Radar Problems Fxed at Denver Airport

May 20, 2004

Denver, CO, (UPI) -- A mysterious and crippling radar failure at the Denver International Airport has been repaired, KUSA-TV, Denver, reported Thursday.

The malfunction shut down the airport for about an hour Wednesday evening, and some 15 flights were diverted to either the Fort Collins/Loveland or Colorado Springs airports.

Diverted passengers were allowed to get off the plane, but weren't allowed to take their checked luggage with them.

The problem was probably mechanical and foul play was not suspected, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer said.

Several commercial and commuter airplanes idled on the taxiway, while officials worked on the problem, which was reported in the Terminal Radar Approach Control Facility at the south end of the airport.

http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20040520-102915-5591r.htm


ABIA Terminal Evacuated Over Gun Replica

May 19, 2004

Nobody was hurt Wednesday at Austin Bergstrom International Airport when a bag screener noticed a handgun replica on an X-ray screen.

Flights were halted and a terminal was evacuated for about 20 minutes.

Airport spokesman Doug Johnson said a screener initially noticed what he thought was a handgun, then changed his mind and let the passenger through.

Another screener became concerned and decided that the carry-on bag should be checked.

By that time, the passenger was gone.

Johnson said after the terminal was evacuated, the passenger in question was identified when authorities began re-screening passengers.

Johnson said there was no real threat.

About 11 flights were delayed, with the longest being about 20 minutes.

The Transportation Safety Administration reminds airline passengers there are many items, including toy weapons, that cannot be brought onto a flight.

For a complete listing of those items, log onto tsa.gov.

http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/?ArID=107459&SecID=2


Handgun at Norfolk

Man shoots self after flashing gun at airport

May 19, 2004
The Virginian-Pilot

NORFOLK — A distraught man who wielded a handgun at Norfolk International Airport on Wednesday afternoon was followed from the airport by police and later shot himself at the Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base, authorities said.

The man, whose identity was not released, was taken to a local hospital in critical condition, said Officer Chris Amos, Norfolk police spokesman.

Police said Navy authorities contacted them at 3:20 p.m. and reported that the man, who was apparently on an unauthorized absence from the Navy, was near the base.

Norfolk police were told he was in a vehicle with a woman in the area of Shore Drive and Little Creek Road, Amos said.

They were further told the man was distraught and would kill himself if he spotted police, Amos said. An unmarked police car was sent in.

There, he pulled up outside baggage claim and pushed the woman out of the vehicle, said Wayne Shank , the airport’s deputy executive director.

Shank said the man stepped out of the vehicle with a handgun. Several airport police officers, who had been notified the man was coming, drew their weapons, Shank said.

The man did not point his gun at police, and no shots were fired. He left the airport, tailed by city police.

He made his way back onto the base and into a parking area, where he shot himself , said Cmdr. Ron Hill, a spokesman for the Navy’s Mid-Atlantic Command.

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=70544&ran=176799


Two More Bodies Discovered Near Killeen Airport

May 19, 2004
KWTX.com

A shallow grave that appears to contain the remains of two people was discovered in an area near Killeen Municipal Airport, authorities said Wednesday.

The grave was found in the same area where investigators found what they think are the bodies of a missing Bell County Couple last week.

Gary Ridley and Sheria Lunde were last seen April 26 in Killeen.

Their vehicles were later found abandoned, but one was linked to a gasoline theft in Pflugerville on May 3. Police said two men were driving the vehicle at the time.

Investigators said one of the couple’s checks cleared at a Houston bank shortly after their disappearance.

Relatives tried to call the couple last week, but couldn’t get through.

Officials aren't sure whether the most recent discovery could be related to the deaths of the two people whose bodies were found on Friday.

At this point it's too early to tell in the investigation, but at this point we can't really say, said Killeen Police Department spokeswoman Carol Smith.

The remains discovered Wednesday were badly decomposed. Investigators are hoping an autopsy will provide them with more information about the victims and how they died.

http://www.kwtx.com/news/headlines/783157.html


L.A. Airport Hit With Second Power Outage in Days  

April 20, 2004

The air traffic control tower at LAX airport in Los Angeles was affected by a short power outage on April 12.

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Los Angeles International Airport suffered its second power outage in eight days, although flights were not disrupted thanks to backup batteries.

A malfunctioning transformer was blamed for leaving some airport buildings without regular electricity for nearly two hours Monday. The cause of the electricity problems wasn't known.

"It's a little disturbing," said Bob Marks, regional vice president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. "This sure seems like a fragile power infrastructure."

The airport's April 12 power failure lasted less than a second, but caused radar and communications systems at the control tower to malfunction and forced dozens of planes to be delayed. Officials suspect a bird landing on a wire was the cause.

Monday's blackout began at 11:31 a.m., causing lights to flicker in the airport. Although power returned immediately to some buildings, others remained on emergency lights until 1:19 p.m.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/West/04/20/airport.blackout.ap/index.html


Delta Fxes Its Computer Problem

Glitch grounded flights, caused long delays 05/03

May 3, 2004

ATLANTA -- A computer glitch that grounded Delta Air Lines flights to and from Atlanta for about 6 1/2 hours and caused delays over the weekend has been solved, and the airline was trying to determine the cause of the malfunction.

"We are still investigating that and we don't have information yet as to the exact nature of the problem," Liza Caceres, a spokeswoman for the nation's third-largest airline, said Sunday.

Caceres said 40 Delta flights were canceled Saturday and 32 were delayed early Sunday. The delays were cleared by midmorning Sunday, she said.

At Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, "we think some flights were delayed, but we're not sure. Delta didn't tell us," said airport spokesman Ted Bushelman.

http://www.kypost.com/2004/05/03/delta050304.html