Aviation News
Here you will find current news relating to Aviation News, plane crashes, safety
issues, airport safety, FAA and NTSB.
This page is updated frequently.
[09/04]
[09/04]
Boeing 777 Pilots Told to Rev Engines to Clear Ice
Boeing Co. 777 pilots will be told to rev up their engines before landing to clear ice from fuel lines after frozen kerosene was found to have caused the crash- landing of a British Airways Plc jet in January.
[09/04]
Air-crash inquiry will take months
The Air Tahoma cargo plane that crashed on Monday minutes after takeoff from Rickenbacker Airport flies to Columbus only for maintenance.
[09/03]
Cabin pressure problems force JetBlue Boston flight to return to PBIA
A JetBlue flight with 69 people aboard returned this morning to Palm Beach International Airport after the pilot reported cabin pressure problems, authorities said. Flight 422, a 100-seat Embraer 190 regional jet carrying 65 passengers and a crew of four, left about 8 a.m. for Boston.
[09/02]
Sheriff: Rotor flew off medical copter
The main rotor came off a medical helicopter before the craft crashed into a southeastern Indiana farm field, killing three crew members, authorities said today
[09/01]
Cargo plane crash in Ohio kills 3
LOCKBOURNE, Ohio (AP) -- Authorities say the empty cargo plane that crashed south of Columbus earlier today was carrying three Florida residents.
[08/31]
[08/29]
[08/29]
Pilot recounts harrowing air crash
Up until the second his small airplane clipped some trees Wednesday afternoon following takeoff from Newfound Valley Regional Airport and crashed behind the Bristol Veterinary Hospital, Doug Stewart was having "one of the best days of my life".
[08/28]
Spanair crash team focus on faulty thruster-papers
MADRID, Aug 28 (Reuters) - One engine on a Spanair plane that crashed in Madrid last week killing 154 people may have had a fault that rammed it into reverse, causing the plane to veer off the runway, Spanish newspapers reported on Thursday.
[08/28]
[08/27]
[08/27]
Plane crash probe shows tail hit ground first
MADRID, Spain (AP) — The Spanish jetliner that crashed during takeoff last week, killing 154 people, hit the ground tail first and bounced for almost a mile, the head of the commission probing the disaster said Tuesday.
[08/27]
NTSB Issues 'Safety Alert' To Pilots On Flying Near Thunderstorms
Remember: ATC Is NOT Required To Advise You Of Wx. Citing a recent spate of investigations identifying several accidents that appear to at least partly attributable to in-flight encounters with severe weather, the National Transportation Safety Board has posted a "Safety Alert" telling pilots to be extra cautious about their surroundings, especially when they see towering cumulus.
[08/26]
[08/26]
FAA Recommends DFW 'Re-Evaluate' Tugs Involved In Near-Miss
Two American Airlines planes came within 25 feet of colliding on a runway in April, according to a FAA report. One of the planes was in the air, and the other was being pulled on the ground by a special tug bought by American to save fuel.
[08/25]
Spanair-operated MD-80 returns to airport with technical problem
MADRID, Spain — Spanair's catastrophic week continued Monday, as yet another plane operated by the airline was forced to turn back due to a technical problem — the second in as many days. On Wednesday, a Spanair jet bound for the Canary Islands crashed during takeoff, killing 154 people.
[08/25]
FAA Investigates the Eclipse 500's Scary Safety Issues
The FAA announced last week that it has launched an investigation into these latest safety allegations, though its worth noting that they're the ones who approved the plane for flight in the first place. Aviation.com also points out that the FAA's 2006 certification for the Eclipse 500 happened on the last day of the agency's fiscal year, and strangely enough, on a Saturday.
[08/24]
Plane crash in Utah kills pilot, 9 clinic workers
MOAB, Utah (AP) — It had already been a long day when Dr. Lansing Ellsworth and his team of dermatology specialists climbed aboard a twin-engine plane in southeastern Utah, ready to return home to their families 200 miles away.
[08/23]
[08/23]
Medical team among 10 killed in plane crash
(CNN) -- Ten people, including nine members of a medical team, were killed in the crash of a small plane at an airport in the southeastern Utah town of Moab, authorities said Saturday.
[08/22]
[08/22]
Faulty part is suspected in other copter crashes
The type of helicopter involved in this month's fatal crash in Northern California has gone down four other times in the past 15 years under similar circumstances, leading some safety officials in the United States and Canada to raise questions about a part in the aircraft's clutch system.
[08/21]
Spain crash just the latest trouble for MD-80 aircraft
An American Airlines MD-80 averted tragedy 16 days ago, making an emergency landing at Kennedy Airport after losing power in an engine and struggling to stay aloft over Queens. Yesterday - on the other side of the Atlantic - another MD-80-series aircraft had an in-flight emergency, this time with tragic results.
[08/21]
[08/20]
149 dead in plane crash at Madrid airport
MADRID, Spain (AP) — A Spanish airliner bound for the Canary Islands at the height of the vacation season crashed, burned and broke into pieces Wednesday while trying to take off from Madrid, killing 149 people on board, officials said.
[08/19]
[08/17]
Houston family killed in plane crash
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colorado – Investigators have confirmed that they have found the Jacomini’s plane in Colorado. It was found on a steep cliff more than a 100 miles from where they took off.
[08/16]
'Lap children' at risk in flight
Adults traveling with babies may have no idea how dangerous it is to allow infants and toddlers to fly on commercial airline flights as "lap children."
[08/16]
[08/15]
FAA Admits Obama MD-81 Incident Was 'Emergency'
Cockpit Recording Portrays Calm, Professional Flight Pilot
ABC News broke the "news" Thursday that last month's incident involving a Midwest Airlines MD-81 chartered for Illinois senator and Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama was an actual emergency... but upon listening to the tapes, ANN was most impressed by the cool professionalism of the plane's flight crew in handling the crisis.
[08/15]
[08/14]
Justices to decide if Comair can sue
FRANKFORT, Ky. -- The Kentucky Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday in a case that stems from the Comair crash in Lexington and raises the issue of whether the airline can sue Blue Grass Airport.
[08/14]
NTSB begins probe at Mass. site of plane crash
EASTON, Mass. (AP) — A pilot of a plane that crashed into a parking lot, killing all three on board, was repeatedly warned that he was flying too low, according to a federal investigator.
[08/13]
Investigators: steep descent came before Easton crash
EASTON -- The plane carrying a cancer patient that crashed Tuesday was spotted by a witness spinning at least twice as it dropped from the sky and crashed, its right wing hitting the ground first as it exploded in a supermarket parking lot, a federal investigator said today.
[08/12]
Plane crash kills retired local doctor
ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. -- Two single-engine planes collided Sunday above a remote area a few miles from an airport in southwestern Wyoming, killing all three people aboard, including retired Mount Carmel West family physician Dr. C. Michael Downey, authorities said.
[08/12]
[08/11]
[08/11]
Private planes on TSA's radar
WASHINGTON — The Transportation Security Administration is planning a massive expansion of aviation security that for the first time will regulate thousands of private planes now flying with no security rules.
[08/11]
[08/10]
[08/09]
[08/08]
[08/08]
[08/08]
[08/07]
[08/07]
FAA addresses Eclipse throttle issue
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—The Federal Aviation Administration issued an updated airworthiness directive Thursday for the Eclipse 500, clarifying how the aircraft's throttle assembly should be inspected.
[08/06]
9 Feared Dead in NorCal Firefighting Chopper Crash
A total of 13 people were on board the helicopter when it went down around 7:30 pm, according to Federal Aviation Administration investigators. Four on board suffered serious burns and nine others are missing and believed dead.
[08/06]
FAA: Failed turbine likely cause of jet's low flight
FAA officials yesterday said a failed turbine inside the engine of an American Airlines jet was likely to blame for the plane's emergency landing shortly after a harrowing low-altitude flight above Queens and Long Island Sound.
[08/06]
Jet makes emergency landing after smoke report
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- An American Airlines Boeing 757 made an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport an hour after taking off because the crew smelled smoke in the cockpit, a fire department official said.
[08/05]
Plane had no structural problems before crash
WEST GOSHEN - The plane that crashed July 30 near the Brandywine Airport had no structural problems or mechanical malfunctions prior to impact, according to an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board.
[08/04]
[08/03]
Plane loses its power, crashes
A single-engine plane crashed in a residential area Sunday after losing power during takeoff from Palatka's municipal airport, police said.
[08/02]
NTSB: Plane hit antenna off runway before crash
OWATONNA — In the searing heat of Saturday afternoon, federal investigators were still picking through the corn searching for clues to what caused a business jet to crash Thursday morning in Owatonna. But this phase of the investigation is winding down, said Terry Williams, the public information officer with the National Transportation Safety Board.
[08/02]
Comair crash trial called off
After two years of fiercely contested litigation, a trial to hear lawsuits filed by families of the victims of the Comair Flight 5191 crash has been called off.
[08/01]
8 killed in crash of small airplane
OWATONNA, Minn. - A small jet crashed yesterday while preparing to land at a regional airport in Minnesota, killing eight people, including several casino and construction executives.
[08/01]
Pilot killed in N.C. crash flew for UPS
United Parcel Service has confirmed that a man who died after his small plane took off from Bowman Field and crashed in North Carolina was an employee of the company.
[08/01]
[07/31]
[07/29]
[07/28]
[07/27]
Mountain of errors led to Comair tragedy
The following account is based in part on information in court documents filed by the federal government and families of victims of the Comair crash in lawsuits scheduled for trial Aug. 4. Comair was allowed to seal most of its filings, which spokeswoman Kate Marx said was done so the judge and jury would have "the first opportunity to review the facts of the case." She said that while Comair "has accepted a degree of responsibility for the accident," it maintains the crash "was the result of multiple failures by multiple parties who are responsible for ensuring safe air travel." She declined to comment on specific allegations of negligence but noted that they are assertions, "not facts." Attorneys for the pilots described them as "disputed characterizations."
[07/26]
[07/25]
FAA Orders Changes To Regional Jet Engines
LOS ANGELES -- Nearly four years after a Bombardier regional jet crashed near Jefferson City, Mo., because pilots couldn't restart either of its jet engines, U.S. aviation regulators have proposed modifications intended to prevent a recurrence of such a tragedy with certain General Electric Co. engines.
[07/24]
Plane crash in central Ohio injures 2
LONDON, Ohio (AP) — The State Highway Patrol says a small plane has crashed in central Ohio, injuring the single-engine plane’s pilot and passenger.
[07/24]
[07/23]
NTSB investigates near collision at O'Hare
WASHINGTON (AP) — The National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday it is investigating a near collision of airborne planes at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport — the third such incident at a major airport this month.
[07/23]
Safety Group Urges Airbus Fixes
LOS ANGELES -- U.S. aviation safety watchdogs, concerned about severe electrical problems that have blacked out cockpit displays on dozens of Airbus jetliners over the years, urged regulators on both sides of the Atlantic to mandate aircraft fixes and enhanced pilot training to alleviate such hazards.
[07/23]
[07/21]
[07/20]
[07/19]
[07/18]
[07/17]
US unveils new rule on airplane fuel tanks
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — A device to prevent airplane fuel tanks from exploding must be installed on certain passenger jets and cargo planes, federal officials said Wednesday, 12 years after such an explosion destroyed TWA Flight 800, killing all 230 people aboard.
[07/17]
[07/16]
[07/16]
[07/15]
FAA to require fuel-tank changes
WASHINGTON — The federal government announced plans Wednesday to require that the safety of thousands of airline jet fuel tanks be upgraded to prevent explosions like the one that downed TWA Flight 800 in 1996.
[07/07]
[07/02]
Plane wreckage taken to Hilo airport
HILO, Hawaii (AP) _ The mangled pieces of a tour plane involved in a fatal crash on the Big Island have been brought to the Civil Air Patrol hanger at Hilo International Airport.
[07/01]
Arizona Collision Felt by Alabama MedEvac Industry
Montgomery, Al. (WSFA) -- It's the first ever mid-air crash involving two medical aircraft. Now, investigators are searching for answers. The organization reports 14 MedEvac crashes last year--with a total of 24 people dead.
[07/01]
Feds look into Eclipse jet safety complaint
WASHINGTON — Federal officials are investigating claims that regulators approved the design of a revolutionary new small jet in 2006 despite safety concerns raised by the engineers and test pilots who evaluated the plane, congressional officials said.
[07/01]
Medical Helicopter Crashes Stir Concern
The fatal collision Sunday between two medical helicopters in Arizona was the sixth crash involving the emergency helicopters since May, making the last two months one of the deadliest periods in the history of the fast-growing industry.
[06/30]
Four killed in Walker County plane crash; accident cause sought
Four people, including three members of a well-known Jasper area car dealership family, died Sunday in a Walker County plane crash.
The twin-engine, four-seat Beechcraft BE-55 airplane the four were riding in crashed at 7:56 a.m., shortly after taking off from the Walker County Airport, said National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Keith Holloway.
[06/29]
6 die as medical helicopters collide over Ariz.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — A helicopter ferrying a patient with a medical emergency from the Grand Canyon collided into another chopper carrying a patient near a northern Arizona hospital, leaving six people dead and critically injuring a nurse.
[06/26]
Safety Pushes Stall at Embattled FAA
In July 1996, a fuel-tank explosion ripped apart TWA Flight 800, killing all 230 people aboard and sparking an urgent call from air-safety experts to find a fail-safe way to avoid a repeat tragedy.
[06/24]
Whistle-blower sues FAA over '90s Alaska Air inspections
A former top safety inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration in Seattle who complained bitterly about being thwarted by her own bosses while trying to enforce air-safety standards at Alaska Airlines has filed a discrimination lawsuit in federal court.
[06/23]
Jet makes emergency landing at LA airport
LOS ANGELES - An American Airlines plane carrying 180 passengers made an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport on Monday after a pilot reported smoke and the smell of fuel in the cockpit, and officials said there were no injuries.
[06/23]
[06/22]
[06/21]
[06/20]
Air traffic controller staffing at LAX under federal review
LOS ANGELES (AP) - The U.S. Department of Transportation is reviewing the staffing levels of air traffic controllers at Los Angeles International Airport amid concerns that a shortage of certified controllers is putting passengers at risk.
[06/19]
[06/19]
Autopsy results released for plane crash
FREMONT -- An autopsy released Tuesday on the cause of death for the six people aboard the plane that crashed June 8 in Ballville Township, revealed all died from multiple blunt-force injuries.
[06/19]
FAA Holds First Aviation Fatigue Symposium
The FAA today wrapped up its first symposium focused specifically on managing fatigue in aviation. The three-day conference, dubbed “Aviation Fatigue Management Symposium: Partnerships for Solutions,” held in Vienna, Va., was attended by about 300 participants from airlines; pilot, flight attendant and controller unions; aviation associations; aircraft manufacturers; expert scientists; government, including FAA, NTSB, NASA and Department of Defense; the Flight Safety Foundation; and other organizations.
[06/18]
Bedford mom sues over daughter's plane crash death
BEDFORD, Ind. - The mother of an 8-year-old girl who authorities say died last year when her father deliberately crashed the plane he was flying has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against airport employees and others.
[06/17]
Plane flew slow, low before crash, safety panel says
A preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board on the June 8 plane crash near Fremont that killed former state legislator Gene Damschroder and his five passengers stated after the plane took off, it was flying low, heading southwest when it banked, descended, and crashed in a field.
[06/16]
[06/15]
[06/14]
[06/13]
NTSB Lauds FAA's Quick Action on Eclipse 500 Throttle Problem
The Small Airplane Directorate of FAA's Aircraft Certification Service issued an Airworthiness Directive on Thursday regarding an unsafe condition with the Eclipse 500, a new, small plane with about 200 models delivered thus far, according to the National Transportation Safety Board, which called for the emergency action and praised FAA's quick response.
[06/12]
[06/11]
Safety Board Determines Pilot Fatigue Caused Skid
WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday identified sleepy pilots as a reason that a regional jet slid off a snowy runway in Traverse City, Mich., in April 2007, and the agency again called on the Federal Aviation Administration to take steps to manage fatigue.
[06/10]
[06/10]
[06/09]
[06/09]
[06/08]
[06/08]
[06/08]
[06/04]
Plane crash kills 2-year-old
A 2½-year-old girl in town for medical treatment died after her charity flight to Alabama crashed shortly after take-off on a stormy Tuesday morning. Two other occupants survived.
[06/04]
[06/03]
[05/31]
[05/30]
[05/30]
Piston failure caused plane crash, report says
The failure of a piston apparently caused or contributed to the crash on May 7 of a small plane that had just taken off from Bowman Field, a preliminary federal investigation has concluded.
[05/29]
[05/29]
Aero Med helicopter crashes at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital
GRAND RAPIDS -- An Aero Med helicopter crashed and burst into flames atop the 11-story Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital during a training run this morning, forcing a major evacuation of patients from several top floors because of smoke and fuel leaks from the crash.
[05/28]
[05/28]
FAA Bans Anti-smoking Drug for Pilots, Controllers
Last week the FAA banned pilots and air traffic controllers from taking the anti-smoking medicine Chantix soon after the agency learned the prescription drug might jeopardize safety. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) earlier last week released the results of a study that found evidence for the occurrence of seizures, loss of consciousness, heart attacks, vision problems and various psychiatric instabilities in those using Chantix.
[05/24]
3 die in California copter crash
A tour helicopter crashed in rainy weather on an island off the Southern California coast on Saturday morning, killing three people and injuring three others, a county sheriff's deputy said.
[05/23]
F.A.A. Tests Ways to Detect Runway Junk
BOSTON — At the edge of Logan International Airport’s Runway 15-right, a technician watched a yellow sensor slowly scan back and forth across the pavement. He waited until it was pointed away from him and, like a man dodging a lawn sprinkler, he rushed to the middle of the 150-foot-wide runway, tossed a plastic pen onto the surface, and dashed back.
[05/22]
NTSB wants all 757s to be inspected
The National Transportation Safety Board called Thursday for a one-time inspection of the nation's fleet of nearly 700 Boeing 757s to make sure there are no fatigue cracks or improperly installed parts that could lead to a wing panel falling off in flight.
[05/21]
Surviving skydiver sues over plane crash
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) - 1 of 4 parachutists to survive a fatal plane crash in southwest Missouri has sued a skydiving company, its owner, and the pilot of the downed plane.
[05/21]
Federal report mum on Med Flight crash cause
An initial report released today by the National Transportation Safety Board gave no indication why a UW Hospital Med Flight helicopter crashed near La Crosse May 10, killing all three aboard.
[05/20]
[05/19]
Runway Safety Procedure Begins
Effective May 19, air traffic controllers began giving more detailed directions to pilots and airport vehicle operators to improve runway safety.
[05/18]
Plane Crash in New Jersey Kills 2
A small airplane crashed in a wooded area near an airport in Ocean County, N.J., on Saturday, killing two passengers and critically injuring the plane’s other two occupants, officials said. The airplane, a twin-engine Cessna 337A Skymaster, crashed about 3:30 p.m., shortly after it took off from Millville Airport.
[05/15]
Safety inspections on tap for Bell blades, Eurocopter bearings.
The US Federal Aviation Administration will require operators of 384 US-registered Bell Helicopter models ranging from the Bell 205 to the Bell 412 to perform frequent visual checks of tail rotor blade assemblies for cracks, and potentially replace the blades at a cost of $12,000 per helicopter.
[05/14]
[05/12]
[05/11]
[05/10]
[05/09]
NASCAR: Bad wiring caused plane crash
On a routine flight between NASCAR headquarters in Daytona Beach and North Carolina, Van Brendle detected a burning smell in the cockpit of his Cessna 310R after his weather radar failed.
[05/06]
FAA Skipped More Than 100 Safety Reviews
WASHINGTON -- The Federal Aviation Administration has failed to perform more than 100 recommended safety reviews at major airlines in recent years, according to a recent assessment by the agency.
[05/03]
3 dead, 3 injured in Idaho airport collision
CALL, Idaho (AP) — Two small airplanes collided at the McCall Municipal Airport and burst into flames, killing three and sending three others to hospitals, a federal aviation official said Saturday.
[05/02]
[05/02]
Airlines slow down flights to save on fuel
NEW YORK (AP) -- Drivers have long known that slowing down on the highway means getting more miles to the gallon. Now airlines are trying it, too - adding a few minutes to flights to save millions on fuel.
[05/01]
[04/30]
Small plane had engine problems
MIAMI, Okla. — A plane that crashed into the Will Rogers Turnpike, killing the pilot, was a high-performance aircraft that was having engine problems.
[04/28]
Travelers Increases Aviation Coverage Capacity
Catering to the growing demand for expanded aviation insurance and coverage for larger general aviation aircraft, Travelers (NYSE: TRV) Aviation announced today that it is increasing its capacity to insure aircraft for hull coverage values up to $50 million. The new increase will allow Travelers to insure larger general aviation aircraft, including jets with international capabilities such as the Gulfstream 450/500/550, the Falcon 7X and the Bombardier Global Express.
[04/28]
[04/27]
[04/25]
FAA admits it mishandled air traffic control cover-up
WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday acknowledged badly mishandling a whistle-blower's complaints that air traffic control managers in North Texas routinely covered up errors, almost a decade after the practice began.
[04/23]
[04/23]
[04/23]
Investigators find, fix more faulty wing fasteners on B-757s
WASHINGTON (AP) — US Airways has found and fixed faulty wing fasteners on additional B-757 jetliners since part of the wing on one of its 757s broke off and struck a passenger window somewhere over Maryland last month, federal investigators said Tuesday.
[04/21]
[04/21]
[04/20]
[04/20]
FAA’s lax oversight extends overseas
Airlines are outsourcing as much as two-thirds of their maintenance work to foreign facilities, but labor unions and lawmakers say the Federal Aviation Administration fails to ensure overseas repair shops meet agency standards.
[04/18]
Airline Faults Shifting Rules About Safety
Engineers at American Airlines contend the Federal Aviation Administration has unfairly changed rules on airline compliance with safety orders and is making unreasonable demands about how much interpretation is allowed.
[04/18]
10 Things Your Airline Won't Tell You
If you've flown lately you've probably noticed that air travel feels like rush hour on the subway. Indeed, as airlines get more efficient, they're squeezing more people onto fewer planes.
[04/18]
One dead, one injured in plane crash
SKANEATELES, N.Y. – Authorities say a small airplane crashed in wooded area near West Lake Road and Benson Road in Skaneateles. One person died in the crash, another was injured.
[04/17]
Alaska Airlines Flight Evacuates 100 People in Seattle
SEATAC, Wash. — More than 100 people were evacuated from an Alaska Airlines 737 in Seattle on Thursday because hazy smoke appeared in the cockpit shortly after the plane landed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, officials said.
[04/17]
[04/17]
No deaths in 2007 accidents on scheduled US airlines
WASHINGTON (AP) — No one died during 2007 in accidents among larger scheduled U.S. airlines and smaller commuter aircraft, and deaths in private plane accidents dropped to 491, their lowest total in more than 40 years, the government reported Wednesday.
[04/17]
[04/15]
[04/14]
Safety must be No. 1 job for FAA
The recent collapse of airlines has created an added urgency to the recent hearing before a House committee on the Federal Aviation Administration's failure to keep a tight rein on industry maintenance practices.
[04/14]
Safety must be No. 1 job for FAA
The recent collapse of airlines has created an added urgency to the recent hearing before a House committee on the Federal Aviation Administration's failure to keep a tight rein on industry maintenance practices.
[04/13]
Older Jets Most Affected by FAA Scrutiny
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rigorous airline maintenance audits recently ordered by federal regulators are likely to yield the most headaches for travelers flying Northwest, American and United airlines.
[04/13]
The best route to airline safety
The government crackdown on airlines over alleged safety lapses fits a familiar story line: Conscientious regulators saving the public from heartless corporations that put lives at risk to fatten profits. It's a tale that would be perfect for a movie—since movies are famous for taking liberties with the truth.
[04/12]
[04/10]
American Groundings Create Chaos At Airports
The mandatory inspections of its fleet of MD-80 aircraft forced American Airlines to cancel 500 flights on Monday and nearly 1,000 on Wednesday, creating long lines of frustrated passengers in the nation's airports. The chaos is likely to continue today, with as many as 900 more flights scratched.
[04/10]
[04/09]
Landing gear mishap nearly catastrophic, pilot says
CNN has learned that American's fleet of MD-80 planes has recorded 23 landing gear problems in the last few months; several have resulted in emergency landings. Pilots say the Fort Worth-based airline and the Federal Aviation Administration are not doing enough to find a solution.
[04/09]
[04/08]
[04/06]
Engine Problems Spur Safety Efforts
Popular models of passenger jets have been buffeted by a variety of engine problems in recent years, hastening industry officials and regulators to seek safety fixes in an area that had been relatively problem free.
[04/06]
More flights grounded because of FAA inspection questions
In the past week, AMR Corp.'s American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and UAL Corp.'s United Airlines have canceled flights to perform unscheduled inspections of certain aircraft, and US Airways Group Inc. found problems on some Boeing 757s after a wing part from a plane fell off during a flight.
[04/04]
Airline Maintenance on Fliers' Minds
WASHINGTON — Before boarding an American Airlines flight to Dallas this week, Jody Johnson took an unusual pre-travel precaution: She checked to see whether the aircraft was among those recently grounded because of safety concerns.
[04/02]
AAR used 'unapproved' landing-gear painting on jets, FAA says
An AAR Corp. facility in Miami outfitted hundreds of Boeing-made jetliners during a period of several years with landing-gear equipment that had been painted in an "unapproved" fashion, according to a Federal Aviation Administration safety alert.
[04/01]
[03/31]
United Air Jets Probed for Crossed Wires After Skids
March 31 (Bloomberg) -- UAL Corp.'s United Airlines found crossed landing-gear wires that may have caused two Airbus SAS A320 jets to skid off runways, becoming at least the fourth major carrier under U.S. scrutiny over maintenance.
[03/31]
2008 Aviation Outlook Unclear
Capacity for aviation coverage appears to be increasing, but, as claims are also on the rise, the outlook for the year ahead is not one that is easy to predict.
[03/31]
Airline: Open Skies Will Have Little Effect
The new U.S./European Union open-skies agreement does not create too many competitive headaches at London Heathrow despite the addition of extra transatlantic flights, a Virgin Atlantic executive believes.
[03/30]
[03/27]
FAA AD Affects Hundreds of Avidyne PFDs
Following a rash of reports of incorrect altitude and airspeed indications by Avidyne Entegra EXP5000 primary flight displays, the FAA yesterday issued an Airworthiness Directive requiring the addition of cockpit placards and aircraft flight manual/pilot operating handbook operating limitations until affected displays can be repaired.
According to the FAA, these errors “could result in airspeed/altitude mismanagement or spatial disorientation of the pilot with consequent loss of airplane control, inadequate traffic separation or controlled flight into terrain.”
[03/27]
Bad News For Airline Passengers
There is one place Americans can be assured of having almost no rights — not to freedom of movement, fresh air, food or water, or even to working toilets. It’s on the runways and tarmacs of the nation’s airports.
[03/27]
[03/26]
[03/26]
[03/26]
[03/25]
FAA Orders New Checks on Boeing 737s
U.S. aviation regulators ordered new checks on Boeing 737 jetliners and inspections of fuel-system components inside propeller-driven general-aviation airplanes, both affecting thousands of aircraft in the U.S. and world-wide.
[03/24]
[03/23]
NTSB: Excess Weight May Have Caused Deadly Crash
WEST PALM BEACH (CBS4) ― A preliminary report on a deadly South Florida plane crash that killed two Florida Atlantic University students has found that the small Cessna may have been dangerously overloaded.
[03/23]
NTSB: Flight School Plane Flew Too Slow
LANTANA, Fla. (AP) — A small plane that crashed last week in South Florida, killing all four people aboard, was apparently flying too low and might have been overloaded, according to a National Transportation Safety Board preliminary report released Saturday.
[03/21]
United grounds some 747s with uncertain maintenance
United Airlines pulled aside seven Boeing 747s for reinspection on Thursday after discovering onboard technology that steers the giant aircraft clear of other planes in the air hadn't been maintained according to the Chicago-based airline's standards.
[03/20]
[03/20]
[03/19]
Foreign flight students must understand English
Air traffic controllers have enough stress on the job. The last thing they need is difficulty communicating with inexperienced pilots whose English proficiency isn't up to par. Yet, that is happening every day in the skies over South Florida as flight students from China and other countries proliferate.
[03/19]
[03/18]
As Southwest grounds planes, calls rise for FAA overhaul
Critics say that FAA inspectors cut airlines too much slack Calls are increasing for an overhaul of the Federal Aviation Administration, after Southwest Airlines this week grounded about 40 planes because of maintenance concerns.
[03/18]
Paper Is Out, Cellphones Are In
First came the kiosk, a strange addition to airport terminals when Continental Airlines began offering it as a check-in option in 1995. It was followed by Web check-in, introduced by Alaska Airlines in 1999.
Now, with 80 percent of passengers using these self-service options, the next step is electronic boarding passes, which essentially turn the hand-held devices and mobile phones of travelers into their boarding passes.
[03/17]
Insurers Settle Air Crash Suits
Insurance companies have agreed to pay $165 million to settle lawsuits brought by relatives of those killed in a 2000 plane crash in the Philippines, lawyers for the families said.
[03/17]
Airlines top list of consumer complaints
Airline-related issues overwhelmingly outnumber all complaints tour operators receive from travelers, according to an informal member survey conducted by the U.S. Tour Operators Association.
[03/15]
Runway extension: Really about safety?
PROPONENTS A longer runway would give pilots more error margin. OPPONENTS There's a question whether improving safety by a small amount is worth the overall trouble, cost.
[03/15]
[03/14]
FAA to inspect parachutes skydiver wore when killed
Rex Williams, who was making his ninth parachute jump, landed in a marshy area about 150 yards west of Farm Road 521 in Rosharon about 2 p.m. Wednesday. He was about a mile from his intended landing zone at Skydive Spaceland.
[03/13]
[03/13]
Grounding Of Southwest Aircraft Raises Questions About Air Safety
Southwest said the groundings were intended to detect cracks that occur over time in aging aircraft. In some cases, such cracks can lead to damages in the aircraft's fuselage, possibly injuring passengers and causing danger to the aircraft. The company said on Thursday that it had to do repairs on four of the grounded planes.
[03/12]
In the air, health emergencies rise quietly
The death of an American Airlines passenger during a flight from Haiti to New York last month has cast a spotlight on the growing number of medical emergencies on commercial jets, a trend that largely has escaped public notice because airlines aren't required to report such incidents.
[03/10]
FAA mandates major aircraft 'Black Box' upgrade
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today mandated significant upgrades to aircraft cockpit voice and flight data recorders in an effort to help investigators retrieve more and better data from airplane accidents and mishaps.
[03/10]
Families of victims in White Pass plane crash sue Cessna
The families of all nine passengers who died in a plane crash in October have filed lawsuits against Cessna, the maker of the aircraft that went down near White Pass, alleging the company knew of errors that contributed to the wreck.
[03/09]
Flying tours not without their dangers
Last year, 15 people died in four separate so-called flightseeing crashes within six months. Two were in Alaska and two in Hawaii. Ironically, the crashes happened not long after the Federal Aviation Administration instituted new safety rules for air tour operators in February 2007.
[03/09]
Officials concerned with jet's power loss
The crash of this popular workhorse of long-distance international flying - 128 of which are operated by U.S. airlines - has transfixed the world's aviation safety experts. Not only has the cause so far eluded accident investigators, but also the potential impacts are enormous.
[03/08]
[03/08]