UPS cargo Boeing 747 crashes
UPS cargo Boeing 747 crashes near Dubai airport kills two. *updates*
tourismandaviation.com
Emirati investigators said Tuesday that flight recorder data indicates pilots faced visibility and communication problems as the cockpit filled with smoke from an onboard fire.
Initial details gleaned from the recorders - commonly known as "black boxes" - appear to confirm pilot reports of smoke in the cockpit of the Boeing 747-400 less than half an hour after takeoff from the Middle East's busiest airport in Dubai.
The UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority is leading the investigation into the Sept. 3 crash with help from investigators at U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.
GCAA Director-General Saif al-Suwaidi told The Associated Press that the plane's flight recorders were sent to a laboratory in the U.S. late last week for further analysis "under the custody of GCAA staff."
Investigators said they found the plane's cockpit voice recorder about six hours after the crash. The other black box - the digital flight data recorder - was recovered in "reasonable" condition days later.
While investigators continue to analyze data on the recorders, an initial analysis shows "there was a fire warning followed by smoke in the cockpit as reported by the crew about 28 minutes from takeoff," the GCAA said in a statement distributed through Emirati state news agency WAM.
For reasons still unclear, the crew was unable to switch their radio frequency back to the Dubai channel and could not communicate directly with air traffic controllers there as they attempted to land, al-Suwaidi told the AP two days after the accident. They instead had to relay information through air traffic controllers from the nearby Gulf nation of Bahrain.
Bahraini controllers gave the crew the option of landing in the Qatari capital Doha - located between Dubai and Bahrain's main airport - but that they decided to turn back to Dubai, where they "they experienced cockpit visibility and communication problems" before issuing a mayday call, the GCAA said Tuesday.
"The captain was in control up to the end of the recording," the aviation authority added.
Data on the recorders will likely be compared with information already received from a sophisticated data transmission system installed on the plane. The system, known as an airplane health management system, is able to transmit performance information rapidly via satellite to UPS's airline operations headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky.
Sources familiar with the investigation have told the AP that a fire appears to have begun in a cargo compartment just forward of the starboard wing. One theory being considered is that the plane may have been carrying lithium-ion batteries in the cargo hold, they said. If a battery short-circuits, it can catch fire and ignite others.
Shortly after the crash, al-Suwaidi said it appeared the plane was mainly carrying electronic goods, including toys and computer accessories. The manifest stated the 747-400 was carrying general cargo, he said.
***************************************************
United Parcel Service (UPS) Flight 6, a 747-400, had taken off from Dubai International Airport for the company’s European hub in Cologne, Germany, when it crashed at around 7.45pm in the Nad al Sheba Military Camp, missing the cars and residents of Emirates Road, Al Ain Road and Dubai Silicon Oasis.
Witnesses reported seeing a fireball that looked as high as a 20-storey building before smoke blackened the sky.
United Arab Emirates officials are trying to determine why a UPS freighter crashed after takeoff from Dubai, killing both pilots, following the crew’s report of fire in the cockpit.
Rescue workers recovered the bodies, the General Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement on WAM, the official UAE newswire. The aircraft had been airborne for 38 minutes before the crash. There is also speculation the pilot deliberately headed for an empty area of a military base where it crashed.
The cockpit voice recorder was recovered on Saturday and the flight data recorder Tuesday as experts seek the cause of last week's crash, including a report of smoke in the cockpit.
The recorders will be sent to the United States for analysis. It said the flight data recorder was in "reasonable" condition. The wreckage is scheduled to be moved from the crash site on Wednesday to another location for further analysis, the statement said.
The shipping company, the world's largest, said the aircraft was three years old and underwent an inspection in June.
.”“The pilot reported fire and smoke in the cockpit and was instructed to return to Dubai,” al-Suwaidi told Dubai TV. “After failing to land at the airport, the plane disappeared from radar screens.”
Mr al Suwaidi said. “He was asked to return but he missed the approach and then he disappeared from the radar. We then found that he had crashed between Al Ain Road and the Emirates Road. So far there’s no casualties on the ground that we know of.
Some preliminary reports indicated that the pilots ultimately may have been forced to try to land at the government-owned facility after struggling with an onboard emergency that may have obscured their view of some cockpit instruments. Neither UPS nor local authorities were commenting on the precise sequence of events. After saying that the plane crashed on takeoff, a UPS spokeswoman later Friday confirmed there was an hour gap between its takeoff and the crash.
The aircraft crashed initially into a parking lot inside the compound; became airborne again briefly; then crash back down and came to rest, the person familiar with the matter said. The crash site is approximately one kilometer long, and there were no ground casualties reported, this person said. The aircraft was carrying civilian cargo, this person said.
"Radio communication heard over the radio indicating they attempted a straight in approach for 12L runvay but getting there high and fast they were suggested to try OMSJ on hdg 090 or make a 360°.
They seem to lost spatial orientation while trying to reach the runway assigned.
The UPS reported "Main Deck Fire indication" and requested the closest airport from Bahrain Control. They suggested Doha which was 100 miles. After a brief pause the UPS crew requested "Why not back to where we came from". They said OK and offered a vector to the 10 mile final 12L. After a minute the UPS requested "Emergency descent due fire". They then informed ATC that the smoke was obstructing their vision and that they could not see anything. After that the communications were with DXB on 121.5 where they were cleared to descend to 9000', which was changed to descend at your discretion. Heard on emergency radio channel 121.5.
They seemed to be unable to see any flight instrument or radio in the cockpit and they continously asked for their altitude, speed, heading to ATC through the ordeal which indicates they could not see their own radio panel to swith to UAE Control or Dubai Tower.
Investigators are trying to determine why the experienced crew, after reporting smoke and declaring an emergency about 20 minutes after takeoff, decided to return to Dubai rather than opting to land at a closer strip. For years, aircraft manufacturers, regulators and safety experts world-wide have emphasized the importance of landing as quickly as possible—ideally in less than 15 minutes—in the event of smoke or fire.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board dispatched a team that included representatives of Atlanta-based UPS and Boeing. The crash site is in an unpopulated area near a UAE military compound, according to Dubai-based Al-Arabiya TV, which said late yesterday that authorities were starting an investigation. The accident occurred about noon New York time.
UPS said it would not speculate on the cause of the crash. It said it is co-operating with UAE government authorities but is also dispatching its own investigation team to Dubai.
The probe is looking into whether the fire on the three-year-old Boeing 747 started in the cockpit as many air-safety experts currently assume, or if smoke barriers intended to protect the pilots from fires in the cargo hold functioned properly.
There are some indications that fire broke out in a cargo compartment, according to people familiar with the accident investigation.
Accident investigators are now trying to verify which cargo aboard the Boeing 747-400 was located just forward of the starboard wing, where the fire erupted, those familiar with the investigation said. Investigators also want to know if there were any lithium-ion batteries in that location. If a battery short-circuits, it can catch fire and ignite others.
The location of the fire was identified so quickly because the plane was equipped with a sophisticated data transmission system that sent information via satellite to the company's airline operations headquarters in Louisville, Ky. The transmissions are so fast, people familiar with the investigation said, that UPS' airline operations half a world away had information in hand indicating the plane was in serious trouble before it crashed.
Preliminary information released by authorities in the United Arab Emirates suggests heavy smoke may have prevented the pilots from switching radio frequencies, properly operating their flight-management computers or controlling the jet's speed and altitude.
The UPS Boeing 747-400 that crashed in Dubai Friday was only three years old and had less than 10,000 hours on it according to a news release issued by the company on Saturday. UPS identified the pilots killed in the crash as Capt. Doug Lampe, 48, of Louisville, KY and FO Matthew Bell, 38, of Sanford, FL. They were based in Anchorage.
UPS spokeswoman Kristen Petrella said the Boeing 747-400 - which has a wingspan of 212 feet (64.6 meters) and length of 232 feet (70.7 meters) - went down at about 8 p.m. in Dubai (12 p.m. EST). Flight 6 was en route to the UPS hub in Cologne, Germany, she said. Petrella said the plane had two crew members but the company has not confirmed any casualties. Boeing’s four-engine 747-400 which along with its predecessor models has been in service for about 40 years. UPS owns 12 of the 747-400 freighters.
Pilots and industry officials is expected to focus on the plane's systems to remove smoke from the cockpit in case of an emergency.
The UPS crew reportedly told air-traffic controllers they were "flying blind" and asked controllers to confirm the plane's altitude when they were on the way back, according to Web postings by two pilots who said they listened to the transmissions.
A Gulf Air Pilot reports;
I had the misfortune of hearing the whole chain of events while we
were going from Kuwait to Abu Dhabi. As time goes by and more
information is gathered and released, the picture will become clearer.
We were in Bahraini airspace when we heard the mayday of a "Fire on
the 'Deck'" and an immediate descent to 10,000'. The captain requested
vectors back to Dubai immediately. As the moments passed the whole
cockpit filled with smoke and the CA indicated he could not see any
instruments at all. With no visual reference and all instruments
unreadable as well as difficulty relaying messages and getting
information (reentered UAE FIR but was still talking to BAH 'cause he
couldn't change frequencies). Altitudes, headings etc had to be
relayed from UAE to BAH to airborne aircraft to UPS and back again (A
MESS to say the least). Wound up straight in for 12L at DXB at 10
miles and 7,000'. Couldn't circle because he couldn't see anything.
Turned south of the airport -blind- the whole while altitudes are
being read to him. It was of no use. The aircraft crashed into a
fairly unpopulated area .
UPS formally known as United Parcel Service Inc. and the world's largest shipping company,Headquartered in Louisville with main hub at Louisville International Airport.
The UPS Louisville hub handles 237 flights daily.
UPS runs 936 domestic and 755 international flights daily in all.
The 5.2 million-square-foot WorldPort facility in Louisville sorts 416,000 packages hourly.UPS owns 238 aircraft and charters another 296. UPS dispatched an investigation team to the scene.“This incident is very unfortunate and we will do everything we can to find the cause,” Bob Lekites, manager of UPS’s airline and international operations, said in a statement.
The company and its pilots union were included in the team sent by the NTSB, along with representatives from GE, the world’s biggest maker of jet engines, and the Federal Aviation Administration. UPS, the world’s biggest package-delivery company, makes 936 domestic flights daily and 755 outside the U.S.,
There are about 300 747 freighters in service, carrying about half the world's air cargo. The 747-400 has a maximum payload of 248,300 pounds (112,630 kilograms) and a maximum range of 5,112 miles (8,230 kilometers). The extended-range version of the plane can fly more than 5,700 miles.
The CF6-80C2 engines on the 747-400 freighter are used on more than 1,100 aircraft worldwide, accumulating more than 160 million flight hours, GE said.
“Based on the engine fleet’s service history, we are not aware of operational issues that would hazard the continued safe flight of aircraft powered by these engines,” the Fairfield, Connecticut-based company said in a statement.
People living on the doomed airplane flight path reporting fuel in their back yards which indicates pilots were dumping fuel or had very serious fuel leak during the descent.
A Dubai-based spokesman for the General Civil Aviation Authority, Ismail al-Baroushi, said an investigation was under way, but it was "too early to speculate" on the cause of the crash. National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Ted Lopatkiewicz also said the U.S. agency will send a team of experts to Dubai to assist with the investigation.
Google crash site:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=109383705032406713188.00048f5ee16442d76f4fb&ll=25.098502,55.360107&spn=0.025455,0.033088&t=h&z=15&iwloc=00048f5ee1751c843582e
UPS accidents ,
Nov. 2, 2007: A UPS Douglas DC-8 en route from Louisville to Ontario, Calif., made an emergency landing in Wichita, Kan., after smoke filled the cockpit. There were no injuries, and the smoke was linked to a malfunctioning ball bearing in a fan motor.
April 24, 2007: A UPS Boeing 757 rolled over a mechanic’s foot during pushback from the ramp at the Burbank, Calif., airport. The incident was blamed on “diverted attention” on the part of the mechanic and a tow tractor driver.
Feb. 7, 2006: A UPS DC-8, with flames shooting from the back, made an emergency landing in Philadelphia in time for the pilot and two other crew members to jump to safety on the runway. Until Friday’s crash, the incident was the most serious in the more than 20 years UPS has been flying. The crew members were treated for smoke inhalation, and the National Transportation Safety Board later criticized UPS for not providing emergency rescue teams with detailed information about the hazardous materials the plane was carrying.
Dec. 15, 2005: A UPS Boeing 767 sustained minor left wing damage when it struck the tail cone of a Continental Airlines Boeing 737 while taxing after landing at George Bush Intercontinental Airport near Houston.
June 7, 2005: A UPS MD-11F en route from Anchorage, Alaska was substantially damaged during landing at Louisville International Airport. The incident was blamed on improper handling by the pilot and inadequate supervision by the pilot-in-command.
There are several accidents / incidents known with cockpit/cabin fires. Many ended in tragedy (Saudia 163, SR330, SR111, Valuejet just to quote a few). Time is the absolute essence in these. A boeing warning issued after SR111, stating something to the effect that either an airplane would land within 15 minutes after discovering an in flight fire or "the accident is a fact".
If Friday's crash turns out to have involved smoke in the cockpit, it could revive a long-running debate over whether manufacturers and regulators are doing enough to protect pilots against such airborne hazards. Some safety experts believe fire incidents affect at least 1,000 airliners annually around the world, though only a few turn out to be life threatening.
Nearly all current passenger and cargo planes have emergency-oxygen masks, smoke-protection goggles and other safety systems intended to help pilots breathe and allow them to continue using their instruments in the unlikely event of smoke in the cockpit.
But for years some air-safety advocates -- along with manufacturers of advanced smoke hoods for pilots -- have argued that additional protection is necessary. They contend existing smoke-protection devices aren't able to deal with heavy and continuous smoke in the cockpit. JetBlue Airways Corp. and FedEx Corp. previously installed more-elaborate, smoke-hood systems on some aircraft, designed to create a smoke-free view of cockpit instruments even under the worst conditions. Other U.S. and foreign airlines have considered such steps but in the end, decided against installing more-elaborate smoke hoods. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, however, has installed such protective systems in the cockpits of its own fleet of VIP aircraft.
In a letter sent three months ago to Rep. James Oberstar of Minnesota, chairman of the House Transportation, a union official who represents many cargo pilots urged additional safety steps in this area. According to David Bourne, head of the airline division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, current systems aren't adequate because they are certified to protect the vision of pilots against "a finite amount of smoke for a short three minutes."
What pilots need, according to Mr. Bourne's letter, is protection against "continuous blinding" smoke or "unstoppable smoke" that spews into the cockpit over a longer period and is thick enough to prevent aviators from "seeing their instruments and (looking) out the window in order to fly and land the plane."
The FAA over the years has maintained that its regulations provide adequate safeguards against smoke in the cockpit. The agency previously also urged airlines to instruct pilots to land as quickly as possible, in the event they detect smoke and can't immediately pinpoint and eliminate the problem.
Industry First Onboard Automatic Fire Suppression System
FedEx Express Advances In-Flight Safety with Automatic Fire Suppression System
FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE:FDX), has unveiled the industry's first onboard automatic fire-suppression system (FSS), elevating the level of safety during international, over-water flights. The comprehensive fire-safety system is the result of seven years of design and development efforts at FedEx Express, and expands upon the company's existing commitment to advancing aviation safety.
"The in-flight safety of crew and cargo is a top priority at FedEx Express, leading to our development of this enhanced fire-safety technology," said Joel Murdock, managing director, Strategic Projects, FedEx Express. "After seven years of design and development, we're proud to see this proprietary technology take flight on a variety of aircraft in the FedEx fleet, representing another strong step forward in our air-safety initiatives."
In April 2009, FedEx Express began installation of the FSS technology on MD-11 freighters " the workhorse of the FedEx international aircraft fleet. Each installation requires approximately 700 man hours and will be completed on the company's 59 MD-11 aircraft in early 2011. FedEx also plans to install the FSS technology on new Boeing 777 Freighters, which begin international service in the company's fleet in early 2010. In all, 74 FedEx wide-body planes used for international, over-water flights will be upgraded with the technology.
How the FedEx FSS Works
The FSS features a network of infrared thermal sensors, foaming-agent generators and an overhead cargo-container injector. If heat is detected by the sensors, the fire suppression technology located above each cargo container is activated, simultaneously alerting crew members. The metal container is pierced by an injector apparatus and filled with an argon-based biodegradable and non-corrosive fire-suppression foam that controls and extinguishes the fire in minutes. Cargo in other containers is unaffected by the system's activation, and the foam has only minimal impact on packages housed within the container. For palletized freight, a special fire-retardant blanket is used to cover the cargo; it restricts the level of oxygen around freight, effectively serving as a fire suppression tool.
In extensive testing, including the certification process, the FedEx FSS proved quick and effective on classes of fires, demonstrating its capability of protecting aircraft, crew and customer shipments from fires started by:
Ordinary materials such as paper or lumber (Class A)
Flammable or combustible liquids such as gasoline or kerosene (Class B)
Combustible metals such as lithium, magnesium titanium, potassium and sodium which burn at extremely high temperatures (Class D).
No other aircraft fire-safety system in use today is effective against Class D fires. Shipments that are subject to what would be considered Class C fires, electrical equipment, for example, will continue to be carried separately in the aircraft's lower belly compartment, and are safeguarded with the industry-standard halon bottle system.
How FedEx FSS Enhances Air Safety
A majority of fire-safety systems in use onboard cargo aircraft require manual activation by a crew member. In addition, many systems only address fires that could potentially occur in containers holding cargo that must be declared and labeled by shippers as being Dangerous Goods. Yet most cargo fires originate from undeclared Dangerous Goods, posing additional challenges to existing fire-suppression systems. Because of its unique over-head design and automatic activation, the FedEx FSS technology overcomes this challenge by suppressing fires contained within any cargo container or pallet on the main flight deck. In addition, current FAA regulations require that aircraft depressurize, divert to the closest airport and land immediately after any in-flight fire situation. This means that the flight crew has about 30 minutes to safely land the aircraft. With the new FedEx safety system, aircraft on lengthy international flights, which can be up to three hours from land, are able to safely divert and land.
"Our new in-flight system has pushed the industry safety standard to a new level," Murdock said. "With the FedEx technology our pilots have more time to review and assess an in-air situation, further ensuring their safety, and the safety of their plane and cargo."
UPS accidents ,
Nov. 2, 2007: A UPS Douglas DC-8 en route from Louisville to Ontario, Calif., made an emergency landing in Wichita, Kan., after smoke filled the cockpit. There were no injuries, and the smoke was linked to a malfunctioning ball bearing in a fan motor.
April 24, 2007: A UPS Boeing 757 rolled over a mechanic’s foot during pushback from the ramp at the Burbank, Calif., airport. The incident was blamed on “diverted attention” on the part of the mechanic and a tow tractor driver.
Feb. 7, 2006: A UPS DC-8, with flames shooting from the back, made an emergency landing in Philadelphia in time for the pilot and two other crew members to jump to safety on the runway. Until Friday’s crash, the incident was the most serious in the more than 20 years UPS has been flying. The crew members were treated for smoke inhalation, and the National Transportation Safety Board later criticized UPS for not providing emergency rescue teams with detailed information about the hazardous materials the plane was carrying.
Dec. 15, 2005: A UPS Boeing 767 sustained minor left wing damage when it struck the tail cone of a Continental Airlines Boeing 737 while taxing after landing at George Bush Intercontinental Airport near Houston.
June 7, 2005: A UPS MD-11F en route from Anchorage, Alaska was substantially damaged during landing at Louisville International Airport. The incident was blamed on improper handling by the pilot and inadequate supervision by the pilot-in-command.
**************************
The Boeing 747-400 plane that crashed near Dubai airport on September 3rd may have landed safely if the aircraft had been equipped with emergency vision technology. Vision safety equipment is installed on approximately 1,500 airplanes, including aircraft flown by high-ranking government officials, on executive business jets; however, it is only found on a few commercial airline fleets.
Preliminary reports and witness accounts from pilots in the area who listened to the crisis unfold via radio, indicate that there was smoke in the cockpit and the pilots could not see their instruments. The pilots were overheard to be "flying blind" before attempting to land, relying on information about speed, altitude and direction from air traffic controllers. The airplane eventually crashed killing both crew members.
The fire on board the 747-400 on September 3rd was not unusual. The former head of the FAA's Flight Standards authored a study in 2002, which stated that fire events occur on average in one out of every 5,000 flights. Another study by the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) has indicated that in North America alone there are on average up to three smoke incidents per day, resulting in an average of one unscheduled or emergency landing per day.
Accident investigators worldwide, including the NTSB, have made numerous recommendations over the last forty years to address the serious unsafe condition of a smoke-filled cockpit. Regulations require that pilots must be able to see at all times, current technology and procedures (which have been in place for 50 years) to vent and dilute smoke have proven to be inadequate when dense smoke cannot be stopped.
Equipment is available that enables pilots to see under the conditions the crew may have experienced in the Dubai crash: dense, unstoppable smoke in the cockpit, rendering the pilots unable to see their instruments. This equipment, known as the "Emergency Vision Assurance System"(TM), or EVAS, is designed to allow pilots to see to safely land their aircraft during smoke emergencies. EVAS, is certified by the FAA, EASA, and other foreign regulatory air agencies.
EVAS technology displaces dense smoke during an in-flight emergency and creates a clear channel between the pilots masks, the vital instruments and the cockpit window. This allows pilots to see outside, to see their instruments, and read emergency checklists in all conditions of flight. As a result, pilots can safely navigate and land their airplanes.
Pilot unions recently brought the smoke-in-the-cockpit issue to the attention of Congress by sending letters stating that, "The public and airline crews deserve the same degree of safety and security" as "the Secretary of Transportation [and] the Secretary of Homeland Security" ... since their airplanes are equipped with technology to enable their pilots to see during even the worst smoke emergencies.
Many organizations fly with the Emergency Vision Assurance System(TM), including JetBlue Airlines in the United States, Swiss-based PrivatAir and NetJets. Government VIP aircraft in several countries, including the FAA and military airplanes carrying high-ranking officials, are also equipped with the technology. It is also standard equipment on state-of-the-art aircraft entering the aviation world today.
To date however, most commercial operators are not equipped with the Emergency Vision Assurance System(TM), leaving almost all commercial passengers and crew unprotected from this serious flight hazard. The main deck fire procedure is a descent to 25,000' for cruise to the nearest suitable airport. The goal isn't to remain at 25,000 in the hopes that the fire will go out and stay out. 25,000' is a descent point that represents a compromise when operating depressurized. One's TUC (time of useful consciousness) is considerably lower at typical cruise altitudes compared to a lower altitude such as 25,000, and the duration of oxygen is lower when on an emergency pressure setting, vs. 100 or diluter-demand at lower altitudes. Therefore, 25,000 is a compromise altitude, not an altitude where one goes to extinguish a fire. In fact, if one is attempting to starve the fire of oxygen, the higher, the better.
The problem is that in many cases, one has no way of knowing what is burning. Extinguishing a fire in many situations isn't a certainty, or even a possibility. Temporarily slowing the fire is a possibility, with no guarantees. Certain products produce their own oxygen, or may be in the vicinity of oxidizers. They may continue to combust regardless of the altitude. Certain products such as batteries, can experience thermal departures that cause meltdowns, to the point of melting through an aircraft structure. Atmosphere or none,they will still combust, explode, melt, and produce toxic vapors.
Again, the goal isn't to get to 25,000 and cruise. It's to get out of the aircraft. If one can get the airplane to a location with rescue facilities, so much the better. Certainly a hard surfaced runway is far preferable to any other option, as one's odds of survival go down substantially. If the choice is loss of control or burning to death compared to risking a forced landing or ditching, then the choice should be fairly obvious. In such a case, it's a slim chance, vs. none.
an additional smoke procedure for opening the cockpit escape hatch if there is one or window that requires airspeed to be below 200 knots, and advises that "considerable force may be required."
Fire can produce smoke in excess of any system or procedure's capability to handle. Events can combine that create circumstances that are not survivable.
Emerging facts indicate that a fire from the cargo section could have caused the blaze resulting in a smoke-filled cockpit, leaving the pilots helpless and near-blind to read the instruments in front of them.
An overheated mobile phone has been found to be the reason a transatlantic jet was forced to declare an emergency and divert to Shannon Airport
It has emerged that a passenger had innocently plugged in his phone to charge it and hadn't realized that it was overheating. The phone began to melt, emitting smoke into the passenger cabin while also activating the fire alarm in a nearby toilet.
American Airlines flight AA199, from Milan to New York, was about 100 kilometres south west of Ireland and about to commence it's transatlantic crossing when the alarm was raised. At about 12.15pm, the captain contacted air traffic controllers to request permission to divert to Shannon after reporting that smoke had been seen in the passenger cabin area around the centre of the plane. The crew also told controllers that a fire alarm in a nearby toilet had been activated.
Cabin crew members went to investigate the incident but were unable to locate the source of the smoke. Meanwhile, the passenger who was charging his phone was apparently unaware that this was the cause of the smoke and the emergency that ensued. The man was seated three rows from the toilet where the smoke detectors activated alerting the crew to the problem.
The Boeing 767-300, which was carrying 167 passengers and crew, was cleared to commence it's decent and route directly to Shannon while authorities there put the airport's emergency plan into operation.
As soon as the jet touched down at 12.48pm, crash crews quickly pursed the aircraft along the 3.2 kilometre runway until it came a safe stop. Crash tenders remained with the aircraft while fire personnel boarded the plane to search for the smoke source. Fire crews with water hoses at the ready took up positions around the airplane.
Engineers from an airport based aircraft maintenance company also carried out an inspection of the jet and discovered the mobile phone has caused the smoke. Fire officers spoke with a male passenger who admitted to plugging in his phone to charge it.
Authorities were satisfied that it was a genuine error by the passenger and he was allowed remain on board.
Flight 199 was cleared to continue its journey after spending four hours on the ground at Shannon.
For large cargo planes, a 2009 study conducted for the FAA estimated the total cost of installing a fire suppression system at $7 million per aircraft. Operating costs would be another $140,000 per aircraft per year. The list price for a new Boeing 747-400 freighter starts at $238 million.
The NTSB declined to comment on the FAA’s response on Wednesday. “We have not yet had an opportunity to do a thorough review” of the FAA report, said NTSB spokeswoman Bridget Serchak.
UPS archrival FedEx last year decided to exceed FAA requirements and accept the NTSB recommendations by equipping 74 of its large, international planes with fire suppression systems that inject Argon foam into fires detected in the main cargo hold once heat sensors are triggered.
Louisville-based UPS Airlines, meanwhile, continues to follow FAA regulations that state that, should a fire be detected, cargo pilots should depressurize the main cabin and climb to at least 20,000 feet of altitude to starve flames of oxygen.
“At UPS,” he added, “we have a group that is actively evaluating the installation of new fire suppression equipment on our aircraft.”
In 2009, FedEx described its new system as faster and more effective than the “30 minutes” it can take to depressurize the aircraft, divert to an airport and land safely.
"Our new in-flight system has pushed the industry safety standard to a new level," Joel Murdock, a FedEx Express managing director, said in announcing the move last year.
The FedEx system was lauded at the time as a breakthrough. The aviation industry has spent much of the last two decades arguing about and studying effective, affordable ways to combat fires in flight, FAA and NTSB documents show.
“The challenge of improving safety is to do it in a way that allows the operation to continue,” said J.A. Donoghue, editor-in-chief of publications at the Flight Safety Foundation, a nonprofit aviation safety organization in Alexandria, Va. The foundation gave FedEx its annual safety award for the fire system in 2009.
Investigators are focusing on cargo aboard the Boeing 747-400 that was located just forward of the starboard wing, according to unidentified sources cited by The Associated Press. Sensors that transmitted data to the crew and to UPS Airlines in Louisville showed the plane was in trouble.
For years, the airline industry has been searching for an alternative to Halon, the most common fire extinguishing foam and used in fire suppression systems on the smaller, lower decks of cargo planes — including UPS planes.
The FAA requires fire suppression in all passenger aircraft and in the lower holds of cargo aircraft, FAA spokeswoman Alison Duquette said.
But most of the cargo on any freighter is ferried in the main hold — roughly the same cabin that holds seats on a passenger airplane, and Donoghue said “no one has been able to develop a Halon-based system for main deck freighters that is both effective and affordable.”
In addition, no new Halon is being manufactured because it has been identified as an ozone destroyer, he added. Halon systems still in use depend on aviation suppliers who recycle the gas.
FedEx spent 7 years developing its fire suppression technology, which relies on Argon.
A plane like the UPS 747 that crashed Friday carries between 24 to 26 cargo bins in the main cargo hold and 8 or 9 in the smaller, lower hold, said Jerry Campbell, a 15-year UPS employee who loads 747s and other jets at the company’s Worldport hub at Louisville International Airport.
The NTSB concluded in 2007 that the fire on board a UPS DC-8 the year before originated in a container that smoldered for hours. Contributing to the loss of the aircraft, the agency said, was “the lack of an on-board fire suppression system.”
The five-member NTSB concluded that the FAA should “require that fire suppression systems be installed in the cargo compartments of all cargo airlines…” among other recommendations for better training, aircraft exits, and improved smoke and fire detection systems.
At the time, the pilots’ union said the close call at Philadelphia International Airport demonstrated the need for a system that could have extinguished or at least slowed the fire.
“We came very close to this not just being property destruction, but people dying,” Michael Moody, Jr., then chairman of the IPA’s safety committee said in 2007. Moody, now a member of IPA’s board of directors, could not comment pending the union’s current agreement with the NTSB not to discuss Friday’s crash, Cooper said.
Whether in flight or on the ground, a fire is extremely hazardous and must be dealt with promptly. Pilots should give some thought of how they would handle a fire at particular times, such as on the ground, in flight near an airport or in flight over remote areas or the ocean.
In recent years, Harry Bombardi and Gary Shirley of Delta Air Lines have shown that many fire procedures are basically wrong in shutting off the air supply to the cabin. They have shown that the best chance for survival is to maintain cabin airflow while de-pressurizing. This applies whether in the air or on the ground.
There may be cases where a fire warning exists and there is no confirmation of a fire. This can be a particular problem for a warning of a fire in an engine which can not be observed by the flight crew. Depending upon other conditions, the flight crew will have to evaluate the risks involved in selecting the best course of action.
Fire On The Ground
The best place to have a fire is on the ground, but there have many cases where such fires have resulted in a major disaster with considerable loss of life. It cannot be over emphasized how rapidly a fire can spread. It is important to maintain airflow to the cabin to avoid smoke inhalation by cabin occupants.
It is also extremely important to be certain the cabin outflow valves and/or cabin exits are open before shutting down the engines. In one case, the engines were shut down with the outflow valves shut. The cabin was so tight that the doors could not be opened and with the engines shut down it was impossible to establish power to open the outflow valves. Although all passengers survived the landing, they and the entire crew perished in the subsequent fire because the cabin exits could not be opened.
It is assumed that all flight crew members are well acquainted with the appropriate emergency evacuation procedures for the aircraft they are qualified on.
Fire In Flight
A fire in flight should be treated as an extreme emergency. If there is immediate confirmation of the fire such as detectable smoke or fire, there can be no question of the seriousness. Pilots should immediately declare an emergency. Although you should ask for any information you need such as the closest piece of pavement long enough to land on, you shouldn’t ask for permission to do anything. Tell the ground controllers what you intend to do and request assistance as desired. It is distressing to read accident reports of catastrophic fire in flight where the flight crew never declared an emergency, never squawked 7700 and asked for clearance to the airport. In such a condition, the sky is yours. Make everyone else get out of your way.
Now comes the hard part. Suppose you are over the ocean. If you have certain confirmation of a fire, you must immediately prepare for an ocean ditching, while hoping that your fire fighting procedures are effective in putting out the fire. However, you cannot delay your emergency decent and preparation for a ditching. The accident records are full of cases where an entire aircraft was lost by delaying a decision to put the aircraft down. Historically, if any aircraft fire can not be extinguished, there is only about 10 minutes available to evacuate the aircraft with any chance of survival.
Suppose you are over the ocean and you don’t have confirmation of a fire. You have a fire warning on the center engine of a three engine aircraft. Knowing how the system works you should consider this a valid warning, but should you risk an ocean ditching if there is a chance the warning isn’t valid. What to Do? What you need is information. Is the fire warning valid?
If near a coastal area, you should immediately squawk 7700, declare an emergency on the controlling frequency if being used and again on the guard channel. Immediately request an intercept if available. Many countries maintain fighter aircraft in coastal areas with rapid response and intercept capability. Otherwise try to get contact with any other aircraft in the vicinity to establish a visual inspection.
Meanwhile you should be preparing for an emergency descent and ditching. However, if the chance of a visual inspection from a nearby aircraft is possible, it may be best to maintain altitude for this purpose.
Other conditions must be considered. Is it possible to make it to a nearby landing area? What is the condition of the ocean? North Atlantic in the winter or South Pacific in the Summer? Day or Night?
If a ditching is required, assistance from any ocean vessel is desirable. With modern navigation equipment, position reporting prior to a ditching should not be a problem.
Ocean Ditching
After World War II, the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard experimented with different techniques to determine the best method of ditching in the open ocean. They sank a whole squadron of seaplanes. Generally, there will be two distinct wave patterns. One will be the major pattern of waves with high peaks and deep troughs which is caused by major ocean effects. In addition, there is the effect of the prevailing wind which almost always is different. This results in smaller waves on top of the major waves. Careful observation will establish the fact that if there are small breakers, the white foam will fall down the backside of the wave, leaving streaks pointing in the direction the wind is coming from.
The best way to land in the open ocean is parallel to the major wave structure as close into the wind as is possible. The major waves will rise and fall beneath you. You should attempt to land on top of a wave as it passes under you. The aircraft will then settle down into the trough without the waves breaking over. The worst case scenario is to land into the face of the major wave pattern, i.e., perpendicular.
If possible, the aircraft should be established with thrust holding off above the waves using the radar altimeter to hold about 50 feet. As the crest comes up, select reverse thrust. This will make a big splash, but it will put you on top of the wave where you want to be. Nose attitude is important as you don’t want to be too high or too low. Holding the aircraft off and dropping it in is the technique used by Navy and Coast Guard seaplanes for open ocean landings. If the sea is relatively calm and you feel confident in holding altitude, 25 feet on the radar altimeter makes a softer landing.
Also, it would be better to use the spoilers to put the aircraft down as is done with sailplanes, but there is no known recommendation by manufacturers for using this technique. Neither is there any known recommendation to use reverse thrust. You will have to decide the risk involved depending upon the magnitude of the waves you are trying to land on. The major point is that you want to land on top of and parallel to the major wave system.
A modern air transport will float a long time if it isn’t flooded inadvertently, which brings up another subject. Do not under any circumstances land in the water with the gear down. This was a mistaken concept passed around a few years ago and it is extremely dangerous. If in doubt, ask any pilot of amphibious aircraft about the danger of landing on water with the gear down.
Several years ago, a B-727 hit the water on a non-precision approach to Pensacola, Florida. The pilots misread their altimeter and inadvertently hit the water. Upon stopping, the top of the fuselage was sticking out of the water. All passengers survived the landing, but a number of them died from fuel vapor inhalation in the evacuation because the fuel tanks ruptured which was due to fact that the landing gear was extended.
After landing in the water, it is important for the cabin crew to determine the water line before opening emergency exits. Most transport aircraft have never been landed in the water, but the manufacturers have usually done water tank tests with models. On some older aircraft it may be difficult to close a cabin door once it is opened, especially if water is rushing in. If the aircraft has overwing exits and immediate evacuation is not required, this is an excellent choice for evacuation. A commercial transport should float a long time if the openings are closed to water as much as possible. This means landing with the outflow valves closed, but with some other means of assuring de-pressurization of the aircraft. A cockpit window or hatch may need to be opened.
If fire and smoke are in the cabin, it is important to maintain airflow as long as possible, but it also necessary to land with the outflow valves closed and not have the situation where the cabin doors can’t be opened due to cabin pressure. Each aircraft will be different, but if some thought is given to the problem with an understanding of the issues, it should be possible to devise a plan for each individual aircraft.
He was asked to return but he missed the approach and then he disappeared from the radar.
Some preliminary reports indicated that the pilots ultimately may have been forced to try to land at the government-owned facility after struggling with an onboard emergency that may have obscured their view of some cockpit instruments.
A UPS spokeswoman later Friday confirmed there was an hour gap between its takeoff and the crash.
The aircraft crashed initially into a parking lot inside the compound; became airborne again briefly; then crash back down and came to rest, the person familiar with the matter said. The crash site is approximately one kilometer long, and there were no ground casualties reported, this person said. The aircraft was carrying civilian cargo, this person said.
"Radio communication heard over the radio indicating they attempted a straight in approach for 12L runvay but getting there high and fast they were suggested to try OMSJ on hdg 090 or make a 360°.
They seem to lost spatial orientation while trying to reach the runway assigned.
The UPS reported "Main Deck Fire indication" and requested the closest airport from Bahrain Control. They suggested Doha which was 100 miles. After a brief pause the UPS crew requested "Why not back to where we came from". They said OK and offered a vector to the 10 mile final 12L. After a minute the UPS requested "Emergency descent due fire". They then informed ATC that the smoke was obstructing their vision and that they could not see anything. After that the comms were with DXB on 121.5 where they were cleared to descend to 9000', which was changed to descend at your discretion. Heard on emergency radio channel 121.5.
They seemed to be unable to see any flight instrument or radio in the cockpit and they continously asked for their altitude, speed, heading to ATC through the ordeal which indicates they could not see their own radio panel to swith to UAE Control or Dubai Tower. Only thing might cause a fire and smoke in the cokpit is the wiring and instruments. An electrical fire caused by shorting of electrical circuits or instruments seems most likeley scenario for the tragedy"
************
Ditching
A deliberate water landing should have the best chance of assuring structural integrity, especially if the landing gear is retracted and the landing is properly executed.If an emergency landing is required in a remote land area some consideration should be given to a water landing. The two major causes of death in aircraft accidents are fire and impact, both of which can be minimized with a water landing. Many remote areas have no good landing area, but have reservoirs, lakes, etc. which might make a good landing spot if the aircraft can be safely evacuated after the landing. It may be possible to land in shallow water or close to a shoreline or island where the risk could be minimized.
Without a major wave to deal with, the aircraft can be flown onto the water. However, a major problem with water landings in open areas is inadequate reference for depth perception which makes it difficult to determine height above the water. This can be solved by having the non-flying pilot call out radar altitudes. Also, pitch attitude is extremely important in a water landing. The aircraft should touch down in a relatively flat attitude with the nose slightly raised. Too low or too high can result in disaster.
Some Important Facts
"Smoke is the leading defined cause of emergency landings for ETOPS (Extended Twinengine Operations) aircraft." - Air Safety Week
"There are an average of three smoke incidents daily in the US. On average, one out of three require an emergency landing due to smoke." - Airline Pilots Association
"The time from first indication of smoke to an out-of-control situation may be very short." - Boeing Aero
"Evaluate cockpit emergency vision technology." - National Transportation Safety Board (in recommendation A97-61 to the FAA after ValuJet loss)
In 2001 both the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) and the Coalition of Air Line Pilots Association (CAPA), whose combined memberships represent more than 100,000 pilots and over 50 airlines, endorsed the use of cockpit smoke displacement systems (CSDS) as "standard" equipment for all airlines.
EVAS has received the Aerospace Industry's highest award in the category of "Training & Safety" at the 2001 Paris Air Show.
Bombardier, Dassault Falcon Jet and Gulfstream Aerospace, after thorough evaluation and review, have designated EVAS as standard client option for their prestigious line of jet aircraft.
More than 1000 lives have been lost in air crashes where smoke and pilots' inability to see their instruments and flight path was either a cause or factor.
Despite the FAA's 1992 recommendation, aircraft are not certified using continuous, heavy, blinding smoke.
US & Foreign accident investigation authorities have for more than 50 years made numerous recommendations to eliminate the unsafe conditions associated with smoke in the cockpit that can't be stopped - A long list of smoke-related accidents attest to this.
Ever since the pilot of Swissair Flight 111 reported smoke in the cockpit and a national newspaper showcased a device shortly after the Sept. 2 crash that would enable pilots to see through the thickest smoke, the phones have been ringing furiously from operators eager to equip their airplanes with this equipment.
The device, known as the Emergency Vision Assurance System (EVAS), physically displaces smoke in the cockpit by inflating a clear plastic bubble, and keeps it gently inflated through a pump and filter system. The bubble is tailored to fit the cockpit layout of each specific aircraft. It presses against the instrument panel and the windscreen. Pilots can see vital instruments and out the front of the plane by pressing their goggles against the inflated bubble.
When not in use, the bubble is packed tightly in a small metal box that can be placed near the instrument panel, ready for quick deployment in the event of smoke.
The system was tested and certified by the FAA in 1990 for DC- 9/MD-80 series aircraft, and in 1994 for the 737. According to an official with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), "It works."
http://www.visionsafe.com/
A majority of fire-safety systems in use onboard cargo aircraft require manual activation by a crew member. In addition, many systems only address fires that could potentially occur in containers holding cargo that must be declared and labeled by shippers as being Dangerous Goods. Yet most cargo fires originate from undeclared Dangerous Goods, posing additional challenges to existing fire-suppression systems. Because of its unique over-head design and automatic activation, the FedEx FSS technology overcomes this challenge by suppressing fires contained within any cargo container or pallet on the main flight deck. In addition, current FAA regulations require that aircraft depressurize, divert to the closest airport and land immediately after any in-flight fire situation. This means that the flight crew has about 30 minutes to safely land the aircraft. With the new FedEx safety system, aircraft on lengthy international flights, which can be up to three hours from land, are able to safely divert and land.
In April 2009, FedEx Express began installation of the FSS technology on MD-11 freighters " the workhorse of the FedEx international aircraft fleet. Each installation requires approximately 700 man hours and will be completed on the company's 59 MD-11 aircraft in early 2011. FedEx also plans to install the FSS technology on new Boeing 777 Freighters, which begin international service in the company's fleet in early 2010. In all, 74 FedEx wide-body planes used for international, over-water flights will be upgraded with the technology.
How the FedEx FSS Works
The FSS features a network of infrared thermal sensors, foaming-agent generators and an overhead cargo-container injector. If heat is detected by the sensors, the fire suppression technology located above each cargo container is activated, simultaneously alerting crew members. The metal container is pierced by an injector apparatus and filled with an argon-based biodegradable and non-corrosive fire-suppression foam that controls and extinguishes the fire in minutes. Cargo in other containers is unaffected by the system's activation, and the foam has only minimal impact on packages housed within the container. For palletized freight, a special fire-retardant blanket is used to cover the cargo; it restricts the level of oxygen around freight, effectively serving as a fire suppression tool.
Some safety experts believe fire incidents affect at least 1,000 airliners annually around the world, though only a few turn out to be life threatening.
Nearly all current passenger and cargo planes have emergency-oxygen masks, smoke-protection goggles and other safety systems intended to help pilots breathe and allow them to continue using their instruments in the unlikely event of smoke in the cockpit.
But for years some air-safety advocates -- along with manufacturers of advanced smoke hoods for pilots -- have argued that additional protection is necessary. They contend existing smoke-protection devices aren't able to deal with heavy and continuous smoke in the cockpit. JetBlue Airways Corp. and FedEx Corp. previously installed more-elaborate, smoke-hood systems on some aircraft, designed to create a smoke-free view of cockpit instruments even under the worst conditions. Other U.S. and foreign airlines have considered such steps but in the end, decided against installing more-elaborate smoke hoods. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, however, has installed such protective systems in the cockpits of its own fleet of VIP aircraft.
In a letter sent three months ago to Rep. James Oberstar of Minnesota, chairman of the House Transportation, a union official who represents many cargo pilots urged additional safety steps in this area. According to David Bourne, head of the airline division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, current systems aren't adequate because they are certified to protect the vision of pilots against "a finite amount of smoke for a short three minutes."
What pilots need, according to Mr. Bourne's letter, is protection against "continuous blinding" smoke or "unstoppable smoke" that spews into the cockpit over a longer period and is thick enough to prevent aviators from "seeing their instruments and (looking) out the window in order to fly and land the plane."
The FAA over the years has maintained that its regulations provide adequate safeguards against smoke in the cockpit. The agency previously also urged airlines to instruct pilots to land as quickly as possible, in the event they detect smoke and can't immediately pinpoint and eliminate the problem.
Whether in flight or on the ground, a fire is extremely hazardous and must be dealt with promptly. Pilots should give some thought of how they would handle a fire at particular times, such as on the ground, in flight near an airport or in flight over remote areas or the ocean.
Harry Bombardi and Gary Shirley of Delta Air Lines have shown that many fire procedures are basically wrong in shutting off the air supply to the cabin. They have shown that the best chance for survival is to maintain cabin airflow while de-pressurizing. This applies whether in the air or on the ground.
There may be cases where a fire warning exists and there is no confirmation of a fire. This can be a particular problem for a warning of a fire in an engine which can not be observed by the flight crew. Depending upon other conditions, the flight crew will have to evaluate the risks involved in selecting the best course of action.
Fire On The Ground
The best place to have a fire is on the ground, but there have many cases where such fires have resulted in a major disaster with considerable loss of life. It cannot be over emphasized how rapidly a fire can spread. It is important to maintain airflow to the cabin to avoid smoke inhalation by cabin occupants.It is also extremely important to be certain the cabin outflow valves and/or cabin exits are open before shutting down the engines. In one case, the engines were shut down with the outflow valves shut. The cabin was so tight that the doors could not be opened and with the engines shut down it was impossible to establish power to open the outflow valves. Although all passengers survived the landing, they and the entire crew perished in the subsequent fire because the cabin exits could not be opened.
It is assumed that all flight crew members are well acquainted with the appropriate emergency evacuation procedures for the aircraft they are qualified on.
Fire In Flight
A fire in flight should be treated as an extreme emergency. If there is immediate confirmation of the fire such as detectable smoke or fire, there can be no question of the seriousness. Pilots should immediately declare an emergency. Although you should ask for any information you need such as the closest piece of pavement long enough to land on, you shouldn’t ask for permission to do anything. Tell the ground controllers what you intend to do and request assistance as desired. It is distressing to read accident reports of catastrophic fire in flight where the flight crew never declared an emergency, never squawked 7700 and asked for clearance to the airport. In such a condition, the sky is yours. Make everyone else get out of your way.Now comes the hard part. Suppose you are over the ocean. If you have certain confirmation of a fire, you must immediately prepare for an ocean ditching, while hoping that your fire fighting procedures are effective in putting out the fire. However, you cannot delay your emergency decent and preparation for a ditching. The accident records are full of cases where an entire aircraft was lost by delaying a decision to put the aircraft down. Historically, if any aircraft fire can not be extinguished, there is only about 10 minutes available to evacuate the aircraft with any chance of survival.
Suppose you are over the ocean and you don’t have confirmation of a fire. You have a fire warning on the center engine of a three engine aircraft. Knowing how the system works you should consider this a valid warning, but should you risk an ocean ditching if there is a chance the warning isn’t valid. What to Do? What you need is information. Is the fire warning valid?
If near a coastal area, you should immediately squawk 7700, declare an emergency on the controlling frequency if being used and again on the guard channel. Immediately request an intercept if available. Many countries maintain fighter aircraft in coastal areas with rapid response and intercept capability. Otherwise try to get contact with any other aircraft in the vicinity to establish a visual inspection.
Meanwhile you should be preparing for an emergency descent and ditching. However, if the chance of a visual inspection from a nearby aircraft is possible, it may be best to maintain altitude for this purpose.
North Atlantic in t
tourismandaviation.com
Emirati investigators said Tuesday that flight recorder data indicates pilots faced visibility and communication problems as the cockpit filled with smoke from an onboard fire.
Initial details gleaned from the recorders - commonly known as "black boxes" - appear to confirm pilot reports of smoke in the cockpit of the Boeing 747-400 less than half an hour after takeoff from the Middle East's busiest airport in Dubai.
The UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority is leading the investigation into the Sept. 3 crash with help from investigators at U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.
GCAA Director-General Saif al-Suwaidi told The Associated Press that the plane's flight recorders were sent to a laboratory in the U.S. late last week for further analysis "under the custody of GCAA staff."
Investigators said they found the plane's cockpit voice recorder about six hours after the crash. The other black box - the digital flight data recorder - was recovered in "reasonable" condition days later.
While investigators continue to analyze data on the recorders, an initial analysis shows "there was a fire warning followed by smoke in the cockpit as reported by the crew about 28 minutes from takeoff," the GCAA said in a statement distributed through Emirati state news agency WAM.
For reasons still unclear, the crew was unable to switch their radio frequency back to the Dubai channel and could not communicate directly with air traffic controllers there as they attempted to land, al-Suwaidi told the AP two days after the accident. They instead had to relay information through air traffic controllers from the nearby Gulf nation of Bahrain.
Bahraini controllers gave the crew the option of landing in the Qatari capital Doha - located between Dubai and Bahrain's main airport - but that they decided to turn back to Dubai, where they "they experienced cockpit visibility and communication problems" before issuing a mayday call, the GCAA said Tuesday.
"The captain was in control up to the end of the recording," the aviation authority added.
Data on the recorders will likely be compared with information already received from a sophisticated data transmission system installed on the plane. The system, known as an airplane health management system, is able to transmit performance information rapidly via satellite to UPS's airline operations headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky.
Sources familiar with the investigation have told the AP that a fire appears to have begun in a cargo compartment just forward of the starboard wing. One theory being considered is that the plane may have been carrying lithium-ion batteries in the cargo hold, they said. If a battery short-circuits, it can catch fire and ignite others.
Shortly after the crash, al-Suwaidi said it appeared the plane was mainly carrying electronic goods, including toys and computer accessories. The manifest stated the 747-400 was carrying general cargo, he said.
***************************************************
United Parcel Service (UPS) Flight 6, a 747-400, had taken off from Dubai International Airport for the company’s European hub in Cologne, Germany, when it crashed at around 7.45pm in the Nad al Sheba Military Camp, missing the cars and residents of Emirates Road, Al Ain Road and Dubai Silicon Oasis.
Witnesses reported seeing a fireball that looked as high as a 20-storey building before smoke blackened the sky.
United Arab Emirates officials are trying to determine why a UPS freighter crashed after takeoff from Dubai, killing both pilots, following the crew’s report of fire in the cockpit.
Rescue workers recovered the bodies, the General Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement on WAM, the official UAE newswire. The aircraft had been airborne for 38 minutes before the crash. There is also speculation the pilot deliberately headed for an empty area of a military base where it crashed.
The cockpit voice recorder was recovered on Saturday and the flight data recorder Tuesday as experts seek the cause of last week's crash, including a report of smoke in the cockpit.
The recorders will be sent to the United States for analysis. It said the flight data recorder was in "reasonable" condition. The wreckage is scheduled to be moved from the crash site on Wednesday to another location for further analysis, the statement said.
The shipping company, the world's largest, said the aircraft was three years old and underwent an inspection in June.
.”“The pilot reported fire and smoke in the cockpit and was instructed to return to Dubai,” al-Suwaidi told Dubai TV. “After failing to land at the airport, the plane disappeared from radar screens.”
Mr al Suwaidi said. “He was asked to return but he missed the approach and then he disappeared from the radar. We then found that he had crashed between Al Ain Road and the Emirates Road. So far there’s no casualties on the ground that we know of.
Some preliminary reports indicated that the pilots ultimately may have been forced to try to land at the government-owned facility after struggling with an onboard emergency that may have obscured their view of some cockpit instruments. Neither UPS nor local authorities were commenting on the precise sequence of events. After saying that the plane crashed on takeoff, a UPS spokeswoman later Friday confirmed there was an hour gap between its takeoff and the crash.
The aircraft crashed initially into a parking lot inside the compound; became airborne again briefly; then crash back down and came to rest, the person familiar with the matter said. The crash site is approximately one kilometer long, and there were no ground casualties reported, this person said. The aircraft was carrying civilian cargo, this person said.
"Radio communication heard over the radio indicating they attempted a straight in approach for 12L runvay but getting there high and fast they were suggested to try OMSJ on hdg 090 or make a 360°.
They seem to lost spatial orientation while trying to reach the runway assigned.
The UPS reported "Main Deck Fire indication" and requested the closest airport from Bahrain Control. They suggested Doha which was 100 miles. After a brief pause the UPS crew requested "Why not back to where we came from". They said OK and offered a vector to the 10 mile final 12L. After a minute the UPS requested "Emergency descent due fire". They then informed ATC that the smoke was obstructing their vision and that they could not see anything. After that the communications were with DXB on 121.5 where they were cleared to descend to 9000', which was changed to descend at your discretion. Heard on emergency radio channel 121.5.
They seemed to be unable to see any flight instrument or radio in the cockpit and they continously asked for their altitude, speed, heading to ATC through the ordeal which indicates they could not see their own radio panel to swith to UAE Control or Dubai Tower.
Investigators are trying to determine why the experienced crew, after reporting smoke and declaring an emergency about 20 minutes after takeoff, decided to return to Dubai rather than opting to land at a closer strip. For years, aircraft manufacturers, regulators and safety experts world-wide have emphasized the importance of landing as quickly as possible—ideally in less than 15 minutes—in the event of smoke or fire.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board dispatched a team that included representatives of Atlanta-based UPS and Boeing. The crash site is in an unpopulated area near a UAE military compound, according to Dubai-based Al-Arabiya TV, which said late yesterday that authorities were starting an investigation. The accident occurred about noon New York time.
UPS said it would not speculate on the cause of the crash. It said it is co-operating with UAE government authorities but is also dispatching its own investigation team to Dubai.
The probe is looking into whether the fire on the three-year-old Boeing 747 started in the cockpit as many air-safety experts currently assume, or if smoke barriers intended to protect the pilots from fires in the cargo hold functioned properly.
There are some indications that fire broke out in a cargo compartment, according to people familiar with the accident investigation.
Accident investigators are now trying to verify which cargo aboard the Boeing 747-400 was located just forward of the starboard wing, where the fire erupted, those familiar with the investigation said. Investigators also want to know if there were any lithium-ion batteries in that location. If a battery short-circuits, it can catch fire and ignite others.
The location of the fire was identified so quickly because the plane was equipped with a sophisticated data transmission system that sent information via satellite to the company's airline operations headquarters in Louisville, Ky. The transmissions are so fast, people familiar with the investigation said, that UPS' airline operations half a world away had information in hand indicating the plane was in serious trouble before it crashed.
Preliminary information released by authorities in the United Arab Emirates suggests heavy smoke may have prevented the pilots from switching radio frequencies, properly operating their flight-management computers or controlling the jet's speed and altitude.
The UPS Boeing 747-400 that crashed in Dubai Friday was only three years old and had less than 10,000 hours on it according to a news release issued by the company on Saturday. UPS identified the pilots killed in the crash as Capt. Doug Lampe, 48, of Louisville, KY and FO Matthew Bell, 38, of Sanford, FL. They were based in Anchorage.
UPS spokeswoman Kristen Petrella said the Boeing 747-400 - which has a wingspan of 212 feet (64.6 meters) and length of 232 feet (70.7 meters) - went down at about 8 p.m. in Dubai (12 p.m. EST). Flight 6 was en route to the UPS hub in Cologne, Germany, she said. Petrella said the plane had two crew members but the company has not confirmed any casualties. Boeing’s four-engine 747-400 which along with its predecessor models has been in service for about 40 years. UPS owns 12 of the 747-400 freighters.
Pilots and industry officials is expected to focus on the plane's systems to remove smoke from the cockpit in case of an emergency.
The UPS crew reportedly told air-traffic controllers they were "flying blind" and asked controllers to confirm the plane's altitude when they were on the way back, according to Web postings by two pilots who said they listened to the transmissions.
A Gulf Air Pilot reports;
I had the misfortune of hearing the whole chain of events while we
were going from Kuwait to Abu Dhabi. As time goes by and more
information is gathered and released, the picture will become clearer.
We were in Bahraini airspace when we heard the mayday of a "Fire on
the 'Deck'" and an immediate descent to 10,000'. The captain requested
vectors back to Dubai immediately. As the moments passed the whole
cockpit filled with smoke and the CA indicated he could not see any
instruments at all. With no visual reference and all instruments
unreadable as well as difficulty relaying messages and getting
information (reentered UAE FIR but was still talking to BAH 'cause he
couldn't change frequencies). Altitudes, headings etc had to be
relayed from UAE to BAH to airborne aircraft to UPS and back again (A
MESS to say the least). Wound up straight in for 12L at DXB at 10
miles and 7,000'. Couldn't circle because he couldn't see anything.
Turned south of the airport -blind- the whole while altitudes are
being read to him. It was of no use. The aircraft crashed into a
fairly unpopulated area .
UPS formally known as United Parcel Service Inc. and the world's largest shipping company,Headquartered in Louisville with main hub at Louisville International Airport.
The UPS Louisville hub handles 237 flights daily.
UPS runs 936 domestic and 755 international flights daily in all.
The 5.2 million-square-foot WorldPort facility in Louisville sorts 416,000 packages hourly.UPS owns 238 aircraft and charters another 296. UPS dispatched an investigation team to the scene.“This incident is very unfortunate and we will do everything we can to find the cause,” Bob Lekites, manager of UPS’s airline and international operations, said in a statement.
The company and its pilots union were included in the team sent by the NTSB, along with representatives from GE, the world’s biggest maker of jet engines, and the Federal Aviation Administration. UPS, the world’s biggest package-delivery company, makes 936 domestic flights daily and 755 outside the U.S.,
There are about 300 747 freighters in service, carrying about half the world's air cargo. The 747-400 has a maximum payload of 248,300 pounds (112,630 kilograms) and a maximum range of 5,112 miles (8,230 kilometers). The extended-range version of the plane can fly more than 5,700 miles.
The CF6-80C2 engines on the 747-400 freighter are used on more than 1,100 aircraft worldwide, accumulating more than 160 million flight hours, GE said.
“Based on the engine fleet’s service history, we are not aware of operational issues that would hazard the continued safe flight of aircraft powered by these engines,” the Fairfield, Connecticut-based company said in a statement.
People living on the doomed airplane flight path reporting fuel in their back yards which indicates pilots were dumping fuel or had very serious fuel leak during the descent.
A Dubai-based spokesman for the General Civil Aviation Authority, Ismail al-Baroushi, said an investigation was under way, but it was "too early to speculate" on the cause of the crash. National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Ted Lopatkiewicz also said the U.S. agency will send a team of experts to Dubai to assist with the investigation.
Google crash site:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=109383705032406713188.00048f5ee16442d76f4fb&ll=25.098502,55.360107&spn=0.025455,0.033088&t=h&z=15&iwloc=00048f5ee1751c843582e
UPS accidents ,
Nov. 2, 2007: A UPS Douglas DC-8 en route from Louisville to Ontario, Calif., made an emergency landing in Wichita, Kan., after smoke filled the cockpit. There were no injuries, and the smoke was linked to a malfunctioning ball bearing in a fan motor.
April 24, 2007: A UPS Boeing 757 rolled over a mechanic’s foot during pushback from the ramp at the Burbank, Calif., airport. The incident was blamed on “diverted attention” on the part of the mechanic and a tow tractor driver.
Feb. 7, 2006: A UPS DC-8, with flames shooting from the back, made an emergency landing in Philadelphia in time for the pilot and two other crew members to jump to safety on the runway. Until Friday’s crash, the incident was the most serious in the more than 20 years UPS has been flying. The crew members were treated for smoke inhalation, and the National Transportation Safety Board later criticized UPS for not providing emergency rescue teams with detailed information about the hazardous materials the plane was carrying.
Dec. 15, 2005: A UPS Boeing 767 sustained minor left wing damage when it struck the tail cone of a Continental Airlines Boeing 737 while taxing after landing at George Bush Intercontinental Airport near Houston.
June 7, 2005: A UPS MD-11F en route from Anchorage, Alaska was substantially damaged during landing at Louisville International Airport. The incident was blamed on improper handling by the pilot and inadequate supervision by the pilot-in-command.
There are several accidents / incidents known with cockpit/cabin fires. Many ended in tragedy (Saudia 163, SR330, SR111, Valuejet just to quote a few). Time is the absolute essence in these. A boeing warning issued after SR111, stating something to the effect that either an airplane would land within 15 minutes after discovering an in flight fire or "the accident is a fact".
If Friday's crash turns out to have involved smoke in the cockpit, it could revive a long-running debate over whether manufacturers and regulators are doing enough to protect pilots against such airborne hazards. Some safety experts believe fire incidents affect at least 1,000 airliners annually around the world, though only a few turn out to be life threatening.
Nearly all current passenger and cargo planes have emergency-oxygen masks, smoke-protection goggles and other safety systems intended to help pilots breathe and allow them to continue using their instruments in the unlikely event of smoke in the cockpit.
But for years some air-safety advocates -- along with manufacturers of advanced smoke hoods for pilots -- have argued that additional protection is necessary. They contend existing smoke-protection devices aren't able to deal with heavy and continuous smoke in the cockpit. JetBlue Airways Corp. and FedEx Corp. previously installed more-elaborate, smoke-hood systems on some aircraft, designed to create a smoke-free view of cockpit instruments even under the worst conditions. Other U.S. and foreign airlines have considered such steps but in the end, decided against installing more-elaborate smoke hoods. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, however, has installed such protective systems in the cockpits of its own fleet of VIP aircraft.
In a letter sent three months ago to Rep. James Oberstar of Minnesota, chairman of the House Transportation, a union official who represents many cargo pilots urged additional safety steps in this area. According to David Bourne, head of the airline division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, current systems aren't adequate because they are certified to protect the vision of pilots against "a finite amount of smoke for a short three minutes."
What pilots need, according to Mr. Bourne's letter, is protection against "continuous blinding" smoke or "unstoppable smoke" that spews into the cockpit over a longer period and is thick enough to prevent aviators from "seeing their instruments and (looking) out the window in order to fly and land the plane."
The FAA over the years has maintained that its regulations provide adequate safeguards against smoke in the cockpit. The agency previously also urged airlines to instruct pilots to land as quickly as possible, in the event they detect smoke and can't immediately pinpoint and eliminate the problem.
Industry First Onboard Automatic Fire Suppression System
FedEx Express Advances In-Flight Safety with Automatic Fire Suppression System
FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE:FDX), has unveiled the industry's first onboard automatic fire-suppression system (FSS), elevating the level of safety during international, over-water flights. The comprehensive fire-safety system is the result of seven years of design and development efforts at FedEx Express, and expands upon the company's existing commitment to advancing aviation safety.
"The in-flight safety of crew and cargo is a top priority at FedEx Express, leading to our development of this enhanced fire-safety technology," said Joel Murdock, managing director, Strategic Projects, FedEx Express. "After seven years of design and development, we're proud to see this proprietary technology take flight on a variety of aircraft in the FedEx fleet, representing another strong step forward in our air-safety initiatives."
In April 2009, FedEx Express began installation of the FSS technology on MD-11 freighters " the workhorse of the FedEx international aircraft fleet. Each installation requires approximately 700 man hours and will be completed on the company's 59 MD-11 aircraft in early 2011. FedEx also plans to install the FSS technology on new Boeing 777 Freighters, which begin international service in the company's fleet in early 2010. In all, 74 FedEx wide-body planes used for international, over-water flights will be upgraded with the technology.
How the FedEx FSS Works
The FSS features a network of infrared thermal sensors, foaming-agent generators and an overhead cargo-container injector. If heat is detected by the sensors, the fire suppression technology located above each cargo container is activated, simultaneously alerting crew members. The metal container is pierced by an injector apparatus and filled with an argon-based biodegradable and non-corrosive fire-suppression foam that controls and extinguishes the fire in minutes. Cargo in other containers is unaffected by the system's activation, and the foam has only minimal impact on packages housed within the container. For palletized freight, a special fire-retardant blanket is used to cover the cargo; it restricts the level of oxygen around freight, effectively serving as a fire suppression tool.
In extensive testing, including the certification process, the FedEx FSS proved quick and effective on classes of fires, demonstrating its capability of protecting aircraft, crew and customer shipments from fires started by:
Ordinary materials such as paper or lumber (Class A)
Flammable or combustible liquids such as gasoline or kerosene (Class B)
Combustible metals such as lithium, magnesium titanium, potassium and sodium which burn at extremely high temperatures (Class D).
No other aircraft fire-safety system in use today is effective against Class D fires. Shipments that are subject to what would be considered Class C fires, electrical equipment, for example, will continue to be carried separately in the aircraft's lower belly compartment, and are safeguarded with the industry-standard halon bottle system.
How FedEx FSS Enhances Air Safety
A majority of fire-safety systems in use onboard cargo aircraft require manual activation by a crew member. In addition, many systems only address fires that could potentially occur in containers holding cargo that must be declared and labeled by shippers as being Dangerous Goods. Yet most cargo fires originate from undeclared Dangerous Goods, posing additional challenges to existing fire-suppression systems. Because of its unique over-head design and automatic activation, the FedEx FSS technology overcomes this challenge by suppressing fires contained within any cargo container or pallet on the main flight deck. In addition, current FAA regulations require that aircraft depressurize, divert to the closest airport and land immediately after any in-flight fire situation. This means that the flight crew has about 30 minutes to safely land the aircraft. With the new FedEx safety system, aircraft on lengthy international flights, which can be up to three hours from land, are able to safely divert and land.
"Our new in-flight system has pushed the industry safety standard to a new level," Murdock said. "With the FedEx technology our pilots have more time to review and assess an in-air situation, further ensuring their safety, and the safety of their plane and cargo."
UPS accidents ,
Nov. 2, 2007: A UPS Douglas DC-8 en route from Louisville to Ontario, Calif., made an emergency landing in Wichita, Kan., after smoke filled the cockpit. There were no injuries, and the smoke was linked to a malfunctioning ball bearing in a fan motor.
April 24, 2007: A UPS Boeing 757 rolled over a mechanic’s foot during pushback from the ramp at the Burbank, Calif., airport. The incident was blamed on “diverted attention” on the part of the mechanic and a tow tractor driver.
Feb. 7, 2006: A UPS DC-8, with flames shooting from the back, made an emergency landing in Philadelphia in time for the pilot and two other crew members to jump to safety on the runway. Until Friday’s crash, the incident was the most serious in the more than 20 years UPS has been flying. The crew members were treated for smoke inhalation, and the National Transportation Safety Board later criticized UPS for not providing emergency rescue teams with detailed information about the hazardous materials the plane was carrying.
Dec. 15, 2005: A UPS Boeing 767 sustained minor left wing damage when it struck the tail cone of a Continental Airlines Boeing 737 while taxing after landing at George Bush Intercontinental Airport near Houston.
June 7, 2005: A UPS MD-11F en route from Anchorage, Alaska was substantially damaged during landing at Louisville International Airport. The incident was blamed on improper handling by the pilot and inadequate supervision by the pilot-in-command.
**************************
The Boeing 747-400 plane that crashed near Dubai airport on September 3rd may have landed safely if the aircraft had been equipped with emergency vision technology. Vision safety equipment is installed on approximately 1,500 airplanes, including aircraft flown by high-ranking government officials, on executive business jets; however, it is only found on a few commercial airline fleets.
Preliminary reports and witness accounts from pilots in the area who listened to the crisis unfold via radio, indicate that there was smoke in the cockpit and the pilots could not see their instruments. The pilots were overheard to be "flying blind" before attempting to land, relying on information about speed, altitude and direction from air traffic controllers. The airplane eventually crashed killing both crew members.
The fire on board the 747-400 on September 3rd was not unusual. The former head of the FAA's Flight Standards authored a study in 2002, which stated that fire events occur on average in one out of every 5,000 flights. Another study by the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) has indicated that in North America alone there are on average up to three smoke incidents per day, resulting in an average of one unscheduled or emergency landing per day.
Accident investigators worldwide, including the NTSB, have made numerous recommendations over the last forty years to address the serious unsafe condition of a smoke-filled cockpit. Regulations require that pilots must be able to see at all times, current technology and procedures (which have been in place for 50 years) to vent and dilute smoke have proven to be inadequate when dense smoke cannot be stopped.
Equipment is available that enables pilots to see under the conditions the crew may have experienced in the Dubai crash: dense, unstoppable smoke in the cockpit, rendering the pilots unable to see their instruments. This equipment, known as the "Emergency Vision Assurance System"(TM), or EVAS, is designed to allow pilots to see to safely land their aircraft during smoke emergencies. EVAS, is certified by the FAA, EASA, and other foreign regulatory air agencies.
EVAS technology displaces dense smoke during an in-flight emergency and creates a clear channel between the pilots masks, the vital instruments and the cockpit window. This allows pilots to see outside, to see their instruments, and read emergency checklists in all conditions of flight. As a result, pilots can safely navigate and land their airplanes.
Pilot unions recently brought the smoke-in-the-cockpit issue to the attention of Congress by sending letters stating that, "The public and airline crews deserve the same degree of safety and security" as "the Secretary of Transportation [and] the Secretary of Homeland Security" ... since their airplanes are equipped with technology to enable their pilots to see during even the worst smoke emergencies.
Many organizations fly with the Emergency Vision Assurance System(TM), including JetBlue Airlines in the United States, Swiss-based PrivatAir and NetJets. Government VIP aircraft in several countries, including the FAA and military airplanes carrying high-ranking officials, are also equipped with the technology. It is also standard equipment on state-of-the-art aircraft entering the aviation world today.
To date however, most commercial operators are not equipped with the Emergency Vision Assurance System(TM), leaving almost all commercial passengers and crew unprotected from this serious flight hazard. The main deck fire procedure is a descent to 25,000' for cruise to the nearest suitable airport. The goal isn't to remain at 25,000 in the hopes that the fire will go out and stay out. 25,000' is a descent point that represents a compromise when operating depressurized. One's TUC (time of useful consciousness) is considerably lower at typical cruise altitudes compared to a lower altitude such as 25,000, and the duration of oxygen is lower when on an emergency pressure setting, vs. 100 or diluter-demand at lower altitudes. Therefore, 25,000 is a compromise altitude, not an altitude where one goes to extinguish a fire. In fact, if one is attempting to starve the fire of oxygen, the higher, the better.
The problem is that in many cases, one has no way of knowing what is burning. Extinguishing a fire in many situations isn't a certainty, or even a possibility. Temporarily slowing the fire is a possibility, with no guarantees. Certain products produce their own oxygen, or may be in the vicinity of oxidizers. They may continue to combust regardless of the altitude. Certain products such as batteries, can experience thermal departures that cause meltdowns, to the point of melting through an aircraft structure. Atmosphere or none,they will still combust, explode, melt, and produce toxic vapors.
Again, the goal isn't to get to 25,000 and cruise. It's to get out of the aircraft. If one can get the airplane to a location with rescue facilities, so much the better. Certainly a hard surfaced runway is far preferable to any other option, as one's odds of survival go down substantially. If the choice is loss of control or burning to death compared to risking a forced landing or ditching, then the choice should be fairly obvious. In such a case, it's a slim chance, vs. none.
an additional smoke procedure for opening the cockpit escape hatch if there is one or window that requires airspeed to be below 200 knots, and advises that "considerable force may be required."
Fire can produce smoke in excess of any system or procedure's capability to handle. Events can combine that create circumstances that are not survivable.
Emerging facts indicate that a fire from the cargo section could have caused the blaze resulting in a smoke-filled cockpit, leaving the pilots helpless and near-blind to read the instruments in front of them.
An overheated mobile phone has been found to be the reason a transatlantic jet was forced to declare an emergency and divert to Shannon Airport
It has emerged that a passenger had innocently plugged in his phone to charge it and hadn't realized that it was overheating. The phone began to melt, emitting smoke into the passenger cabin while also activating the fire alarm in a nearby toilet.
American Airlines flight AA199, from Milan to New York, was about 100 kilometres south west of Ireland and about to commence it's transatlantic crossing when the alarm was raised. At about 12.15pm, the captain contacted air traffic controllers to request permission to divert to Shannon after reporting that smoke had been seen in the passenger cabin area around the centre of the plane. The crew also told controllers that a fire alarm in a nearby toilet had been activated.
Cabin crew members went to investigate the incident but were unable to locate the source of the smoke. Meanwhile, the passenger who was charging his phone was apparently unaware that this was the cause of the smoke and the emergency that ensued. The man was seated three rows from the toilet where the smoke detectors activated alerting the crew to the problem.
The Boeing 767-300, which was carrying 167 passengers and crew, was cleared to commence it's decent and route directly to Shannon while authorities there put the airport's emergency plan into operation.
As soon as the jet touched down at 12.48pm, crash crews quickly pursed the aircraft along the 3.2 kilometre runway until it came a safe stop. Crash tenders remained with the aircraft while fire personnel boarded the plane to search for the smoke source. Fire crews with water hoses at the ready took up positions around the airplane.
Engineers from an airport based aircraft maintenance company also carried out an inspection of the jet and discovered the mobile phone has caused the smoke. Fire officers spoke with a male passenger who admitted to plugging in his phone to charge it.
Authorities were satisfied that it was a genuine error by the passenger and he was allowed remain on board.
Flight 199 was cleared to continue its journey after spending four hours on the ground at Shannon.
For large cargo planes, a 2009 study conducted for the FAA estimated the total cost of installing a fire suppression system at $7 million per aircraft. Operating costs would be another $140,000 per aircraft per year. The list price for a new Boeing 747-400 freighter starts at $238 million.
The NTSB declined to comment on the FAA’s response on Wednesday. “We have not yet had an opportunity to do a thorough review” of the FAA report, said NTSB spokeswoman Bridget Serchak.
UPS archrival FedEx last year decided to exceed FAA requirements and accept the NTSB recommendations by equipping 74 of its large, international planes with fire suppression systems that inject Argon foam into fires detected in the main cargo hold once heat sensors are triggered.
Louisville-based UPS Airlines, meanwhile, continues to follow FAA regulations that state that, should a fire be detected, cargo pilots should depressurize the main cabin and climb to at least 20,000 feet of altitude to starve flames of oxygen.
“At UPS,” he added, “we have a group that is actively evaluating the installation of new fire suppression equipment on our aircraft.”
In 2009, FedEx described its new system as faster and more effective than the “30 minutes” it can take to depressurize the aircraft, divert to an airport and land safely.
"Our new in-flight system has pushed the industry safety standard to a new level," Joel Murdock, a FedEx Express managing director, said in announcing the move last year.
The FedEx system was lauded at the time as a breakthrough. The aviation industry has spent much of the last two decades arguing about and studying effective, affordable ways to combat fires in flight, FAA and NTSB documents show.
“The challenge of improving safety is to do it in a way that allows the operation to continue,” said J.A. Donoghue, editor-in-chief of publications at the Flight Safety Foundation, a nonprofit aviation safety organization in Alexandria, Va. The foundation gave FedEx its annual safety award for the fire system in 2009.
Investigators are focusing on cargo aboard the Boeing 747-400 that was located just forward of the starboard wing, according to unidentified sources cited by The Associated Press. Sensors that transmitted data to the crew and to UPS Airlines in Louisville showed the plane was in trouble.
For years, the airline industry has been searching for an alternative to Halon, the most common fire extinguishing foam and used in fire suppression systems on the smaller, lower decks of cargo planes — including UPS planes.
The FAA requires fire suppression in all passenger aircraft and in the lower holds of cargo aircraft, FAA spokeswoman Alison Duquette said.
But most of the cargo on any freighter is ferried in the main hold — roughly the same cabin that holds seats on a passenger airplane, and Donoghue said “no one has been able to develop a Halon-based system for main deck freighters that is both effective and affordable.”
In addition, no new Halon is being manufactured because it has been identified as an ozone destroyer, he added. Halon systems still in use depend on aviation suppliers who recycle the gas.
FedEx spent 7 years developing its fire suppression technology, which relies on Argon.
A plane like the UPS 747 that crashed Friday carries between 24 to 26 cargo bins in the main cargo hold and 8 or 9 in the smaller, lower hold, said Jerry Campbell, a 15-year UPS employee who loads 747s and other jets at the company’s Worldport hub at Louisville International Airport.
The NTSB concluded in 2007 that the fire on board a UPS DC-8 the year before originated in a container that smoldered for hours. Contributing to the loss of the aircraft, the agency said, was “the lack of an on-board fire suppression system.”
The five-member NTSB concluded that the FAA should “require that fire suppression systems be installed in the cargo compartments of all cargo airlines…” among other recommendations for better training, aircraft exits, and improved smoke and fire detection systems.
At the time, the pilots’ union said the close call at Philadelphia International Airport demonstrated the need for a system that could have extinguished or at least slowed the fire.
“We came very close to this not just being property destruction, but people dying,” Michael Moody, Jr., then chairman of the IPA’s safety committee said in 2007. Moody, now a member of IPA’s board of directors, could not comment pending the union’s current agreement with the NTSB not to discuss Friday’s crash, Cooper said.
Whether in flight or on the ground, a fire is extremely hazardous and must be dealt with promptly. Pilots should give some thought of how they would handle a fire at particular times, such as on the ground, in flight near an airport or in flight over remote areas or the ocean.
In recent years, Harry Bombardi and Gary Shirley of Delta Air Lines have shown that many fire procedures are basically wrong in shutting off the air supply to the cabin. They have shown that the best chance for survival is to maintain cabin airflow while de-pressurizing. This applies whether in the air or on the ground.
There may be cases where a fire warning exists and there is no confirmation of a fire. This can be a particular problem for a warning of a fire in an engine which can not be observed by the flight crew. Depending upon other conditions, the flight crew will have to evaluate the risks involved in selecting the best course of action.
Fire On The Ground
The best place to have a fire is on the ground, but there have many cases where such fires have resulted in a major disaster with considerable loss of life. It cannot be over emphasized how rapidly a fire can spread. It is important to maintain airflow to the cabin to avoid smoke inhalation by cabin occupants.
It is also extremely important to be certain the cabin outflow valves and/or cabin exits are open before shutting down the engines. In one case, the engines were shut down with the outflow valves shut. The cabin was so tight that the doors could not be opened and with the engines shut down it was impossible to establish power to open the outflow valves. Although all passengers survived the landing, they and the entire crew perished in the subsequent fire because the cabin exits could not be opened.
It is assumed that all flight crew members are well acquainted with the appropriate emergency evacuation procedures for the aircraft they are qualified on.
Fire In Flight
A fire in flight should be treated as an extreme emergency. If there is immediate confirmation of the fire such as detectable smoke or fire, there can be no question of the seriousness. Pilots should immediately declare an emergency. Although you should ask for any information you need such as the closest piece of pavement long enough to land on, you shouldn’t ask for permission to do anything. Tell the ground controllers what you intend to do and request assistance as desired. It is distressing to read accident reports of catastrophic fire in flight where the flight crew never declared an emergency, never squawked 7700 and asked for clearance to the airport. In such a condition, the sky is yours. Make everyone else get out of your way.
Now comes the hard part. Suppose you are over the ocean. If you have certain confirmation of a fire, you must immediately prepare for an ocean ditching, while hoping that your fire fighting procedures are effective in putting out the fire. However, you cannot delay your emergency decent and preparation for a ditching. The accident records are full of cases where an entire aircraft was lost by delaying a decision to put the aircraft down. Historically, if any aircraft fire can not be extinguished, there is only about 10 minutes available to evacuate the aircraft with any chance of survival.
Suppose you are over the ocean and you don’t have confirmation of a fire. You have a fire warning on the center engine of a three engine aircraft. Knowing how the system works you should consider this a valid warning, but should you risk an ocean ditching if there is a chance the warning isn’t valid. What to Do? What you need is information. Is the fire warning valid?
If near a coastal area, you should immediately squawk 7700, declare an emergency on the controlling frequency if being used and again on the guard channel. Immediately request an intercept if available. Many countries maintain fighter aircraft in coastal areas with rapid response and intercept capability. Otherwise try to get contact with any other aircraft in the vicinity to establish a visual inspection.
Meanwhile you should be preparing for an emergency descent and ditching. However, if the chance of a visual inspection from a nearby aircraft is possible, it may be best to maintain altitude for this purpose.
Other conditions must be considered. Is it possible to make it to a nearby landing area? What is the condition of the ocean? North Atlantic in the winter or South Pacific in the Summer? Day or Night?
If a ditching is required, assistance from any ocean vessel is desirable. With modern navigation equipment, position reporting prior to a ditching should not be a problem.
Ocean Ditching
After World War II, the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard experimented with different techniques to determine the best method of ditching in the open ocean. They sank a whole squadron of seaplanes. Generally, there will be two distinct wave patterns. One will be the major pattern of waves with high peaks and deep troughs which is caused by major ocean effects. In addition, there is the effect of the prevailing wind which almost always is different. This results in smaller waves on top of the major waves. Careful observation will establish the fact that if there are small breakers, the white foam will fall down the backside of the wave, leaving streaks pointing in the direction the wind is coming from.
The best way to land in the open ocean is parallel to the major wave structure as close into the wind as is possible. The major waves will rise and fall beneath you. You should attempt to land on top of a wave as it passes under you. The aircraft will then settle down into the trough without the waves breaking over. The worst case scenario is to land into the face of the major wave pattern, i.e., perpendicular.
If possible, the aircraft should be established with thrust holding off above the waves using the radar altimeter to hold about 50 feet. As the crest comes up, select reverse thrust. This will make a big splash, but it will put you on top of the wave where you want to be. Nose attitude is important as you don’t want to be too high or too low. Holding the aircraft off and dropping it in is the technique used by Navy and Coast Guard seaplanes for open ocean landings. If the sea is relatively calm and you feel confident in holding altitude, 25 feet on the radar altimeter makes a softer landing.
Also, it would be better to use the spoilers to put the aircraft down as is done with sailplanes, but there is no known recommendation by manufacturers for using this technique. Neither is there any known recommendation to use reverse thrust. You will have to decide the risk involved depending upon the magnitude of the waves you are trying to land on. The major point is that you want to land on top of and parallel to the major wave system.
A modern air transport will float a long time if it isn’t flooded inadvertently, which brings up another subject. Do not under any circumstances land in the water with the gear down. This was a mistaken concept passed around a few years ago and it is extremely dangerous. If in doubt, ask any pilot of amphibious aircraft about the danger of landing on water with the gear down.
Several years ago, a B-727 hit the water on a non-precision approach to Pensacola, Florida. The pilots misread their altimeter and inadvertently hit the water. Upon stopping, the top of the fuselage was sticking out of the water. All passengers survived the landing, but a number of them died from fuel vapor inhalation in the evacuation because the fuel tanks ruptured which was due to fact that the landing gear was extended.
After landing in the water, it is important for the cabin crew to determine the water line before opening emergency exits. Most transport aircraft have never been landed in the water, but the manufacturers have usually done water tank tests with models. On some older aircraft it may be difficult to close a cabin door once it is opened, especially if water is rushing in. If the aircraft has overwing exits and immediate evacuation is not required, this is an excellent choice for evacuation. A commercial transport should float a long time if the openings are closed to water as much as possible. This means landing with the outflow valves closed, but with some other means of assuring de-pressurization of the aircraft. A cockpit window or hatch may need to be opened.
If fire and smoke are in the cabin, it is important to maintain airflow as long as possible, but it also necessary to land with the outflow valves closed and not have the situation where the cabin doors can’t be opened due to cabin pressure. Each aircraft will be different, but if some thought is given to the problem with an understanding of the issues, it should be possible to devise a plan for each individual aircraft.
He was asked to return but he missed the approach and then he disappeared from the radar.
Some preliminary reports indicated that the pilots ultimately may have been forced to try to land at the government-owned facility after struggling with an onboard emergency that may have obscured their view of some cockpit instruments.
A UPS spokeswoman later Friday confirmed there was an hour gap between its takeoff and the crash.
The aircraft crashed initially into a parking lot inside the compound; became airborne again briefly; then crash back down and came to rest, the person familiar with the matter said. The crash site is approximately one kilometer long, and there were no ground casualties reported, this person said. The aircraft was carrying civilian cargo, this person said.
"Radio communication heard over the radio indicating they attempted a straight in approach for 12L runvay but getting there high and fast they were suggested to try OMSJ on hdg 090 or make a 360°.
They seem to lost spatial orientation while trying to reach the runway assigned.
The UPS reported "Main Deck Fire indication" and requested the closest airport from Bahrain Control. They suggested Doha which was 100 miles. After a brief pause the UPS crew requested "Why not back to where we came from". They said OK and offered a vector to the 10 mile final 12L. After a minute the UPS requested "Emergency descent due fire". They then informed ATC that the smoke was obstructing their vision and that they could not see anything. After that the comms were with DXB on 121.5 where they were cleared to descend to 9000', which was changed to descend at your discretion. Heard on emergency radio channel 121.5.
They seemed to be unable to see any flight instrument or radio in the cockpit and they continously asked for their altitude, speed, heading to ATC through the ordeal which indicates they could not see their own radio panel to swith to UAE Control or Dubai Tower. Only thing might cause a fire and smoke in the cokpit is the wiring and instruments. An electrical fire caused by shorting of electrical circuits or instruments seems most likeley scenario for the tragedy"
************
Ditching
A deliberate water landing should have the best chance of assuring structural integrity, especially if the landing gear is retracted and the landing is properly executed.If an emergency landing is required in a remote land area some consideration should be given to a water landing. The two major causes of death in aircraft accidents are fire and impact, both of which can be minimized with a water landing. Many remote areas have no good landing area, but have reservoirs, lakes, etc. which might make a good landing spot if the aircraft can be safely evacuated after the landing. It may be possible to land in shallow water or close to a shoreline or island where the risk could be minimized.
Without a major wave to deal with, the aircraft can be flown onto the water. However, a major problem with water landings in open areas is inadequate reference for depth perception which makes it difficult to determine height above the water. This can be solved by having the non-flying pilot call out radar altitudes. Also, pitch attitude is extremely important in a water landing. The aircraft should touch down in a relatively flat attitude with the nose slightly raised. Too low or too high can result in disaster.
Some Important Facts
"Smoke is the leading defined cause of emergency landings for ETOPS (Extended Twinengine Operations) aircraft." - Air Safety Week
"There are an average of three smoke incidents daily in the US. On average, one out of three require an emergency landing due to smoke." - Airline Pilots Association
"The time from first indication of smoke to an out-of-control situation may be very short." - Boeing Aero
"Evaluate cockpit emergency vision technology." - National Transportation Safety Board (in recommendation A97-61 to the FAA after ValuJet loss)
In 2001 both the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) and the Coalition of Air Line Pilots Association (CAPA), whose combined memberships represent more than 100,000 pilots and over 50 airlines, endorsed the use of cockpit smoke displacement systems (CSDS) as "standard" equipment for all airlines.
EVAS has received the Aerospace Industry's highest award in the category of "Training & Safety" at the 2001 Paris Air Show.
Bombardier, Dassault Falcon Jet and Gulfstream Aerospace, after thorough evaluation and review, have designated EVAS as standard client option for their prestigious line of jet aircraft.
More than 1000 lives have been lost in air crashes where smoke and pilots' inability to see their instruments and flight path was either a cause or factor.
Despite the FAA's 1992 recommendation, aircraft are not certified using continuous, heavy, blinding smoke.
US & Foreign accident investigation authorities have for more than 50 years made numerous recommendations to eliminate the unsafe conditions associated with smoke in the cockpit that can't be stopped - A long list of smoke-related accidents attest to this.
Ever since the pilot of Swissair Flight 111 reported smoke in the cockpit and a national newspaper showcased a device shortly after the Sept. 2 crash that would enable pilots to see through the thickest smoke, the phones have been ringing furiously from operators eager to equip their airplanes with this equipment.
The device, known as the Emergency Vision Assurance System (EVAS), physically displaces smoke in the cockpit by inflating a clear plastic bubble, and keeps it gently inflated through a pump and filter system. The bubble is tailored to fit the cockpit layout of each specific aircraft. It presses against the instrument panel and the windscreen. Pilots can see vital instruments and out the front of the plane by pressing their goggles against the inflated bubble.
When not in use, the bubble is packed tightly in a small metal box that can be placed near the instrument panel, ready for quick deployment in the event of smoke.
The system was tested and certified by the FAA in 1990 for DC- 9/MD-80 series aircraft, and in 1994 for the 737. According to an official with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), "It works."
http://www.visionsafe.com/
A majority of fire-safety systems in use onboard cargo aircraft require manual activation by a crew member. In addition, many systems only address fires that could potentially occur in containers holding cargo that must be declared and labeled by shippers as being Dangerous Goods. Yet most cargo fires originate from undeclared Dangerous Goods, posing additional challenges to existing fire-suppression systems. Because of its unique over-head design and automatic activation, the FedEx FSS technology overcomes this challenge by suppressing fires contained within any cargo container or pallet on the main flight deck. In addition, current FAA regulations require that aircraft depressurize, divert to the closest airport and land immediately after any in-flight fire situation. This means that the flight crew has about 30 minutes to safely land the aircraft. With the new FedEx safety system, aircraft on lengthy international flights, which can be up to three hours from land, are able to safely divert and land.
In April 2009, FedEx Express began installation of the FSS technology on MD-11 freighters " the workhorse of the FedEx international aircraft fleet. Each installation requires approximately 700 man hours and will be completed on the company's 59 MD-11 aircraft in early 2011. FedEx also plans to install the FSS technology on new Boeing 777 Freighters, which begin international service in the company's fleet in early 2010. In all, 74 FedEx wide-body planes used for international, over-water flights will be upgraded with the technology.
How the FedEx FSS Works
The FSS features a network of infrared thermal sensors, foaming-agent generators and an overhead cargo-container injector. If heat is detected by the sensors, the fire suppression technology located above each cargo container is activated, simultaneously alerting crew members. The metal container is pierced by an injector apparatus and filled with an argon-based biodegradable and non-corrosive fire-suppression foam that controls and extinguishes the fire in minutes. Cargo in other containers is unaffected by the system's activation, and the foam has only minimal impact on packages housed within the container. For palletized freight, a special fire-retardant blanket is used to cover the cargo; it restricts the level of oxygen around freight, effectively serving as a fire suppression tool.
Some safety experts believe fire incidents affect at least 1,000 airliners annually around the world, though only a few turn out to be life threatening.
Nearly all current passenger and cargo planes have emergency-oxygen masks, smoke-protection goggles and other safety systems intended to help pilots breathe and allow them to continue using their instruments in the unlikely event of smoke in the cockpit.
But for years some air-safety advocates -- along with manufacturers of advanced smoke hoods for pilots -- have argued that additional protection is necessary. They contend existing smoke-protection devices aren't able to deal with heavy and continuous smoke in the cockpit. JetBlue Airways Corp. and FedEx Corp. previously installed more-elaborate, smoke-hood systems on some aircraft, designed to create a smoke-free view of cockpit instruments even under the worst conditions. Other U.S. and foreign airlines have considered such steps but in the end, decided against installing more-elaborate smoke hoods. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, however, has installed such protective systems in the cockpits of its own fleet of VIP aircraft.
In a letter sent three months ago to Rep. James Oberstar of Minnesota, chairman of the House Transportation, a union official who represents many cargo pilots urged additional safety steps in this area. According to David Bourne, head of the airline division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, current systems aren't adequate because they are certified to protect the vision of pilots against "a finite amount of smoke for a short three minutes."
What pilots need, according to Mr. Bourne's letter, is protection against "continuous blinding" smoke or "unstoppable smoke" that spews into the cockpit over a longer period and is thick enough to prevent aviators from "seeing their instruments and (looking) out the window in order to fly and land the plane."
The FAA over the years has maintained that its regulations provide adequate safeguards against smoke in the cockpit. The agency previously also urged airlines to instruct pilots to land as quickly as possible, in the event they detect smoke and can't immediately pinpoint and eliminate the problem.
Whether in flight or on the ground, a fire is extremely hazardous and must be dealt with promptly. Pilots should give some thought of how they would handle a fire at particular times, such as on the ground, in flight near an airport or in flight over remote areas or the ocean.
Harry Bombardi and Gary Shirley of Delta Air Lines have shown that many fire procedures are basically wrong in shutting off the air supply to the cabin. They have shown that the best chance for survival is to maintain cabin airflow while de-pressurizing. This applies whether in the air or on the ground.
There may be cases where a fire warning exists and there is no confirmation of a fire. This can be a particular problem for a warning of a fire in an engine which can not be observed by the flight crew. Depending upon other conditions, the flight crew will have to evaluate the risks involved in selecting the best course of action.
Fire On The Ground
The best place to have a fire is on the ground, but there have many cases where such fires have resulted in a major disaster with considerable loss of life. It cannot be over emphasized how rapidly a fire can spread. It is important to maintain airflow to the cabin to avoid smoke inhalation by cabin occupants.It is also extremely important to be certain the cabin outflow valves and/or cabin exits are open before shutting down the engines. In one case, the engines were shut down with the outflow valves shut. The cabin was so tight that the doors could not be opened and with the engines shut down it was impossible to establish power to open the outflow valves. Although all passengers survived the landing, they and the entire crew perished in the subsequent fire because the cabin exits could not be opened.
It is assumed that all flight crew members are well acquainted with the appropriate emergency evacuation procedures for the aircraft they are qualified on.
Fire In Flight
A fire in flight should be treated as an extreme emergency. If there is immediate confirmation of the fire such as detectable smoke or fire, there can be no question of the seriousness. Pilots should immediately declare an emergency. Although you should ask for any information you need such as the closest piece of pavement long enough to land on, you shouldn’t ask for permission to do anything. Tell the ground controllers what you intend to do and request assistance as desired. It is distressing to read accident reports of catastrophic fire in flight where the flight crew never declared an emergency, never squawked 7700 and asked for clearance to the airport. In such a condition, the sky is yours. Make everyone else get out of your way.Now comes the hard part. Suppose you are over the ocean. If you have certain confirmation of a fire, you must immediately prepare for an ocean ditching, while hoping that your fire fighting procedures are effective in putting out the fire. However, you cannot delay your emergency decent and preparation for a ditching. The accident records are full of cases where an entire aircraft was lost by delaying a decision to put the aircraft down. Historically, if any aircraft fire can not be extinguished, there is only about 10 minutes available to evacuate the aircraft with any chance of survival.
Suppose you are over the ocean and you don’t have confirmation of a fire. You have a fire warning on the center engine of a three engine aircraft. Knowing how the system works you should consider this a valid warning, but should you risk an ocean ditching if there is a chance the warning isn’t valid. What to Do? What you need is information. Is the fire warning valid?
If near a coastal area, you should immediately squawk 7700, declare an emergency on the controlling frequency if being used and again on the guard channel. Immediately request an intercept if available. Many countries maintain fighter aircraft in coastal areas with rapid response and intercept capability. Otherwise try to get contact with any other aircraft in the vicinity to establish a visual inspection.
Meanwhile you should be preparing for an emergency descent and ditching. However, if the chance of a visual inspection from a nearby aircraft is possible, it may be best to maintain altitude for this purpose.
North Atlantic in t
Keywords:
Warning: Comments which include insulting, offensive sentences or hints, assault and comments with the unwritten rules of spellingand written in English characters incorrectly will not be approved.
Login to make a comment with your user name
JetBlue and Turkish Airlines Form Partnership
JetBlue Airways, New York's Hometown Airline(TM), and Turkish Airlines, the
JetBlue Airways, New York's Hometown Airline(TM), and Turkish Airlines, the
Nepal plane crash kills 15
Fifteen passengers died on Monday when a plane carrying Indian pilgrims cra
Fifteen passengers died on Monday when a plane carrying Indian pilgrims cra
Turkey: Israel violated north Cyprus airspace- Dubai Helishow 2012 dates announced
- Mahan Air will commence flights to Erbil Airport
- The Dream Comes True For Boeing Pilots
- Swiss rolls out special fares to Europe from Dub
- IATA: Using Aviation to Further Poland’s Economi
- Pakistan air collision kills four pilots: police
- 14 pilots, 31 cabin crew failed alcohol test
- Aéroports de Paris Group completes purchase of s
- Rolls-Royce joins in with Gulfstream celebration
- 14 pilots, 31 cabin crew failed alcohol test
- Turkish Airlines Makes Maiden Flight to Kigali
- airBaltic Appoints a New Chief Operations Office
- JetBlue and Turkish Airlines Form Partnership
- Wizz Air celebrates its 8th anniversary
- Aéroports de Paris Group completes purchase of s
- The Dream Comes True For Boeing Pilots
- LOT selects Monarch for Dreamliner Maintenance
- Turkey: Israel violated north Cyprus airspace
- Republic Airlines to Operate 32 Q400s as United
- Air Pacific to rebrand as Fiji Airways
- HIAL airports report strong start to summer seas
- China Southern and Air Baltic, new LUG customers
- JetBlue and Turkish Airlines Form Partnership
- LOT selects Monarch for Dreamliner Maintenance
- Republic Airlines to Operate 32 Q400s as United
- Turkish Airlines Makes Maiden Flight to Kigali
- Empey seeks guarantee on Heathrow airline slots
- airBaltic Appoints a New Chief Operations Office
- Wizz Air celebrates its 8th anniversary
