Incident update 6 May
05 / 05 / 2011
AIR Cargo News reports on the latest accidents and incidents to hit the air cargo industry.
In Miami (US), the pilot of a 1957 Beechcraft carrying computer parts, tupperware and other household items lost control of the aircraft and crashed into a residential area on 2 May.
The aircraft had only ascended around 100 metres from Opa-Locka airport when it encountered difficulties.
The crash proved fatal for the pilot, who ploughed into two vehicles before crash-landing in a garden. The ensuing blaze had to be tackled by 30 fire units. The only person in the house was not injured, but the home was left with smoke damage and dozens of nearby residences had to be evacuated.
The pilot has been named as 64-year-old Harry Trauffer, co-owner of Aircap Management.
Elsewhere on the same day a Goma Air freighter skidded off the runway while landing at the Juphal Airport in Dolpa (Nepal). No crewmembers were harmed.
The freighter’s brake system became partially ineffective and could not stop at the end of the runway possibly due to overload, officials said, making it overshoot the runway by 50 metres. The freighter was carrying cargo weighing over one tonne.
An investigation team from the Department of Civil Aviation has since examined the aircraft.
