A Boeing 737-200 cargo plane made an emergency landing in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii, prompting a maritime rescue mission.
Pilots Rescued In Ocean After 737 Emergency Landing Off Coast of Hawaii
Transair Flight 810 left Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) at 1:33am on Friday, but shortly after takeoff attempted to return to Honolulu. Per the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration:
“The pilots had reported engine trouble and were attempting to return to Honolulu when they were forced to land the aircraft in the water.”
The 737-200 crash landed in Pacoific Ocean, south of island of Oahu.
A Coast Guard helicopter was dispatched and a rescue crew located the debris of the downed airliner at 2:30am. One pilot was found clinging to the plane’s tail and was transported to an area hospital. The other was hanging on to some floating packages that had been onboard and was rescued by a vessel from the Honolulu Fire Department.
Air Traffic Control communications from the flight reveal pilots knew something was wrong immediately after takeoff, when one engine lost power:
“We’ve lost number one engine,” one of the pilots told Honolulu air traffic control in a recording posted on LiveATC, an audio streaming site that broadcasts air traffic control communications.
“We’ve lost number one engine. We are going to need the fire department …We’re going to lose the other engine, too. It’s running very hot.”
The Boeing 737-200 involved in the incident was built in 1975, first flew for Pacific Western Airlines, and joined the Transiar fleet in 2014. It was equipped with Pratt & Whitney engines.
CONCLUSION
A nighttime emergency landing on the ocean is a scary thing. Thankfully, both crew members appear to be safe. That’s probably the last flight that 737-200 will ever see, though.
image: Li Cheng Tsai
This shows that a USAirways 1549 Sully type water landing is NOT easy. Chances are that there will not be a complete success like Sully. Look here. The 2 pilots didn’t die but one is in critical condition with head injuries.
A 737-200 loss this way. Terrible.
I imagine it’s not easy at all. But keep in mind that this was the middle of the night in total darkness over the ocean. Sully landed in daylight. As well with an aircraft that was much more advanced. Not to diss Sully, but let’s take into account all of the factors.
I’d say considerable skill was demonstrated here.
where is the video or pix?
Well done to the pilots.