I thought that the 1985 Manchester 737 disaster had provided the global aerospace community with the following clear main lessons:
1. When a fire is detected (or even 'reasonably assumed'),
2. The pilots have to:
2.1 stop the plane as fast as they can, right where they are, so NO turning off the runway and certainly NO taxiing,
2.2 have to take into account the wind direction on the ground in deciding the heading at that stop !!
2.3 mayday,
3. Immediately prepare for and order the evacuation,
4. ...
Later 'airborne fire' related accidents have added:
1. Take all actions required to land at the nearest airport, even consider 'any reasonable' airport instead of back to the origin or planned alternate, even if that has less fire fighting equipment and services,
2. Go to the list above on landing,
This both for inside and outside fires.
The Saudi and cargo plane cases can be used for example to check the items above.
Based on this I just don't understand why they did not immediately evacuate. And think they were all very very very lucky.
Important question is - did they take the wind direction into account. Or was this just plain luck too. Losing just one window or a small hole in the fuselage ... Read the Manchester report for example.
Last edited by A0283; 30th Jun 2016 at 13:09.