At least 40 killed in Nepal plane crash

An ATR 72 aircraft operated by Nepal's Yeti Airlines carrying 72 people has crashed near an airport in central Nepal killing at least 40 people according to local authorities. 

The Yeti Airlines aircraft was operating a flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara an appears to have crashed whilst on approach to landing and caught fire, hampering rescue efforts, just under a mile from the airport. 

In videos that have surfaced on social media appear to show the plane flying low over a built-up area before falling sideways out of control. Scores of Nepalese soldiers are reported to be involved in rescue and recovery operations at the crash site in a gorge by the Seti River. 

According to Sudarshan Bartaula,  a spokesperson for the carrier,  there were 72 people on the ATR 72 aircraft at the time of the accident including two infants, four crew members and 10 foreign nationals. 

Plane maker ATR issued a short statement, "ATR has been informed that an accident occurred in Nepal involving an ATR 72-500. Our first thoughts are with all the individuals affected by this. The ATR specialists are fully engaged to support both the investigation and the customer."

The Prime Minister called an emergency meeting earlier and the country will observe a national day of mourning tomorrow. 

#YetiAirlines ATR 72 (9N-ANC) has crashed in #Nepal. There were 68 passengers and 4 cabin crew on board.#katmandu #ATR72 pic.twitter.com/vn7vSb0N2Y

— FlightMode (@FlightModeblog) January 15, 2023

'Unlawfully killed' coroner concludes at the end of the Shoreham Airshow Crash inquest

'Unlawfully killed' -Coroner Penelope Schofield has concluded at the end of the long inquest into the deaths of eleven men who died when at the Shoreham Airshow crash in 2015.

The men were either watching or driving past the airshow when a Hawker Hunter vintage jet, piloted by Andrew Hill, failed to pull up enough during a manoeuvre and crashed on a dual carriageway. 

Previously Andrew Hill had been cleared of manslaughter by gross negligence, however, the coroner Penelope Schofield said the plane crash was "a result of the manner in which it was flown" and confirmed those that had been killed played "no part" in causing their own deaths.  There were a series of errors serious enough to reach a conclusion, on the balance of probabilities, that the men had been killed as a result of gross negligence manslaughter, Schofield added.

The Hawker Hunter jet was said to have 'disintegrated' creating a 'massive fireball' upon impact with the ground as pilot Hill was performing a manoeuvre called a bent loop.  Hill was lucky to escape the crash and was thrown into a ditch when the plane broke up.  

The 11 that died were:

Matt Jones, 24.

Matthew Grimstone, 23. 

Jacob Schilt, 23. 

Maurice Abrahams, 76. 

Richard Smith, 26.

Mark Reeves, 53. 

Tony Brightwell, 53. 

Mark Trussler, 54. 

Daniele Polito, 23. 

Dylan Archer, 42. 

James "Graham" Mallinson, 72. 

Video from the BBC  below of the last few seconds of flight before the crash - the impact or devastating results are not shown.

Canada's Transportation Safety Board investigate Flair Airlines runway overrun.......

Investigations are underway in Ontario Canada after a Flair Airlines 737 jet overshot the runway on arrival at Kitchener-Waterloo airport on Friday morning. The aircraft, registration C-FFLC had taken off from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) on Thursday evening at approximately 23:35 and overshot the tarmac in Waterloo shortly before 06:30 the following morning.  

Flair Airlines issued a brief statement saying that "F8501 from YVR to Kitchener-Waterloo exited the runway at the end of its landing. There were no reported injuries. Passengers deplaned the aircraft and were taken to the terminal by bus. The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew is our top priority." but has since refused to make any further statement. 

There were no reported injuries among the 134 passengers or six crew on board at the time of the incident and One passenger told local CTV News that nobody on the plane knew what to do and it was more than an hour before they could get off the aircraft.

Another passenger told them that the aircraft was 'dancing on the runway a bit. It was moving side to side' although despite the bumpy landing most of the passengers in his area of the aircraft seemed calm. 'Oops, we missed the runway'  the passenger said, telling his row mate, ‘we’re in the grass.’. 

Some passengers report receiving texts from the budget airline asking them how their experience flying with them was and asking them to leave a review.

The airport was closed for a while, however, local officials advised “The aircraft has been recovered and the Transportation Safety Board continues to conduct an investigation.  - The  airport has returned to regular operations.”

Commercial flights in and out of Region of Waterloo International Airport were cancelled Friday after a Flair Airlines plane carrying 140 people overran the runway during landing. https://t.co/BI7zFA2Tu8

— CTV Kitchener (@CTVKitchener) November 26, 2022

#FlairAirlines Boeing 737-800 (C-FFLC) went off runway during landing at #Waterloo Airport, #Canada. Flight #F8501 departed from #Vancouver with 134 passengers and 6 cabin crew on board. Crew and passengers are safe.

🎥 Rumbie Muzofa/Twitter#Boeing #B737 pic.twitter.com/zQvfDZTdQX

— FlightMode (@FlightModeblog) November 26, 2022

Two firefighters killed in collision with LATAM Airbus in Peru

Photo AFP

The investigation is in its early stages into how a fire truck collided with an Abus A320 belonging to LATAM Airlines that was taking off from Lima's Jorge Chavez airport to operate flight LA2213 to the Peruvian city of Juliaca.

The Prosecutor's Office confirmed it was looking into the incident and seeking to 'clarify the facts regarding the possible crimes of culpable homicide and culpable injuries.'

The airline issued a brief statement which said the aircraft "collided with a fire engine that entered the runway during take-off at Lima’s Jorge Chávez International Airport. There are no fatalities among the 102 passengers and six crew members. As a precaution, all passengers and crew are being taken to health centres.

LATAM Airlines Peru regrets the passing of the two firefighters who were on the fire engine that collided with the aircraft, as informed by Lima Airport Partners, the operator of Jorge Chavez Airport.   

Currently, LATAM Airlines Peru is focused on providing support to passengers and their families. At the same time, it is working in coordination with authorities to support the investigation into the event.

LATAM Airlines Peru is deploying all its resources to attend to those affected and has activated its emergency response plan."

According to the local health authorities, some 61 people had been transferred to nearby clinics and hospitals, although it is not believed any were in life-threatening conditions. 

Various images and videos spread on social media show the aircraft sliding down the runway, with its main undercarriage appearing to collapse on one side, with flames and billowing black smoke filling the sky.

🚨 | LATAM Flight 2213, an Airbus A320neo has collided with a fire truck at high speed on takeoff in Lima, Peru. No fatalities have been reported on the plane but sadly, two firefighters have passed away as a result. pic.twitter.com/2rLOwgPx8B

— Air Crash Investigation (@AirCrash_) November 19, 2022

Todos los videos que me han llegado del accidente en el aeropuerto Jorge Chavez.#Latam pic.twitter.com/uS2d82ls7S

— 2023 VUELVO (@himselfsv) November 18, 2022

There is some confusion why the fire truck entered the runway while an aircraft was in the process of taking off,  during a press conference, LATAM CEO Manuel Van Oordt confirmed the aircraft had been cleared by the tower for take-off,  "We don't know why [fire truck] was there,  - We didn't ask for their services."

President Pedro Castillo used social media to pay tribute to the dead firefighters, "I express my heartfelt condolences to the relatives of Ángel Torres and Nicolás Santa Gadea, brave firefighters who died in the accident. My thoughts and my prayers are with them. I pray for the recovery of the wounded."

The airport said:  "Lima Airport Partners deeply regrets the loss of the lives of two members of the Aeronautical Fire Department of LAP in the accident that occurred this afternoon between a fire engine and the aircraft that attended flight LA2213 that covered the Lima-Juliaca route. 

We express our solidarity with the families of Angel Torres of the Garibaldi 6 Fire Company and Nicolás Santa Gadea of the Garibaldi 7 Fire Company, with whom we have already contacted to put ourselves at your disposal. 

At this moment we are conducting all the necessary investigations to determine the causes of this fact."

Local media is reporting that a third firefight had been seriously injured in the crash and was undergoing treatment in hospital, however, this has yet to be confirmed. 

The airport also reported that:

The Aviation Accident Investigation Commission (CIAA) of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, comes Working since last night to determine the causes of the accident and supervising the removal work on the runway of landing.

Although the work has been carried out intensively by the airline and in permanent coordination with LAP and the authorities, this is taking longer than estimated due to the complexity of the accident and the Treatment of fuel spillage caused.

In view of the revision, LAP has requested to extend the suspension of operations until 00:00hrs on November 20 of 2022.

LAP is working in parallel in the repair of pavement, lights and other affectations, in order to to ensure the safety of passengers and aircraft.

The reopening of the runway and aeronautical operations will only be possible with the approval of the authority corresponding.

Without wishing to preempt any investigation, it would seem that there has been a horrendous lack of communication or a tragic misunderstanding that has led to this crash, which could have been so much more serious. 

LATAM Airlines plane crashes at Peruvian runway, nobody reported killed

LATAM Airlines said on Friday that one of its passenger jetliners suffered an accident on the runway of Peru's Jorge Chavez International Airport, adding that no passengers or crew members were killed in the incident.

The accident appears to have occurred when the jetliner collided with a vehicle on the runway, according to videos circulating on social media and broadcast by Peruvian media outlets.

Jorge Chavez in Lima, Peru's most important airport, suspended all operations and is investigating the causes of the accident, said Lima Airport Partners, which operates the airport.

Lima Airport Partners had earlier said that all passengers were unharmed.

Images posted on Twitter by local radio station RPP Noticias showed a plane belonging to LATAM Airlines partially on fire on the runway.

Fire brigade officer Mario Casaretto told RPP Noticias the plane had reported problems with its landing gear.

Flight LA2213, which was involved in the accident, covered the domestic Lima-Juliaca route, LATAM Airlines said.

(Reporting by Marco Aquino; Editing by Anthony Esposito, Jonathan Oatis and Rosalba O'Brien for Reuters)

19 killed in Precision Air crash as flight goes down in Lake Victoria, Tanzania

Photo Reuters

According to the latest reports as many as 19 people have been killed in a Precision Air flight that crash-landed in Lake Victoria during bad weather during an approach to Bukoba, Tanzania, just before 9am this morning. 

Originally it was reported by the state broadcaster that three people had died in the crash, with scores taken to a local hospital.  It isn't clear if some of those are included in the death toll currently announced by Prime minister Kassim Majaliwa.  

A  Precision Air spokesperson advised flight PW494 from the Tanzanian capital Dar es Salaam to Bukoba had been involved in an accident as it came into land at 08.53 this morning, local time. The aircraft, registered as 5H-PWF, was an ATR42-500 and was carrying some 39 passengers including an infant at the time of the crash.  There were also four crew members on the aircraft and the airline says the names of passengers and crew on board the aircraft will not be released until all next-of-kin have been notified

The spokesperson advised, "Precision Air extends its deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the passenger and crew involved in this tragic accident. The company will strive to provide them with information and whatever assistance they will require in this difficult time. "

In 2006, the airline embarked on a fleet modernization programme that saw it sign a contract with ATR for seven brand-new state-of-the-art aircraft. The last of the seven aircraft arrived in September 2010. In 2012 Precision Air embarked on another fleet modernization programme which saw Precision Air become the first airline in the world to operate ATR 42-600.  The current fleet consists of, Five 70 seater ATR 72-500, Three 48 seater ATR 42-500 and 1 48 seater ATR 42-600.

The airline was established in 1993 as a private charter air company operating a five-seater Piper Aztec aircraft. Its initial line of business mainly entailed providing connections to tourists visiting the rich natural attractions of Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, in northern Tanzania, the Zanzibar Island in the Indian Ocean and other parts of the country from Arusha town as its base.

The vast nature of Tanzania coupled with a growing demand for air transport services as the country started to embrace a free market economy soon drove Precision Air into operating scheduled flights maintaining Arusha as its base. The first flights were scheduled using a seven-seater one engine Cessna 207, one seven-seater Cessna 402, two eleven-seater Cessna 404s and the nineteen-seater LET 410 until mid-1990s when the airline introduced the bigger and more comfortable ATR fleet.

Ural Airlines Airbus jet suffers damage in landing incident.

Photo: Investigative Committee Russian Federation

According to local media and Aviation Safety Network, an Airbus A320 of Ural Airlines suffered damage to its main landing gear and tyres whilst landing at Irkutsk Airport, Russia on Wednesday, 2nd November.

The aircraft was operating flight U62942 and reports indicate the crew landed with the main gear brakes locked on, with the jet becoming immobilized after on the runway. The crew said they had a warning of brake failure at a height of 500 metres with the parking brake being applied and the wheels remaining locked during the landing.

The crew The pilots of the Ural Airlines Airbus A320 reportedly experienced a critical brake failure at an altitude of 500 m, when the parking brake spontaneously applied on the aircraft. The alarm was triggered. The wheels remained locked for landing.

This could be a very costly incident for Ural Airlines as western aircraft spares are currently prohibited from being supplied to Russian carriers under sanctions imposed following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent war.  Current Airbus and Boeing aircraft spares are in very short supply, according to local reports, with many aircraft grounded and some being cannibalised for parts to keep others operational. 

Another Russian military aircraft crashes....

Image from video posted in Telegram

According to local authorities, a Russian military aircraft has crashed into what is understood to be a residential area in Irkutsk in southern Siberia.

The media are reporting that the regional governor Igor Kobzev, had used the social network and messaging app, Telegram to advise that a Sukhoi Su-30 fighter aircraft crash-landed on a two-storey house in the city on Sunday and that both pilots had been killed in the crash.  It is believed that nobody on the ground had been injured in the incident 

Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations said the aircraft was on a test flight at the time of the incident, although no further details have been released.  However, the Investigative Committee confirmed to local media it had opened a criminal investigation into violations of air safety rules.

Footage of the crash that has been shared widely on social media appears to show the aircraft diving almost vertically before crashing in a fireball. Another video on Telegram seems to show fire personnel putting out a fire in the devastated remains of the house. 

It is the second Russian military aircraft to crash within a week, a Sukhoi Su-34 crashed into a residential building in the southern city of Yeysk shortly after take-off on Monday 17th killing at least 14 people. 

Investigation started into Korean Air A330 runway excursion at Cebu.

Photo AP

An investigation has begun into the events surrounding a Korean Air Airbus A330 which overshot the runway at Mactan-Cebu International Airport in the Philippines, on what appears to have been the crew's third attempt at landing.

All 173 crew and passengers were evacuated safely from the stricken jet that was operating flight KE361 from Seoul to Cebu at the time of the crash.  According to a statement from the airline "Passengers have been escorted to three local hotels and an alternative flight is being arranged. We are currently identifying the cause of the incident."

Keehong Woo the Korean Air President issued the following statement -  "I would like to extend my sincere sentiments regarding the Korean Air Flight KE631 incident at Mactan-Cebu International Airport on October 23, 2022.

A thorough investigation will be performed together with the local aviation authorities and Korean authorities to determine the cause(s) of this event.

We always prioritize safety in all of our operations, and we truly regret the stress and inconvenience brought to our passengers.

We remain committed to standing behind our promise of safe operations and will do our very best to institute measures to prevent any recurrence. Our overall goal is for our valued guests to trust that Korean Air will treat them well, and honour us with the opportunity to welcome them once again."

The pilot had tried to land the Airbus aircraft twice in what appeared to be very poor weather, with thunderstorms in the local area reported at the time of the excursion from the runway.  The jet was delivered to the carrier in 1998 and had no reported issues or technical malfunctions.   

A number of things are being investigated, initially by Philippean air crash investigators with input from counterparts in Korea, including why the crew decided to make a third attempt to land after aborting two earlier ones when conditions hadn't improved.

Cebu Airport Corporation has indicated that runway operations shall temporarily open for departures only today, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.  Airlines for departures shall be in touch with their passengers for the necessary pre-departure and check-in procedures. All passengers are advised to monitor their flights before proceeding to the airport and coordinate with their respective airlines for the status of their flights.

Rescue operation ends after Russian military plane crashes into building...

France 24 is reporting that the rescue operation following the crash of a Russian military aircraft has come to an end.  The plane came down in a residential area of Yeysk, in the southwest region of Russia, close to the border with Ukraine.  

According to various news agencies, at least 13 people were killed in the crash, including three children, while a further 19 people were injured.  

Cargo plane carrying weapons crashes in Greece

Photo ertnews.gr 

Residents within a two-mile radius of an aircraft crash in Greece have been told to stay indoors because of the weapons the cargo jet was carrying at the time of the disaster.

The Antonov AN-12  belonging to Meridian, one of the first private cargo airlines in Ukrainian, founded in 2003, was transporting nearly 11 tonnes of weapons made in Serbian to Bangladesh according to Serbian officials.   

The aircraft had been due to make technical stops in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and India before arriving at its final stop in Dhaka. It is understood that all eight of the crew on board the aircraft died in the crash.

Lieutenant General Marios Apostolidis, of the Northern Greece Fire Service, told local media, "The measurements at the moment have not shown anything but nonetheless instability in the field was observed. - In other words, intense smoke and heat, as well as a white substance that we do not recognise, so a special armed forces team has to inform us what it is and whether we can enter the field."

Drones were used to survey the sense on Sunday morning and members of the Greek Atomic Energy Commission, Army and various explosives experts were ready to investigate when the site is considered safe to enter.  

Thanks to ertnews.gr 

Investigation ongoing into MD-82 crash in Miami

Photo  Pedro Portal/El Nuevo Herald/TNS

Investigators are looking into the causes of a plane crash in Miami that saw an MD-82 from Red Air come to a halt with a crumpled nose and fire under one of its wings.

The jet had arrived from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Tuesday with 137 people on board when its nose gear failed and remarkably all the passengers and crew escaped without serious injury. According to local reports, three were taken for medical evaluation with minor conditions.

Many videos have been shared on social media which capture the aged aircraft skidding along the side of the runway, its wing colliding with communications equipment and passengers evacuating via the rear and overwing exits on one side f the aircraft. 

The airport fire service reached the stricken plane within 2 minutes and dowsed the flames with foam before helping with the assistance of passengers that had run onto the airfield.

Some reports have recorded passengers and witnesses as saying that the aircraft came in with a hard landing, which burst a tyre on the nose gear before it collapsed.  Other passengers reported that the aircraft was jumping and jumping and jumping down the runway, with many cabin windows breaking before it came to a halt. 

Hector Dejesus, A 36-year-old mechanic from Red Air spoke to the Miami Herald saying first it looked like pilot error and then describing it as  “hard landing” - “I suppose it was a hard landing. We do maintenance all the time. I suppose it was that,” he said, “I’m in shock. I would see things like this in the air force.”

Miami Airport used social media to warn other passengers of the incident, which caused so minor disruption to other flights. – “Red Air #203 from Santo Domingo had its landing gear in the nose of the plane collapse, which seems to have caused a fire. MiamiDadeFire responded & extinguished the fire. Some flights have been delayed as a result. Please follow up with your airline for the latest flight info.”

The National Transportation Safety Board have an investigation team now in Miami and are currently assessing the conditions at the time of the crash and the aircraft.

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UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch publishes its Annual Safety Review for 2021

Earlier this week the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch published its Annual Safety Review for 2021 which includes information on events and the safety action already taken or planned to happen in response to its investigations.

The report details it had received 746 occurrence notifications up from 553 in 2020 and less than the 2019 figure of 826. The AAIB said it had opened 28 investigations in the field, of which five were into fatal accidents in the UK that had resulted in seven deaths.

In 2021 the AAIB published 24 field investigation reports, which included five investigations into fatal General Aviation accidents, 17 field investigations into non-fatal accidents or serious incidents to both General Aviation and Commercial Air Transport aircraft and two Unmanned Aircraft System investigations.

The Branch issued 37 Safety Recommendations including 8 of which were classified as safety recommendations of global concern (SRGC). Most of the recommendations are related to the regulation of aircraft operations or the regulation of aircraft design, production and manufacturing.

The Review provides details of 188 significant actions to enhance safety taken proactively by the industry in 2021 as a direct result of AAIB investigations.

In addition, the AAIB appointed an accredited representative to 46 overseas investigations in 2021 and these continue to be a very important part of the Branch’s work.

Crispin Orr, Chief Inspector of Air Accidents said:  “All the fatalities from air accidents in the UK in 2021 were associated with General Aviation (GA). Most involved loss of control, either at low speed close to the ground or following an inadvertent entry into clouds by pilots without an IMC rating. The normal seasonal variations in GA activity were exaggerated somewhat by lockdowns in 2021 but the overall accident statistics and prevalent occurrence types were not unusual.

 

DHL 757 Crash investigation underway

A DHL Boeing 757 cargo jet slid off the runway and broke in half while landing at San Jose’s international airport Thursday, causing major disruption and delays.  The local fire department reported the 757 had taken off from Juan Santamaría Airport just west of the capital, but the crew, who survived the crash, chose to return after reporting hydraulic system failure.

Upon landing the aircraft broke up, the fire department said “Units mobilized to remove the pilot and co-pilot.  Then they applied foam to prevent a spill and now they are working on an earthen dike to avoid any fuel from reaching the drainage system.”

DHL said in a statement that the pilots had been taken for medical evaluation and it was working with local authorities to both investigate the incident and move the aircraft.

Luis Miranda, deputy director of civil aviation for Costa Rica, told local media that the aircraft had only managed to get around 35 miles from the airport when the pilot asked to turn back. He advised the pilot and co-pilot were the only crew on the jet at the time of the crash and the plane was carrying enough fuel for around 2½ hours flying.

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BEA launches investigation into serious incident involving an Air France flight from New York's JFK airport suffered flight control problems on approach to Paris CDG

French investigators from the Bureau d’Enquetes et d’Analyses - BEA has launched an investigation into what it has termed a "Serious Incident" involving an Air France Boeing 777 on approach to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport on Tuesday.  

The jet was operating a flight from New York's JFK airport and suffered serious control problems on its approach to its home base of Paris. as it on landing in Paris. According to reports the pilot aborted the first landing attempt and did a go-around. 

In a statement, Air France said the flight crew “aborted their landing sequence and performed a go-around.

The go-around is defined by the authorities, aircraft manufacturers and Air France as a normal procedure. The crews are trained and regularly instructed in these procedures, which are used by all airlines to guarantee the safety of flights and passengers.   -  The crew landed the aircraft normally after a second approach.”

Unconfirmed and unverified audio was posted on various websites including AIRLIVE.net  which seems to indicate the pilots of the plane were struggling to keep control of the aircraft.

The BEA has said the flight data and cockpit voice recorders, otherwise known as the aircraft's 'black boxes' are being reviewed to determine the cause of the loss of control. The BEA cited “instability of flight controls” in the final stages of the flight, as well as “hard controls” and “flight-path oscillations.” issues hampered normal operation. 

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China Eastern grounds all Boeing 737-800s following deadly crash...............

The airline China Eastern has confirmed it is grounding all of its Boeing 737-800 jets following the crash of one of its aircraft today, killing all 132 people on board.

The Boeing 737-800, was operating a flight between Kunming Changshui International Airport and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport on Monday morning when it rapidly lost altitude and crashed into the side of a mountain.  The crash then set fire to the bamboo forest which has hampered site investigations.

A Boeing spokesperson said: "We are aware of the initial media reports and are working to gather more information." The firm more recently said "Our thoughts are with the passengers and crew of China Eastern Airlines Flight MU 5735. We are working with our airline customer and are ready to support them."  

According to initial reports, flight MU5735 had been flying at 523mph / 455 knots at approximately 30,000 at around 14:19 when it suddenly dropped in altitude at an alarmingly fast rate before data transmitted by the plane ended just over two minutes later. 

We are following reports that China Eastern Airlines flight #MU5735 has crashed.

Last ADS-B data from the aircraft was received at 06:22 UTC and was indicating a vertical speed of -31.000 feet per minute.https://t.co/Lwo8klGf8g pic.twitter.com/wJXpHuDswx

— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) March 21, 2022

Shares in Boeing fell 4.5% after the news broke that another of its 737 jets had crashed, some of its suppliers also saw the value of their shares falling.  France-listed Safran fell 3%,  Spirit AeroSystems Holdings Inc, Hexcel Corp and Triumph Group were all down between 1% and 4%.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said he was 'shocked' by the crash and ordered an “all-out effort” for the rescue operation, he also stated that a full investigation into the crash and to ensure complete civil aviation safety would report as soon as possible. 

Unconfirmed and unverified videos have appeared on social media indicating the aircraft may have dropped vertically with parts of the wings breaking off and falling far from the crash site.  

 

China Eastern Airlines issued the following statement......

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US Osprey crashes in Norway as part of NATO exercise killing four.

AP is reporting that four U.S. Marines have been killed close to a Norwegian town in the Arctic Circle following a crash of their Osprey aircraft which was taking part in a NATO exercise.

Photo Boeing

The Marines from the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, II Marine Expeditionary Force, were taking part in the 'Cold Response' NATO exercise which has seen forces from many countries on land sea and air come together. The aircraft was an MV-22B Osprey, which according to U.S. authorities  "had a crew of four and was out on a training mission in Nordland County" northern Norway.  The names of the deceased have not been disclosed at this stage. 

Initial reports indicate the Osprey was heading north to Bodoe, where it was scheduled to land just before 18:00 Friday evening. The aircraft crashed in Graetaedalen in Beiarn, south of Bodoe. A search and rescue mission was launched immediately, the police said and then early this morning they arrived at the scene, confirming all four of the crew had died.

An investigation is underway into the cause of the crash and weather is likely to have played a part in the incident which was said to be stormy and windy at the time. 

Photo Boeing

NATO has advised that the Cold Response exercise will continue on until its scheduled end date of 1st April. 

V-22 Osprey: 

Boeing says the V-22 Osprey is a joint service multirole combat aircraft utilizing tiltrotor technology to combine the vertical performance of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed-wing aircraft. With its rotors in vertical position, it can take off, land and hover like a helicopter. Once airborne, it can convert to a turboprop aeroplane capable of high-speed, high-altitude flight. This combination results in global reach capabilities that allow the V-22 to fill an operational niche, unlike any other aircraft.

Photo Boeing

V-22 Osprey Technical Specifications

Propulsion	Two Rolls-Royce AE1107C, 6,150 shp (4,586 kW) each
Length	Fuselage: 57.3 ft. (17.47 m); Stowed: 63.0 ft. (19.20 m)
Width	Rotors turning: 84.6 ft. (25.78 m); Stowed: 18.4 ft. (5.61 m)
Height	Nacelles vertical: 22.1 ft. (6.73 m); Stabilizer: 17.9 ft. (5.46 m)
Rotor Diameter	38.1 ft (11.6 m)
Vertical Takeoff Max Gross Weight	52,600 lbs. (23,859 kg)
Max Speed	270 kts (500 km/h) @ SL
Mission Radius	428 nm – MV-22 Blk C with vertical takeoff - 24 troops, ramp mounted weapon system, SL STD, 20 min loiter time 525 nm - Short takeoff technique (Rolling Takeoff)
Cockpit - crew seats	2 MV / 3 CV / 2 CMV

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Footballer Emiliano Sala died after Piper Malibu broke up mid-air

The Argentinian footballer Emiliano Sala was unconscious from carbon monoxide poisoning and died of head and body injuries when the Piper Malibu he was a passenger in broke up mid-air just prior to crashing en route to Cardiff.

The 28-year-old had just signed for Cardiff City and was flying back from France to join Cardiff to start his new job on 21st January of 2019.  

An inquest into the crash concluded today and the jury concluded that Sala died in the crash after being overcome by significantly toxic levels of carbon monoxide from a faulty exhaust system on the small plane, the body of the pilot, David Ibbotson, who was not licenced to operate the passenger flight, has never been found.  The inquest jury was informed that Sala's blood had 58% carbon monoxide blood saturation, which would have caused "severe poisoning".

Investigators from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch gave evidence at the inquest and advised the carbon monoxide is most likely to have come from a faulty exhaust system and entered the cabin via the plane's heating system. However, there was no evidence from the aircraft's last maintenance checks that it wasn't airworthy or unable to complete such a flight. 

Emiliano Sala's family issued a short statement, in which they said:  "The family particularly note the jury's findings that it is likely that both the pilot and Emiliano suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning and that Emiliano was deeply unconscious at the time of the accident, and that the poisoning was caused by a failure in the aircraft exhaust system.

The family also welcome the coroner's decision to communicate to the relevant authorities her concerns about the safety issues arising from this inquest in order to prevent similar future deaths. No family should have to go through grief from a similar avoidable accident."

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch report into the crash was published back in 2020 and told how the Piper PA-46-310P Malibu, registration N264DB,  departed from Nantes Airport, France, at 19:06 hrs on 21 January 2019.  At 20:16 hrs, the aircraft was lost from radar as it was probably manoeuvring to avoid poor weather and came down in the English Channel some 22 nautical miles north-north-west of Guernsey. 

Photo from AAIB Report

Crispin Orr, Chief Inspector at the AAIB said: “A team of highly experienced investigators has been working to examine all aspects of the flight in order to understand the factors which may have caused or contributed to the accident. Today we have made important safety recommendations that, if fully implemented, would significantly reduce the risk of a recurrence.

Routine maintenance is vital but cannot eliminate the risk of carbon monoxide leaks completely. Equipping aircraft with devices that provide warning of the presence of this odourless, colourless and lethal gas, would enable pilots to take potentially life-saving action. We are therefore calling for the regulators to make it mandatory for piston-engine aircraft, such as the one involved in this accident, to carry an active CO warning device."

Neither the pilot nor aircraft had the required licences or permissions to operate commercially.

Orr said: “The chartering of aircraft that are not licensed for commercial transport – so-called ‘grey charters’ – is putting lives at risk. We welcome the Civil Aviation Authority’s efforts to stop this practice through their ‘Legal to Fly’ campaign and other interventions.”

Safety action has been taken by the Civil Aviation Authority to raise awareness of the risk associated with unlicensed charter flights. Safety action has also been taken by the engine manufacturer to improve the guidance given to personnel undertaking inspections of exhaust systems.

Full AAIB Report is available here. 

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