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AIRLINERS

This page was last updated on 06/08/2008

Click here to view the Air Accident Investigation Board's official report.   Click here to view the BBC report of this incident.  Click here to see pix of the plane after it landed.

From a spotter:

"In the Video 737 Engine Fire there is nothing wrong with the engine.  When you install an engine that has been has been in storage "preserved" It has a lot of preservative in the fuel control system. (fuel control, fuel pump, etc.)  That is what you see burning. It is very spectacular to watch, and any time we would install a "preserved" engine we would have a crowd to watch the show. As you can see in the short video the engine is not shut down when the flames appear, as would happen if something were really wrong."

Additional Info, from Andrew Burfield:

"This Boeing 757-200 of No.40 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force, is performing a 350 knot pass at 100 ft, before displaying the 757’s awesome power-to-weight ratio with a 45 degree climb out to 7,500ft. The video was taken at RNZAF Base Whenuapai, Auckland, New Zealand, probably at the 2004 Air Force Open Day."

New 6/8/08 Info from Erin Johnson -- the videographer who filmed the departure:

Basically, what has been written is correct regarding the height, speed and climbout angle, however it wasn't at an airshow.  It was a private function for past and present members of 40 Squadron RNZAF and at the end of the day there was a small flying display by the 757 and a C130 Hercules. 40 Sqn operate both types of aircraft. For your info: The RNZAF purchased their two 757's from Transavia and we started flying them as soon as they were re-painted and delivered. No modifictions were done to them, so in effect, this display is from a standard 757-200 with RR RB211 engines fitted. Both 757's are now at Mobile, Alabama having some extensive mods done to them - including the fitting of a large cargo door in the front left side, strengthening the forward section floor for loading of freight pallets, fitting of airstairs which operate from the rear entry door (these are really long as the tail end is a long way off the ground) and the fitting of a crew entry ladder.

The large upwards opening cargo door is a huge job. Normally when 757's get converted to cargo planes, that's all they can carry is the emergency oxygen system, reading lights, air ducts and everything else in the overhead panels are removed in total. In our Mod, we're getting a combi fit. This means there are numerous combinations available to use: part cargo, part passenger in various layouts or a full passenger fit. This means that the overhead panels need to remain - even on the door. So it'll be interesting to see how everything has been wired and plumbed. I had heard talk of getting the engines uprated but can't confirm if this is happening. The first aircraft was recently finished and is now entering the flight test evalution phase of the project once some smaller niggles have been rectified.

We're looking forward to getting our two jets backs. They're the only ones our Airforce has !!   Regards, Erin.

"This shows FG flight 709, bound from Kabul to Dubai, which left the Kabul Airport with 261 passengers on board.  After departure the pilot had a problem with the front wheel gear and could not retract it.  Instead of proceeding to Dubai Airport (flight time 2:30 minutes), with all relevant security measures he decided to land back at Kabul Airport."

"Capt. Abdul Rahman asked the tower to investigate the problem.  Kabul Airport sent an ICRC plane to investigate the problem from beneath the aircraft.  After the problem was located, the captain released most of all the full tanks of kerosene and made a final approach at Kabul Airport.  At this time there were still about 30,000 mines lying around beside the apron."

"After the plane came off the runway nothing happened, and the fire brigades went to rescue the aircraft and passengers. The plane came to stand about 50 meters beside the runway without any problems.  All passengers escaped the aircraft safely. Capt. Rahman got out of the plane, had a cigarette smoke, and took all the passengers to Dubai in a second plane approximately an hour later.   ISAF than pulled the plane from beside the apron, stretched the wheel straight, and pulled it to the maintenance department."  

Airbus A-380 Crosswind Certification    Watch as the biggest airliner in the world lands in some extreme crosswinds!  (This video is from Iceland.  Anyone care to take a whack at translating the narration into English for us?) 

A Translation, Contributed by Hordur Ingolfsson:

"Hi, saw you wanted translation of the narrative of the A380 video shot in Iceland. This video was shot at Keflavik international airport during “practice” landings.

Here goes the translation:

“Not every day we see the biggest passenger airplane in the world land in Iceland, bla bla bla, but today the Airbus 380 was practicing crosswind test landings at Keflavik Airport. Test conditions were 'ideal', with a steady wind blowing 35 to 45 knots.  After only a short stop, the aircraft went up again for repeated approach and test landings that all ended happily. It was amazing to see how this big aircraft handled took on the elements and such strong wind, weighing at about 5 times more than B757 common in Keflavik airport, or 560.000 kilos.  The A380 can take up to 500-600 passengers, bla bla bla.”

Additional information about this crash, sent in by a viewer:

22 August 1999; China Airlines MD11; Hong Kong, China: This aircraft was landing in Hong Kong at night and during a storm after a flight from Bangkok. The aircraft struck the runway and came to rest upside down and on fire. All 15 crew members survived, but three of the 300 passengers were killed.

Click here to see a picture of the aftermath of this crash.

This amazing video was contributed by Geno Becker:

"For those who want to fly to London City Airport, a cross wind adds to the excitement (in addition to the short runway and steep approach). The airport itself is located on the river Thames in downtown London, and gives business people very quick access to the city. The Millennium Dome is in the left side of the picture."

"The runway is only 1199 meters long, which is very short in airline runway terms, thus it is only suitable for aircraft with good STOL (short take-off and landing) performance. It also has a 5.5 degree glide slope, as opposed to the conventional 3 degree slope to most runways. The BAE 146 is the main jet type to operate into the place. Most other aircraft are turbo props etc."

"When doing the approach you have to be fully configured, i.e., gear down, full flaps and speed brakes before you commence descent from 3000 feet...or you won't get stopped before reaching the far end of the runway. If it doesn't look or feel right it is generally a good idea to give it away and have another attempt. For whatever reason, this flight crew decided to press, but they DID make the first turn off the runway. If nothing else, it's a testament to the toughness of the BAE 146 airframe. The pilots handled it like a dirtbike!"

(Note: This video plays best if you right-click and download it to your own computer -- then play it using RealPlayer.)

(Note: This video plays best if you right-click and download it to your own computer -- then play it using RealPlayer.)

Many viewers have expressed interest in the unique music on this video.  Here is new information, provided by Charlie Hanna:

"The background song with the 'Cross Wind Landings' video is "Return To Innocence" by Enigma, it came out sometime in 2001. I got lucky and stumbled onto it, I love that song."

Info about this music, from Michael McEuen:

"I'm one of the many that love these extraordinary videos, (Cross Wind Landings). I'm also a really big fan of this site. You have went to great lengths to provide a real cool site of aviation videos both good and bad. I noted a update by Charlie Hanna about the music "Return to Innocence." With all due respect to the help Mr. Hanna is trying to offer, he is wrong about the release date of 2001. I do believe his date was referring to the movie "Return to Innocence", which was released in 2001.  It can also be found on the very first "Pure Moods" CD dated 1994. It can be viewed @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Return_to_Innocence "

Added Info from Eric Schmidt, of the Carolinas Aviation Museum, Charlotte, NC:

"I love that video of a DC-3 on a grass strip.  I recognized it right away.  It was built in '42 as a C-47 and sold right after the war as surplus.  It stayed with several companies and then, in the late '70s, was bought by Piedmont Airlines, who had it converted to a DC-3, as seen on the video.  They used it for PR, incentive flights and employee excursions.  Piedmont wanted a DC-3 since that's what they started the airline with.  When US Airways bought them out, of course they didn't want it and put it on the market.  Thanks to the generosity of many people we bought it and still fly it to air shows as shown."

Click here for a link to the fabulous instrumental rendition of Led Zeppelin's "Going to California" that accompanies this video!

New Info From Michelle Robertson 2/22/08:

"The video 'Illushin Using It All' was taken from the control tower at Canberra Airport (in Australia) -- which from memory is 1888 feet MSL.  Interestingly, they have now extended the end of the runway that the plane is taking off towards by another 400 meters I believe.  To allow even take-offs with a 5 hour fuel load on a 100 degree day!"

Click here to view several remarkable, high-res photos of the aftermath of this and another VERY similar landing.  Although Airbus may not make the most reliable nose-gear system in the world, it's certainly TOUGH.

Click here to read expert commentary on this unusual problem.

New 3/28/08 Comments from Tim Laity:

"I was once an air traffic controller and this video attributed a mistake made by the air traffic controller that in fact was never made.  According to the narrative included with the video, the departing aircraft is cleared for takeoff at the same time another inbound aircraft is cleared for landing on the same runway. Upon listening to the ATC instructions on the video it seems clear the departing 737 is cleared for takeoff on runway 24 "LEFT" while the inbound 747 is cleared to land on runway 24 "RIGHT" - clearly not the same runway."

"The inbound pilot acknowledges the landing clearance and apparently failed to discern the difference between left and right. It was not a controller error in this particular instance. Simultaneous landings and departures on adjacent runways are routine in larger airports and well within FAA guidelines. Thank you for looking into this one."

New 4/25/08 Comments from Doug Packer:

"Tim Laity wrote that this was NOT controller error…which may still be true, but he says the controller clearly cleared the 747 to land on 24 RIGHT.  If you listen, the controller cleared a UNITED to land on 24 RIGHT and gave a “heavy 747 on short final” warning (which was Asiana), but we never heard the landing clearance for the ASIANA 747 that actually was involved in the near miss."

"He’s correct that landing aircraft in LAX use 24 Right and departing aircraft use 24 Left, but in this video we never hear which one Asiana is cleared for, or which one he read back. Unfortunately, we just don’t know from this short clip who is at fault here."