Emergency at the Airport

[Nikki]

Just heard on the radio a flight from Victoria to Toronto has made an emergency landing here and there are least 15 seriously injured passengers on board. No word on what caused the injuries.

It is being classified as a Class 1 emergency.

It is an Air Canada flight.

Date: Thu Jan 10 08:59:15 2008
Subject: Airport Incident
From: EMS Public Information

-----BEGIN MD5 -----------------------------------

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CITYBEAT - CITY OF CALGARY PRESS RELEASE
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This morning at approximately 08:00am, the City of Calgary
Emergency Medical Services along with the Calgary Fire and
Police Departments and the Calgary Airport Authority staff
attended to the Calgary International Airport Terminal for
reports of multiple injuries aboard an aircraft.
An aircraft diverted to Calgary originating from Victoria
after passengers sustained various injuries in flight.
At this time, Calgary Paramedics are assessing a total of 10
patients at this time.
There will be a media briefing the CAA lounge at 09:15.
Further information will be released as it comes available.

-30-


Public Contact Information:

Stuart Brideaux
Public Education Officer
EMS
538.7606

Public Email Contact:

3-1-1contactus@calgary.ca

-----END MD5 f5dc15cff84af08ea750f63a6ff7e59e-----

[tvp2003]

Ouch... hope it's not too serious:

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/...c77ef0&k=32793

[Resolute 14]

The Herald says as many as 40 people injured, and CBC says there was no obvious signs of damage to the plane.

Perhaps they hit a massive bit of turbulence that threw people not wearing seatbelts around?

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

The Herald says as many as 40 people injured, and CBC says there was no obvious signs of damage to the plane.

Perhaps they hit a massive bit of turbulence that threw people not wearing seatbelts around?

That is very likely what happened.

When I was coming back from Vancouver on Westjet similar thing happened, we must have dropped a couple X feet without warning (seatbelt light was on but people were dandying about).

Sometimes you hit dead air pockets.

[ken0042]

The landing may have also been rough because they plane likely wouldn't have been able to dump any fuel prior to landing.

And Fotze is right- always wear your seatbelt when flying. It doesn't need to be tight, but if the plane suddenly drops 100 feet you don't want to be getting thrown towards the ceiling.

[Prototype]

I was heading southbound around 8:10, and I saw like 3 or 4 EMS vehicles (police, fire, ambulance) rushing north on Deerfoot this morning before I hit 64th.

Hope everyone is OK.

[flamesdyehard]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

That is very likely what happened.

When I was coming back from Vancouver on Westjet similar thing happened, we must have dropped a couple X feet without warning (seatbelt light was on but people were dandying about).

Sometimes you hit dead air pockets.

I am worried that maybe there was an attack of some sort by someone or maybe a group on the plane. I hope I am wrong.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by ken0042

The landing may have also been rough because they plane likely wouldn't have been able to dump any fuel prior to landing.

Can planes dump fuel over land (or I guess in that case anywhere)? That stuff has to land somewhere, and I'm sure it creates an enviromental mess.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Can planes dump fuel over land (or I guess in that case anywhere)? That stuff has to land somewhere, and I'm sure it creates an enviromental mess.

I'm sure if it comes to a matter of life and death to the crew/passengers, as well as to people on the ground, they dump away.

Better a few 1000 gallons of fuel than a massive fireball.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Prottotype

I was heading southbound around 8:10, and I saw like 3 or 4 EMS vehicles (police, fire, ambulance) rushing north on Deerfoot this morning before I hit 64th.

Hope everyone is OK.

I work very close to the Airport and I heard lots of EMS vehilcles around the same time....hopefully every thing is okay.

[Prototype]

From the Herald link posted earlier:

Emergency crews are on the scene at Calgary Airport after an Air Canada plane travelling from Victoria to Toronto was hit by turbulence and passengers were injured this morning.

[Nikki]

Apparently the plane went sideways all of a sudden and cause some passengers to be tossed around. According to AM 660

[ernie]

It was only a few months ago when a Calgary-halifax flight dropped 1200 feet or something in sudden severe turbulence. 7 Ambulances met that flight in Halifax.

Can't remember ever hearing about something like this before and all of a sudden it happens in canadian airspace a couple of times in few months.

Just trying to start a conspiracy theory....

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Can planes dump fuel over land (or I guess in that case anywhere)? That stuff has to land somewhere, and I'm sure it creates an enviromental mess.

I think it vaporizes before it hits the earth.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by fotze

Let me be the first to tell all of you about how responsible and smart I am because I wear my seatbelt at all times on a plane.

I can never figure out how to buckle it. I wish they would show you these things.

I couldn't imagine being in a plane that goes sideways. There would be lots of brown seat cushions.

[chummer]

Yikes,would have been to this call if it was yesterday.As far as dumping fuel,if the plane is high enough the fuel will vaporize.They dump fuel to avoid being too heavy while landing,not necessarily because of the fire hazard....not sure why it was a rough landing....will find out more when I go on shift tonight.

[Prototype]

The article is updated.

- 6-8 serious injuries.
- Many minor injuries.
- None life threatening.

"It went up and then sideways," said one passenger, who said a friend of hers was hurt. "She flew up to the ceiling and right down."

[firebug]

Many commercial airliners cannot actually dump fuel in flight. That is why you will see stories of airliners circling an airport for hours before trying to land on bad landing gear or otherwise.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_dump_systems

from the above link:
"most aircraft of this type [twinjet] such as the Boeing 737 (all models), the DC-9/MD80 and Boeing 717, the A320 family, and various regional jet ("RJ") aircraft do not have fuel dump systems installed"

Best regards,

~firebup

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

I think it vaporizes before it hits the earth.

It does.. My company operates private jets to map the Earth and there are occasions when we have to land early due to weather and need to dump fuel before hand. It's no worse than burning the fuel.

[foofighter15]

when I first heard this this morning it was...get this....when I my dog was listening to the radio. (leave it on for her during the day)
anyway, I remember them saying something like 10 fire trucks and 10 ambulances on scene at the time