plane crash
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FAA revokes YouTuber's pilot license, saying he deliberately crashed his plane
On November 21st, Trevor Jacob's single-engine airplane fell out of the sky. On Thursday, the FAA accused him of staging the entire incident for online clout.
Harrison Ford 'battered, but ok' after crash-landing on a golf course
Actor Harrison Ford (Blade Runner, Indiana Jones, Star Wars -- seriously, it's Harrison Ford) reportedly suffered "moderate injuries" after the PT-22 he was flying (presumably with special modifications) crash-landed at a Los Angeles golf course this afternoon. According to the Associated Press, Ford was breathing and conscious when he was taken to the hospital where he is listed in fair to moderate condition. Naturally TMZ is all over the story, with a witness account of seeing a plane "nose dive" into a tee box at the 8th hole, and audio of his contact with the Santa Monica Airport control tower reporting engine failure. According to a tweet by his son, the actor is "battered, but OK." [Image credit: Associated Press]
USPS goes postal on lithium ion batteries, refuses to ship smartphones overseas
The USPS has announced that it'll refuse to ship any gear containing lithium ion batteries overseas. The postal service believes combusting power packs have caused two fatal cargo plane crashes since 2006 -- hence the ban, which takes effect from May 16th. Anyone wishing to ship the latest tech to those living or serving overseas will have to use another shipping company -- although the ban might be relaxed in 2013, once safety testing has been carried out.
Micron appoints Mark Durcan as new CEO
In the wake of last week's fatal plane crash that took the life of its CEO, Micron Technology has appointed a successor, Mark Durcan. The former CTO has been with the company since 1984, and has -- per company bylaws -- been serving as interim chief since February 3rd. Robert Switz, the company's previous Board Director, will assume the duties of Board Chairman and Mark Adams, formerly the VP of Worldwide Sales, has been named as the company's President. In a press release announcing the appointments, the new CEO wrote that the company was "deeply saddened" to learn of the death of its top executive, and that the management team would work relentlessly to "continue to move the company forward."
Find My iPhone helps find Chilean plane crash site
We've seen many stories of iOS owners using Find My iPhone to retrieve a lost or stolen device. But this may be the first time, the technology was used to help find a missing airplane. Last week, a military airplane disappeared off Chile's Pacific coast and all 21 people aboard were killed instantly in the crash. Four bodies were recovered soon after the accident, but the exact location of the crash site remains unknown. As part of its recovery effort, the government has turned to technology to help locate the wreckage and remaining victims. Besides sonar equipment, Chilean officials are also using GPS co-ordinates provided to them by a relative of one of the victims. The victim had an iPhone that reported its GPS location to Apple's Find My iPhone service. The phone presumably remained on up until it hit the water. This last location may help the government retrieve the missing fuselage. Once found, Chilean officials could determine the cause of the crash and hopefully bring closure to the relatives of the victims. Our thoughts go out to all who were affected by this tragic accident. [Via 9to5 Mac]
Did malware cause the crash of Spanair Flight JK 5022? (update)
The inquiry into the August 2008 crash of Spanair Flight JK 5022 at Barajas Airport in Madrid took a bizarre turn recently when Spanish daily El Pais reported that the server that the airline used to track technical problems on aircraft contained malware. Although the flaps and slats were not in the proper position for takeoff, the crew was never alerted -- causing the flight to go down moments after takeoff, killing all but 18 of the 172 on board. That's not to say that human error wasn't a factor: as well as causing an audible alarm, the problem should have been spotted by the mechanic or airport maintenance chief, both of whom are under investigation. Space stations, power grids, and now airline safety systems? Please, people -- keep your antivirus software up to date. Update: Of the many possibilities that could have brought down JK 5022, it turns out malware was pretty low on the list -- ZDNet's Ed Bott reports that it was a maintenance computer at the airline's HQ that was infected, and the plane itself (an MD-82) uses a takeoff warning system that predates airplane computerization, and was thus not susceptible to viruses.
