abroad as a result of the sanctions that followed its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, according to the Transports Minister of the Russian Federation, Vitaly Savelyev. Speaking to Russian media, Savelyev, who served as CEO of flag carrier Aeroflot between 2009 and 2020, admitted his ministry was not prepared for this situation. He also shared some figures about the impact sanctions have had in the country’s commercial aviation industry. The 76 aircraft the minister referred to are aircraft that happened to be temporarily outside of Russia for a variety of reasons, such as maintenance or the fulfillment of commercial services, at the time when sanctions were introduced and were, thus, seized wherever they were. In addition to the 76 aircraft that were unable to return to Russian territory, a significant portion of the Russian airliner fleet has seen their capacity to operate seriously restricted and not just due to the fact that Boeing and Airbus stopped servicing Russian operators. At the start of the war, more than half of airliners operated by Russian airlines were leased and about two thirds of Western-made ones were registered either in Bermuda or in Ireland. Russia refused to return those aircraft to its lessors and, while Russian firms have since purchased some of the affected aircraft from their lessors, a legal battle is still ongoing. This means that, as of November 2023, Russian airlines are only able to operate international flights to 11 countries which have offered guarantees against potential seizures. At the moment the Russian commercial aircraft fleet is composed of 1,302 aircraft, of which 1,176 are for passenger transportation. Over 800 aircraft have been re-registered in Russia since 2022. https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/russia-lost-76-aircraft-due-to-sanctions-according-to-minister CALENDAR OF EVENTS • 2024 Women in Aviation International Conference - March 21-23 (Orlando) • 2024 ACSF Safety Symposium – Air Charter Safety Foundation - April 1-3, 2024 • 2024 ISASI - Lisbon, Portugal - September 30 to October 4, 2024 • 2024 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition - Oct. 22-24 (Vegas) Curt Lewis