US passenger plane evacuated in Denver due to brake fire
American Airlines Flight 3023 was departing for Miami on Saturday but 'experienced a mechanical issue' while accelerating ahead of takeoff at Denver International Airport, the airline told AFP, adding all 173 passengers and six crew 'deplaned safely.'
One passenger sustained a minor injury and was taken to a hospital for evaluation, American Airlines said.
Blown tires and the deceleration of the plane while braking resulted in an isolated brake fire, which was extinguished by city firefighters, according to the airline.
Social media videos published by US media outlets showed passengers frantically evacuating an American Airlines plane via an emergency slide as smoke billowed from beneath the aircraft.
A man held a child as they rushed down the slide, stumbling as he hit the ground.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement that the crew onboard the Boeing 737 MAX 8 plane 'reported a possible landing gear incident during departure' at around 2:45 p.m. Saturday.
The FAA said it was investigating the incident.
It occurred just a day after a Southwest Airlines flight plunged mid-air to avoid colliding with another aircraft while en route to Las Vegas, injuring two flight attendants.
The latest scare adds to growing concerns over aviation safety in the United States after a string of recent accidents and near misses.
In January, a mid-air collision between a commercial aircraft approaching Ronald Reagan Airport near downtown Washington and a military helicopter killed 67 people.
In May, US President Donald Trump's administration announced plans to overhaul its 'antiquated' air traffic control system, which suffers from a shortage of controllers in FAA-managed towers.
The government has laid off hundreds of FAA employees as part of its plan to slash the federal workforce.
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Arab News
2 hours ago
- Arab News
Night vision goggles may have hampered helicopter pilots before crash with jet, experts tell NTSB
The pilots of a US Army helicopter that collided with a passenger jet over Washington in January would've had difficulty spotting the plane while wearing night vision goggles, experts told the National Transportation Safety Board on Friday. The Army goggles would have made it difficult to see the plane's colored lights, which might have helped the Black Hawk determine the plane's direction. The goggles also limited the pilots' peripheral vision as they flew near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The challenges posed by night-vision goggles were among the topics discussed at the NTSB's third and final day of public testimony over the fatal midair crash, which killed all 67 people aboard both aircrafts. Experts said another challenge that evening was distinguishing the plane from lights on the ground while the two aircraft were on a collision course. Plus, the helicopter pilots may not have known where to look for a plane that was landing on a secondary runway that most planes didn't use. 'Knowing where to look. That's key,' said Stephen Casner, an expert in human factors who used to work at NASA. Two previous days of testimony underscored a number of factors that likely contributed to the collision, sparking Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy to urge the Federal Aviation Administration to 'do better' as she pointed to warnings the agency had ignored years earlier. Some of the major issues that have emerged so far include the Black Hawk helicopter flying above prescribed levels near the airport as well as the warnings to FAA officials for years about the hazards related to the heavy chopper traffic there. It's too early for the board to identify what exactly caused the crash. A final report from the board won't come until next year. But it became clear this week how small a margin of error there was for helicopters flying the route the Black Hawk took the night of the nation's deadliest plane crash since November 2001. Army Col. Andrew DeForest told the NTSB that 'flights along the D.C. helicopter routes were considered relatively safe,' but some pilots in the 12th Battalion that flew alongside the crew that crashed told investigators they regularly talked about the possibility of a collision because of the congested and complicated airspace. The American Airlines jet arrived from Wichita, Kansas, carrying, among others, a group of elite young figure skaters, their parents and coaches, and four union steamfitters from the Washington area. The collision was the first in a string of crashes and near misses this year that have alarmed officials and the traveling public, despite statistics that still show flying remains the safest form of transportation. 'Significant frustration' NTSB members scolded FAA officials during Friday's hearing, accusing them of saying the right things about safety in public while failing to cooperate in private. They said the FAA has repeatedly refused to provide information requested by investigators. Board member Todd Inman said there was 'significant frustration between what's actually occurring' and 'what's being said for public consumption.' Frank McIntosh, the head of the FAA's air traffic control organization, said he would start working immediately to make sure the agency complies with the investigation. McIntosh also acknowledged problems with the culture in the tower at Reagan National, despite past efforts to improve compliance with safety standards. 'I think there were some things that we missed, to be quite honest with you, not intentionally, but I was talking about how certain facilities can drift,' McIntosh said. Homendy told McIntosh she believes agency leaders are sincere about wanting to improve safety, but the solution must be more than just sending a top-down message of safety and also actually listening to controllers in the field. Questions over lack of alcohol testing Tim Lilley, an aviation expert whose son Sam was a pilot on the passenger jet, said he's optimistic the tragic accident will ultimately lead to some positive changes. 'But we've got a long way to go,' he said. Lilley said he was particularly struck by the FAA's lack of alcohol testing for air traffic controllers after the crash. 'And they made a bunch of excuses why they didn't do it,' Lilley said. 'None of them were valid. It goes back to a whole system that was complacent and was normalizing deviation.' Homendy said during Thursday's hearings that alcohol testing is most effective within two hours of a crash and can be administered within eight hours. Nick Fuller, the FAA's acting deputy chief operating officer of operations, testified that the controllers weren't tested because the agency did not immediately believe the crash was fatal. The FAA then decided to forgo it because the optimum two-hour window had passed. Controller didn't warn the jet FAA officials testified this week that an air traffic controller should have warned the passenger jet of the Army helicopter's presence. The controller had asked the Black Hawk pilots to confirm they had the airplane in sight because an alarm sounded in the tower about their proximity. The controller could see from a window that the helicopter was too close, but the controller did not alert the jetliner. In a transcript released this week, the unidentified controller said in a post-crash interview they weren't sure that would have changed the outcome. Additionally, the pilots of the helicopter did not fully hear the controller's instructions before the collision. When the controller told the helicopter's pilots to 'pass behind' the jet, the crew didn't hear it because the Black Hawk's microphone key was pressed at that moment. 'Layer after layer of deficiencies' Jeff Guzzetti, a former NTSB and FAA crash investigator, told the AP that a combination of factors produced this tragedy, like 'holes that line up in the Swiss cheese.' Any number of things, had they been different, could have prevented the collision, he said. They include the Black Hawks having more accurate altimeters, as well as a key piece of locating equipment, known as ADS-B Out, turned on or working. In turn, air traffic control could have seen the problem earlier. Just a few feet could have made a difference, Guzzetti said. 'It just goes to show you that an accident isn't caused by one single thing,' Guzzetti said. 'It isn't caused by 'pilot error' or 'controller staffing.' This accident was caused by layer after layer of deficiencies that piled up at just the right moment.' Ex-official: FAA and Army share blame Mary Schiavo, a former US Department of Transportation Inspector General, told the AP that both the Army and the FAA appear to share significant blame. The Black Hawks' altimeters could be off by as much as 100 feet and were still considered acceptable, she said. The crew was flying an outdated model that struggled to maintain altitude, while the helicopter pilots' flying was 'loose' and under 'loose' supervision. 'It's on the individuals, God rest their souls, but it's also on the military,' Schiavo said. 'I mean, they just seem to have no urgency of anything.' Schiavo was also struck by the air traffic controllers' lack of maps of the military helicopter routes on their display screens, which forced them to look out the window. 'And so everything about the military helicopter operation was not up to the standards of commercial aviation ... it's a shocking lack of attention to precision all the way around,' she said. Schiavo also faulted the FAA for not coming off as terribly responsive to problems. 'I called the Federal Aviation Administration, the Tombstone Agency, because they would only make change after people die,' Schiavo said. 'And sadly, 30 years later, that seems to still be the case.'
Al Arabiya
a day ago
- Al Arabiya
Coast Guard says rotten wood and poor inspections led to deadly schooner mast collapse
Rotten wood and poor inspections appear to have played roles in the collapse of the mast of a historic Maine schooner in an accident that killed one person and injured several others – the US Coast Guard said in a report made public on Thursday. The Coast Guard launched a formal investigation after the main mast of the Grace Bailey splintered and fell onto the deck in October 2023 as the 1882-built schooner was returning from a four-day cruise. The report stated that deterioration went unnoticed and unaddressed due to a lack of thorough inspections. It also said oversight and reporting about mast inspections and inspection processes were not adequately documented. Inspections were not adequately documented and there were no formal expectations set for reporting inspection findings. This lack of oversight likely contributed to delayed or inadequate responses to emerging issues allowing hazards to persist and escalate unchecked, the report states. The collapse killed Rockland physician Dr. Emily Mecklenburg 40 who was on board. The report states that it is not recommended that criminal prosecution be taken against any person or entity. But the report faults not just the operators of the vessel but also the Coast Guard itself. It states that Coast Guard mast inspection procedures were insufficient for detecting rotted conditions in Grace Bailey's masts. The owners of the vessel, the Grace Bailey Navigation Company of Rockland, said in a statement that the Grace Bailey crew continues to hold Emily closely in our hearts and minds. The owners said they fully cooperated with the investigation and are they appreciate the focus on increasing safety for wooden sailing vessels. After a thorough overhaul of the Grace Bailey and passing a regular safety inspection by the Coast Guard, the Grace Bailey is back sailing allowing our passengers to enjoy the beauty of Maine's coastline, the statement said. The report includes nine recommendations for the Coast Guard to implement to try to prevent mast collapses in the future. The top recommendation states there should be broad collaboration with sailing industry organizations and others to identify wooden mast material characteristics and conditions that can contribute to decay. The Grace Bailey is one of a group of vessels commonly called the windjammer fleet which provide excursions along the Maine coast. The vessel is 118 feet (36 meters) and can carry 29 passengers.
Al Arabiya
5 days ago
- Al Arabiya
Thailand sets up safe spaces for pets whose owners fled border violence
As residents along Thailand's border with Cambodia fled the ongoing fighting, many tried to take their animals with them. For those who were unable to do so, livestock officials stepped in to help. Thailand's Livestock Department asked its local offices to provide safe space for animals whose owners had to evacuate, and the offices in several border provinces announced they were ready to do so. In Surin province, several cages were placed under cover at the front of the local Livestock Breeding and Research Center as temporary kennels. Five dogs and two cats were staying at the center as of Sunday. The capacity is around 20 animals. Sornchai Kongsook, director of the livestock center, said owners can leave their pets for free, but they have to be able to visit every day to take care of the animals. 'We have opened our space for cats and dogs that the residents or farmers can't take into an evacuation center,' he said. There are also some owners who have chosen to stay at a hotel which doesn't allow pets. He said livestock are welcome at the center, although none has been left there so far. Officials have prepared food to be distributed to cows and buffaloes left behind in danger zones. Many northeastern Thais are farmers and usually own livestock. Several of them roam the fields in areas that are now largely deserted. The armed clashes between Thailand and Cambodia since last week have killed dozens of people and displaced thousands. Wilawan Duangvao, an elementary school teacher, left her dogs Khawtom and Khaitun at the shelter Saturday after she received an order to evacuate her home in Prasat district. She was able to return to check on them the following day. As she approached the cage they were being kept in, they stood up barking, wagging their tails, and jumping around excitedly. A tearful Wilawan picked up Khawtom, a 2-year-old mix of shih tzu and poodle. Khaitun, a younger mix of American bully and Thai street dog, stood on his hind legs inside the cage as Wilawan and her husband played with both dogs and comforted them. Wilawan said it was a difficult decision to leave her pets, but she couldn't stay at home and needed to find a safe place for them. 'At our home now, water and electricity have been cut. I don't feel comfortable leaving them at home. I'm afraid they'll go into shock,' she said. Wilawan said she is now taking care of evacuees staying at her school, which has been converted to a temporary shelter which does not allow animals. She said she can't thank officials enough for offering a safe space for her pets. 'I'm so grateful. Everyone here is very welcoming. They took them in, and I'm relieved. They didn't ask for anything in return,' she said.
