AVIATION/ NTSB REPORTS ON MULTIPLE INVESTIGATIONS

The NTSB has issued 4 updates or Final Reports on investigations by the agency. All reports can be found on the NTSB website.
1. On August 10, 2010, EXPRESS JET Flight 2290 was on Domestic ERJ145 Service on behalf of CONTINENTAL AIRLINES, from Houston, Texas, to Salt Lake City, Utah, with 46 passengers and 4 crew members onboard. The ERJ suffered substantial damages when it struck pelicans while descending on approach to Salt Lake City. The aircraft landed without incident. In their update, the NTSB said the birds were White Pelicans, weighing up to 20lbs. The ERJ was descending thru 6900 feet when the bird strike occurred. 1 bird impacted the aircraft forward of the windscreen and penetrated the avionics bay, causing the Captain to lose multiple instruments. The First Officer then took over control and landed the aircraft. Once on the ground, inspection immediately found a 3 foot long skin section, between the nose cone and windscreen, folded back, as seen in photo above. The investigation continues.
2. On June 14, 2009, TAILWIND Flight 36 was on Domestic Boeing 737 Service from Istanbul to Diyarbakir, Turkey, with 159 passengers and crew onboard. The 737 was on final approach, at about 20 feet, when it suffered an uncommanded pitch up. The crew controlled the pitch up by both Pilots pushing the control column fully forward and setting the stabilizer trim full nose down. The crew then performed a go-around and landed without incident on their 2nd approach. Both Pilots suffered minor injuries in the incident, however no one else onboard was injured. In its Final Report, the NTSB said the Probable Cause of the incident was: "An uncommanded elevator surface deflection as a result of a left elevator PCU input arm assembly jam due to FOD lodged between the input arm assembly and the PCU housing. The FOD was a roller element from an elevator upper torque tube output crank bearing, but how or when the roller element liberated from its bearing assembly could not be determined".
3. On May 6, 2009, WORLD AIRWAYS Flight 8535 was on International DC10 Service from Leipzig, Germany, to Baltimore, Maryland, with 168 passengers and 12 crew members onboard. A nose gear tire blew as the DC10 touched down on runway 10, thus the crew performed a go-around. After cleaning the runways of all debris, the DC10 safely touched down on runway 33L 10 minutes later. Shortly thereafter, the NTSB reported that the aircraft suffered substantial damages, including to the airframe, in a hard landing. Both flight crew members were injured, with the First Officer suffering serious injuries. The aircraft had to be written off. In their Final Report, the NTSB blamed the incident on Pilot Error. The Probable Cause was: "The Captain's inappropriate control inputs following a firm landing, resulting in 2 hard nose gear impacts before executing a go-around". (SK COMMENT: This incident was not covered by the general media. The flight was a military contract charter and all passengers were soliders).
4. On June 14, 2008, FEDEX Flight 764 was on Domestic MD10 Cargo Service from Memphis, Tennessee, to New York JFK, with 3 crew members onboard. While near Raymond, Pennsylvania, the MD10 entered a holding pattern at 33000 feet. The stickshaker then activated and the aircraft experienced aerodynamic buffet. The crew were able to recover and bring the aircraft in for a safe landing at JFK. Post flight inspection revealed substantial damages to both elevators and the right hand stabilizer. The NTSB Final Report blamed the incident on Pilot Error. The Probable Cause of the incident was : "The flight crew's failure to adequately monitor the airplane's airspeed during the holding pattern, leading to the onset of an aerodynamic stall and subsequent structural damage to the tail from buffet".