Jonathan C. Reiter Law Firm, PLLC: January 2016

Thursday, January 28, 2016

Indonesia Accident-Plagued Aviation Industry Ranks Lowest on Safety List

Indonesia Accident-Plagued Aviation Industry Ranks Lowest on Safety List
New York aviation attorney says a new report ranks Indonesia airlines as the worst with regard to safety.

With a relatively high number of accidents reported in the last few years, Indonesian airlines have been ranked as the lowest in the world for safety. New York aviation attorney Jonathan C. Reiter of the Jonathan C. Reiter Law Firm, PLLC reports that a recent list published by AirlineRatings.com shows that of the 407 of the world’s major airlines surveyed, Indonesia’s aviation industry scored the lowest on the safety scale.

Source: The Age Report “Indonesian airlines rank lowest in world for safety”

“Indonesia’s accident-plagued aviation industry has more airlines with the lowest safety ranking than any other country in the world according to an annual survey…The plane safety rating website AirlineRatings.com surveyed 407 of the world’s major airlines, giving each a safety score out of seven.”

According to the survey, there were 10 airlines that scored only one point or less, and nine of them were from Indonesia. The rating system relies on a number of factors including audits from governing bodies in the aviation industry and the fatality records of airlines.

In 2015, Indonesia saw a string of accidents including a Trigana Air plane crash that killed 54 people.

Source: BBC Report “Indonesia plane crash: Remains of 54 dead found in Papua”

“Indonesian rescuers have recovered the remains of 54 people who died onboard a Trigana Air plane that crashed in Papua region on Sunday. The head of the search and rescue agency said his team had found the aircraft completely destroyed and partially burnt.”

To read more visit http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-33970184.

In the previous year, 162 people died in an Indonesia AirAsia plane crash into the Java Sea. AirlineRatings.com editor Geoffrey Thomas said of the survey results “Aviation is critical to the economic development of Indonesia yet the government appears unwilling or incapable of meeting its international obligations by upgrading its oversight of its airline industry.”

Thomas further stated “Also many Indonesian airports don’t meet international standards while navigation aids in some locations don’t work or are sub optimal.”

Most of the airlines in Indonesia are reportedly banned from flying within the European Union.

When Airlines Fail in Their Responsibility

According to New York aviation lawyer Jonathan C. Reiter, airline negligence or error has been a factor in a number of plane crashes that have occurred over the course of the last decade. Says the attorney “when airlines fail in their responsibility to follow strict safety rules and regulations, and people are hurt because of it, they may be subject to fines, penalties, and lawsuits being brought against them.”

The attorney has also said “Thousands of fatalities have been linked to airline errors and misconduct over the last decade. Pilot intoxication, fueling aircraft negligence, FAA violations and other maintenance failures are examples of the types of accident causing issues that airlines have been held accountable for in numerous legal cases throughout the U.S. Survivors and families of victims of commercial airline crashes have legal options when it comes to ensuring that airlines are held accountable for their negligence when they have suffered damages as a result.”

According to The Age report on airline safety rankings, the United States Federal Aviation Administration has also determined that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, which oversees air carrier operations in Indonesia is not in compliance with international safety standards.

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Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Malaysia Airlines Plane Flown in Wrong Direction

New York aviation accident attorney Jonathan C. Reiter reports on an investigation into a recent incident involving a Malaysia Airlines plane.

An investigation was recently launched after a Malaysia Airlines plane was flown in the wrong direction. Media outlets have reported that the airline released a statement confirming that there had been an issue with the flight plan during the December 24th flight from Auckland, New Zealand to Kuala Lumpur.

Source: Yahoo Travel Report “Another Bad Headline for Malaysia Airlines—Plane Goes Wrong Way”

“On December 24th 2015 our flight MH132 from Auckland to Kuala Lumpur was given the latest flight plan by the airline’s Operations Dispatch Centre (ODC) whilst Auckland’s Air Traffic Control (ATC) was inadvertently given an earlier flight plan. Both routes were following an approved flight path and the aircraft had enough fuel for both routes.”

Minutes into the flight, the pilot reportedly queried why his aircraft was heading towards Melbourne as opposed to taking a direct flight path.

Source: NZ Herald Report “Malaysia Airlines pilot queries flight path”

“Just eight minutes into the direct flight to Kuala Lumpur, MH132’s pilot queried why his Airbus A330 was heading so far south. He wondered why the plane was heading towards Melbourne and not taking a more direct flight path to the Malaysian capital.

During discussions with air traffic controllers at the Auckland Oceanic control centre, the pilot was informed of the flight plan his airline had given to Airways, which manages air traffic control for New Zealand and South Pacific.”

The airline also said in the statement “Malaysia Airlines is currently conducting its investigation in the flight plan submission.”

More Safety Concerns for Malaysia Airlines?

Malaysia Airlines has been the focus of several disconcerting headlines over the past two years following major disasters that occurred just months apart. In March 2014, a flight from Kuala Lumpar International Airport went missing while en route to Beijing Capital International Airport. All 239 people on board are believed to have perished as the plane’s whereabouts were never discovered. In July of the same year, 283 passengers and 15 crew members aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia died after the plane was reportedly shot down.

According to New York based injury attorney Jonathan C. Reiter of the Jonathan C. Reiter Law Firm PLLC, the latest incident does not bode well for the airline’s efforts to make passengers feel safer. Of Malaysia Airlines, the New York lawyer says “the airline claimed in its statement that the safety of passengers and crew members had not been compromised as a result of the incident; however, the responsible thing to do in this case would be to seek a thorough investigation into how such a mishap could happen as opposed to attempting to downplay the potential severity of what might have resulted if the plane continued on the wrong path.”

The attorney has said on his firm’s website of the issue of airline negligence in general, “there are cases where airlines fail to adhere to the high standards of customer care and service expected of them, and subject customers to their negligent acts and behavior… Thousands of fatalities have been linked to airline errors and misconduct over the last decade.”

Media Contact:

Jonathan C. Reiter Law Firm, PLLC
646-863-8172
http://injuryaccidentnews.jcreiterlaw.com/

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Faulty Component, Poor Crew Response Caused AirAsia Crash: Investigation Finds

Faulty-Component,-Poor-Crew-Response-Caused-AirAsia-Crash-Investigation-Finds New York based aviation lawyer Jonathan C. Reiter reports on the latest findings in an ongoing probe into the crash of AirAsia Flight QZ8501.

According to the latest developments in an investigation into the cause of the crash of AirAsia Flight QZ8501, a faulty component and the response of the crew were what led to the plane plunging into the ocean.

Source: AFP Report “AirAsia crash due to faulty component, crew response: probe”

“In their final report into the accident released Tuesday, Indonesia’s official National Transportation Safety Committee said poor maintenance and a fault with the system that helps control the rudder’s movement was a major contributing factor to the crash.
Cracked soldering in the component caused it to malfunction and send repeated warning messages to the pilots, it said.”

The crash of the Airbus A320-200, which occurred on December 28th of last year resulted in the deaths of all 162 people on board. An international search was triggered following the incident, however the bodies of 56 of the victims have yet to be recovered. The flight was scheduled to travel from Surabaya to Singapore.

Poorly Maintained Equipment and Inept Flight Crew Responses: A Disastrous Combination

According to New York based aviation attorney Jonathan C. Reiter of the Jonathan C. Reiter Law Firm, PLLC, accidents caused by poorly maintained equipment and negligent errors on the part of pilots and crew members account for a significant number of commercial plane crashes. The attorney has handled numerous high profile plane crash cases and frequently commentates on aviation incidents reported in the media.

The attorney has said “Thousands of fatalities have been linked to airline errors and misconduct over the last decade. Pilot intoxication, fueling aircraft negligence, FAA violations and other maintenance failures are examples of the types of accident causing issues that airlines have been held accountable for in numerous legal cases throughout the U.S.”

With regard to poorly maintained equipment in particular, the New York lawyer says “Aircraft must undergo periodic maintenance in order to continue operating effectively. If regular maintenance is not kept up, aircraft may be rendered unfit for flying. When an airline or aircraft operator chooses to fly an aircraft that has not undergone or passed routine maintenance checks, the decision to allow it to take flight can be a fatal one. Those in charge of operating the aircraft are not only subject to penalties by regulatory authorities, but also liability for civil damages, when passengers are injured because of poorly maintained aircraft equipment.”

The Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee report stated that “Subsequent flight crew action resulted in inability to control the aircraft” and the plane was in “prolonged stall condition that was beyond the capability of the crew to recover.” The report also identified the problem with the rudder system as a repeated one with the Rudder Travel Limiter having exhibited more than 20 problems over the course of 12 months, as maintenance records revealed.

Family members of victims of the crash are now reportedly urging AirAsia to take recommended actions following the release of the report. Eka Santoso, who lost multiple family members in the crash is quoted by AFP as stating of the issue, “AirAsia must find the people who were responsible for this problem… It has been proven there was a weakness.”

Media Contact:

Jonathan C. Reiter Law Firm, PLLC
646-863-8172
http://injuryaccidentnews.jcreiterlaw.com/
Connect with the Jonathan C. Reiter, PLLC law firm on Facebook, Twitter
Hear the New York aviation attorney’s legal perspective on recent major plane crash cases via YouTube.

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Airline Worker Dies After Being Sucked Into Plane Engine

New York based aviation accident attorney reports on the recent death of an Air India worker who was killed after being sucked into a jet engine.

Recent reports say an Air India technician was killed after being sucked into a plane engine. The incident occurred after the co-pilot of the jet started the engine after mistaking a signal from ground staff.

Source: AFP Report “Air India worker dies ‘after being sucked into jet engine'”

“Mumbai (AFP) – A technician working for Air India has died after being sucked into a jet engine as the plane pushed back for take-off at Mumbai airport, the airline and reports said.
The freak accident happened on Wednesday evening when the co-pilot of flight AI 619 to Hyderabad in India’s south mistook a signal from ground staff and started the engine.
It sucked in Ravi Subramanian, who was standing close by, the Press Trust of India reported, quoting anonymous sources at Air India, the Asian giant’s national carrier.”

Shortly after the incident, the airline posted on social media that a technician had “died in a mishap during pushback of flight AI 619” but did not provide specific details about what happened.

Airline Worker Injuries in the U.S.

Numerous airline worker injuries and deaths have made headlines this year. In one incident that occurred in March, an American Airlines technician died after falling from a jetway.

Source: WFAA Report “American Airlines worker dies after fall at DFW Airport”

“DFW AIRPORT — An American Airlines employee suffered fatal injuries during a fall from a jetway Monday morning at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

According to airline spokesman Matt Miller, the employee fell from the movable bridge that provides a covered walkway for passengers between an aircraft and the terminal at about 10:30 a.m.”

The fatal aviation accident was still under investigation at the time of the report.

According to New York based aviation lawyer Jonathan C. Reiter of the Jonathan C. Reiter Law Firm, PLLC, airlines often attempt to keep injurious accidents involving their workers out of the spotlight to protect their reputation and financial interests. Says the attorney “airlines may be subject to fines and penalties if it is discovered that their negligence contributed to the injuries or deaths of workers as well as passengers.”

Investigations into some headline making past incidents that caused airline worker injuries have found that they could have been prevented if better safety protocol was in place by airlines or contracted service companies. One example is a probe last year following the death of a worker at Los Angeles International Airport, which led to a fine being leveled against an aviation services company the airline contracted with. The company was fined for five safety violations after the worker killed was thrown from a baggage tug that was lacking a functional seatbelt.

New York attorney Jonathan C. Reiter says of these types of issues “airlines have a duty to adhere to strict safety standards and must be held accountable if they fail to abide by the rules.”

Air India is a state-run carrier that has reportedly been impacted by multiple technical glitches and other incidents in the past few years for which it remains under scrutiny. The airline also made headlines earlier this year after two pilots got into a fight before takeoff, which resulted in their being grounded after a flight.

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