View Full Version : Why did this pilot dump fuel?
A 747 from Sydney to LAX diverted to American Samoa recently due to a passenger suffering an apparent heart attack. (Physicians and crew pulled him through it.) The pilot said he had to dump fuel before landing. The plane was refueled and landed at LAX later.
Why did the pilot dump fuel? Was the plane too heavy to land, or is it for other safety reasons?
If a passenger dies on board, does the plane still need to divert, or does it continue to its destination?
The B747 maximum takeoff weight is approx 100,000 kgs heavier than the maximum certificated landing weight, the aircraft in question was probably above the maximum landing weight so dumped fuel, I guess that the urgency didnt dictate the need for an overweight landing.
Around here, if the passenger is dead, the flight will continue to the destination.
Mutt
KC-10 Driver
24th May 2005, 04:55
I've always said, "No one ever dies on an airplane -- especially mine."
The afflicted person can be declared deceased after being removed from the aircraft.
Hotel Mode
24th May 2005, 10:53
At typical weights for a sector that length, you'd need to fly for 6 hrs to get below max landing weight on the 744. If the situation was life threatening the 744 is certified for overweight landings, but theres lots of inspections needed. I would imagine they had some warning of the diversion as there arent many alternates in that part of the world so could dump fuel en-route as it were.