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Air Crash

Korean Air A330 Overruns Runway In Cebu

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On October 23rd 2022, Korean Air flight KE631 suffered a runway excursion while landing at Cebu Mactan Intl Airport in the Philippines. Korean Air has not had a fatal passenger airplane crash since 1997, and has held an impressive safety record since.

Incident

The aircraft involved was a 24 year old Airbus A330-200 that was registered with Korean Air as HL7525. On board the flight from Incheon Airport, Seoul was carrying a total of 173 souls on board, with 162 of them being passengers. The crew of the Korean Air Airbus A330 attempted to land twice at Cebu Mactan International Airport (CEB/RPVM) in the Philippines due to bad weather and poor visibility. The plane then overshot the runway, triggering an emergency evacuation with a slide.

Korean Air jet overruns runway at Cebu International Airport in Philippines
The stricken A330 (Credit: Reuters)

KE631 took off at 19:20 from Seoul Incheon airport bound for Cebu, the flight was uneventful until the final stages. It was reported that the flight had difficulty landing due to the appalling weather conditions, the flight crew had attempted to land twice already and on the third attempt, the aircraft overran.

The airline stated that there were no injuries amongst the passengers and crew on that flight. All the passengers were given accommodation in an airport hotel. Korean Air’s President issued a statement via social media, apologising for the incident and saying that there was an investigation under way by South-Korean and Philippine authorities”. One thing that can be praised is the quick response to the incident by Korean Air, who apologized immediately for the inconvenience caused. Photos of the airplane reveal a collapsed nose gear, along with heavy damage to the front fuselage, as well as damage to the engines, there was also a large crack on the top of the aircraft.

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The heavily damaged A330-200 (Credit: Sky News)

“We remain committed to standing behind our promise of safe operations and will do our very best to institute measures to prevent its recurrence,” the airline said. It wouldn’t take an expert to say that the A330-200 is no longer airworthy and will be written off. Cebu Mactan Airport issued a statement saying that the runway had been closed in order to start removing the airplane. This meant that all domestic and international flights were cancelled until further notice from the airport.

Air Crash

Video: Cargolux Boeing 747 Loses Part of Landing Gear During Emergency Landing

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In a notable incident at Luxembourg Airport, a Boeing 747-400 cargo plane from Cargolux lost a part of its main landing gear during an emergency landing on Sunday evening.

vIDEO BY c-wizz ON TWITTER

The aircraft, registered as LX-OCV, took off from Luxembourg airport bound for Chicago ORD. However, the pilots soon reported a malfunction. The aircraft then climbed to 10,000 ft to dump fuel for approximately 10 minutes before returning to Luxembourg Airport for an emergency landing.

Cargolux Boeing 747
Via flightradar24

Shockingly, during the landing, the right center gear unit broke off. Subsequently, the aircraft was unloaded, and the runway had to be closed for inspection and cleaning.

Cargolux Boeing 747

As we wait for further updates on the situation, Cargolux has confirmed the significant landing incident involving its B747-400F aircraft, bearing registration mark LX-OCV. The aircraft was unable to retract its landing gear on take-off from Luxembourg, forcing it to safely dump fuel in order to return to the airport. On its landing roll, its right body landing gear detached from the aircraft. Despite this, the aircraft came to a controlled stop and was attended to by the emergency services.

Thankfully, no persons onboard or on the ground suffered any injuries. The relevant authorities have been informed of the incident. The aircraft remains on the runway, and recovery efforts are currently underway.

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cARGOLUX’S STATEMENT

Immediate Aftermath and Runway Clean-up

Despite the challenges posed by the incident, crews swiftly initiated the clean-up process. The primary focus now is ensuring the safe resumption of operations. The runway will reopen only after a thorough inspection confirms it is safe for aircraft operations.

Happened also last month: Video: Cargolux Boeing 747 Damaged During Landing at Luxembourg

Flights to Luxembourg are currently diverting to Frankfurt until the runway is declared safe for operations. We will keep you updated as soon as further details are released.

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Air Crash

American Airlines Boeing 737 Suffers Engine Flameout After Hitting Flock of Geese

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via dailymail

An American Airlines Boeing 737 flight experienced a dramatic engine flameout when a flock of geese collided with the aircraft shortly after take-off. The frightening event was captured on video and posted online, showing the aircraft emitting flames before returning to the airport. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

Video via dailymail

Terrifying Moment During Take-off

The American Airlines Flight 1958 was en route to Phoenix, Arizona from John Glenn Columbus International Airport when it was struck by a flock of geese. Eyewitnesses described flames shooting from the engine and “wonky, pulsing noises” coming from the plane. One person in Columbus, Ohio even reported that it sounded like the engines were about to fail. The flight took off at 7:43 am and made an emergency landing back at the airport just 40 minutes later, at 8:22 am.

American Airlines Boeing 737
via dailymail

Identifying the Aircraft

American Airlines Boeing 737
Photo by DJ Reed

The aircraft involved in the incident was a Boeing 737-800, Boeing 737-800 (N972NN, built 2015), not the controversial 737 Max, which has been linked to two fatal crashes resulting in over 340 deaths. After the engine flameout, videos and photos circulated online, showing flames coming from the engine and the plane emitting a low rumbling noise as it flew over Ohio.

Investigation and Airport Status

American Airlines Boeing 737
via dailymail

An unnamed passenger on the flight reported that the pilot attributed the engine fire to geese entering the engine. The Federal Aviation Administration is now leading an investigation into the incident. Meanwhile, John Glenn Columbus International Airport remains open and operational, with emergency crews present on the scene.

Recent Similar Event

This dramatic event occurred only three days after another engine fire aboard an Airbus A321 at Charlotte Douglas Airport in North Carolina. The fire was visible from the slats of the plane, and passengers were heard crying out in fear. The flight, bound for Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, returned to the gate without taking off, and the flames were extinguished. The incident, which resulted in no injuries, is being treated as a mechanical failure.

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While the American Airlines Boeing 737 incident was certainly frightening for passengers and observers, it serves as a reminder of the importance of aviation safety and thorough investigations into such occurrences. As the Federal Aviation Administration leads the investigation into this engine flameout, we can only hope that valuable lessons will be learned to prevent similar incidents in the future.

READ ALSO: Boeing 737 Max: Latest Safety Measures and Airline Responses

Have you ever witnessed an event like this during a flight? Share your experiences in the comments below.

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Air Crash

Court Acquits Air France & Airbus of Manslaughter Charges in AF447 Crash

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bruno muthelet via planespotters.net

Air France and Airbus were recently acquitted of charges connected to the tragic Air France Flight AF447 crash in 2009. Although the prosecution found some acts of imprudence by both the manufacturer and the airline, they did not find enough evidence to prove criminal negligence on their part.

Background of the Trial

AF447
Source: FORCA AEREA BRASILEIRA via BBC

The case revolved around an Airbus A330-200 (registered as F-GZCP) that crashed during a flight from Rio de Janeiro Galeão to Paris Charles de Gaulle in 2009. All 228 people on board, including three flight crew, nine cabin crew, and 216 passengers, lost their lives in Air France’s most fatal accident.

The prosecution concluded that the pilots had been unable to manage their stress and surprise after receiving faulty readings from the aircraft’s pitot sensors, which triggered multiple alarms. The court could not prove that the sensors had malfunctioned, and therefore argued that there was no liability for either company involved.

Buy a 1/350 scale diecast model of an Air France Boeing 777

AF447

Not-guilty Verdict

Following a civil trial held between October and December of the previous year, the public prosecutors’ office stated that it was impossible to establish blame for either company and recommended that both defendants be cleared. This decision not to seek a conviction was unusual but not binding for the judges overseeing the trial.

The court found that Airbus had committed “four acts of imprudence or negligence,” including not replacing specific models of pitot tubes on the A330 and A340 fleet known to freeze more frequently. The manufacturer was also accused of “withholding information” from flight operators.

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Air France, on the other hand, was found to have committed two “acts of imprudence” concerning the distribution of information about the faulty pitot sensors. Despite these findings, the court could not establish a strong causal link between these shortcomings and the accident, and therefore no offense was deemed to have been committed.

Long-awaited Conclusion

The final accident report, released by France’s Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety in July 2021, primarily attributed the crash to pilot error following technical malfunctions of the pitot tubes. These tubes, located on the plane’s exterior to measure airspeed, iced over during the flight, causing incorrect speed readings that distracted the crew. The crew’s failure to respond appropriately to the warning alarms contributed to the accident.

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The Public Prosecutors Office initially called for a manslaughter trial against Air France, arguing that the airline did not provide sufficient information to its pilots about the procedures to be followed. The case underscored that the pitot tubes had malfunctioned due to ice on previous flights before the crash and accused Airbus of not informing airlines urgently enough. These sensors were replaced on all Airbus aircraft worldwide after the accident.

The case was dismissed in 2019 due to insufficient evidence, but an association representing the victims’ relatives (‘Association entraide et solidarité vol AF447’) appealed the decision. In May 2021, the Court of Appeal of Paris reversed the 2019 dismissal and ordered Air France and Airbus to stand trial for involuntary manslaughter, culminating in the recent trial.

Airbus Statement

In a statement to Simple Flying, an Airbus spokesperson expressed sympathy for those affected by the tragedy and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to prioritizing safety. The spokesperson noted that the decision was consistent with the 2019 dismissal and reiterated Airbus’s dedication to maintaining a safety-first culture throughout the company and the aviation industry.

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At the time of the accident, the aircraft was about four years old and had accumulated nearly 18,900 flying hours.

After the Trial

The verdict marks the end of a long legal battle for the families of the victims, Air France, and Airbus. While some family members expressed disappointment and disbelief at the outcome, others found closure and relief that the trial has concluded.

Air France’s Response

Air France, while acknowledging the court’s decision, maintained that the safety of its passengers and crew remains its top priority. The airline has since implemented additional safety measures and enhanced training programs for its pilots, aiming to prevent similar incidents in the future.

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Industry Impact

The AF447 trial has drawn attention to the importance of effective communication between manufacturers, airlines, and regulators. Lessons learned from this tragedy have resulted in increased focus on flight crew training, particularly in handling high-stress situations and unexpected system failures. The aviation industry as a whole has also benefited from updated safety guidelines and improvements in aircraft design, ultimately making air travel safer for passengers worldwide.

1/350 scale diecast model of an Air France Airbus A320

AF447

The AF447 trial serves as a sobering reminder of the potential consequences of system failures and human error in aviation. Although Air France and Airbus were acquitted of manslaughter charges, the industry must continue to prioritize safety and learn from past mistakes to prevent future tragedies.

READ ALSO: The Story of the Deadliest Air Crash on the British Ground: Pan Am 103

As we reflect on the AF447 tragedy and its impact on the aviation industry, we’d like to hear your thoughts. How do you think this incident has shaped airline safety and pilot training over the years? Share your opinions in the comments section below.

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