VamoSetbacks: Accidents and Incidents.📌📌

(4/26/23)—In this overview/monitoring process, Vamigré will closely track and graph terror alerts and threat potential by area/destination, along with stats and trends on crime, traffic and other bodily hazards/dangers by mode/destination, for instance:

Bird Strike Too: So Hard to Swallow.

(4/24/23)—Mayday, mayday, mayday—so the crew of American Airlines 1958 calmly radioed the Ohio control tower early Sunday Morning (4/23). “We’ve had a possible bird strike and engine failure.”

Wasn’t just a failure, but a full-blown engine fire during the flight from Columbus to Phoenix, AZ. This, on a 737 aircraft that had only two engines to begin with, at least one bird threatening to take down another bird loaded with passengers, once the engine sucked in and swallowed hard.

Flight 1958’s terrified travelers witnessed and videoed flames shooting from the jet’s carcass-jammed starboard engine right outside their cabin windows—many holding hands, fearing a death dive.

Blood on the Slats.

Nevertheless, the flight winged it back safely to John Glenn International Airport under single turbine power—with no injuries nor further aircraft damage reported, at least beyond the overstuffed engine and a bloodied pylon and leading edge.

For its part, Columbus’s airport has been using flares and other tactics to scare birds away from its runways. But the FAA notes that such strikes have been increasing from 17,191 incidents in 2022 to 2,319 so far this year nationwide (85% involving commercial airliners). Further cases in point: two more bird strike cases have since been reported, both situated around Houston, TX within 20 minutes of each other.

United Airlines Flight 847, a 767 bound for Santiago, Chile with 275 passengers, radioed that an object had struck its right wing Tuesday night (4/26), with a “loud pop” at 4,000 feet. Then UAL Flight 2086, a 737 headed for Las Vegas with 168 onboard soon reported climbing, coming in contact with a flock of birds before dumping fuel and turning around. Both aircraft emergency landed safely at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, no injuries or notable damage to either plane upon IAH inspections.

The federal aviation agency attributes this flock of birdstrikes to larger avian populations, mainly foul waterfowl and the occasional eagle, that don’t espy today’s quieter jet engines (as opposed to swallows and other finely feathered Vamingos). In Houston’s case, the area is currently within the path of peak migration, binoculared birders even gathering to observe the mass spring passage.

Strike one more for growing bird brainpower, the FAA’s only wing and prayer being more research and wildlife management, or any new anti-bird technologies on the horizon. Meantime, Vamigré will endeavor to keep abreast of all the Hitchcock-eyed BS…

Another Flight, Another Fright.

Incidentally, speaking of engine fires, American Airlines Flight 2288 bound for Dallas aborted its takeoff from Charlotte Douglas International Airport (4/20) as flames began blazing from the aircraft’s starboard engine and wing. Passengers grabbed bags and rushed the cabin aisle, fearing their plane was “…going to blow.”

Instead the Airbus A321 circled back to the North Carolina terminal gate, American tersely citing a maintenance issue, then transferring the planeload to another aircraft. So fear not, or fear knots? Evidently that is the question flying forward. (MTC…) ☟

Crippled With A Bout Of Bird Flew.

(3/6/23)—Strike one for the bird brains. Not long after takeoff from Cuba’s Havana Airport, bound for Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Southwest Airlines’ Flight 3923 flew head-on into a flock of trouble.

The SWA 737, carrying 147 passengers and a crew of six, not only took a nasty bird strike on the nose, but was sucker punched by a passerine or two directly into one of its turbo jewels. Having clogged up with bird carcass, the jet’s right engine choked and overheated, its oil catching fire mid-flight.

Flames shot out over the starboard wing, smoke quickly filling the cabin. Passengers panicked, shrieking in horror, gagging with lungs inflamed, pleading for oxygen masks.

Upon emergency returning to Havana José Marti International Airport, 3923’s passengers deplaned the stricken aircraft via evacuation slides. Treated for minor injuries and smoke inhalation, they cried fowl all the way to a different airplane, if not Southwest’s refund counter—likely swearing off any complimentary chicken salad-on-cardboard sandwiches.

Seriously, better to hold out for a tasty Havana medianoche—it’s called striking while the engine is hot. (MTC…)

Weathering the Wurst.

(3/2/23)—Heads quavered, stomachs turned when Lufthansa Flight 469, from Austin, Texas to Germany’s Frankfurt am Main, met with wrenching air turbulence 90 minutes after takeoff Wednesday, March 1.

The Airbus A330-300 was suddenly rocked by severe wind shear at 37,000 feet over Tennessee, free-falling some 1,000 feet in five seconds, before rollercoasting back on course. Whereupon the flight emergency diverted to Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C..

Several passengers were hospitalized, otherwise minor injuries resulted from this ample helfende of clear air turbulence, which apparently struck during dinner service. China, silver, glassware and personal effects were thrust wildly about the widebody jet’s deck, aisles and seat rows, even hitting its ceiling.

The FAA defines such turbulence as “air movement created by atmospheric pressure, jet streams, air around mountains, cold or warm weather fronts or thunderstorms.” It is said by the agency to have caused 37% of all accidents on large commercial aircraft between 2009-2018 alone.

“The cabin looked like a food fight,” said one deplaning couple. But considering the emetic prospects of such a raw atmospheric encounter, yes—it surely could have been wurst. (MTC…)

Taking a Powder to Terminal One.

(3/2/23)—And taking a powder out again—which is what a wingnut named Mark Muffley, 40, allegedly did Monday morning (2/27), according to the TSA, FBI and subsequent criminal charges.

The suspect was video-cammed shlepping two roller suitcases and a carry-on into Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) outside Allentown, PA, ostensibly checking in for an Allegiant Air Flight 201 to Orlando.

But TSA screeners soon detected the makings of an explosive device secreted in the lining of one wheelie bag. An FBI bomb technician further discovered a concoction of flash powder and dark granules commonly found in commercial grade fireworks, embedded with quick and hobby fuses in a 3-inch plastic-wrapped circular compound. The perp’s bag also contained lithium-ion batteries, a lighter, butane can, drill and two GFCI outlets: altogether determined to be an explosive package intended for loading onto the Florida bound plane.

ABE’s baggage area was immediately cleared and Muffley was quickly paged over the terminal’s loudspeakers; but security cams caught him already fleeing the airport. Later that day, the nimrod was arrested at his Lansford, PA residence, charged with possession of, and attempting to sneak an incendiary device onto an aircraft, and is being held without bail.

Petty criminal taking an airheaded powder: Either way, he muffed it–a bummer trip all around. Maybe he was taking a stand on baggage add-ons, that the devilish junk fees made him do it. But at least he didn’t crash a Chevy compact into the airport terminal—as did that other numbnuts in Wilmington, North Carolina. In any case, here was a welcome win for beleaguered TSA agents who seem to be under ever-threatening skies. (MTC…)

Surfing the Plunge.

(2/14/23)—Riding a Hawaiian wave they in no way bargained and waxed for, a planeload of Maui to San Francisco passengers caught the kahuna of a life or death time last December 18.

For United Airlines Flight 1722, had just taken off from Kahului Airport in a teeming rain, and was climbing at a “concerning”, severely vertical rate when the heinous breaker hit. One minute or so into the flight, the Boeing 777 ‘heavy’ jet suddenly entered into a terrifying, “several G’s” plunge from 2,200 feet to within 775 feet of sea level. The nosedive lasted 8-10 seconds, Flight 1722 nearly hanging ten-fold into the Pacific Ocean before recovering, righting course up toward a blustery SFO. Thankfully there were no fatalities nor significant injuries to report.

UAL claims that the flight’s crew had logged a combined 25k flight-time hours, and had ‘voluntarily’ notified the FAA. Still, the carrier admits that the pilots involved were quickly receiving ‘additional training’, overseen by FAA inspectors.

But with a planeload of passengers describing the screaming, gripping nightmare coda to their Hawaiian dreams, praying that “this could be it!”, the questions remain: Why has it taken nearly a month for this near wipeout to surface (thanks to Air Current diligence, at that). And why is the FAA currently keeping its investigation “Confidential”, much less UAL honchos? Could it be that Flight 1722’s pilots briefly lost control of the aircraft in a monster rainstorm, or had the 777’s critical avionics somehow flipped off the board? (MTC on this…)

Moreover, take the two Alaska Airlines planes that recently tail bumped the runway as they attempted to land safely and ‘uneventfully’. Plus fresh food poisoning fears, in which at least 10 passengers have taken ill on Dubai-NY Emirates Airlines flight 203. A rocky May 8 Delta Airlines’ flight 1854 landing in Denver, where 153 passengers and crew were evacuated on the tarmac due to smoke filling the MD-90’s cabin from its air circulation vents. Panicked Detroit-DIA passengers escaped via slides and wing exits, alarmed that oxygen masks failed to drop in time. Or RyanAir’s 26,000-foot drop on its Dublin to Zadar, Croatia flight—causing cabin pressure loss and numerous injuries, with barely minimal passenger assistance upon emergency landing in Frankfurt, Germany.

Add to that the August runway slide-off in rainy Manila of an Xiamen Air Boeing 737-800 already suffering an engine blow-out. Or the Air Niugini 737 that came up short in a stormy Micronesia landing, dunking into a Weno Island lagoon. No fatalities in either case, but…

 Woe that such incidents continue to occur with non-stop regularity:

Livin’, Dying By the Float.

9/5/22—Nine passengers (one child) and the pilot perished in the latest floatplane accident—this one Sunday afternoon off Whidbey Island, some 30 miles northwest of Seattle proper, according to US Coast Guard authorities.

The De Havilland Canada DHC-3 Super Otter was en route from travel/tourism popular Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands to Renton, WA under scattered clouds with ten-mile visibility. The single engine, propeller craft went down into Mutiny Bay just after 3 p.m., nosediving with a deep boom, no distress call having been heard. Although a passenger on a similar seaplane flight (and time) from Cortes Island, BC to Kenmore, WA was said to have experienced choppy waters, gusty turbulence and even some looming thunderstorms.

Full Coast Guard search and rescue operations continued into Labor Day, two cutter ships probing between Port Townsend and Useless Bay, joined by helicopters and a flotilla of smaller rescue boats. In the process, a female body was discovered, as were a plane seat, lifejacket and tail-number IDed book page. But given cold waters and likely force of impact, the rescue soon became a recovery mission, with divers enlisted to comb for victims and wreckage.

Owned by Northwest Seaplanes, operated by Friday Harbor Seaplanes, the ‘Texas Turbine’ Otter was last observed over Oak Harbor, WA, on a typical 50-minute flight to Renton Municipal airport—Renton being Northwest’s (charter service) base of operations. The crash is the fourteenth fatal floatplane mishap since 1975—with nearly double the percentage of water landing deaths as with similar aircraft coming in wheels down—albeit minus the splash and selfie buzz. (MTC…)

Crash Course in Forbearance?

8/6/21—A floatplane flying an Alaska excursion route crashed in rugged mountain terrain Thursday, killing five Ketchikan-docked cruise ship passengers (+ pilot) on a sightseeing side trip. 

The small de Havilland Beaver aircraft, operated independently of Seattle-based Holland American Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam vessel, went down near the Misty Fjords National Monument. The cruisers, on ‘shore leave’ in a port of call, had boarded Southeast Aviation’s puddle jumper to view snow-capped peaks, mountain lakes, glacier valleys and bear country at every turn. But the flight took off in drizzly-to-rainy conditions, overcast visibility measuring two miles.

This fatal accident follows a 2019 midair collision of two similar sightseeing planes in the area, killing six of the total 16 passengers aboard those star-crossed planes. FAA and National Transportation Safety Board teams have headed for Ketchikan to investigate the crash. Their probes typically last months before any official cause determinations are made public: Just too many legal and other indemnity issues inevitably taking their course. (MTC…)

Cutting the Cable?

5/26/21—What started out as a freakish ‘tramgedy’, symptomatic of Italy’s creaky facilities and crumbling transportation infrastructure—the worst since a decaying Genoa bridge collapsed three years ago, killing 43—may have been no accident at all.

Because the May 23 plunge of a cable car carrying passengers from the Piedmont Region resort town of Stresa up nearby Mottarone Mountain likely resulted from shoddy maintenance and negligence. So charged a local prosecutor, who oversaw Tuesday’s arrest of the tour service’s owner, director and chief of operations for involuntary manslaughter and negligence.

The (40-passenger capacity) tram sped backwards after its tow cable snapped, catapulting, then striking a pylon—plummeting 65 feet into steep, difficult mountain terrain up between Lakes Orta and Maggiore, some 5,000 feet above sea level. Fourteen tourists perished in the crash, with two children seriously injured. The operators are accused of knowingly disabling the car’s emergency brake to ‘avoid disruptions and blockages’. They allegedly placed a fork-like clamp over the brake a month ago, ostensibly believing the tow line would never break in their cable car system, which has been running since 1970, but shut down for major repairs between 2014-2016. We’ll see what arises from this scenic Northern Italy disaster. (MTC…)

 The Inflammable Conception (+ see TripWire updates).

Whether out for scuba diving or nature droving, the 34 passengers who look to have perished in Southern California’s Channel Islands National Park off Santa Barbara on 9/2/19 were aboard an excursion to Elysium that became a voyage to hell.

A garbled mayday call came into authorities at about 3:15 am today. The Conception, a 75-foot commercial diving vessel had ignited minutes before, barely 20 yards off Santa Cruz Island. The charter boat was on a Labor Day weekend trip to the island chain to explore its colorful coral and spectacular marine life.

The ship’s passengers were apparently sleeping, so quickly trapped below deck in cramped rows of  wooden framed bunk beds. Meanwhile the crew of five, scrambling to the bridge and foredeck when the fire broke out (suspected in the galley), jumped ship to safety with minor injuries, soon rescued by a Good Samaritan craft.

Ventura County first responders and firefighters struggled in the dark, dense fog to gain control over the repeatedly erupting inferno—which was fed by the wood/fiberglass vessel’s fuel load and scores of highly flammable diving tanks.

Engulfed in flames, the Conception soon sank bow-up in 64 feet of water off Santa Cruz Island’s north shore. The U.S. Coast Guard has since continued a search-and-rescue operation that was inevitably devolving into search and recovery around the Platts Harbor shoreline.

The diving/nature field trip, which departed at 4 am Saturday, was due back to Santa Barbara at 5 pm Monday. The excursion was organized by Truth Aquatics, the Conception owned by Worldwide Diving Adventures— firms based in Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara. Although WDA claims it has safely operated scuba diving tours since 1972, at least one former customer has Tweeted of the company’s profit-over-safety nautical bearing.

However, the USCG has since stated that the dive boat was “in full safety compliance.” In any case, the NTSB has now sent a go-team to assist investigating the deadly fire, one of the worst maritime disasters ever off the California coast, as at least 25 bodies (and counting) have been recovered by rescue crews. Search efforts for the remaining fatalities have now been suspended. (+ see TripWire updates…)  

Vamaside: Branson Duck Boats.

Beyond that, we will follow the latest developments on ‘hate rates’ and guns/weapons laws and waves (e.g., concealed carry), by state and nation. As well as aircraft disasters, cafe fatalities or trafficking/kidnapping demands, and movements such as TAT.

VamoSafety/Security:

Just look at the numbers, industry experts say. Today, air travel is so much safer than in the ‘Golden Age’—when Lockheed Constellations and Electras went down in flames with regularity, when Douglas DC-6 to 10 aircraft fared little better. Not to mention the 1960s-70s spate of hijackings and bombings. 

Still, the more powerful, technologically superior craft of Boeing and somewhat iffier Airbus face their own hazards and shortcomings, from overloading cabins/holds to software bugs to crew stress and overworking.

But most dire and dangerous among them are inflight cabin altercations/confrontations, and the perceived terrorism threats that may precede and prompt them. Much less the missiles, drones or hostile aircraft that may aim to bring them down.

Bomb scares, exploding electronics, high TSA turnover, suicidal passengers (even crew members), and lax, overladen screening, with everchanging carry-on prohibitions: We will comb and knife through/cover the broad, fearsome range of hazards and hindrances to smooth, unfettered Vamigré passage. Not least tarmac delays, inconsistent screening, baggage/security checks, cockpit doorlocks before proceeding for take-off.

Special diligence will be paid to unruly, outrageous passengers, stashed weaponry, flight hijacking, hostage kidnapping/ransoming, overzealous air marshals. On aging crew members, shoddy aircraft inspection and maintenance, aircraft age and condition—all the way to the neglect and abusing of disabled passengers and in-cabin service animals.

Goal: Streamlined, tech advanced, risk-based searching, screening & VamoSecurity. From here on, no shortcuts, shortfalls, violence or lethal scheming will be safe with Vamigrés aboard.

Recommending All Appropriate Safeguards.

When the worst case looms or is actually realized, however, Vamigré will never turn away in distaste, denial or despair.

Whether we are scratching the runway surface of SFO’s Asiana Airlines’ Flight 214’s fiery landing, and Air Canada’s recent taxiway near collision, or delving more deeply into the mystery of Malaysia Airlines MH 370’s disappearance, we will address and analyze the tragedies and/or inconvenient mishaps that beset us as we make our way. 

Reflecting back past 9/11 terrorist atrocities to the even earlier explosion of TWA 800, 1988’s bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, we will draw upon plodding NTSB investigations and past media coverage of major air disasters such as the Malaysias, Egypt Airs, Turkish, MetroJet and GermanWings’ Andreas Lubitz’s ‘suicidal (com)mission’—as well as miracles such as Sully’s seaplaning.  And we will thoroughly cover inevitable tragedies to come—be they operational, mechanical, weather or terrorism related.

Moreover, Vamigré will report on the mishaps and fatal accidents of feeder, charter, military and private aircraft. Tracked as well will be crashes and like occurrences involving rail, highway or seabound in nature—no less threatening and scuttling our travel safety and freedom—along with advances such as floatable black box recorders…

+ See motorcoach incidents/accidents (Fuss With the Bus?): vamobility-by-all-earthly-means-intro/

+  VamoSaviors