Turkish Airlines Airbus A330 suffers midair engine fire

TURKISH AIRLINES BOEING 737-MAX 8 TC-LCU (MSN 68008) 

A Turkish Airlines flight traveling from Kathmandu (KTM/VNKT) to Istanbul (IST/LTFM) declared an emergency after a fire broke out in its right engine mid-air.

According to information from Flightradar24, flight TK727 took off from Kathmandu at 13:28 (local time) on on a scheduled route to Istanbul.

The aircraft, an Airbus A330-303, was all  set to cover a distance of 5,317 kilometers with an average flight duration of 7 hours and 44 minutes. However, shortly after takeoff, the flight changed its planned westward course and headed for the nearest cake.

The crew turned off the affected engine and diverted the aircraft to Kolkata Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU/VECC).

There were 236 people on board, consisting of 225 passengers and 11 crew members.

Despite the emergency situation, the aircraft had enough fuel to stay in the air for several additional hours, enabling the crew to manage a controlled diversion.

Airport officials declared a full emergency and the aircraft landed safely in Kolkata at 15:03 local time. Reportedly, there were no injuries among the passengers or crew during the incident.

Aircraft Information:
Airline: Turkish Airlines 
Code: TK/THY

Aircraft: Airbus A330-303
Registration: TC-LNG
Serial Number: 1718
Engine: GE CF6-80E1A3
First Flew: May 2016
Age: 9.9 Years 

Looking back on Pegasus airlines flight 2193

PEGASUS AIRLINES AIRBUS A320-251 TC-NBH (MSN 7399)

 

Pegasus Airlines Flight 2193 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Izmir-Adnan Menderes Airport (ADB/LTBJ) to Istanbul-Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW/LTFJ). On the 5th of February 2020, the Boeing 737-800 operating the route suffered a runway excursion after landing on runway 06 at Istanbul-Sabiha Gökçen International Airport.

Three people lost their lives, 179 were injured, and the aircraft was completely destroyed. This marked the first fatal in the airline's history. 

Flight 2193 operated the flight from İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport to Istanbul without incident. At approximately 18:30 local time, plane attempted to land at Sabiha Gökçen Airport during heavy rain and strong tailwinds. A thunderstorm with powerful wind gusts was passing through the area at the time of the accident. Two other aircraft aborted their landing attempts at the same airport shortly before Flight 2193 landed.

After what Turkey's transport minister described as a "rough landing," the aircraft failed to decelerate. It skidded off the east end of the runway. The aircraft hit ILS antennas and a small building before it fell 30m down an embankment, impacting with a force that survivors described as like an explosion. The aircraft broke into three sections, with the forward section of the fuselage completely destroyed during the incident. Passengers escaped the plane via gaps between the fuselage sections. A fire broke out and was later extinguished by firefighters.

Turkey's health minister said three passengers were killed and 179 people were taken to local hospitals with injuries. 12 children were believed to be on board the plane, according to reports from the Turkish media. An investigation of the pilots was launched based on speculations of crew negligence. The pilots received treatment in the hospital, before they were taken to a police station to provide their statements. 

The accident came less than a month after another Pegasus Airlines accident (Flight 747) involving a Boeing 737 skidding off the runway at the same airport.

Aircraft Information:

Airline: Pegasus Airlines

Code: PC/PGT

Aircraft: Boeing 737-86J

Registration: TC-IZK

Serial Number: 37742

Engine: 2 x CFMI CFM56-7B24

First Flew: 23/01/2009

Age: 11 Years

We’re keeping the families and friends in our thoughts as they honor and remember their loved ones today.

Qantas sells off its stake in Jetstar Japan.

JETSTAR JAPAN AIRBUS A320-232 JA01JJ (MSN 5093)

Australian airline, Qantas, has announced it plans to sell off its share in Jetstar Japan by June 2026.

A non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will see the transition of Jetstar Japan Co., Ltd. to a new Japanese-based ownership structure. This marks the end of Qantas’ 14-year involvement since the low-cost carrier Jetstar Japan’s launch in 2012.

Jetstar Japan, based at Tokyo Narita Airport, has established itself as a leading LCC in Japan, operating 18 domestic and six international routes while carrying more than 55 million passengers.

The current ownership includes JAL with 50% voting rights, Qantas with 33.32%, and Tokyo Century with 16.68%. Under the proposed structure, JAL will remain the largest shareholder, DBJ will join as a new shareholder bringing aviation expertise, and Tokyo Century will retain its stake.

The tentative timeline outlines a final shareholders’ agreement and brand transition by July 2026, and announcement of a new brand in October 2026. Completion of share transfer and full brand change will occur by June 2027, subject to ongoing discussions and regulatory approvals. 

The shift aims to position Jetstar Japan for its next phase of sustainable growth. The new Japanese-led ownership will leverage DBJ’s industry knowledge to enhance synergies, expand international networks centred on Narita’s future development.

This will capture rising inbound tourism demand, and promote regional revitalization through domestic connectivity. Jetstar Japan will continue independent LCC operations, maintaining its low-fare model, corporate culture, and employment for staff.

Following Qantas’ exit, the airline will undergo a new brand refresh, moving away from the Jetstar name to establish itself as a prominent Japanese LCC.

JAL President & Group CEO Mitsuko Tottori expressed optimism. “We are delighted to announce this new beginning for Jetstar Japan alongside DBJ and Tokyo Century. We also extend our deepest gratitude to Qantas for their 14-year partnership in establishing and developing the LCC market in Japan.”

The transaction will have no impact on flight schedules, existing bookings, or codeshare arrangements with Qantas, Jetstar Airways, and JAL. All services will continue normally, with assurances of safe, enjoyable, low-fare travel.

For Qantas, the divestment aligns with a strategy to prioritize core Australian domestic operations and its major fleet renewal program. The move follows the earlier closure of Jetstar Asia and reflects a broader refocus away from certain international low-cost ventures.

ANA Flight 60

On the 4th of February 1966 an All-Nippon Airways flight, was traveling from Sapporo Chitose Airport (CTS/RJCC) to Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND/RJTT) when tragedy struck just minutes before landing. All 133 people aboard NH 60 lost their lives after the plane mysteriously crashed into Tokyo Bay, about 10.4 km from Haneda, despite clear weather during its night approach.

On a clear day, ANA Flight 60 was just minutes from Haneda Airport when the pilot radioed that he planned to land visually, without using instruments. Moments later, the plane disappeared from radar.

Around 7 p.m., villagers along the shore and the pilot of another plane reported seeing flames in the sky, close to the time the aircraft was expected to land. Fishermen and Japanese Defense Force boats began recovering bodies from the bay’s murky waters, retrieving about 20 before an airline spokesman announced the fuselage had been found, containing dozens more. This led to the belief that all 133 people on board had died. 

The aircraft’s tail section, along with at least two of its three engines, the vertical stabilizer, and the horizontal stabilizer, was found mostly intact. The rest of the plane had broken apart on impact. With 133 lives lost, it became the deadliest single-aircraft crash in the world at the time.  

The cause of the crash was never determined, as flight NH 60 didn’t have flight recorders.

It was the worst single-aircraft accident in Japan at the time and remained so until Flight 58 crashed five years later, claiming 133 lives, (126 passengers and 7 crew).

Aircraft Information:

Airline: All Nippon Airways

Code: NH/ANA

Aircraft: Boeing 727-81

Registration: JA8302

Serial Number: 18822/126

Engines: P&W JT8D-7

First Flew: 1965

We’re keeping the families and friends in our thoughts as they honor and remember their loved ones today.

Why Canadian airports start with a Y

Have you ever looked at the Canadian airport codes and thought why do they start with a Y and why don't they match the city like most other airports around the world do?

We know that the Canadian airport ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) code is "C" to identify the country in international aviation, with 'C' standing for Canada. 

For example, Toronto is CYYZ, Vancouver is CYVR, and Montreal is CYUL.

But have you ever wondered why the Canadian airport codes IATA (International Air Transport Association) codes start with "Y"?

Well, this is because in the 1930s and 40s, it indicated that a weather station or radio station was located on-site, with the "Y" standing for "Yes".

When three-letter codes were standardized, Canada added this "Y" to their existing two-letter radio or railway codes to identify that the airport was Canadian.

While rare, some Canadian airports still start with W, X, or Z, for example ZBF for Bathurst

 
Key details regarding the "Y" prefix:

Weather/Radio Station Indicator: The Y was used to show that an airport had a co-located weather station. If it did not have a station, a "W" (without) was used, though most adopted the Y.

Legacy from Rail/Telegraph: The two letters following the "Y" were often based on existing railway/telegraph station codes (e.g., YYC for Calgary, where "YC" was the original code)
.
Examples: YUL (Montréal), YVR (Vancouver), and YYZ (Toronto) follow this structure.

Here's how major Canadian airport codes
came to be:

• YYZ - Toronto -from old Malton railway telegraph code YZ
• YUL - Montréal-from the Kirkland radio / beacon code UL
• YOW- Ottawa-from early telegraph / aviation code OW
• YVR- Vancouver -Y + local Vancouver radio identifier
• YYC - Calgary - Y + local regional identifier derived from Calgary
• YEG - Edmonton-Y + Edmonton government / airfield identifier EG
• YWG - Winnipeg-Y + WG (Winnipeg government/ radio code)
• YHZ - Halifax -from local station / beacon letters HZ
• YQT - Thunder Bay - from old telegraph / field code QT
• YYJ - Victoria (Inner Harbour)-based on older station code YJ (James Bay area)
• YXE - Saskatoon - from historic radio / telegraph letters XE
• YQR - Regina - from earlier radio code QR
• YQB- Québec City - from local beacon telegraph QB
• YAM - Sault Ste. Marie - from old station code AM
• YZF - Yellowknife-from local field code ZF
• YXS - Prince George -- from older station code XS

But, just to confuse you a little more, here in Australia, all Australian airports are assigned an ICAO code beginning with "Y", because "Y" is the designated prefix for Australia.

A system that replaced older telecommunication codes where "Y" often signified a linked station, with the second letter indicating the Flight Information Region (FIR) like 'S' for Sydney YSSY, 'M' for Melbourne YMML and B for Brisbane YBBN.

Remembering Cebu Pacific Flight 387

CEBU PACIFIC AIRBUS A320-214 RP-C3266 (MSN 4870)

Cebu Pacific Flight 387 was a domestic Cebu Pacific flight from Tacloban-D. Z. Romualdez Airport (TAC/RPVA), Philippines to Cagayan de Oro-Lumbia Airport (CGY/RPML), Philippines. On the 2nd of February 1998, the 31-year-old McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 crashed on the slopes of Mount Sumagaya in Gingoog. The incident resulted in the deaths of all 104 passengers and crew on board. Cebu Pacific Flight 387 departed Manila at 09:16 for a flight to Cagayan de Oro. The flight made an unscheduled stop at Tacloban at 09:53 to deliver some spare tyres for another Cebu Pacific DC-9 stranded at Tacloban. 

The flight left Tacloban again after 9 minutes for a 61-minute flight to Cagayan de Oro. 

• Last radio contact was at 10:48 while flying at FL115 over Claveria.
• Local residents heard an explosion around 11:00 near the 8200 feet high Mount Balatucan. 
• The aircraft was reportedly two miles off course when it hit the mountain.
• There were 5 crew members and 94 Filipino passengers, (including 5 children). 
• Five other passengers were from Australia, Austria, Japan, Switzerland and Canada. 
• Additionally, a surgeon on a medical mission was from the United States, totaling 104 passengers.

Aircraft Information:

Airline: Cebu Pacific

Code: 5J/CEB

Aircraft: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32

Registration: RP-C1507

Serial Number: 47069/175

Engine: 2 x Pratt & Whitney JT8D-7A

First Flew: 17/08/1967.

Age: 30.4 Yrs. 

The aircraft was first delivered to Air Canada in September 1967 before acquired by Cebu Pacific in March 1997.

We’re keeping the families and friends in our thoughts as they honor and remember their loved ones today.

More from Singapore's Seletar airport

Following on from my post last week about plane spotting from Singapore's Seletar airport, here are more photos take from inside Hangar 66 Cafe and the Wings Over Asia Aviator's Lounge.

VISTAJET BOMBARDIER CHALLENGER 605 9V-VFH (MSN 5979)

LEARJET 60 VH-ULJ (MSN60-069)

BOMBARDIER GLOBAL 7500 VP-CCQ (MSN 70085)

Huge thanks to my wife and daughter for taking time out of their day to snap these incredible photos for me. I’m truly grateful, XXX.