US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - US Express makes emergency landing

An engine malfunction forced a plane departing Hilton Head Island Airport to make an emergency landing at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort early Thursday afternoon.

No one on the aircraft was injured or hurt, officials said.

US Airways Express Flight 4363, carrying 31 passengers and crew, left the island airport at 12:30 p.m. and was on its way to Charlotte.

Soon after takeoff, the pilot contacted the control tower, declared an emergency and shut down an engine, said John Presburg, director of scheduling for US Airways Express.

At 12:49 p.m., the aircraft made an emergency landing at the air station.

"It happens from time to time, but not very often," Presburg said, adding that the airline averages about two emergency landings a year.

The express service is composed of several airlines working under that name for US Airways. Piedmont Airlines operates under the name to and from the island.

The airline makes seven to eight departures a day from the island airport and has more than 300 flights a day systemwide, he said.

The passengers were taken to the air station officers club and waited for the airline to take them to the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport, where they were being rebooked.

Capt. Don Caetano, spokesman for the air station, said emergency landings don't often occur at the air station, but personnel always are ready just in case.

"Anytime you have an airfield this size, you've got to be prepared," he said. "(Our personnel's) purpose in life is to handle situations like this."

Funny I experienced an emergency landing in CVG last month. The engine went out and we flew back to the airport. We were met by fire engines and ambulances.

That was the flight that the pilot announced after we were on the ground that he was trained in one engine flying if that made any difference. Thought maybe someone needed to say something while we were in the air.

:eek:

This is a SERIOUS reroute, wouldn't it have been easier to go on to Charlotte? :D


US Airways Express Flight 4363

Thursday, July 22, 2004
Departure Arrival
Airport: Hilton Head Is., SC (HHH) Airport: Naberevnye Chelny, RUSSIA (NBC)

Status: Arrived
Comments: This flight was scheduled to operate from Charlotte, NC to Hilton Head Is., SC to Charlotte, NC. It has been rerouted to Naberevnye Chelny, RUSSIA. For information about your party please contact US Airways Reservations at (800) 428-4322.

US Airways Express Flight 4363

Thursday, July 22, 2004
Departure Arrival
Airport: Naberevnye Chelny, RUSSIA (NBC) Airport: Charlotte, NC (CLT)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Status: Arrival Cancelled
Comments: This flight was scheduled to operate from Charlotte, NC to Hilton Head Is., SC to Charlotte, NC. It has been rerouted to Naberevnye Chelny, RUSSIA. The flight is cancelled due to aircraft maintenance. For information about your party please contact US Airways Reservations at (800) 428-4322.

Airport: Hilton Head Is., SC (HHH) Airport: Naberevnye Chelny, RUSSIA (NBC)


i sure hope those pour souls got the miles for that!

ROTFLMAO :D

On the bright side, for those lucky passengers, this was a much faster and easier way to add MCAS Beaufort to your list of airports you've flown to than it would be to join the Marines. :)

I have been to MCAS Beaufort, but I drove there for an airshow, so I can't count that in my list of flown airports. Interestingly enough, because I was one of the last people to leave, the Marines doing traffic duty had left. I could have driven from the field right onto the runway. I was really tempted to see how fast I could drive (two miles of straight, level, wide road with no traffic -- a dream), but common sense ruled and I drove the other way. :(

Perhaps they got Stoli instead of Finlandia for their tonics and limes?
Added: Did anyone get the double bonus miles on this segment?

You know there's some grandmother somewhere in the hospital because she looked on the 'net or called the 800# for flight status and heard that her 8 year old grandson that was travelling alone had to make an emergency landing and got sent to Russia :eek:

You know there's some grandmother somewhere in the hospital because she looked on the 'net or called the 800# for flight status and heard that her 8 year old grandson that was travelling alone had to make an emergency landing and got sent to Russia :eek:

Hrmm... I suppose it's too late now, but I wonder how the 800# would pronounce "Naberevnye Chelny". Heck, I can't even pronounce it :)

Hrmm... I suppose it's too late now, but I wonder how the 800# would pronounce "Naberevnye Chelny". Heck, I can't even pronounce it :)

"Washington-National Airport"

"Washington-National Airport"

I was thinking "Philadelphia International."

Perhaps they got Stoli instead of Finlandia for their tonics and limes?
Added: Did anyone get the double bonus miles on this segment?



Hmmm. The Stoli is plausible but I don't know how fresh the limes would be!

Actually I wonder when/if anyone at US saw this glitch. In SABRE, only the three letter airport code would show; when the worng airport code was entered, it woud not be "decode" into the city/airport name.

Actually I wonder when/if anyone at US saw this glitch. In SABRE, only the three letter airport code would show; when the worng airport code was entered, it woud not be "decode" into the city/airport name.

I doubt that they would bother to change it after the fact. They probably all got a good chuckle out of it if they knew about it, though!

"It happens from time to time, but not very often," Presburg said, adding that the airline averages about two emergency landings a year.I question where this statistic comes from and what it covers. I was on a USAirways Express (operated by Mesa) flight from Memphis this April that had to do an engine shutdown and emergency landing back at Memphis, and based on the other comments it looks like we are already over two for this year. (Maybe Presburg was just talking about Piedmont or the "wholly owned" USAirways Express carriers and not the contract carriers?)

With the number of flights they have in a year I find that number low. I didn't believe it when they told me after I expressed concern that it was as rare as they wanted me to believe.

When I was waiting at CVG there was a plane delayed for mechanical reasons at the gate next to mine. She told me that was unusual also.

I question where this statistic comes from and what it covers. I was on a USAirways Express (operated by Mesa) flight from Memphis this April that had to do an engine shutdown and emergency landing back at Memphis, and based on the other comments it looks like we are already over two for this year. (Maybe Presburg was just talking about Piedmont or the "wholly owned" USAirways Express carriers and not the contract carriers?)


The number does seem low; I suppose it depend how one defines "emergency" landinf as opposed to "diversion" or "precautionary landing".

I had an emergency landing at DCA in May. We took off smoke started filling the cabin and they turned around. I don't think the pilot killed a engine though. Amusingly, as we sat on the runway surrounded by emergency vehicles, the pilot made an announcement that there was no hurry to get off the smoking plane full of fuel because he didn't "think it would burn that fast."

I was in the exit row and probably (hopefully) missed my only chance to pull the emergency exit.

The number does seem low; I suppose it depend how one defines "emergency" landinf as opposed to "diversion" or "precautionary landing".I consider a landing on an ERJ with only one (of two engines) with all passengers being instructed to get in the "brace" position for landing - and then sitting on an active runway (not taxiway) with a fire truck behind us for a few minutes while they determined that there was no actual fire in the shut-down engine (contrary to the pilot's indicator light) to be "emergency" rather than "precautionary". The FA also used the words "emergency landing" when instructing the passengers on landing procedures.