ARFF Daily News

Thursday the 16th of January, 2025

This is the last day of the 2025 ARFF Leadership Symposium, another great event allowing me to meet some old friends, make a few new ones and network with many Brothers and Sisters in the ARFF profession. Now looking forward to September and the 35th Annual ARFF Working Group International Educational Symposium at the Mohegan Sun Resort in Uncasville, Ct.

Safe home to everyone leaving Port Charlotte.

Here are the stories for the day...

Be safe out there!

Tom

Airplane skidded off the road in Oulu

There was no danger to passengers, Finavia reports.

Kaarlo Somerto

An aircraft skidded off the runway taxiway at Oulu Airport.

The flight was operated by the German airline Lufthansa from Oulu to Munich. The Airbus A320 aircraft skidded off the runway at around 6pm on Wednesday evening.

There were 57 passengers and six flight crew members on board at the time of the incident, Lufthansa communications said.

– The aircraft slid slowly and came to a halt on a partially snow-covered taxiway in Oulu. The aircraft was towed back to the gate, underwent a technical inspection, and was released, a spokesperson for the German company says.

According to Lufthansa, the weather conditions had deteriorated rapidly as the aircraft taxied, with freezing drizzle and wind.

Finavia's communications expert Liinu Lohi-Paajanen says that there was no danger to passengers in the situation.

After 10pm on Wednesday evening, Lufthansa said that a replacement flight would be arranged for the passengers on the plane later that evening. However, the flight's destination will be Berlin instead of Munich.

– Lufthansa apologizes for the inconvenience caused to passengers, a Lufthansa spokesperson says.

The flight's estimated departure time was 10:30 p.m. The actual departure time is unknown.

According to Finavia's Paajanen, the weather conditions at Oulu Airport changed suddenly on Wednesday evening. He said freezing rain and strong crosswinds "quickly made the apron very slippery."

– One departing plane taxied slightly to the side of the runway taxiway, Paajanen says.

After the evacuation, the aircraft was towed for inspection, "as is normal practice," Paajanen says.

The runway conditions were checked. Air traffic at Oulu Airport continues normally.

– We are not aware that weather conditions will cause delays to other flights this evening, Paajanen says.

– Air traffic safety will not be compromised under any circumstances.

Oula Ahlholm, who was taking photos outside Oulu Airport, saw the plane take off on Wednesday evening. Just before take off, freezing drizzle fell, he tells Ilta-Sanomat.

“The plane was towed out of the snow and moved back to the gate,” Ahlholm describes.

He did not see anyone exiting the plane. Nor were there any emergency vehicles visible at the scene.

https://www.is.fi/oulun-seutu/art-2000010966397.html

NTSB Prelim: Lockheed 382G-44K-30

A Post Flight Inspection By Maintenance Personnel Revealed A Crack In The Forward Pressure Bulkhead

Location: St. Mary's, AK Accident Number: DCA25LA061
Date & Time: December 18, 2024, 16:00 Local Registration: N403LC
Aircraft: Lockheed 382G-44K-30 Injuries: 4 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 121: Air carrier - Non-scheduled

On December 18, 2024, about 1600 Alaska standard time (AKST), Lynden Air Cargo LLC flight LYC141, a Lockheed L-382C (Hercules) airplane, N403LC, experienced a rapid decompression while climbing through FL220 (22,000 ft) after departure from the St. Mary’s airport (KSM), St. Mary’s, Alaska. There were no injuries to the four occupants onboard the airplane. A postaccident inspection revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage. The regularly scheduled cargo flight was operating under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from KSM to the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC), Anchorage, Alaska.

History of Flight: The flight crew consisted of the captain who was the pilot monitoring, the first officer (FO) who was the pilot flying and the flight engineer. In addition, a load master was present on the flight. The flight crew reported that after departure from KSM and while climbing through about FL220 they heard a loud bang followed by a loss of pressurization. They donned their oxygen masks and initiated a descent to 13,000 ft mean sea level (msl).

With no visible sign of damage, the flight crew suspected a bleed air problem. The quick reference handbook (QRH) was reviewed and all bleed air systems turned off. The flight crew elected to continue to their destination. About 30 minutes before arrival to ANC, the number 3 engine’s torque began to fluctuate. Concerned that the torque fluctuations were related to the bleed air systems they decided on a precautionary shutdown of the number three engine in accordance with the QRH and Lynden Air Cargo’s procedures. An emergency was declared with air traffic control and the flight continued to ANC and landed without further incident. 

A post flight inspection by maintenance personnel revealed a crack in the forward pressure bulkhead. The fracture was harvested by maintenance personnel and shipped to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for further examination. As part of the investigative process, the NTSB invited the qualified parties to participate in the investigation. These included the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Lynden Air Cargo LLC.

The parties were formed into specialized investigative groups led by NTSB group chairs in the areas of structures and digital flight data recorder (DVDR).

The investigation continues.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov

Today in History

42 Years ago today: On 16 January 1983 THY flight 158, a Boeing 727, crashed while on approach to Ankara-Esenboga Airport, Türkiye, killing 47 occupants; 20 survived the accident.

Date: Sunday 16 January 1983

Time: 21:57

Type: Boeing 727-2F2

Owner/operator: Türk Hava Yollari - THY

Registration: TC-JBR

MSN: 21603/1389

Year of manufacture: 1978

Total airframe hrs: 9698 hours

Engine model: P&W JT8D-15

Fatalities: Fatalities: 47 / Occupants: 67

Other fatalities: 0

Aircraft damage: Destroyed, written off

Category: Accident

Location: Ankara-Esenboga Airport (ESB) -   Türkiye

Phase: Approach

Nature: Passenger - Scheduled

Departure airport: Istanbul-Yesilköy Airport (IST/LTBA)

Destination airport: Ankara-Esenboga Airport (ESB/LTAC)

Confidence Rating:  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities

Narrative:

THY flight 158, a Boeing 727, crashed while on approach to Ankara-Esenboga Airport, Türkiye, killing 47 occupants; 20 survived the accident.

The aircraft crashed 150 m short runway 03 in driving snow, broke up and caught fire.

The accident was reportedly caused by windshear.