JetBlue Flight 292

Last updated

JetBlue Flight 292
JetBlue292Landing.jpg
Flight 292 making emergency landing at LAX, with malfunctioned nose gear in flames
Incident
DateSeptember 21, 2005 (2005-09-21)
SummaryFront Landing gear malfunction
Site Los Angeles Int'l Airport
33°56′09″N118°23′50″W / 33.93583°N 118.39722°W / 33.93583; -118.39722
Aircraft
Aircraft type Airbus A320-232
Aircraft nameCanyon Blue
Operator JetBlue
IATA flight No.B6292
ICAO flight No.JBU292
Call signJETBLUE 292
Registration N536JB
Flight origin Bob Hope Airport, Burbank
Destination John F. Kennedy Int'l Airport
Occupants146
Passengers140
Crew6
Fatalities0
Injuries0
Survivors146

JetBlue Flight 292 was a scheduled flight from Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California, to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. On September 21, 2005, Captain Scott Burke executed an emergency landing in the Airbus A320-232 at Los Angeles International Airport after the nose gear jammed in an abnormal position. [1] [2] [3] No one was injured.

Contents

Incident

Carrying 140 passengers and six crew, the Airbus A320-232 departed Burbank at 3:17 p.m. PDT (UTC−07:00). The aircraft, which was built in 2002, [4] bore the tail number N536JB [5] and the name Canyon Blue. It was scheduled to fly 2,465 miles (3,967 km) to John F. Kennedy International Airport.

After takeoff from Burbank, the pilots could not retract the landing gear. They then flew low over Long Beach Municipal Airport in Long Beach (the location of a JetBlue hub) to allow officials in the airport's control tower to assess the damage to its landing gear before attempting a landing. It was found that the nosewheel was rotated ninety degrees to the left, perpendicular to the direction of the fuselage.

Rather than land at Long Beach Airport, the pilot-in-command diverted to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), in order to take advantage of its long, wide runways and modern safety equipment.

The pilots flew the aircraft, which can carry up to 46,860 pounds (21,260 kg) of aviation fuel, in a figure eight pattern between Bob Hope Airport in Burbank and LAX for more than two hours in order to burn fuel and lower the risk of fire upon landing. This also served to lighten the plane, reducing potential stress on the landing gear and dramatically lowering landing speed as well. [6] [7] The Airbus A320 does not have the mechanical ability to dump fuel, [8] despite various news agencies reporting that the aircraft was doing so over the ocean.

Because JetBlue planes are equipped with DirecTV satellite television, passengers on Flight 292 were able to watch live news coverage of their flight while the plane circled over the Pacific for hours. The in-flight video system was turned off "well before landing." [9] Actress Taryn Manning was on the flight on her way to New York to promote the film Hustle & Flow . [10] Screenwriter Zach Dean was also on the plane and, while contemplating his mortality, resolved to write a script about mortality, which eventually became the film Deadfall. [11]

Emergency services and fire engines were standing by on the LAX ramp ahead of the landing. Although foam trucks were available, they were not used. The U.S. FAA no longer recommends pre-foaming runways, chiefly due to concerns that it would deplete firefighting foam supplies which might later be needed to respond to a fire; it is also difficult to determine exactly where a runway should be foamed, and pre-foaming might also reduce the effectiveness of the aircraft's brakes, potentially causing it to slide off the runway. [12]

The plane landed on runway 25L. The nose gear generated sparks and flames when it touched down, but the plane was otherwise undamaged. To keep the nose gear off the ground as long as possible, reverse thrust was not used to slow the aircraft. As a result, the plane took longer than usual to decelerate, coming to a stop at 6:20 p.m. just 1,000 feet (300 m) before the end of the 11,096-foot (3,382 m) runway. (In comparison, the longest runway at Long Beach is 10,000 ft (3,000 m).) [13] Los Angeles Fire Dept. Battalion Chief Lou Roupoli said, "The pilot did an outstanding job. He kept the plane on its rear tires as long as he could before he brought [the nose gear down]". [9]

Aftermath and evaluation

Passengers deplane by application of airport stairs vehicle Jetblue Flight 292.jpg
Passengers deplane by application of airport stairs vehicle

Passengers began to disembark less than seven minutes later. The landing was smooth and no physical injuries were reported. The aircraft was evacuated via an airport stairs vehicle, as opposed to evacuation slides.

As JetBlue did not operate from LAX at the time, the aircraft was towed to a Continental Airlines hangar at LAX for evaluation. [4] Expert opinion expressed was that, despite the drama and live worldwide coverage, there was little real danger to the passengers or crew of Flight 292. [14] The A320, like all modern airliners, is engineered to tolerate certain failures, and, if necessary, can be landed without the nose gear at all. [14]

The NTSB report says that worn-out seals were to blame for the malfunction, and that the Brake Steering Control Unit (BSCU) system contributed to the problem. The NTSB reported that Airbus had since upgraded the system to take care of the problem. [15]

Following the incident, the aircraft was repaired and returned to service still bearing the name "Canyon Blue." The flight route designation for JetBlue's flights from Burbank to New York was changed from 292 to 358 (the other direction became 359).

Similar incidents

The aircraft involved, seen in 2019 JetBlue Airways, N536JB, Airbus A320-232 (49593598987).jpg
The aircraft involved, seen in 2019

The media reported that this was at least the seventh occurrence of an Airbus A320 series aircraft touching down with the landing gear locked ninety degrees out of position, and one of at least sixty-seven "nose wheel failures" on A319, A320 and A321 aircraft worldwide since 1989. Earlier incidents included another JetBlue flight bound for New York City, a United Airlines flight into Chicago, and an America West flight into Columbus, Ohio.

While some incidents were traced to faulty maintenance and denied as a design flaw by Airbus Industries, the manufacturer had issued maintenance advisories to A320 owners which were later mandated as Airworthiness Directives by American and French aviation authorities. [16] Messier-Dowty, which manufactures nose gear assemblies for the A320, stated in an NTSB report in 2004 that part of the gear had been redesigned to prevent future problems, but at the time the redesign was awaiting approval. [17] Mechanics familiar with this common fault usually replace or reprogram the Brake Steering Control Unit (BSCU) computer.

On March 6, 2021, Batik Air Flight 6803, also operated by an A320-214 from Sultan Thaha Syaifuddin Airport to Soekarno–Hatta International Airport, suffered an incident similar to Flight 292 in which the gear turned sideways. The plane returned to its base and all passengers and crew survived. [18]

Similarly, on March 29, 2022, LATAM Flight 4292 was a scheduled flight from Medellín to Cartagena which was operated by another Airbus A320-214. The flight was climbing to its cruising altitude when the crew was alerted to a possible fault in the landing gear. The aircraft returned to Medellín for an emergency landing with its nose landing gear jammed horizontally; none of the 147 occupants aboard were injured. [19] [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles International Airport</span> Airport serving Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Los Angeles International Airport is the primary international airport serving Los Angeles and its surrounding metropolitan area in California, United States. LAX is located in the Westchester neighborhood of the city of Los Angeles, 18 miles southwest of Downtown Los Angeles, with the commercial and residential areas of Westchester to the north, the city of El Segundo to the south and the city of Inglewood to the east. LAX is the closest airport to the Westside and the South Bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hollywood Burbank Airport</span> Airport in Burbank, California; serving the northern Greater Los Angeles area

Hollywood Burbank Airport, formerly called Bob Hope Airport after entertainer Bob Hope, is a public airport three miles (4.8 km) northwest of downtown Burbank, in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The airport serves Burbank, Hollywood, and the northern Greater Los Angeles area, which includes Glendale, Pasadena, the San Fernando Valley and the Santa Clarita Valley. It is closer to many popular attractions, including Griffith Park, Universal Studios Hollywood, and Downtown Los Angeles, than Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), and it is the only airport in the area with a direct rail connection to Downtown Los Angeles, with service from two stations: Burbank Airport–North and Burbank Airport–South. Nonstop flights mostly serve cities in the western United States, though JetBlue has daily flights to New York City. Southwest also occasionally flies non regular routes to the East Coast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Barbara Municipal Airport</span> Municipal airport in Goleta, California, United States

Santa Barbara Municipal Airport is 7 miles west of downtown Santa Barbara, California, United States. The airfield covers 948 acres (384 ha) of land and has three runways.

LATAM Airlines is a Chilean multinational airline based in Santiago and one of the founders of the LATAM Airlines Group, the largest airline holding company in Latin America. Its main hub is Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport in Santiago, with secondary hubs in São Paulo, Lima, Bogotá, Quito, Guayaquil and Asunción.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles runway disaster</span> 1991 runway collision between two airplanes

On the evening of February 1, 1991, USAir Flight 1493, a Boeing 737-300, collided with SkyWest Airlines Flight 5569, a Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner turboprop aircraft, upon landing at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). As Flight 1493 was on final approach, the local controller was distracted, though air traffic was not heavy at LAX, by a series of abnormalities, including a misplaced flight progress strip and an aircraft that had inadvertently switched off the tower frequency. The SkyWest flight was told to taxi into takeoff position, while the USAir flight was landing on the same runway.

Pegasus Airlines, sometimes stylized as Flypgs, is a Turkish low-cost carrier headquartered in the Kurtköy area of Pendik, Istanbul with bases at several Turkish airports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Engineered materials arrestor system</span> Bed of material at a runways end to stop aircraft overrun

An engineered materials arrestor system, engineered materials arresting system (EMAS), or arrester bed is a bed of engineered materials built at the end of a runway to reduce the severity of the consequences of a runway excursion. Engineered materials are defined in FAA Advisory Circular No 150/5220-22B as "high energy absorbing materials of selected strength, which will reliably and predictably crush under the weight of an aircraft". While the current technology involves lightweight, crushable concrete blocks, any material that has been approved to meet the FAA Advisory Circular can be used for an EMAS. The purpose of an EMAS is to stop an aircraft overrun with no human injury and minimal aircraft damage. The aircraft is slowed by the loss of energy required to crush the EMAS material. An EMAS is similar in concept to the runaway truck ramp or race circuit gravel trap, made of gravel or sand. It is intended to stop an aircraft that has overshot a runway when there is an insufficient free space for a standard runway safety area (RSA). Multiple patents have been issued on the construction and design on the materials and process.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berkut 360</span> Type of aircraft

The Berkut 360 is a tandem-seating, two-seat homebuilt canard aircraft with pusher configuration and retractable landing gear, built primarily of carbon fiber and fiberglass.

Aerovías de Integración Regional S.A., d/b/a LATAM Airlines Colombia, is a Colombian airline. It is the second-largest air carrier in Colombia, after Avianca. It operates scheduled regional domestic passenger services, as well as a domestic cargo service. Its main hub is El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lufthansa Flight 2904</span> 1993 passenger plane crash in Warsaw, Poland

Lufthansa Flight 2904 was an Airbus A320-200 flying from Frankfurt, Germany to Warsaw, Poland that overran the runway at Okęcie International Airport on 14 September 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southwest Airlines Flight 1455</span> Aviation accident in California, USA

Southwest Airlines Flight 1455 was a scheduled passenger flight from McCarran International Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada, to Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport, Burbank, California, that overran the runway during landing on March 5, 2000. The aircraft, a Boeing 737-3T5, registration N668SW, came to rest on a city street adjacent to a gas station. The National Transportation Safety Board found that the incident was due to the pilots attempting to land with excessive speed. They also found that the air traffic controller placed them in a position from which their only option was a go around. Two of the passengers were seriously injured, and there were many minor injuries. As a result of the incident, the airport installed an Engineered Materials Arrestor System at the east end of the incident runway. The aircraft was written off, making the incident the 10th hull loss of a Boeing 737-300. This was the first major accident in the airline's 29-year history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Continental Airlines Flight 1404</span> 2008 aviation accident

Continental Airlines Flight 1404 was a Continental Airlines domestic flight from Denver International Airport in Denver, Colorado, to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas. On the evening of December 20, 2008, the flight crashed while taking off from Denver, resulting in two critical injuries, 36 noncritical injuries, and a hull loss of the Boeing 737-500 aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southwest Airlines Flight 345</span> 2013 aviation incident in New York City, US

Southwest Airlines Flight 345 was a scheduled flight from Nashville International Airport, Tennessee, to New York City's LaGuardia Airport. On July 22, 2013, the Boeing 737 operating the route suffered a front landing gear collapse while landing at LaGuardia Airport, injuring 9 people on board. The aircraft, which was worth an estimated $15.5 million at the time, was written off and scrapped as a result of the accident.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asiana Airlines Flight 162</span> 2015 aviation accident

Asiana Airlines Flight 162 was a regular short-haul international passenger flight from Incheon International Airport near Seoul, South Korea, to Hiroshima Airport in Hiroshima, Japan. On 14 April 2015, the Airbus A320-232 aircraft touched down short of the runway, struck the localizer array, skidded onto the runway on its tail, and spun 120 degrees before finally coming to a rest on the grass, opposite the terminal building. The aircraft suffered substantial damage to the left wing and engine. Of the 82 people aboard, 27 were injured, one seriously.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Canada Flight 759</span> 2017 aviation incident

On July 7, 2017, an Airbus A320-211 operating as Air Canada Flight 759 was nearly involved in an accident at San Francisco International Airport in San Mateo County, California, United States. The flight, which originated at Toronto Pearson International Airport, had been cleared by air traffic control to land on runway 28R and was on final approach to land on that runway; however, instead of lining up with the runway, the aircraft had lined up with the parallel taxiway, on which four fully loaded and fueled passenger airplanes were stopped awaiting takeoff clearance. The flight crew initiated a go-around prior to landing, after which it landed on 28R without further incident. The aircraft on the taxiway departed for their intended destinations without further incident. The subsequent investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the Air Canada airplane descended to 59 feet (18 m) above the ground before it began its climb, and that it missed colliding with one of the aircraft on the taxiway by 14 feet (4.3 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pakistan International Airlines Flight 8303</span> Aircraft crash in Pakistan, 22 May 2020

Pakistan International Airlines Flight 8303 was a scheduled domestic flight from Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore to Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Pakistan. On 22 May 2020, the Airbus A320 crashed into Model Colony, a densely populated residential area of Karachi only a few kilometres from the runway, while on a second approach after a failed landing attempt with landing gear not extended. The aircraft was badly damaged in the first belly landing, with both engines flaming out during the go-around. Of the 91 passengers and 8 crew on board the aircraft, 97 were killed, and two passengers survived with injuries. Eight people on the ground were also injured in the accident, one of whom later succumbed to her injuries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RED Air Flight 203</span> 2022 aviation incident

RED Air Flight 203 (L5203/REA203) was a scheduled international commercial passenger flight from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic to Miami International Airport by RED Air. On 21 June 2022, the McDonnell Douglas MD-82 aircraft operating the service suffered a left landing gear collapse and runway excursion, causing the left wing of the aircraft to impact an antenna structure, followed by a subsequent fire on the right side of the airplane. The incident caused three people to be hospitalized with minor injuries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LATAM Airlines Perú Flight 2213</span> 2022 aviation accident

LATAM Airlines Perú Flight 2213 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight in Peru from Lima to Juliaca. On 18 November 2022, the Airbus A320neo was taking off from Jorge Chávez International Airport when it collided with a fire engine that was crossing the runway, killing two firefighters and injuring a third, who died of his injuries seven months later. 40 passengers were injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and written off, making it the first hull loss of the Airbus A320neo family.

References

  1. ↑ Bode, Nicole (September 23, 2005). "Nerves of Steel: JetBlue pilot's a poised pro" . New York Daily News . Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  2. ↑ Pierson, David; Oldham, Jennifer (September 22, 2005). "Pilot Delivers 'Perfect' End to Ordeal". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Grit, but no glory for JetBlue pilot". East Bay Times. Associated Press. September 25, 2005. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  4. 1 2 Oldham, Jennifer; Garvey, Megan (September 23, 2005). "7 Airbus Jets Had Landing Gear Trouble". Los Angeles Times .
  5. ↑ "FAA Registry (N536JB)". Federal Aviation Administration.
  6. ↑ "JetBlue Flight Lands Safely". Fox News . Associated Press. September 22, 2005.
  7. ↑ "Emergency landing televised on flight". NBC News . September 21, 2005.
  8. ↑ Morin, Monte; Pfeifer, Stuart; Garvey, Megan (September 22, 2003). "Disabled Airliner Creates a 3-Hour Drama in Skies". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved August 5, 2008.
  9. 1 2 "Even passengers watch plane's drama on TV". The Seattle Times . September 22, 2005. Archived from the original on February 2, 2013. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Taryn Manning recalls JetBlue scare". Today . September 22, 2005.
  11. ↑ Zeitchik, Steven (March 24, 2010). "An in-flight scare leads to a buzz script on the ground". 24 Frames (Los Angeles Times). Retrieved December 25, 2015.
  12. ↑ "CertAlert No. 02-04" (RTF). FAA. 2002. Retrieved April 2, 2007.
  13. ↑ "AirportIQ 5010". Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  14. 1 2 "Great Video, But Little Danger in Emergency Jet Landing". ABC News . September 22, 2005. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016.
  15. ↑ Marroquin, Art (November 29, 2008). "Worn-out seals blamed in 2005 JetBlue landing". East Bay Times. Archived from the original on September 25, 2013.
  16. ↑ "Aviation Incident Final Report". National Transportation Safety Board. November 18, 2008. LAX05IA312. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  17. ↑ Broder, John M.; Wald, Matthew L. (September 23, 2005). "Earlier Landing Gear Problems in Airbus Jets" . The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved May 6, 2010.
  18. ↑ Hradecky, Simon (March 6, 2021). "Incident: Batik A320 at Jambi on Mar 6th 2021, nose gear rotated sideways after departure". The Aviation Herald . Retrieved April 10, 2022.
  19. ↑ "LATAM Airbus A320 Lands With Landing Gear Pointing The Wrong Way". Simple Flying. March 30, 2022. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
  20. ↑ "LA4292 - Incident: LATAM Colombia A320 at Medellin on Mar 29th 2022". Airportia. March 30, 2022. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.