Chicago Injury Blog

The National Transportation Safety Board today released preliminary aviation accident statistics for the 2008 calendar year, showing improvements in some industry sectors but increased accident rates in others.

"While the overall aviation safety record in the United States is among the best in the world, the 2008 accident statistics reveal a mixed picture," said NTSB Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker. "We are particularly concerned with the spike in fatalities in on-demand air charter
operations. There's a lot of room for improvement in this area, and as evidenced by our recent forum on emergency medical service helicopter accidents, we continue to do everything we can to identify the safety issues involved, and to advocate for the adoption of our recommendations that will make the skies safer."

Continue reading "AVIATION ACCIDENT STATISTICS FOR 2008 SHOW 'MIXED PICTURE' " »

In the first runway incursion incident, a commuter jet narrowly missed a general aviation aircraft during a nighttime landing at Fresno Yosemite International Airport in California.

In the second runway incursion incident, a pilot of a general aviation aircraft landed on a closed runway at the Reading Regional Airport/Carl A. Spaatz Field, in Reading, Pennsylvania.

In the aircraft separation incident, two commercial jets came within 1 minute lateral separation over the Atlantic Ocean in a non-radar environment where 15 minutes of lateral separation is required.

Romanucci & Blandin is doing its best to report these incidents as we feel that the overcrowding of the skies and cost cutting practices of all of our airlines may lead to disaster. Please make sure you are always reminding your federal legilatures as to how important aviation safety is and to keep in mind that runway expansion projects, new radar equipment, debris seeking equipment are all important to our continued safety in the skies.

Romanucci & Blandin, LLC, welcomed the news that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) had dispatched a team of investigators to assist the governments of Honduras and El Salvador in their investigation of a recent fatal runway overrun involving a TACA Airlines Airbus A-320 in Tegucigalpa.

Our law firm – which has represented dozens of victims of commercial aviation disasters and has been ranked among the top 8 Illinois firms in aviation practice by the Leading Lawyers Network of Illinois – is aware of the quality work provided by this board. We also know they are committed to making travel safer and the aviation industry more accountable for its products and safety practices

Continue reading "NTSB Participating In Investigation Of Runway Excursion In Honduras " »

This has to be one of the most dramatic saves a pilot has made on a landing. As the wheels touched down a nearly 100 mph crosswind blew the jet off the runway causing one of the wings to scrape the runway. The pilot cooly steers the jet from the side of the runway to put it in position for a full engine thrust and manages to circle the jet for a second landing which was successful. Watch the video and look at the serious yaw the plane is experiencing before the wheels touch the runway. Kudos to Lufthansa and its pilot.

If you have ever flown into Jackson Hole, Wyoming, you will be hard pressed to say that there is a prettier landscape to fly in and out of. After all, this is the only commercial airport in the United States that resides in a national park. Despite all of this, runway excursions are not immune.

As you know, Romanucci & Blandin has been very vocal about the safety of our skies -- especially when it comes to our airplane landings. Lately, there have been way too many incidents of overruns and excursions. The NTSB is investigating another such incident from Jackson Hole.

The National Transportation Safety Board sent two investigators to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to investigate an incident in which a United Airlines jet veered off the side of a runway.

Continue reading "And Another Airline Runway Excursion ..." »

On January 17, 2008 at 1243 hour, a British Airways Boeing 777- 236ER landed short of Runway 27L at London Heathrow Airport. Work has continued on all fronts to identify why neither engine responded to throttle lever inputs during the final approach, according to the NTSB.

While the aircraft was stabilised on approach with the autopilot engaged, the autothrust system commanded an increase in thrust from both engines. The engines both initially responded but after about 3 seconds the thrust of the right engine reduced. Some eight seconds later the thrust reduced on the left engine to a similar level. The engines did not shut down and both engines continued to produce thrust at an engine speed above flight idle, but less than the commanded thrust.

Recorded data indicates that an adequate fuel quantity was on board the aircraft and that the autothrottle and engine control commands were performing as expected prior to, and after, the reduction in thrust.

All possible scenarios that could explain the thrust reduction and continued lack of response of the engines to throttle lever inputs are being examined. This work includes a detailed analysis and examination of the complete fuel flow path from the aircraft tanks to the engine fuel nozzles.

The National Transportation Safety Board today determined that the probable cause of a fatal runway overrun at Chicago's Midway Airport was the pilot's failure to use available reverse thrust in a timely manner to safely slow or stop the airplane after landing. This failure occurred because the pilots' first experience and lack of familiarity with the airplane's autobrake system distracted
them from thrust reverser usage during the challenging landing. The weather conditions were less than ideal. The landing required experience and explicit attention to multiple variables. Romanucci & Blandin represent two families who were injured in the crash. The animation of the crash can be viewed at HERE.

The urgent recommendation we issued today addressing landing performance is extremely pertinent to the safe operation of our aviation system," said NTSB Chairman Mark V. Rosenker. "As we approach the winter months we continue to push for acceptance of a minimum safety margin so that this type of accident does not occur again.

Continue reading "NTSB Issues Runway Recommendations as Result of SWA 1248 Crash" »