Fatal Jet Crash Injures Blink-182 Drummer Travis Barker

Travis Barker, former drummer for the music group Blink-182, Adam Goldstein, more widely known as DJ AM, and two other passengers were in a Learjet 60 aircraft that was on a chartered flight from Columbia, South Carolina to Van Nuys airport in Los Angeles. The crash, which happened shortly before midnight, occurred during takeoff. The crew was attempting to abort the takeoff because of what they thought was a blown tire. The NTSB also reported that accident investigators reviewing the recording heard sounds consistent with a tire blowout.

The crew was unable to stop the aircraft before it departed the runway. The plane struck a series of antennas and lights, crashed through a fence, crossed a nearby highway, and came to rest on an embankment where it burst into flames.

The crash and subsequent fire killed both flight crew members and two of the four passengers. The two survivors, Barker and Goldstein, escaped the aircraft but suffered severe burns.

Two Veteran Airline Captains Discuss the Crash of a Spanair MD82

The previous podcast reviewed the initial findings from the Spanish accident investigation. The video version of the podcast also included portions of a security camera video that captured the final moments of the flight. This podcast features a discussion that was originally recorded on August 23rd, 2008, three days after the crash of the Spanair MD82, and featured Capt. Tom Bunn of the SOAR fear of flying organization, and Capt. Steve Fisher, a veteran airline pilot who has flown for a major US airline for over two decades.

Capt. Bunn has been a guest previously on the show, and in this episode he'll talk about some of the anxieties and concerns that have been expressed to him by some passengers.

In the days following the Spanair crash, I brought Capt. Bunn and Capt. Fisher together to provide insights into the mechanics of flying a large jet transport, especially the MD82, and to give the audience an idea of the kind of training and preparation pilots go through to prepare for emergencies during takeoff.

Early on in our conversation, the two captains discussed some of the issues that came up during the the first few days of the investigation, including a problem with a temperature sensor that caused the crew of the accident aircraft to return to the terminal after its first takeoff attempt.

You can use the following link for the podcast: Audio: MP3

Additional information about the Spanair accident, including links to a video showing the crash, and links to further updates from the investigation, will be available at http://spanair.airsafe.org.

For other AirSafe.com podcasts, visit http://podcast.airsafe.org

Preliminary Findings: Crash of Spanair MD82 19 September 2008

Transcript of the Podcast

Welcome to the Conversation at AirSafe.com, with your host Dr. Todd Curtis.

This is show #67 - Preliminary Findings: Crash of Spanair MD82

According to a number of media reports, Spanish Authorities have completed a preliminary report about the August 20, 2008 crash of a Spanair MD82 in Madrid. Among their findings were that the flaps were not properly configured for takeoff and that there was no flap warnings or alarms presented to the crew.

The aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff on a scheduled domestic flight from Madrid to Las Palmas in the Canary Islands. The aircraft was briefly airborne, and crashed just to the right of the departure runway. The aircraft broke up and there was a severe post-crash fire. 154 of the 172 occupants were killed.

The accident occurred during the second takeoff attempt. The crew had returned to the gate after the first takeoff attempt due to problems that so far appear to be unrelated to the subsequent accident. During the second takeoff attempt, the crew reported reaching V1, or takeoff decision speed. The aircraft was airborne for about 15 seconds, reaching a maximum altitude of about 40 feet.

A video taken by the Spanish airport authority showed that after touching down, the aircraft slid for a considerable distance and appeared to be relatively intact before breaking up and exploding. Contrary to early reports on the day of the accident, the video did not show any sign of a fire or explosion while the aircraft was airborne.

Among the key early findings of the investigation was that the aircraft’s flaps were not properly deployed at takeoff. Also, there was no indication that the flap configuration alarm was activated. This sequence of events was similar to that of a 1987 MD82 crash in Detroit, Michigan.

After that accident, the manufacturer recommended that the flaps and associated warning systems be checked prior to each flight. Spanair procedures called for a check of the flaps and warning systems prior to the first flight of the day and after each change of flight crews during the day. There was no pre-takeoff check of the flap warning system prior to the accident flight.

Additional information about this event, including further updates from the investigation, will be available at spanair.airsafe.org.

Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you next time.

Crash of Aeroflot-Nord 737-500 on 14 September 2008

Transcript of the Podcast

Welcome to the Conversation at AirSafe.com, with your host Dr. Todd Curtis.

This is show #66 - Crash of Aeroflot-Nord 737-500 on 14 September 2008

The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Moscow to Perm, Russia. Contact with the aircraft was lost shortly before landing when the aircraft was about 3,600 feet, or about 1100 meters, above the ground.

The aircraft was completely destroyed in the crash, coming down outside of the city of Perm and near the tracks of the Trans-Siberian Railway.

All 82 passengers and six crew members were killed in the crash. There were seven children, including one infant, among the passengers.

This was the first fatal event for Aeroflot-Nord, which is one of the regional airlines of Aeroflot. The company that became Aeroflot-Nord was originally formed in 1963, and acquired by Aeroflot in 2004. Aeroflot-Nord currently flies a combination of 737s and Soviet designed airliners.

This was the 66th fatal event involving the 737, and the third involving the 737-500 series. The first 737 aircraft began commercial operations in 1968, and the first of the 737-500 series began service in 1990.

The first fatal event for the 737 was in 1972. This latest crash was the 20th fatal 737 event since 2000, with three of the 20 involving a 737-500.

All of the fatal events involving the 737-500 have been in Europe or Asia. The last fatal 737 event in North America or the European Union was a crash in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1994.

Additional information about this event, including a list of fatal events involving airlines based in the former Soviet Union, is available at russia.airsafe.org.

Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you next time.

Crash of an Itek Air 737-200 on 24 August 2008

Transcript of the Podcast

Welcome to the Conversation at AirSafe.com, with your host Dr. Todd Curtis.

This is show #63 - Crash of Itek Air 737-200 on 24 August 2008

The aircraft was on a scheduled international flight from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, to Tehran, Iran. About 10 minutes after takeoff, the crew turned back to the departure airport and also reported some kind of technical problem, crashing short of the runway.

There were about 83 passengers and seven crew on the aircraft, including 17 members of Kyrgyzstan's national basketball youth team. Seven team members reportedly survived. At least 65 of those on board, including five of the seven crew members, were killed.

This was the first fatal event for Kyrgyzstan carrier Itek Air, which had been flying since 1999. The accident aircraft was reportedly manufactured in 1979.

Exactly one month before the fatal Itek Air crash, the European Union released a list of airlines that included Itek Air as one of the airlines banned from flying in any of the EU countries.

This was the 65th fatal event involving the 737, and the 47th involving the 737-200 series. The first 737-200 series aircraft began commercial operations in 1968, and the last 737-200 was delivered in 1988. The first fatal event for the 737 was a 737-200 crash in 1972. This latest crash was the 19th fatal 737 event since 2000, with 11 of the 19 involving a 737-200. The last fatal 737-200 event in North America or the European Union was a crash in Colorado Springs, CO in 1991.

Additional information about this event, including updates or findings from the investigation, will be available at itek.airsafe.org.

Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you next time.

Crash of a TACA A320 in Tegucigalpa, Honduras - 30 May 2008

Transcript of the Podcast

The aircraft was on a scheduled international flight from San Salvador to Tegucigalpa. The aircraft touched down on the runway on its second landing attempt, but after landing it departed the runway, went down a twenty meter embankment, and struck several vehicles.

Early reports indicate that at least four people were killed, including the captain, two of the passengers, and a person in one of the vehicles hit by the plane.

There were 142 passengers and five crew members on board the aircraft. In addition to the three onboard fatalities, about sixty other passengers were injured.

The fuselage was broken in several locations, and both engines separated from the wings. Although there was a fuel spill and a post crash fire, most of the aircraft was not damaged by that fire.

At the time of the accident, the runway was wet from the passage of tropical storm Alma earlier in the day.

This was the first fatal jet airliner event involving TACA. Prior to this fatal event, the airline had two significant events involving its jet fleet.

On May 24th, 1988, a TACA 737 flying to New Orleans lost power to both engines due to water ingestion from a storm. The crew was able to glide safely to a landing on a levee next to a waterway.

On April 6, 1993, a TACA 767 overran the runway during a landing in Guatemala City, and crashed into a nearby neighborhood. Although three people in the neighborhood were injured, no one was on the ground or in the plane was killed.

The crash in Tegucigalpa was the eighth fatal event involving the A320, with the first occurring in 1988 and the previous one, involving the Brazilian airline TAM, in July 2007.

The civil aviation authorities of Honduras are leading the investigation, with support from TACA, Airbus, the engine manufacturer, the NTSB, FAA, and civil aviation authorities from France and El Salvador.

Updates or findings from the investigation will be posted on AirSafe.com as they become available.

Thanks for listening, and I'll see you next time.

Note: As of 1 June 2008, the new casulty figures are as follows: One of the six crew members and two of the 118 passengers were killed. Two people outside the aircraft were also killed.

For more about the TACA event, visit http://www.airsafe.com/events/airlines/taca.htm.

In-Flight Emergency Involving a Qantas 747-400 Near Manila on 25 July 2008

Welcome to the Conversation at AirSafe.com, with your host Dr. Todd Curtis. This is show #56 - In-Flight Emergency Involving a Qantas 747-400 Near Manila on 25 July 2008

The aircraft was on a scheduled international flight from Hong Kong to Melbourne, Australia. While over the South China Sea at about 29,000 feet, the aircraft experienced an explosive decompression event.

The crew descended about 20,000 feet, and then diverted to Manila, which was about 200 miles away at the time. None of the 346 passengers or 19 crew members were injured.

Only after the aircraft arrived did the crew and passengers become aware of the extent of the damage. An area just in front of the right wing root, about three meters square, was damaged, and part of the fuselage skin was missing, exposing baggage in the forward cargo area.

According to some of the passengers, there was a loud, explosive type of sound, followed by a rapid decompression.

The incident is still under investigation, and so far, no cause has been ruled in or ruled out. Possible causes include metal fatigue, some kind of aircraft malfunction, or an explosive device.

There have been many previous instances where portions of an airlinerÕs fuselage separated in flight. Three of the more prominent events include an April 1988 accident where an Aloha Airlines 737 lost part of the upper fuselage in cabin area, and one flight attendant was killed.

In December of the same year, a bomb exploded in the cargo compartment of a Pan Am 747, which led to a significant loss of fuselage skin followed by an inflight breakup, killing all 259 on board as well as 11 on the ground. In February 1989, a cargo door and part of the fuselage of a United 747 separated from the aircraft, and nine passengers were sucked out of the aircraft to their deaths.

The Philippine government is leading the investigation of the recent Qantas event, with help from representatives from civil aviation authorities in Australia and the United States, and representatives from Boeing and Qantas.

Updates or findings from the investigation will be posted on AirSafe.com as they become available.

Thanks for listening, and I'll see you next time.