Airlines now ban ‘power bank’ batteries being used in flight

Smartphones, tablets, eBook readers, and noise-cancelling headphones have become essential components of the modern travel kit, and so this has led to the rise of ‘power bank’ battery packs as a must-have accessory to keep all that tech juiced up when you’re on the go.

However, airlines have become increasingly cautious of power bank, specifically the lithium-ion cells within them, due to the risk posed if they overheat or short-circuit.

These battery packs were banned from checked luggage in 2016, following new rules set down by international aviation safety regulators, and can now travel only in your carry-on cabin bags.

In 2025, airlines are introducing even tougher rules surrounding power banks.

Battery packs: new rules from the 1st of March

Taiwan’s Eva Air has announced that from the 1st of March 2025, “to ensure flight safety, the use and charging of power banks and spare lithium batteries will be prohibited throughout the flight.”

While they’ll still be permitted along with other carry-on items, you won’t be allowed to connect the power bank to your phone or tablet during the flight.

Nor can you plug that battery pack into your seat’s USB socket to charge it up ahead of a busy day after you land.

“If your personal electronic devices need to be charged,” Eva Air suggests to passengers, “you may fully charge them before boarding” or connect them to the seat’s AC or USB power outlets.

Power banks “must be carried in your carry-on baggage and properly stored to prevent compression or damage.”

Power banks banned from overhead luggage bins

The same rules will apply on South Korean airlines, including Korean Air and Asiana, from 1 March 2025, along with an additional restriction: lithium-ion power banks and even e-cigarettes won’t be allowed in overhead luggage bins.

Instead, they’ll need to remain with the passenger at their seat.

“As the public is very anxious about bringing power banks on board, we plan to further strengthen passenger guidance and management procedures for power banks and e-cigarettes through this measure,” says the country’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Travellers will have to place power banks and e-cigarettes in their seat pocket.

Additionally, “to avoid metal contact, the terminals of the power bank must be covered with insulating tape or kept in a protective pouch or plastic bag.”

“Clear plastic bags will be available at the check-in counter and in the cabin to help prevent short circuits, so passengers can use them as needed.”

Story sourced from here

Tough new airline rules ban use of power banks in flight - Executive Traveller

Southwest Airlines aborts landing to avoid colliding with private jet

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES BOEING 737-7H4 N953WN (WMSN 36668)

A Southwest Airlines plane and a private jet that entered the runway without authorization experienced a close call at Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW/KMDW) on Tuesday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

Southwest Flight 2504, arriving in from Omaha Nebraska (OMA/KOMA), landed safely at Chicago airport after the flight crew had to perform a go-around to prevent a potential incident, according to Southwest. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident, which took place at 8:48 a.m. local time as the plane was landing on runway 31C.

The close call comes as the two agencies are investigating a string of safety incidents in recent weeks, including the deadly midair collision over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, a Medevac jet crash in Philadelphia and a regional airline crash off the coast of Nome, Alaska, that killed 10 people.

The private jet, a Bombardier Challenger 350, was headed to Knoxville, Tennessee (TYS/KTYS), according to FlightRadar24. A transcript shows Air traffic control instructed the private jet to turn left on “Runway 4L, cross Runway 31L and hold short of Runway 31C,”.

The pilot replies saying, “Alright, left on 2 – uh – 4L, cross the 22, or 13C, Flexjet 560.”

Then the air traffic controller on the ground immediately replies to the pilot, “Flexjet 560, negative! Cross 31L, hold short Runway 31C.”

Air traffic control audio from the tower also shows the moment the pilot of the Southwest plane chose to perform the go-around to avoid the private jet on the runway.

Air traffic controllers reply, “-west 2504, uh, roger that. Climb, maintain 3,000.” Once the plane reached 3,000 feet in the air, the pilot asked the tower, “Southwest 2504, uh, how’d that happen?”

“The crew followed safety procedures, and the flight landed without incident,” a Southwest spokesperson said in an email to the media. “Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of our customers and employees.”

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement on X, “It is imperative that pilots follow the instructions of air traffic controllers. If they do not, their licenses will be pulled.” Duffy said he would provide additional updates when they become available. 

Flexjet, the company operating the Bombardier Challenger 350, is “aware of the occurrence” in Chicago and “was working to gather more information on this situation,” a spokesperson said in a statement. The private jet can seat up to 9 passengers, according to configurations posted on Flexjet’s website.

The planes came as close as approximately 2,050 feet before the Southwest plane initiated the go-around. The Southwest plane flew over the private jet at an uncorrected pressure altitude of 900 feet, which was approximately 250 feet above ground after adjusting for pressure and elevation, FlightRadar24 said.


Aircraft Information:
Airline: Southwest Airlines
Code: WN/SWA
Aircraft: Boeing 737-8H4
Registration: N8517F
Serial Number: 63594
Engines: 2 x CFMI CFM56-7B27E
First Flew: 13th December 2016
Age: 8.3 Years


Aircraft Information:
Owner / Operator: Flexjet
Code: LXJ
Aircraft: Bombardier Challenger 350
Registration: N560FX
Serial Number: 20886
Engines: 2 x Honeywell HTF7350 turbofans
First Flew: 13th January 2021
Age: 4.1Years

Qatar Airways placed dead passenger next to couple mid flight

An Australian couple flying to Europe were left "traumatised" after they were forced to sit next to a dead body on a Qatar Airways flight.

QATAR AIRBUS A380-861 A7-API (MSN 235)

An Australian couple recounted their horrifying experience of sitting next to a deceased passenger on a flight to Europe. Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin were on a Qatar Airways flight from Melbourne (MEL/YMML) to Doha (DOH/OTHH), en route to Italy, when a woman suddenly collapsed in the aisle after visiting the toilet. The couple had to endure sitting next to the corpse for up to four hours on the long-haul flight, having booked Italian getaway with Qatar.

Despite desperate attempts to revive the woman, cabin crew were unable to. The airline crew placed her body in the seat where Mitchell was sitting in, after the couple were told to move over. Blankets were placed over the woman with Mitchell enduring an uncomfortable few hours beside the deceased woman.

Mitchell and Jennifer spoke to the media in regard to the "traumatising" experience

"It happened right beside me in the aisle, and they did everything they could, but unfortunately, the lady couldn’t be saved, which was pretty heartbreaking to watch," Mitchell said.

"The cabin crew looked a bit frustrated and then they just looked at me and saw seats were available beside me – my wife was on the other side, we’re in a row of four by ourselves – and they just said to me, 'Can you move over, please?', and I just said, 'Yes, no problem,' and then they placed the lady in the chair that I was in."

Mitchell said him and his wife were told to stay in their seats until ambulance and the police came on. Ambulance officers then proceeded to pull the blanket off the dead passenger.

"I was there, and I got to see her face. Yeah, it wasn’t nice," he said.

"I can’t believe they told us to stay. I thought they would have got us out quickly and let the ambulance and the police in there with no other people in there. But they told us to sit down and wait."

The International Air Transport Association’s protocol suggests that a person who has died during a flight should be moved to a seat in an empty row, or if the flight is fully booked, returned to their assigned seat. The deceased is then covered with a blanket as a mark of dignity and respect. 

The Aussie couple said they had not been offered any support at all from Qatar Airways, but I'm not surprised.

"They have a duty of care towards their customers as well as their staff, we should have been contacted to make sure, do you need some support, do you need some counselling," Mitchell said, 

Spotting at Archerfield Airport

Yesterday I thought I'd try spotting at Archerfield airport, which is only 7.6 km (4.7 miles) from my home. 

Archerfield Airport is a leased federal airport located in Archerfield, 12 km (7.5 miles) to the south of Brisbane city, Queensland. It opened on the 1st of April 1931. For over 50 years it was the primary airport in Brisbane, but it is now the secondary airport. On the 19th of March 1988 Brisbane International Airport (BNE/YBBN) was opened.

During World War II, it was used as a Royal Australian Air Force station. Airport traffic peaked in the 1980s. In December 2010, a development plan was released for public comment and included a new parallel runway.

ARCHERFIELD AIRPORT INFORMATION
IATA: none
ICAO: YBAF
Elevation AMSL: 63 ft / 19 m

The radio frequencies for Archerfield Airport include:

• Archerfield ground: 119.9 MHz
• Archerfield tower: 118.1 or 123.6 MHz
• Archerfield ATIS: 120.9 MHz
• Brisbane approach: 125.7 MHz
• Pilot activated lighting: 125.1 MHz

Archerfield Airport has four runways: two sealed runways and two grassed runways.

 
Sealed runways
10/28: Parallel, east-west runways that are sealed and can accommodate larger aircraft
10L/28R: 1,471 meters long
10R/28L: 1,100 meters long

Grassed runways
04/22: Parallel, northeast-southwest runway that are grassed and can accommodate light aircraft
04L/22R: 1,245 meters long

CESSNA 172 SKYHAWK VH-AUC (MSN 17275190) 44 YEARS

BEECH B200 SUPER KING AIR VH-FON (MSN BB-1145) 37 YEARS 

DIAMOND DA20-C1 VH-HUU (MSN C0093) 26 YEARS

BEECH 58 BARON VH-PRG (MSN TH-1134) 45 YEARS

PIPER PA-44-180 SEMINOLE VH-BJC (MSN 4496409) 8 YEARS 

SLING II 24-8489 (MSN 151) 11 YEARS

CESSNA 525B CITATION CJ3 VH-ACC (MSN 525B0169) 18 YEARS

PIPER ARCHER III VH-RMZ (MSN 2843427) 24 YEARS 

VULCANAIR P.68C VH-TAV (MSN 471/C) 13 YEARS

NORTH AMERICAN P-51D MUSTANG VH-FST (MSN 45-11526) 80 YEARS

ROBINSON R44 II VH-HIP (MSN 13062) 15 YEARS

PIPER SENECA V VH-YSI (MSN 3449209) 24 YEARS

CESSNA 180 VH-8OT (MSN 30769) 71 YEARS

CESSNA 150M VH-UGF (MSN 15075924) 51 YEARS 

CESSNA 182 VH-IBZ (MSN 18267708) 45 YEARS 

BEECH B200 SUPER KING AIR (MSN BB-1230) 40 YEARS 

FAIRCHILD SWEARINGEN METROLINER VH-82P (MSN TC-399) 45 YEARS

ROBINSON R22 BETA II VH-VIS (MSN 4759) 7 YEARS

ROBINSON R44 RAVEN II VH-8PP (MSN 14720) 1 YEAR

GAF N22C NOMAD VH-ATO (MSN 108) 46 YEARS

Remembering Turkish Airlines Flight 1951

TURKISH AIRLINES AIRBUS A330-303 TC-JNT (MSN 1476)

Turkish Airlines Flight 195 was a passenger flight traveling from Istanbul-Atürk Airport (ISL/LTBA) to Amsterdam-Schiphol International Airport (AMS/EHAM). It crashed during landing at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, the Netherlands on the 25th of February 2009, resulting the deaths of nine passengers and crew, including all three pilots. The aircraft crashed into a field about 1.5 km (0.9 mi) north of the Polderbaan runway 18R, prior to crossing the A9 motorway inbound, at 09:26 UTC (10:26 CET), having flown from Istanbul, Turkey. The aircraft broke into three pieces on impact. The wreckage did not catch fire.

The Dutch Safety Board has reached the following main conclusion:

During the accident flight, while conducting the approach using the instrument landing system with the right autopilot engaged, the left altimeter system displayed an incorrect height of -8 feet on the primary flight display. This value of -8 feet triggered the activation the retard flare mode of the autothrottle, causing thrust of both engines to be reduced to a minimal value (approach) in preparation for the final of the landing.

Due to the approach heading and altitude provided to the crew by air traffic control, the localizer signal was intercepted at 5.5 NM from the runway threshold with the result that the glide slope had to be intercepted from above. This obscured the fact that the autothrottle had entered the retard flare mode. In addition, it increased the crew's workload. When the aircraft passed 1000 feet height, the approach was not stabilised so the crew should have initiated a go around. The right autopilot (using data from the right radio altimeter) followed the glide slope signal. As the airspeed continued to drop, the aircrafts pitch attitude kept increasing. The crew failed to recognise the airspeed decreasing, and the pitch increase until the moment the stick shaker was activated. Subsequently the approach to stall recovery procedure was not executed properly, causing the aircraft to stall and crash.

Aircraft Information:

Airline: Turkish Airlines 

Code: TK/THY

Aircraft: Airbus A330-303 

Registration: TC-JGE

Serial Number: 329789

Engine: 2 x CFMI CFM56-7B26

First Flew: 21/01/2002

Age: 7.1 Years

American Airlines flight diverted due to bomb threat

AMERICAN AIRLINES BOEING 787-9 N840AN (MSN 40656)

An American Airlines flight en route from New York (JFK/KJFK) to New Delhi (DEL/VIDP) was diverted to Rome (FCO/LIRF) on Sunday following a bomb threat, according to a source familiar with the situation.

In a statement, American Airlines said 

"Flight AA292 was traveling from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Indira Gandhi International Airport before it diverted to Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport “due to a possible security issue," adding later that it "was determined to be non-credible." Per Indira Gandhi International Airport's protocol, a thorough inspection was required before the plane landed

The bomb threat against the flight was sent via email, according to source familiar with the situation. The Federal Aviation Administration reported the crew had identified the security issue.

“Safety and security are our top priorities, and we apologize to our customers for the inconvenience,” the airline said in a statement.

Flight AA292 requested a flight diversion to Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport at around 2 p.m. local time, said Roberto Rao, a spokesperson for the airport.

“We immediately agreed and organized a safe landing,” Rao told the news. “We don’t know what the security concern was, but my opinion is that it was serious enough to divert the plane, but not urgent, because we received the alert when the plane was over the Caspian Sea, a three hours’ flight from Rome.”

The American Airlines plane was escorted by two Italian Air Force fighter jets upon entering Italian airspace, according to Rao, and landed in Rome at 5:30 p.m. local time as reported by the Federal Aviation Administration

Aircraft Information:

Airline: American Airlines

Code: AA/AAL

Aircraft: Boeing 787-9

Registration: N840AN

Serial Number: 40656

Engines: 2 x Genx-1b74/75/P1

First Flew: 8th January 2019

Age: 6.1 Years 

Remembering United Airlines flight 811

UNTITED B0EING 747-422 N194UA (MSN 26892)

 

United Airlines Flight 811 was a regularly scheduled airline flight from Los Angeles (LAX/KLAX) to Sydney (SYD/YSSY), with stop overs at Honolulu (HNL/PHNL) and Auckland (AKL/NZAA). 

On the 24th of February 1989, the Boeing 747-122 serving the flight experienced a cargo-door failure in flight shortly after leaving Honolulu. The resulting explosive decompression blew out several rows of seats, resulting in the deaths of nine passengers. The aircraft returned to Honolulu and landed with no further incident.

Flight 811, with 337 passengers and 18 crew members on board, took off from Honolulu (HNL/PHNL), Hawaii at 01:33 local time, bound for Sydney, Australia, with an intermediate stop at Auckland, New Zealand. The initial climb passed through an area of thunderstorms, so the captain elected to keep the seat belt sign on. As the aircraft was climbing, between 22,000 and 23,000 feet, an explosive decompression was experienced. An emergency was declared at approximately 02:20 HST. The captain initiated a 180-degree left turn to avoid a thunderstorm and proceeded toward Honolulu. The forward lower lobe cargo door had opened in flight, taking with it a large portion of the forward right side of the cabin fuselage. The starboard side Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7A engines (no.3 and 4) were damaged and had to be shut down. Parts of the leading and trailing edge flaps where also damaged resulting in the crew electing to use only 10-degrees trailing edge flaps for landing (a non-normal configuration). This resulted in the aircraft having to land at a higher speed than it would under normal conditions. The aircraft was cleared to land on Honolulu's runway 8L. At 02:34 HST, Honolulu tower was notified by the flight crew that the airplane was stopped, and an emergency evacuation had commenced on the runway. 

The aircraft had been flying for 17 minutes, as it was passing from 22,000 to 23,000 feet (6,700 to 7,000 m), when the flight crew heard a loud "thump", which shook it. About a second and a half later, the forward cargo door blew off. It swung out with such force that it passed its normal stop and slammed into the side of the fuselage, bursting it open. Pressure differentials and aerodynamic forces caused the cabin floor to cave in, and 10 seats (G and H of rows 8 through 12) were ejected from the cabin. All eight passengers seated in these locations were killed, as was the passenger in seat 9F. Seats 8G and 12G were unoccupied. A gaping hole was left in the aircraft, through which a flight attendant, Mae Sapolu in the business-class cabin, was almost blown out. Senior flight attendant Laura Brentlinger hung on to the steps leading to the upper deck and was dangling from them when the decompression occurred. Passengers and crew members saw her clinging to a seat leg and were able to pull her back inside the cabin, although she was severely injured.

The aircraft involved was a Boeing 747-122 (registration number N4713U MSN 19875). It was delivered to United Airlines on the 3rd of November 1970. At the time of the accident, the Boeing had accumulated 58,814 total flight hours, 15,028 flight 'pressurization' cycles, and had not been involved in any previous accident.

Jetstar confirmed full network tech outage caused frustration for passengers

Thousands of Jetstar passengers had been left facing major delays due to technical outages with the airline.

Jetstar passengers had been left unable to check into their flights after a nationwide technical outage crippled the airline’s systems. The budget airline confirmed the outage on Saturday just before 2pm in a reply to a post on X from a customer who reported not being able to check into his flight home.

“We are experiencing some technical difficulties with our system at the moment. Our team is working hard to get this fixed as soon as possible so we appreciate your patience in the meantime,” a Jetstar spokesperson wrote.

The message went on to say
“Our check-in staff will be able to assist you with checking in for your flight. If there’s anything else you need help with, please feel free to send us a DM.”

In the same post, passengers reported experiencing the same issues at airports in Bali and in Japan.

In a statement on Saturday afternoon, a Jetstar spokeswoman said, "an IT issue had impacted the airline’s check-in and boarding systems, but confirmed the issue would be fix by tonight."

The outage lasted for about four hours and resulted in some flights being cancelled.

“Our operations are slowly returning to normal however there may still be some flow on impacts to flights today,” the spokeswoman said.

“We thank customers for their patience and understanding and sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

Spirit Airlines anticipates emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the coming weeks.

SPIRIT AIRLINES A319-132 N532NK (MSN 3165)  

Spirit Airlines announced yesterday that its Plan of Reorganization was confirmed by the States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District New York. The carrier expects to emerge from Chapter11 in the coming weeks with this approval in place.

“Today’s approval is a major milestone as we progress toward the successful conclusion of our in-court process,” said CEO Ted Christie.

“We will emerge as a stronger airline with the financial flexibility to continue providing guests with enhanced travel experiences and greater value.

“Throughout this process, we’ve had virtually unanimous support from our bondholders, who recognise Spirit’s value and potential.”

He added: “As we move forward, our leadership team remains focused on reducing costs while also advancing our strategic initiatives to transform our guest experience and position Spirit for success.

“I’m especially grateful for the dedication and unwavering commitment of our entire Spirit family, who continue their outstanding work to serve our guests and drive our business forward.”

Under the approved plan, Spirit will convert $795 million of funded debt into equity, receive $350 million in new equity investment, and $840 million in aggregate principal amount of new senior secured debt to existing bondholders upon emergence.

The airline will enter into a new revolving credit of up to $300 million.

Spirit vendors, aircraft lessors and holders of secured aircraft indebtedness will not be impaired. The airline continues to operate in the normal course. Guests can continue to book and fly without any fear or interruption.

Solomon Airlines starts direct Auckland-Brisbane flight

SOLOMON AIRLINES AIRBUS A320-232 H4-SIB (MSN 2445)

Today Solomon Airlines launched a new direct flight from Auckland New Zealand (AKL/NZAA) to Brisbane Australia (BNE/YBBN), adding over fourteen thousand seats yearly and boosting trans-Tasman travel & connectivity.

Brisbane serves as a key gateway for travelers eager to experience its vibrant cityscape or explore the Gold Coast’s famed theme parks, stunning beaches, and lush hinterland. With nearly two hundred thousand New Zealand expats calling Queensland home—approximately five percent of the state’s population—the demand for seamless travel to reconnect with family and friends continues to rise.

This new weekly service not only expands trans-Tasman flight options but also enhances same-day travel access for seasonal workers with two onward connections to the Solomon Islands.

Solomon Airlines’ Auckland-Brisbane service will operate every Friday, departing Auckland at 6:30 am NZDT and touching down in Brisbane at 7:00 am AEST.  Flight IE 725, operated by H4-SIB (MSN 2445), departed Auckland at 7.07 am and touched down in Brisbane at 7.27 am.

The return Brisbane-Auckland flight, IE724 takes off Fridays at 6:50 PM AEST, landing in Auckland at 12:30 AM NZDT on Saturday mornings. Travelers can then connect same day to Honiara, Solomon Islands’ capital, and Munda in the Western Province. 

In addition to this new route, Solomon Airlines also operates twice-weekly flights from Auckland to Port Vila, Vanuatu, every Tuesday and Saturday.

To celebrate the Auckland-Brisbane route launch, Solomon Airlines is offering exclusive one-way fares from just NZD $255 and return tickets from NZD $587, including a complimentary meal, drinks, and 30kg checked baggage—available until sold out.

This latest expansion underscores Solomon Airlines’ commitment to enhancing regional connectivity, making trans-Tasman and Pacific travel easier than ever.
Book your ticket now and experience the convenience of seamless flights across the South Pacific!

Chinese warships cause concern and commercial pilots warned of potential hazard

Commercial pilots have been alerted to a potential hazard in the air between Australia and New Zealand due to three Chinese warships conducting exercises.

The ABC has confirmed that formal advice from Australian authorities has been issued by air traffic controllers, prompting several international flights to divert their course. Airservices Australia, which is responsible for aviation safety within the region, has referred all questions to the Department of Defence.

Today, Defence Minister Richard Marles stated Australian ships, and aircraft were cooperating "very closely" with New Zealand's military to monitor a Chinese naval taskforce transiting southeast off the east of Australia.

An earlier report from Washington said the flotilla was around 150 nautical miles (277 kilometres) east of Sydney. The Defence Department revealed last week the Chinese naval taskforce was being monitored in the Coral Sea, northeast of Queensland, but within Australia's exclusive economic zone.

The department said the Chinese vessels were the Jiangki-class frigate Hengyang, the Renhai-class cruiser Zunyi, and the Fuchi-class replenishment vessel Weishanhu.

The Defence Department also confirmed last week that a Chinese fighter jet had set off flares in front of an Australian military aircraft, the interaction was deemed as unsafe and an unprofessional interaction.

Two killed as two small planes collide midair in Arizona

Two individuals lost their lives when two small aircraft collided midair near a airport in southern Arizona on Wednesday morning, according to officials.

The planes, a Cessna 172S and a Lancair 360 MK II, each had two people on board when they collided just before 8:30 a.m. near Marana Regional Airport in Marana Regional Airport, AZ (AVW/KAVQ) according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

The Lancair was performing circuits at 2,100 ft and the Cessna was on final approach to runway 12 with the Lancair closing in on the Cessna. After landing, the Cessna appears to have initiated a takeoff with the Lancair going around until both datapoints merge just southeast of runway 3/21.

The two people aboard the Lancair were killed, while the two in the Cessna were unharmed, said Vic Hathaway, the town’s communications manager. The names of the people who were killed have not been released, but Ms. Hathaway said they were from out of town.

Marana Airport is an “uncontrolled field,” meaning it does not have an operating air traffic control tower but instead relies on pilots to use the CTAF Frequency (Common Traffic Advisory Frequency) to announce their positions to other pilots.

The town of Marana was enrolled in a five-year program of the Federal Aviation Administration that was meant to help them build an air traffic control tower by the end of 2024, Ms. Hathaway said. The construction was delayed because of the pandemic, and a new deadline was set for the end of 2029.

Ms. Hathaway said the town had been petitioning for a tower at the airport because the area was growing rapidly, and the Marana Airport was also used to help relieve traffic from Tucson International Airport, which is about 30 miles southeast of their town.

It was only last week in Arizona when a small plane owned by the Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil veered off a runway at the Scottsdale Airport and struck a parked jet, killing a pilot and injuring three other people.

Aircraft Information:

Owner / Operator: Private

Aircraft: Lancair 360 Mk11

Registration: N3602M

Serial Number: 941-320-781

First Flew: 2001

Age: 24 Years

Aircraft Information:

Owner / Operator: Private

Aircraft: Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP

Registration: N463ER

Serial Number: 172S11597

First Flew: 2015 

Age: 10 Years

OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS INVOLVED

Two aircraft declaring an engine emergency on the same day

On the 20th of February 2021 there were two aircraft declaring an emergency due to engine failure.

The first instance was:

United Airlines Flight 328, a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Denver (DEN/KDEN) to Honolulu (HNL/PHNL), experienced a contained engine failure approximately four minutes after takeoff from Denver International Airport, despite shedding large pieces of debris. The falling parts from the engine cowling created a debris field at least 1.6 km long over suburban residential areas of Broomfield, Colorado. Eyewitnesses recorded the falling debris using smartphone cameras and car dash cam. The debris penetrated the roof of a private home and caused significant damage to a parked vehicle.

The engine failure resulted in an in-flight engine fire, extensive damage to the engine nacelle, and minor damage to the fuselage. Passengers also recorded video of the engine nacelle damage and in-flight fire and posted these to social media. 

The failed engine was a Pratt & Whitney model PW4077 turbofan. The crew secured the failed engine, and the aircraft returned to Denver using the remaining working engine, landing without further incident 24 minutes after takeoff at 13:28 local time. There were no reported injuries to persons onboard or on the ground. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board immediately began investigating.

Aircraft Information:

Airline: United Airlines

Code: UA/UAL

Aircraft: Boeing 777-222

Registration: N772UA

Serial Number: 26930

Engines: 2 x PW PW4077

First Flew: 19/11/1994

Age: 30.3 Years 

The second instance was:

Longtail Aviation flight 5504, an international cargo flight, operated by Longtail Aviation from Aachen Airport, Netherlands (MST/EHBK) to New York, United States (JFK/KJFK), experienced an engine failure shortly after departure, resulting in debris falling to the ground near the Dutch town of Meerssen. Two individuals on the ground sustained minor injuries, and there was property damage to buildings and vehicles. The Boeing 747-400(BCF) cargo plane diverted to Liege Airport (LGG/EBLG) with the failed engine shut down and landed safely.

At 16:11 local time, flight 5504, experienced a nominally contained engine failure shortly after departing Maastricht Aachen Airport in the Netherlands in a southerly direction. Nevertheless, two people were injured by debris that also fell in a residential area. An elderly woman suffered an extensive head injury that was treated at a hospital, and a child suffered burns after touching a piece of debris on the ground.

The converted freighter aircraft, originally delivered in 1991, was powered by four Pratt & Whitney PW4056-3 engines, a version of the earlier PW4000-94 engine. "A few seconds after the plane took off, air traffic control noted an engine fire and informed the pilots. They then switched off the engine concerned and sent out an emergency signal," according to Maastricht Aachen Airport. Metal parts of engine #1 believed to be turbine blades, came down in the Sint Josephstraat area of the village of Meerssen, approximately 2 km past the end of the runway.

Aircraft Information:

Airline:  Longtail Aviation

Code: 6G/LGT

Aircraft: Boeing 747-412 (BCF)

Registration: VQ-BWT

Serial Number: 24975

Engines: 4 x PW PW4056

First Flew: 25/02/1991

Age:  24 Years 

Nighttime spotting at Brisbane airport

Last night our eldest daughter and her partner departed Brisbane for Phuket. The Singapore flight wasn't leaving until 11.30pm but that didn't bother us, I just tried my hand at nighttime photography. I am far from professional photographer, but I don't think the photos are too bad...