2000 in aviation
Encyclopedia
This is a list of aviation
-related events from 2000:
s
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
-related events from 2000:
s
January
- January 30 – Kenya Airways Flight 431Kenya Airways Flight 431Kenya Airways Flight 431 was an international scheduled Abidjan–Lagos–Nairobi passenger service, operated with an Airbus A310-304, registration 5Y-BEN, that crashed into the sea, off the coast of Côte d'Ivoire, on at 21:09:24 GMT, shortly after take-off from Félix Houphouët-Boigny International...
crashes into the Atlantic Ocean, killing 169. - January 31 – Due to inadequate maintenance, the horizontal stabilizer of Alaska Airlines Flight 261Alaska Airlines Flight 261Alaska Airlines Flight 261, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft, experienced a fatal accident on January 31, 2000 at the Pacific Ocean about 2.7 miles north of Anacapa Island, California. The two pilots, three cabin crewmembers, and 83 passengers on board were killed and the aircraft was destroyed...
, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83, jams during a flight from Puerto VallartaPuerto VallartaPuerto Vallarta is a Mexican balneario resort city situated on the Pacific Ocean's Bahía de Banderas.The 2010 census reported Puerto Vallarta's population as 255,725 making it the sixth-largest city in the state of Jalisco...
, MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, to SeattleSeattle, WashingtonSeattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, Washington, forcing the plane into a dive from 31,500 feet (9,601 m) to between 23,000 (7,010 m) and 24,000 feet (7,315 m) in 80 seconds. Although the crew manages to stop the dive and attempts to divert to Los AngelesLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California, the stabilizer jams again minutes later and the plane dives into the Pacific OceanPacific OceanThe Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
near Anacapa Island, California, killing all 88 people on board. Among the dead is Morris ThompsonMorris ThompsonMorris Thompson was an Alaska Native leader, American businessman and political appointee working on matters related to Alaska Natives.-Early life and career:...
, who had served as Commissioner of the Bureau of Indian AffairsBureau of Indian AffairsThe Bureau of Indian Affairs is an agency of the federal government of the United States within the US Department of the Interior. It is responsible for the administration and management of of land held in trust by the United States for Native Americans in the United States, Native American...
from 1973 to 1976.
March
- March 5 – Southwest Airlines Flight 1455Southwest Airlines Flight 1455Southwest Airlines Flight 1455 was a scheduled passenger flight fromMcCarran International Airport , Las Vegas, Nevada to Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport , Burbank, California that overran the runway during landing on March 5, 2000. The aircraft came to rest on a city street adjacent to a gas...
, a Boeing 737-3T5 with 142 people on board, overshoots the runway on landing at Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena AirportBob Hope AirportBob Hope Airport is a public airport located 3 miles northwest of the central business district of Burbank, a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States...
in BurbankBurbank, CaliforniaBurbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Forty-four people are injured.
April
- April 19 – Air Philippines Flight 541Air Philippines Flight 541Air Philippines Flight 541 was a domestic Air Philippines flight from Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila to Davao International Airport in Davao City. It crashed on April 19, 2000 as it was preparing to land in Davao, killing all 131 people aboard...
crashes near Davao International Airport, killing 131.
May
- May 15 – Helios AirwaysHelios AirwaysHelios Airways was a low-cost Cypriot airline operating scheduled and charter flights between Cyprus and many European destinations. It has its corporate headquarters on the grounds of Larnaca International Airport in Larnaca. Its main base was Larnaca International Airport...
commences airline operations. - May 25 – Reginald Chua hijacksAircraft hijackingAircraft hijacking is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft by an individual or a group. In most cases, the pilot is forced to fly according to the orders of the hijackers. Occasionally, however, the hijackers have flown the aircraft themselves, such as the September 11 attacks of 2001...
Philippine Airlines Flight 812Philippine Airlines Flight 812Philippine Airlines Flight 812 was a scheduled passenger flight from Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City to Ninoy Aquino International Airport near Manila. On May 25, 2000, an Airbus A330-301 operating on the route was hijacked by a man later identified as Reginald Chua, just...
, an Airbus A330-301Airbus A330The Airbus A330 is a wide-body twin-engine jet airliner made by Airbus, a division of EADS. Versions of the A330 have a range of and can accommodate up to 335 passengers in a two-class layout or carry of cargo....
with 290 other people on board, just before landing at Ninoy Aquino International AirportNinoy Aquino International AirportThe Ninoy Aquino International Airport or NAIA , also known as Manila International Airport , is the airport serving the general area of Manila and its surrounding metropolitan area...
near ManilaManilaManila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, the Philippines. He demands the passengers place their valuables in a bag, and then attempts to jump from the plane via the rear door using a homemade parachuteParachuteA parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
, but panics and instead clings to the door; a male flight attendantFlight attendantFlight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
then pushes him from the door and he falls from the plane over Antipolo, Rizal. His body is found three days later near Llabac in Real, QuezonReal, QuezonReál is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 33,073 people. This coastal town, located on the eastern shores of Luzon facing the Philippine Sea is noted for its rural beach resorts....
.
July
- July 10 – EADSEADSThe European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V. is a global pan-European aerospace and defence corporation and a leading defence and military contractor worldwide...
is formed by the merger of Aérospatiale-MatraAérospatiale-MatraAérospatiale-Matra was a French missile and aircraft manufacturer. It was formed in 1999 by the merger of French companies Aérospatiale and Matra Haute Technologie....
, DornierDornierDornier may refer to:* Claudius Dornier , German aircraft designer and builder** Dornier Flugzeugwerke, German aircraft manufacturer founded in 1914 by Claudius Dornier* Dornier Consulting, international consulting and project management company...
, DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG (DASA)DASADaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG, or DASA, was the former aerospace subsidiary of Daimler-Benz AG from 1989...
, and Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA)Construcciones Aeronáuticas SAConstrucciones Aeronáuticas SA , was a Spanish aircraft manufacturer. It became EADS CASA the Spanish branch of EADS in 1999, but was absorbed by Airbus Military in 2009...
. - July 25 – a ConcordeConcordeAérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport . It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation...
of Air FranceAir FranceAir France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
, operating as Air France Flight 4590Air France Flight 4590Air France Flight 4590 was a Concorde flight operated by Air France which was scheduled to run from Charles de Gaulle International Airport near Paris, to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. On 2000, it crashed in Gonesse, France. All one hundred passengers and nine crew...
, catches fire during takeoff then crashes at GonesseGonesseGonesse is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris.The commune lies immediately north of Le Bourget Airport and southwest of Charles de Gaulle International Airport.-History:...
, France; killing all 100 passengers, nine crew and four people on the ground.
September
- September 4 – a Beechcraft King Air on a flight2000 Australia Beechcraft King Air crashSierra Kilo Charlie was the call sign for chartered Beechcraft 200 Super King Air which, on 4 September 2000, crashed near Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia. The flight plan of the aircraft called for the pilot to fly between Perth, Western Australia, and the mining town of Leonora, Western...
from Perth, Western AustraliaPerth, Western AustraliaPerth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
to the Gwalia Gold MineGwalia Gold MineThe Gwalia Gold Mine is located at Gwalia, a few kilometres south of Leonora, Western Australia. It was originally established by Welsh miners in the late 19th century and Herbert Hoover, the later President of the United States, served as the mine manager in its early days from May to November...
fails to land; instead flying on autopilot across Australia to Burketown, QueenslandBurketown, Queensland- Morning glory cloud :From the months of August to November, a rare meteorological phenomenon known as "Morning Glory" - long, tubular clouds, some up to 1000 km in length - is often observed in the skies above Burketown.....
, where it eventually crashes after running out of fuel. The pilot and the seven passengers are killed.
October
- October 31 – During heavy rain casued by Typhoon Xangsane2000 Pacific typhoon seasonThe 2000 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 2000, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between May and November...
, the flight crew of Singapore Airlines Flight 006Singapore Airlines Flight 006Singapore Airlines Flight 006 was a scheduled passenger flight from Singapore Changi Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Chiang Kai-shek Airport in Taiwan...
, a Boeing 747-412Boeing 747-400The Boeing 747-400 is a major development and the best-selling model of the Boeing 747 family of jet airliners. While retaining the four-engine wide-body layout of its predecessors, the 747-400 embodies numerous technological and structural changes to produce a more efficient airframe...
, attempts to take off from Chiang Kai-shek International AirportChiang Kai-shek International AirportTaiwan Taoyuan International Airport , the largest airport in Taiwan, is an international airport located in Dayuan Township, Taoyuan County, Taiwan. It is one of four Taiwanese airports with regular international flights, and is by far the busiest international air entry point amongst them...
in TaipeiTaipeiTaipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, using the wrong runway. During its takeoff roll, the plane is destroyed when it collides with construction equipment parked on the runway and bursts into flame, killing 83 of the 179 people on board and injuring 71 of the 96 survivors. It is the first fatal accident involving a Singapore AirlinesSingapore AirlinesSingapore Airlines Limited is the flag carrier airline of Singapore. Singapore Airlines operates a hub at Changi Airport and has a strong presence in the Southeast Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and "Kangaroo Route" markets...
aircraft other than the 1997 crashSilkAir Flight 185SilkAir Flight 185, a Boeing 737-36N, registration 9V-TRF, was a scheduled passenger flight from Jakarta, Indonesia to Singapore, which crashed on 19 December 1997 into the Musi River after abruptly plunging from its 35,000-foot cruise altitude, killing all 97 passengers and 7 crew on board.The...
of an airliner operated by the Singapore Airlines subsidiary SilkAirSilkAirSilkAir Private Limited is an airline based in Singapore. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Airlines and operates scheduled passenger services from Singapore to 31 cities in Southeast Asia, South Asia and China. It has its head office on the fifth storey of SIA Superhub 1...
. Among the injured survivors is William WangWilliam Wang- Early Life :Wang was born and raised in Taiwan, moved to Hawaii, US at the age of 13 and then to California at the age of 14. He attended the University of Southern California and graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering in 1986.-Vizio:...
, later the founder of VizioVizioVizio is a privately held producer of consumer electronics, based in Irvine, California, USA. It was founded in October 2002 as V Inc. Vizio's major partner in the consumer electronics arena is AmTran Technology, a Taiwan-based OEM/ODM that manufactures more than half of the televisions sold...
.
November
- November 3 – Last flight of an EC-135E Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft as a flight crew from the Air Force Flight Test Center delivers the last EC-135E, (serial number 60-374 – nicknamed "The Bird of Prey"), with full Prime Mission Electronic Equipment (PMEE), to the National Museum of the United States Air ForceNational Museum of the United States Air ForceThe National Museum of the United States Air Force is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the world's largest and oldest military aviation museum with more than 360 aircraft and missiles on display...
.
July
- July 18 – Dassault AVE-D Petit Duc stealth UAV