Airbus Updates No.321

Incident: Small Planet A320 at Vilnius on Jun 20th 2011, unsafe gear

By Simon Hradecky, created Tuesday, Jun 21st 2011 13:32Z, last updated Tuesday, Jun 21st 2011 13:32Z A Small Planet Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration YL-LCE performing flight LLC-3206 from Hurghada (Egypt) to Vilnius (Lithuania) with 153 passengers, was on approach to Vilnius when the crew received an unsafe indication for the nose gear and aborted the approach. The crew used the alternate gear extension which lowered and locked all gear. The aircraft landed safely in Vilnius about 15 minutes after aborting the first approach and needed to be towed off the runway due to lack of nose gear steering as result of the manual gear extension. Incident: Germanwings A319 near London on Apr 11th 2011, collided with weather balloon in flight By Simon Hradecky, created Tuesday, Jun 21st 2011 14:02Z, last updated Tuesday, Jun 21st 2011 14:53Z A Germanwings Airbus A319-100, registration D-AKNK performing flight 4U-2376 from Stuttgart (Germany) to London Stansted,EN (UK), was on approach to London Stansted descending through FL180 when the aircraft collided with a weather balloon. The aircraft was able to continue the approach for a safe landing on Stansted's runway 22 about 15 minutes later. Germany's BFU reported that the aircraft received no damage, the UK AAIB is investigating the incident Incident: SATA A313 near Ponta Delgada on Jun 20th 2011, hydraulic failure By Simon Hradecky, created Tuesday, Jun 21st 2011 15:20Z, last updated Tuesday, Jun 21st 2011 15:20Z A SATA International Airbus A310-300, registration CS-TKM performing flight S4-320 from Toronto,ON (Canada) to Ponta Delgada/Azores (Portugal), suffered the failure of a hydraulic system while on approach to Ponta Delgada. The crew was able to normally lower the landing gear and continued for a safe landing in Ponta Delgada. The onward leg from Ponta Delgada to Lisbon (Portugal) was cancelled. Incident: Egyptair B773 and Lufthansa A346 at New York on Jun 20th 2011, close encounter due to runway incursion By Simon Hradecky, created Tuesday, Jun 21st 2011 11:18Z, last updated Tuesday, Jun 21st 2011 20:56Z A Lufthansa Airbus A340-600, registration D-AIHM performing flight LH-411 from New York JFK,NY (USA) to Munich (Germany), was cleared for takeoff from JFK's runway 22R at approximately 18:52L (22:52Z), the next aircraft in sequence had been cleared to line up runway 22R, when the tower controller highly agitated called "CANCEL TAKEOFF CLEARANCE" at approximately 18:53L, Lufthansa 411 reported rejecting takeoff. The airplane slowed safely from high speed. Another crew on frequency commented that was very close. The Airbus A340 vacated the runway at taxiway H. The crew reported hot brakes and had the brakes checked out by emergency services. At the same time an Egyptair Boeing 777-300, registration SU-GDR performing flight MS-986 from New York JFK,NY (USA) to Cairo (Egypt), was in contact with ground control taxiing for departure out of terminal 4 and had been instructed to turn left onto taxiway B hold short of D. The crew however missed the turn onto taxiway B and instead turned onto runway 22R at taxiway J. After the tower had cancelled the takeoff clearance and Lufthansa had rejected takeoff ground control calmly instructed the aircraft to turn back onto J and turn right onto B to vacate the runway, then changed plan and had the airplane taxi up runway 04L turn onto taxiway H and join taxiway B. The Lufthansa A340 was able to depart again about 2 hours later and reached Munich with a delay of 1:45 hours. The Egyptair B777 departed New York about 75 minutes later and reached Cairo with a delay of 40 minutes. Incident: SATA A320 at Funchal on Jun 20th 2011, flock of birds ingested by both engines, bird strike opens forward cargo door By Simon Hradecky, created Monday, Jun 20th 2011 13:39Z, last updated Wednesday, Jun 22nd 2011 13:57Z A SATA International Airbus A320-200, registration CS-TKJ performing flight S4-680 from Funchal (Portugal) to Copenhagen (Denmark) with 104 passengers and 6 crew, just rotated for takeoff from runway 05 when the airplane went through a flock of sea gulls causing a number of birds being ingested into both engines (CFM56) causing both engines to vibrate and a number of sea gulls hitting wings, fuselage and landing gear causing the forward cargo door to open. The aircraft climbed out safely and returned to Funchal for a safe landing on runway 05 about 15 minutes after departure. The airport reported the birds were sitting on the runway despite ultrasound equipment to scare the birds away and flew up when the aircraft went through the flock. A replacement Airbus A320-200 is currently estimated to reach Copenhagen with a delay of 5:15 hours. Both engines suffered a number of damaged fan blades but received no downstream damage. Both fans needed replacement of almost half the number of fan blades. Portugal's GPIAA reported that both engines suffered high amplitude vibrations however without significant loss of power. The airplane climbed to safety altitude and immediately returned for a safe overweight landing. During roll out the forward cargo door was observed open confirmed by cockpit indications. Blood traces were found on various parts of the aircraft, a number of fan blades of both engines were damaged, borescopic inspections revealed no damage in the compressors, combustion chambers or turbines. Aviation sources reported at least one sea gull hit the door handle of the forward cargo door and rotated the handle into the open position causing the forward cargo door to open.   Incident: Air Canada A320 at Edmonton on Jun 16th 2011, slat problem By Simon Hradecky, created Wednesday, Jun 22nd 2011 19:58Z, last updated Wednesday, Jun 22nd 2011 19:58Z An Air Canada Airbus A320-200, registration C-FKCR performing flight AC-175 from Toronto,ON to Edmonton,AB (Canada) with 106 people on board, was on approach to Edmonton's runway 02 when the crew aborted the approach due to a "F/CTL SLATS FAULT" ECAM message and the slats not extending. The relevant checklists were actioned, then the crew declared emergency and performed a safe slat up landing. The Canadian TSB reported that maintenance replaced a hydraulic motor in the left slat power control unit Incident: Delta A319 at Boston on Jun 23rd 2011, hydraulic failure By Simon Hradecky, created Thursday, Jun 23rd 2011 21:06Z, last updated Thursday, Jun 23rd 2011 21:06Z A Delta Airlines Airbus A319-100, registration N365NB performing flight DL-1372 from New York La Guardia,NY to Boston,MA (USA) with 134 people on board, was on approach to Boston descending through 9000 feet when the crew reported they had a hydraulic failure. The airplane entered a holding at 6000 feet to troubleshoot the problem, the crew subsequently declared emergency reporting they needed to manually extend the gear and therefore lost nose wheel steering requiring them to stop on the runway, they needed runway 04R and an extended pattern because of slow flaps. Operations had already dispatched a tow truck to get them off the runway. The aircraft landed safely on runway 04R about 35 minutes after aborting the first approach and was towed off the runway Incident: Aeroflot A321 at Krasnojarsk on Jun 24th 2011, engine shut down in flight By Simon Hradecky, created Friday, Jun 24th 2011 18:55Z, last updated Friday, Jun 24th 2011 18:55Z An Aeroflot Airbus A321-200, registration VQ-BEA performing flight SU-780 from Krasnojarsk to Moscow Sheremetyevo (Russia) with 126 passengers and 7 crew, was in the initial climb out of Krasnojarsk when the crew decided to return to Krasnojarsk for a safe landing. The aircraft was able to depart again and reached Moscow with a delay of 9 hours. West Siberia's transport prosecutor reported the left hand engine failed. Incident: Scandinavian A321 over North Sea on Jun 24th 2011, medical emergency By Simon Hradecky, created Saturday, Jun 25th 2011 13:20Z, last updated Saturday, Jun 25th 2011 13:20Z A Scandinavian Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration OY-KBH performing flight SK-502 from London Heathrow,EN (UK) to Copenhagen (Denmark), was enroute at FL370 over the North Sea when a female passenger (approx 50) suffered symptoms of a stroke and became unconscious. The flight crew accelerated approach into Copenhagen and landed safely, the patient was taken to a local hospital. A passenger on board reported the lady became ill during the flight, paramedics came on board after landing in Copenhagen and took her off the aircraft on a wheel chair.