Terror Plot or just a mistake?

[Amateur Turbines]

My fine organization flies the 737 ng all over North America and recently in Toronto a Swissport handler "accidentally" put Jet-A into the Potable water of 12 Aircraft (not just a little, he filled the tanks, as the rumor goes). Wondering if anyone has ever heard of something like this happening? I'm surprised that this did not make the news as 12 of our A/C were grounded for quite a long time.

[con-pilot]

I cannot see how that could have been done accidentally. But then again I have seen ground support personnel do some incredibly stupid things.

I would more suspect an act of sabotage by a disgruntled employee verus an act of terrorism. Either way, it will be a real pain to flush out all of the potable water systems on all the aircraft affected.

As for similar incidents, just recall how many piston powered aircraft have fueled with Jet A in the past.

[what next]

Hello!

Wondering if anyone has ever heard of something like this happening?

In 1971, a BAC 1-11 of Paninternational had an accident shortly after takeoff from Hamburg, Germany, because someone had filled the tanks for water injection with JET A1. So yes, it has happened before.

Happy landings, Max

[Dysag]

Yes, and because the design requirements didn't foresee anything so stupid, the 1-11 only had one tank for demineralised water. So they cooked both engines. I believe the 'landing' on the autobahn would have had a happier outcome if there weren't so many bridges to hit.

[safetypee]

Photos: Hawker Siddeley HS-748 Srs2A/225 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Emerald-Airways/Hawker-Siddeley-HS-748/0722625/L/)

[ray cosmic]

Indeed, how did he manage; don't you connect the potable water supply hose with a gardenhose type connector to the aircraft?

[olivermbs]

Hard to believe it was an accident, either way sounds like a total plumb :ugh:

[One Outsider]

It has happened more than once, when service vehicles are being fuelled, that the diesel went in the wrong tank.

Don't always attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence.

[JW411]

One night the new driver of the honey cart went to refuel and filled the wrong tank with diesel. He then serviced half a dozen toilets with diesel before anyone noticed.

[tickerdboo]

I heard about this chap, was he not appointed the new "Ramp Safety Manager" about a week after.

[Avman]

Yes, that's him. He's moved on since and is now Head of Aviation Security in the UK.