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The threat of volcanic ash to aircraft safety came to wide public attention in 1982 during the eruption of Galunggung Volcano in West Java, Indonesia. On separate occasions, two 747 passenger jets flying downwind from the volcano at night encountered ash unexpectedly. The ash extensively damaged the aircrafts' exterior surfaces, instruments and engines, resulting in the loss of engine power and steep descents of nearly 7,600 m (25,000 ft) before the pilots of both aircraft restarted their engines. Both jets landed safely at Jakarta. More recently, volcanic ash from the 1989-90 eruptions of Redoubt Volcano disrupted aviation operations in south-central Alaska and damaged five jet-passenger aircraft, including a new Boeing 747-400, which cost in excess of $80 million to repair. This encounter and the efforts of the Alaska Volcano Observatory to reduce the risk from volcanic ash to aircraft are described in a USGS fact sheet, Volcanic Ash -- Danger to Aircraft in the North Pacific (PDF). |
