168 Dead in Iran Plane Crash

(NEWSER) - A missing Air France jet hit thunderstorms over the Atlantic, likely crashing and killing all 228 people on board, the AP reports. Half an hour after falling out of Brazilian radio contact, the Airbus A330 "crossed through a thunderous zone with strong turbulence”; Nicolas Sarkozy told families of those aboard that "prospects of finding survivors were very small." More»

Better equipment and focus on crash prevention makes air travel safer

(NEWSER) - The fatal domestic plane crash rate has fallen 65% in the last decade. It's not quite the 80% decrease over 10 years the government demanded in 1996 after two crashes killed 375 people, but it's a significant improvement, the Times reports. The decline rests on tighter air traffic control, better equipment, and a focus on accident prevention. More»

Demand for answers, heat on absent president grow

(NEWSER) - The Airbus A320 that crashed at the Sao Paulo airport Tuesday was flying with part of its braking equipment disabled, the manufacturer said today, as pressure on the government escalated. Flying without one of the aircraft's two thrust reversers is legal, but the revelation suggests the slick, short runway probably wasn't the sole cause of Brazil's deadliest air disaster. More»

Authorities blame airplane crash on poor runway conditions

(NEWSER) - In the wake of Tuesday's catastrophic plane crash, Brazilian officials are calling for the closure of Sao Paulo's Congonhas airport pending a review of safety conditions, the BBC reports. The Tam Airlines Airbus 320 landing in heavy rain skidded off a wet runway that was resurfaced last month and had not yet had drainage grooves inscribed on the new concrete. More»

No one injured in Sky Airlines mishap

(NEWSER) - A plane en route from Germany landed on its engine at a Turkish airport following the collapse of its landing gear, a Turkish official says. None of the 156 people on board were injured. The landing gear of the Sky Airlines flight broke during the landing at Antalya Airport, causing the Boeing plane to skid on its right engine. Other flights weren't affected, the official tells the AP ; no reason has yet been given for the accident. More»