Chinese A319 inflight fire ?

[readywhenreaching]

today I´ve heard a story through the grapevine, but from accurate origin, that an unknown chinese A319 suffered an inflight fire on a domestic flight sometime last week.
Fire erupted in underbelly. Reportedly, the crew were forced to use the crash axe to gain access to the fire after hacking a hole in the floor. :eek:

Emr landing was sucessful in a chinese provincial city, which name I regretably forgot.

not surprisingly, chinese media did not report about this incident.
EADS repair kit is underway, but fire damage is considered substantial at least...

maybe some folks out there can shed a light into this amazing story...

readywhen

[Slats One]

This one needs careful approach..

The fly by wire controls- (and cables on a/c thus equipped) are routed under the floor, I doubt random hacking at the floor is allowed- could lead to loss of control...once you have hacked up the systems. Oh then there are the hydraulic and electric drives etc

And yes, some signalling paths run through the ceiling, but chopping up the floor? I am sceptical. Anyone else agree?

[Jet Fuel Addict]

Cargo fire detection? Cargo fire extinguishers? Surely they must have those!!!

[sevenstrokeroll]

I can't buy this story. IF I were the pilot of any airplane in this class, hacking through the floor would not be as important as getting on the ground...even in an off airport landing.

NOW, believe it or not, sometimes baby chickens are part of the cargo...when they PASS GAS (fart to you ) the gas can confuse the fire/smoke detectors and give a warning of fire.

SO...let's get more info to be sure.

BUT, you never know...and always KNOW what your cargo is.

[Tediek]

Nice bed time story but I really struggle with this. How would you know where to start chopping up the floor in a specific sector:ugh:. I would rather put the plane down in a field..

[sleeper]

This sounds like a bad moviescript.
Cargo fire, maybe.
Hacking through cabinfloor in flight. Don't think so.

[bArt2]

Was it a real A319 or an imitation "Made in China" :E

[Load Toad]

Chinese media and Chinese web boards whilst controlled would not have reason to not report - or gossip respectively - about such an incident. In the past when there have been such incidents in China they do get reported. If the 'plane landed OK the story would have been about how well the crew handled the crisis and bravely saved lives - for instance.
I don't buy the story.

[readywhenreaching]

Was it a real A319 or an imitation "Made in China"
as long as no "chinese" A319s rolled off the production line it must be a germany assembled aircraft.
IIRC, the aircraft in question was a "high altitude" modified one for operations to Lhasa (13136 ft elev.)

I understand your concerns towards that story, but my source is rather trustworthy. You may take into consideration that not all mishaps are leaking into publicity, even with a lucky outcome.
I will try to post more on that strange issue soon...

best regards
readywhen

[vapilot2004]

I too find this story hard to believe.

Sevenstrokeroll's comment on the chickie birds in the hold got my attention. On flights in and around Djibouti, livestock rides topside with the human cargo. :}

[Robert Campbell]

Flying Tigers and other carriers in China and the Far East had to scrap a number of DC-3s, 4s, C-46s and other AC after WWll because of rotted bellies caused by carrying livestock.

The Chinese also had a habit of lighting cooking fires in the cabins... still happening?

Ernie Gann and others wrote about this.

[Load Toad]

Yes on most flights in China people board with all their livestock and they always cook up a pot of congee on the fold down tray table after first building a small fire from kindling and sticks that they hide in their ethnic headgear. It is not uncommon for us to slaughter a families first born goat under a new moon - but in business class in an attempt to please the gods and guarantee a safe flight.
On landing we are all so happy we usually offer the pilot the choice of our cattle and we do a merry dance before nipping out to buy fake Rolex watches and tiger penis nasal balm.

[Nashers]

The Chinese also had a habit of lighting cooking fires in the cabins... still happening?


i cant believe how naive some people are. and then americans ask why people dont respect them....

reminds me of this link i saw on youtube a while back...

YouTube - Americans are NOT stupid - WITH SUBTITLES (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJuNgBkloFE)

back to topic, i dont think any airlines SOP's and checklists will allow crew to take a crash axe out and cut through the floor. i would have thought that they would use access pannels in the floor...

[Robert Campbell]

The image you paint doesn't fit the image of 60+ people and their livestock crowding into C-47s and C-46s as Mao and his forces were advancing.

You never know, though, the way things are going in the world, it may become the norm again.

I'd suggest laying a water (piss) proof barrier under the nice carpet, though. It will save the wires (used to be cables) to the control surfaces. Then there might be a market for some of these parked aircraft.

[Robert Campbell]

Nashers! It was a joke. Although it did happen. Talk to an old China hand who flew for Tigers or CNA.

[purple head]

I’m not sure but I think fire extinguishers don’t work if not help almost up right, so cutting a hole in the floor would only let smoke into the cabin, unless the poured bottled drinks into the hole??????????? Not heard anything about this in China, so I guess cant be true.

[readywhenreaching]

a bit more revealed...happened on June 23rd, CES A319

check
JACDEC - News - June 2008 (http://www.jacdec.de/news/months/08_06.htm)

No indication of what have caused the fire.

best
readywhen

[Pugilistic Animus]

No indication of what have caused the fire.

probably over-priming:}


seriously---I can't find the report on the 'JADEC' sight---Lots of interesting stuff otherwise tho

Regarding people's casting aspersions toward the Chinese aircrew:(
--I'm sure the crew handled the situation with utmost professionalism---we shouldn't stereotype--I know a very good Chinese CFI IGI/AGI---He has a thick accent and all--but he knows full well how to teach people to stay out of court and the mountains at the same time--and NO ONE gets caught up on his accent---as I am multi ethic/multi racial--I'm gonna have Son Ron y platanos--with mi Collard greens and kale and pig feet---while eating some {Goud} roti and curry goat Brautworst...and Scottish whiskey---lets not forget some good succotash---with a NYC hot dog and sushi or sashimi [no I'm not part Asian/japanese-- I'm born in NY:ok: --mientras escucho a mi Ana Gabriel:=


Lester:E

[RAF_Techie101]

On landing in rainy conditions, the 737 began to ground-loop off the left side of the runway coming to rest partially on the grass. The left main gear dug in and the left engine apparently contacted the ground. All on board escaped uninjured. Aquaplaning is suspected as possible cause. The main runway at Durban Auirport is 2.440 meters in lengh.

No wonder it had trouble stopping.........:E

[Globaliser]

As it is a German website, 2.440 metres = 2,4 kilometres. No problem there.

[Buzz Control]

Hope this helps:

A China Eastern Airlines Airbus A319-100, registration B-6167 performing flight MU2261 from Chongging to Wenzhou (China) with 108 passengers and 9 crew, declared emergency because of a fire on board and diverted to Changsa.

5 minutes after the first emergency call Air Traffic Control raised a full alert with fire and medical services, which dispatched more than 20 vehicles and 80 personnel, amongst them casualty clearing stations, which were on scene and ready 5 minutes after the alert.

The airplane landed 25 minutes after the first emergency call at noon local time and was immediately evacuated, while fire engines extinguished a fire in the aft cargo hold. No injuries were reported, but the airplane sustained significant damage.

The passengers continued their journey together with their luggage, that remained without damage in other cargo compartments, later the day.

As a result of the fire the Chinese Aviation Authority ordered the inspection of all on-board oxygen generators for passenger supply and related equipment as well as the inspection of crew oxygen bottles on June 24th on the entire Chinese A319 fleet to be completed by July 5th. During the inspection one oxygen leak in a bend from a crew oxygen bottle was discovered, all other airplanes passed the inspection without a fault.

[wrenchbender]

"As a result of the fire the Chinese Aviation Authority ordered the inspection of all on-board oxygen generators for passenger supply and related equipment as well as the inspection of crew oxygen bottles"

Why? No O2 system components near the aft cargo compartment...

[ceedee]

"As a result of the fire the Chinese Aviation Authority ordered the inspection of all on-board oxygen generators for passenger supply and related equipment as well as the inspection of crew oxygen bottles"
Why? No O2 system components near the aft cargo compartment...

Perhaps during the incident, a problem was found with the equipment intended to supply O2 to crew/passengers and so checks were ordered on all the fleet?

[MrMachfivepointfive]

Load Toad: If I have to go to work in diapers its your fault! I can't stop pissing myself. Chinese are not supposed to have a sense of humour, understand??:E:E