KLM Flight 867

Infobox Airliner accident|name=KLM Flight 867
Date=December 15, 1989
Type=Stalling of all engines due to blockage by volcanic ash
Site=Redoubt Volcano, Anchorage, Alaska
Origin=Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Destination=Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport
Passengers=231
Crew=14
Injuries=0
Survivors=245 (all)
Aircraft Type=Boeing 747-400
Operator=KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Tail Number=PH-BFC

On December 15, 1989 KLM Flight 867 from Amsterdam was descending into Anchorage International Airport when the Boeing 747-400 flew though a thick cloud of volcanic ash from Mount Redoubt. All four engines stalled and the standby electrical system failed. After descending more than 14,000 feet, Captain Karl van der Elst and crew were finally able to restart the engines and safely land the plane. In this case the ash caused more than $80 million in damage to the plane, but no lives were lost.

As of 2008, the aircraft is still in service with KLM under the KLM Asia livery.

imilar incidents

In a nearly identical incident in 1982, British Airways Flight 9 from London Heathrow to Auckland, whilst on the sector Kuala Lumpur to Perth, Western Australia,it flew into a cloud of volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Galunggung, causing all four engines to fail due to compressor stall. The aircraft was diverted to Jakarta, and was able to glide far enough to exit the ash cloud and restart its engines and land safely.

ee also

*Pacific Ring of Fire

References

* [http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?regsearch=PH-BFC&distinct_entry=true Airliners.Net - Picture of the plane that carried KLM Flight 867]
* [http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20030913/bob8.asp Science News Online, September 13, 2003 (Danger In The Air)]
* [http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19891215-1 Aviation Safety Network - KLM Flight 867]