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Hole found in Alaska plane (CONTRACT BAGGAGE HANDLER HIT PLANE - DIDN'T REPORT IT)
KING5.com ^ | 12/27/05 | KING5.com

Posted on 12/27/2005 6:34:42 PM PST by paulat

Hole found in Alaska plane

05:30 PM PST on Tuesday, December 27, 2005 KING5.com

Investigators: Problems spike after ramp work outsourced

SEATTLE – An Alaska Airlines plane was forced to return to Seattle Monday after a gash in the plane’s fuselage caused the aircraft to lose pressurization.

The incident began when a ramp worker hit the plane with a baggage cart or baggage belt machine, according to National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Jim Struhsaker.

The accident created a crease in the skin of the plane which opened up into a hole when the pressure on the plane changed at 26,000 feet.

The employee told the agency that although the vehicle had touched the plane, he was not aware that he had dented it.

“At that time in the driving rain it did not appear to be significant to him,” Stuhsaker said.

According to Alaska Airlines and accounts provided to KING 5 News by passengers, flight 536 took off from Sea-Tac at 3:50 p.m., bound for Burbank, Calif.

Alaska Airlines flight 536 was forced to return to Sea-Tac Monday after it lost cabin pressure. Passenger Jeremy Hermanns took this snapshot of the scene after the oxygen masks had dropped down.

About 10 or 20 minutes into the flight, there was a loud noise and the cabin lost pressure. The plane then descended rapidly before returning to Sea-Tac, said Caroline Boren, a spokeswoman for Alaska Airlines.

Passenger accounts of the incident paint a scary picture.

“I could feel that obviously my ears popping and that's not a good symbol and that didn't go away and then it got hard to breathe and then whoosh all the compression in the plane was lost. We totally decompressed,” said passenger Jeremy Hermanns.

He said everyone on board scrambled to get their masks on and then the engine noise became very loud.

“We knew that something was going on … it was definitely frightening. It wasn't something I wanted to do again,” he said.

Jeremy Hermanns shot this image of himself with his oxygen mask on after the plane he was on lost cabin pressure.

Hermann’s believes, nevertheless that the crew handled the situation well.

“I'm just very glad that the pilots and the crew and everybody handled it so well,” he said.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Washington
KEYWORDS: alaskaairlines; aviation; emergencylanding; faa; flight536; mcdonnelldouglas; md80; md83; ntsb; wa
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To: mastercylinder

Thanks for the new link.


21 posted on 12/27/2005 7:35:30 PM PST by paulat
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To: paulat

feh, they didnt follow procedures. one ramper stands by the pit door and guides the belt loader in to a stop, the other drives it. They get hit often but you have to smack it hard to dent it like that.
Company rampers weren't much better but they had more to lose if they screwed up. Plus the Union would protect them.


22 posted on 12/27/2005 7:41:12 PM PST by RedBloodedAmerican
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To: paulat
Hole found in Alaska plane

That's impossible.

I was in Vegas playing blackjack at the Golden Nugget all weekend.

23 posted on 12/27/2005 7:42:14 PM PST by hole_n_one
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To: hole_n_one

LOL dont fly and drink!


24 posted on 12/27/2005 7:42:41 PM PST by RedBloodedAmerican
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jeremyhermanns.org

http://www.kirotv.com/news/5680634/detail.html#

25 posted on 12/27/2005 7:47:05 PM PST by A.A. Cunningham
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To: paulat

your welcome


26 posted on 12/27/2005 7:48:30 PM PST by mastercylinder (Evolution: Taking care of those too stupid to take care of themselves.)
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To: paulat

..the airline says its a normal transition period..

any organization that puts a planeload of passengers in serious jeopardy and claims it a part of a normal transition is NUTS and not desereving of an airworthiness certificate

where are you FAA?

and people ride this death wagon?


27 posted on 12/27/2005 7:50:17 PM PST by tarepeter
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To: Kathy in Alaska

"I tried Delta once, and was sure we were sardines."

At least you apparently got on the aircraft. Every time I fly Delta, a little cloud appears on the horizon, we do a ground hold for weather for 4 hours, and I miss my connections.

OK, maybe not every time, but it feels like it.


28 posted on 12/27/2005 7:50:58 PM PST by Felis_irritable
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To: nj26
"Alaska Airlines Insider NewsLetter"

Monday, 26 Dec 2005

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ALL ABOARD!

29 posted on 12/27/2005 7:55:20 PM PST by Buddy B (MSgt Retired-USAF)
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To: Kathy in Alaska
Maybe with all this publicity, Alaska will be paying attention to the safety issues.

Alaska has some maintenance issues as well. (Same deal - contracted out maintenance with mixed results).

30 posted on 12/27/2005 8:25:47 PM PST by PAR35
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To: Clemenza
Not my point

GO with a low bidder, you get low-pay workers. Generally not well trained, likely not well motivated.
Stories of accident cover-ups, a huge rise in "incidents" on the tarmac and you gotta wonder - should I fly with these folks or not....the cost of tickets sure did not change. I'll admit the last time I flew with Alaska, like I had a choice, was tolerable, the times B4 that - simply intolerable.

I'll fly Delta if I can, but usually and in the winter almost always, the only choice is AKAir.

31 posted on 12/27/2005 8:29:55 PM PST by ASOC (The result of choosing between the lesser of two evils, in the end, leaves you with, well, evil.)
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To: nj26
"The most important point Alaska executives wanted make for this report is that through the transition, not one passenger has ever been put in jeopardy."

Not anymore.

You nailed it. I'm waiting breathlessly for their response...but not as breathlessly as the passengers were....

32 posted on 12/27/2005 8:56:05 PM PST by paulat
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To: paulat
CONTRACT BAGGAGE HANDLER HIT PLANE - DIDN'T REPORT

TSA Screener movin' up?

33 posted on 12/27/2005 8:57:30 PM PST by JennysCool (Non-Y2K-Compliant)
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To: JennysCool
TSA Screener movin' up?

Jenny...you are BAD!!! (LOL!!!)

34 posted on 12/27/2005 8:59:00 PM PST by paulat
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To: Kathy in Alaska
...I tried Delta once, and was sure we were sardines...

Delta bought Western Airlines in the eighties, who in turn bought Pacific Northern Airlines in the sixties. They were Alaska Airlines main competition back in the day.




35 posted on 12/27/2005 9:06:57 PM PST by fallujah-nuker (America needs more SAC and less empty sacs.)
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To: paulat; Calpernia; Velveeta; DAVEY CROCKETT; WestCoastGal; bored at work; all4one; Honestly; ...

Thanks to Paulat for posting this must read article.


36 posted on 12/27/2005 9:25:09 PM PST by nw_arizona_granny (Happy New Year!!! 2006 a year of Peace, good health, and great joy, as God directs)
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To: Aeronaut; nw_arizona_granny

Aviation ping


37 posted on 12/27/2005 9:45:42 PM PST by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
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To: nw_arizona_granny

Thanks for passing it on. It makes me sad...I remember when Alaska was a real class act!


38 posted on 12/27/2005 9:50:51 PM PST by paulat
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To: ASOC

Cool one there!

Just poking holes in airplanes that Americans aren't willing to poke.


39 posted on 12/27/2005 9:54:06 PM PST by 308MBR (Not only older, but bolder. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.)
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To: Jet Jaguar; Tijeras_Slim; FireTrack; Pukin Dog; citabria; B Knotts; kilowhskey; cyphergirl; ...

40 posted on 12/28/2005 2:20:06 AM PST by Aeronaut (It is deeply irresponsible to rewrite the history of how the war began.)
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