Ex-basketball star Kobe Bryant, four others dead in helicopter crash

Retired basketball star Kobe Bryant and four other people died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Sunday morning, the city of Calabasas reported.

“It is with great sadness that we learn of the death of Kobe Bryant and four others in a helicopter crash in Calabasas. The aircraft went down in a remote field off Las Virgenes around 10:00 this morning. Nobody on the ground was hurt,” the city of Calabas said on Twitter.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff said on Twitter that five people died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, about 40 miles (65 km) northwest of Los Angeles, and that there were no survivors. It did not identify the victims.

First responders put out the flames of the crash site, the sheriff’s department said, posting a picture of a fire truck and smoke emerging from the brush in a ravine.

Bryant, 41, was known to use a helicopter for travel dating to his days as a star player for the Los Angeles Lakers, when he commuted to games in a Sikorsky S-76 chopper, the celebrity news website TMZ said.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration identified the crashed helicopter as a Sikorsky S-76, saying in a statement that the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board would investigate.

Bryant won five NBA championship rings with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was an 18-times NBA All-Star who wore the No. 24 during his 20-year career with the team.

Bryant and his wife, Vanessa, have four daughters: Gianna, Natalia, Bianca and Capri, who was born in June 2019.

Reporting by Mekhla Raina in Bengaluru, Daniel Trotta and Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Lisa Shumaker

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Delta jet dumps fuel on California school playground

LOS ANGELES — A Delta airliner experiencing mechanical trouble on Tuesday dumped jet fuel onto a school playground in the Los Angeles area, leaving 20 students and several adults with minor injuries.

Delta Flight 89 took off from Los Angeles en route to Shanghai and was forced to turn back due to engine trouble, a Delta spokesperson said.

The plane landed safely around noon after dumping its fuel, which fell onto a wide area, including Park Avenue Elementary School, located about 16 miles (25 kilometers) east of the airport.

Fire officials said about 20 children and 11 adults complaining of skin irritation or minor respiratory problems at the elementary school were treated on the spot and did not require hospitalization.

In a statement to AFP, a Delta spokesperson said the fuel was released to allow the plane to land safely.

"Shortly after takeoff, Flight 89 from LAX to Shanghai experienced an engine issue requiring the aircraft to return quickly to LAX," Adrian Gee said in the statement. 

"The aircraft landed safely after a release of fuel, which was required as part of normal procedure to reach a safe landing weight," he added.

"We are in touch with Los Angeles World Airports and the LA County Fire Department and share concerns regarding reported minor injuries to adults and children at a school in the area."

The fuel also landed on other schools in south Los Angeles but there were no injuries among students or staff, authorities said.

In a statement, the Los Angeles Unified School District said students and staff were on the playground of the elementary school when the incident happened.

They "may have been sprayed by fuel or inhaled fumes," it said, adding that school officials "immediately called paramedics, who are on the scene and are treating anyone who is complaining of skin irritation or breathing problems."

The Federal Aviation Administration said it was investigating the incident and said there are special fuel-dumping procedures for aircraft operating into and out of major US airports.

"These procedures call for fuel to be dumped over designated unpopulated areas, typically at higher altitudes so the fuel atomizes and disperses before it reaches the ground," the agency said in a statement.

Agence France-Presse 

Boeing, US regulators review wiring issue on grounded 737 MAX

WASHINGTON -- Boeing Co and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed on Sunday they are reviewing a wiring issue that could potentially cause a short circuit on the grounded 737 MAX.

Boeing spokesman Gordon Johndroe said Sunday the US planemaker "identified this issue as part of that rigorous process, and we are working with the FAA to perform the appropriate analysis. It would be premature to speculate as to whether this analysis will lead to any design changes."

The New York Times reported Boeing is reviewing whether two bundles of wiring are too close together, which could lead to a short circuit and potentially result in a crash if pilots did not respond appropriately.

The FAA said in a statement Sunday the agency and company "are analyzing certain findings from a recent review of the proposed modifications to the Boeing 737 MAX." The agency added it would "ensure that all safety related issues identified during this process are addressed."

Boeing is currently working to design separating the wiring bundles if necessary and conducting extensive analysis to establish if the electrical fault could occur in a real-world scenario, a company official said.

Officials said the FAA had directed Boeing to complete an audit in December. The wiring issue could push back the return of the MAX, the officials added. Reuters has reported previously the FAA is not likely to approve the plane until at least February and might not until March or later.

The FAA flagged the wiring issue as potentially "catastrophic." It is possible other protections like shielding, insulation and circuit breakers could prevent the short circuit, a company official said.

Boeing will halt production of the 737 MAX this month following the grounding in March of its best-selling plane after two fatal crashes in five months killed 346 people.

Last month, Boeing's board fired Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg after repeatedly failing to contain the fallout from the crashes that tarnished its reputation with airlines and regulators.

The crisis has cost Boeing $9 billion, and has hurt suppliers and airlines.

Boeing is struggling to mend relations with the U.S. and international regulators it needs to win over to get the jet back in the air.

Separately, US and European regulators are expected to return to Iowa this week to review a software documentation audit of the 737 MAX that was not completed last year, officials said Sunday. FAA and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency are scheduled to meet in Seattle this week and then return to Rockwell Collins facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa next weekend to review the audit.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

3 tourists dead in US Grand Canyon chopper crash

WASHINGTON - At least 3 people were killed and 4 others injured Saturday when a helicopter carrying tourists in Arizona went down in the Grand Canyon, authorities said.

The accident took place at around 5:20 pm in Grand Canyon West, located in northwestern Arizona, said Hualapai Nation police chief Francis Bradley.

Local media reported the Eurocopter EC130 helicopter, whose operator was unknown, was traveling on a tour.

"The investigation is ongoing," Bradley told AFP, noting that there was no information immediately available on the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

Allen Kenitzer, of the Federal Aviation Authority's Office of Communications, told AFP the aircraft sustained "substantial damage."

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash, he added.

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Harrison Ford in near-miss landing private plane

LOS ANGELES - Hollywood star Harrison Ford was involved in a near-miss at a California airport as he was piloting his private plane, officials and US media said on Tuesday.

Ford, a seasoned pilot and vintage plane collector, was approaching John Wayne Airport in Orange County, NBC reported, when he headed towards a taxiway rather than the runway, passing over an Boeing 737 with 110 passengers and six crew.

The 74-year-old "Indiana Jones" star was captured on air traffic control recordings, according to NBC, asking: "Was that airliner meant to be underneath me?"

The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) said it did not identify people involved in air incidents but confirmed it was investigating what had caused the misunderstanding.

"Air traffic controllers cleared the pilot of a single-engine Aviat Husky to land on Runway 20L at John Wayne Airport Monday afternoon," spokesman Ian Gregor said in a statement.

"The pilot correctly read back the clearance. The pilot then landed on a taxiway that runs parallel to the runway, overflying a Boeing 737 that was holding short of the runway."

The American Airlines plane managed to depart safely for Dallas just minutes after the incident, according to NBC.

The FAA prohibits aircraft landing on taxiways and sanctions for pilots found at fault range from a warning letter to a suspension of their license.

Ford suffered a broken arm and minor head injuries when he crash-landed a World War II plane on a Santa Monica golf course two years ago, after the carburetor failed.

He also crash-landed a helicopter during a flying lesson in Ventura County, California in 1999 and, a year later, his Beechcraft Bonanza scraped the runway during an emergency landing in Nebraska.

The actor has been in accidents out of the cockpit too, suffering a broken leg three years ago on the set of the Millennium Falcon spaceship after he was pinned down by the heavy, metal-framed door while reprising his role as Han Solo in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

A longtime aviation enthusiast, Ford owns several aircraft and claims more than 5,200 hours in his log book. He is certified to fly and land planes, seaplanes and helicopters, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

His representatives refused to comment.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

US regulator tells air passengers not to turn on Galaxy Note 7 phones

WASHINGTON/SYDNEY - Airline passengers should not turn on or charge their Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. Galaxy Note 7 smartphones during flights or stow them in checked baggage due to concerns over the phone's fire-prone batteries, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said.

The FAA said on Thursday it "strongly advises" passengers to follow its guidance "in light of recent incidents and concerns raised by Samsung about its Galaxy Note 7 devices."

The South Korean manufacturer announced last week it was recalling all Galaxy Note 7 smartphones equipped with batteries it has found to be prone to catch fire.

On Friday, Singapore Airlines Ltd. became the latest carrier to ban use of the phones during flights, following an identical move by three Australian airlines.

"The powering up and charging of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 mobile phones is prohibited on all our flights," Singapore Airlines said in a statement.

On Thursday, Australia's Qantas Airways Ltd., Jetstar Airways and Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd. announced they had banned passengers from using or charging the phones in response to the recall.

Although customers will still be able to bring the phones on flights, the bans extend to the phones being plugged into flight entertainment systems where USB ports are available.

Australia's aviation regulator said on Friday it was working with airlines and foreign aviation safety regulators "to ensure that recalled devices are treated and carried safely."

Delta Air Lines Inc, the No. 2 U.S. airline by passenger traffic, said it is still studying the issue.

"Delta is in constant contact with the FAA and other bodies in its run of business as a global airline. We will comply with any directive and are studying this matter. Safety and security is always Delta's top priority," spokesman Morgan Durrant said in a statement.

United Continental Holdings Inc and American Airlines Group Inc did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the FAA advisory.

Vaughn Jennings, a spokesman for Washington-based trade group Airlines for America, said the organization was "closely monitoring any developments as this issue evolves."

"Each individual carrier makes determinations, in compliance with FAA safety rules and regulations, as to what is permitted to be carried on board and in the cargo hold," Jennings said in a statement.

The FAA statement does not order U.S. airlines to take action.

The International Air Transportation Association said airlines have conducted risk assessments and noted that other phones have been recalled for battery issues.

"Although Samsung is the most recent company advising of faulty devices, others have issued similar recalls and warnings regarding lithium batteries in laptops over the last 12 months, so the industry is familiar with and equipped to manage such situations," the IATA said.

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