AA evacuates at LHR-smoke in the cabin

[skytrax]

Slide deployed at the stand. APU failure, apparently.

https://mobile.twitter.com/rosshiscock/status/747030881206951936/video/1

[Super VC-10]

American Airlines plane evacuated at Heathrow Airport | Metro News (http://metro.co.uk/2016/06/26/american-airlines-plane-evacuated-at-heathrow-airport-5967604/?ito=twitter)

[gatbusdriver]

I don't have all the facts........In fact I have no idea what happened as I wasn't there.........but I do look forward to the 15 page diagnosis of whether the Captain made the right decision or not.

I hand the thread over to the armchair critics (what was the weather at the time?)

[oleostrut]

Saw a pic of a firetruck tending to the APU area of the tail.

[PAXboy]

A spokeswoman for Heathrow Airport said a ‘technical issue’ was identified with the aircraft but the problem has now been resolved.Phew, that's lucky. :rolleyes:

[OldLurker]

I don't have all the facts........In fact I have no idea what happened as I wasn't there.........but I do look forward to the 15 page diagnosis of whether the Captain made the right decision or not.

I hand the thread over to the armchair critics (what was the weather at the time?)Since this incident happened at LHR, in due course the AAIB will give us all the details and a good analysis. No point posting here until then.

[Capot]

Interesting to study this event in the context of the SIA fire (see thread).......in both cases we have no reason whatsoever to question the crews' decisions, but they were very different......

[Wageslave]

in both cases we have no reason whatsoever to question the crews' decisions, but they were very different......

A wing is on fire from tip to root and no evac is ordered - and we "have no reason whatsoever to question the...decision"

This must rate as one of the most astonishing assertions of the month.

[ManaAdaSystem]

Quote:
in both cases we have no reason whatsoever to question the crews' decisions, but they were very different......
A wing is on fire from tip to root and no evac is ordered - and we "have no reason whatsoever to question the...decision"

This must rate as one of the most astonishing assertions of the month.

Indeed!
And the number one killer in fires is smoke. The AA evacuation was a good call.

[airpolice]

Gatbusdriver, I suspect that you are inferring the decision to evac down the slide was made by the captain.

ManaAdaSystem; Really, out to the source of the fire, not up the airbridge to safety, away from the fire like everyone else?

But hey, we weren't there, I guess that at the back of a queue of fur quits trying to unpack their overhead locker and collect their belongings, the slide might look very appealing.

[ManaAdaSystem]

ManaAdasSystem; Really, out to the source of the fire, not up the airbridge to safety, away from the fire like everyone else?

Up the airbridge is also a way to evacuate the passengers. I just made a comment on the decision to evacuate.

[Basil]

A wing is on fire from tip to root and no evac is ordered - and we "have no reason whatsoever to question the...decision"
Are you confusing this with the SIA incident?

[DaveReidUK]

A wing is on fire from tip to root and no evac is ordered - and we "have no reason whatsoever to question the...decision" Are you confusing this with the SIA incident?

No he isn't. As would have been clear if you had quoted him correctly:

in both cases we have no reason whatsoever to question the crews' decisions, but they were very different...... The OP is drawing parallels (whether valid or not) between the AAL and SIA incidents.

[gatbusdriver]

Sorry......I wasn't inferring anything. I just find that these days people like to second guess people's actions when they have little or no facts (see SIA thread). Funnily enough that has not happened here yet, although probably because the SIA is a much more impressive event.

[avionimc]

Saw a pic of a firetruck tending to the APU area of the tail. ...and smoke coming out from the back of the aircraft (APU).

Any reason why then, they evacuated from the far AFT exits near the tail?

[DaveReidUK]

Any reason why then, they evacuated from the far AFT exits near the tail?

The purpose of an evacuation is to get all the passengers off the aircraft as quickly and safely as possible.

Presumably it was judged that deploying the rear slides would help to achieve that by reducing the number of passengers who had to move through the aircraft to the forward entry door that was still attached to the jetty.

As it happened, only about a dozen pax left via the slides, but that doesn't necessarily mean it was a bad call.

[Capn Bloggs]

Presumably it was judged that deploying the...
Probably more like... FA looks through door hole (as per SOP?), no hazard sighted, out they go. Half way down the slide they look over their shoulder and see the smoke. :)

[Basil]

No he isn't. As would have been clear if you had quoted him correctly:

The OP is drawing parallels (whether valid or not) between the AAL and SIA incidents.
Ah, was that it?

[Jimmy Hoffa Rocks]

For those armchair critics questioning Captain decisions to evacuate or not in general.

Put your self in the Captains position, actually, try to learn and look at it either way, the Captain´s decision to evacuate or not, is the right one. Why so you ask ? Because the Captain was there and under the circumstances made the decision, not easy.

That taking into account an evacuation, some of people evacuated will end up in the hospital with injuries.

Remember that an accident investigator would not dare to unsubstantiated claims until after the investigation, and would not succumb to conjecture.

[Water pilot]

Tower reported flames out the back. All O.K.

Same airline, same unit? Give it some extra attention on your checks.

[Pakehaboy]

I would also reference sim and training procedures of AA,of which I am very familiar.....Its the Capts Call,.... Period!

[BugSmasher1960]

A wing is on fire from tip to root and no evac is ordered - and we "have no reason whatsoever to question the...decision"

This must rate as one of the most astonishing assertions of the month.

Would you have evacuated the SIA PAX knowing there was a reasonable possibility that by the time the last PAX deplaned they'd be deplaning into a pool of burning Jet A1 when you had the option of keeping them safe in the cabin whilst rescue services shortly delivered a mother load of foam on the fire?

I'd suggest that the decision was far from clear cut.

How easily could we have been reading a report like this:

"Accident investigators are calling into question the decision of the captain to initiate an evacuation after 15 passengers died and 47 other were treated in hospital for extensive 2nd and 3rd degree burns after fuel flowing under the aircraft ignited shortly after the evacuation commenced. Unevacuated passengers remaining onboard were uninjured as rescue fire services quickly brought the fire under control".

And yes - I'll be the first to say that the report could have read completely differently again. It's a judgement call - one that one needed all the facts at the time to be available to have the best chance of making it correctly. He was there - we weren't. Yes - it's a gamble to keep people onboard - but it's also a gamble to evacuate. We're really not in a position to say which gamble had the best chance of success because we don't have all the information.

My money is on the guy (a) not being stupid (based on the assumption that stupid people never make it as far as captaining a bird that size) and (b) making what he thought was the best decision at the time, with the information he had available.

[TURIN]

The AA55 at MAN returned to stand this afternoon after an APU fault appeared just before take off. I guess they are being very cautious.

[kaikohe76]

Despite my limited feelings towards US Airport Customs & Security Staff. Would you feel safer flying with AA or with SQ right now?

[Lonewolf_50]

Despite my limited feelings towards US Airport Customs & Security Staff. Would you feel safer flying with AA or with SQ right now?
kaikohe, is there no third choice?

[Pakehaboy]

Despite my limited feelings towards US Airport Customs & Security Staff. Would you feel safer flying with AA or with SQ right now?
Kaikohe bro.....a little harsh there mate!!! Jeeezzz,mate.......are we that bad (AA).. Let's not use one brush to paint all.Do you know how many flights a day we run???, more than most,hopefully I'm reading your post wrong.....Kapai

[underfire]

Less chance of flipping on its tail!

[kaikohe76]

Fair enough guys, there are other choices of course & no disrespect directed towards them. However, regarding recent posts here & elsewhere on Prune on the question of evacuations, I always thought, if things are rather dire in or about the aircraft, you got the pax & crew off PDQ, even if this might mean the odd sprained ankle etc. Difficult decision of course, but as we all know, the situation can turn very rapidly to custard. No axe to grind at all, safe flying to all.

[Pakehaboy]

Kaikohe,wholeheartedly agree it could turn to custard very quickly.The bottom line here I believe is in constant training of how and when to initiate an evacuation.Because of the delicate nature,size of A/C,number of pax,airport facilities etc etc and mostly,the issue at stake,whether it be APU,engine cabin or a variety of others,information becomes gold.Where I'm at,evac training is done every 9 months(not enough) under a variety of situations.I learn something everytime I make a cockup,but at least it is controlled and I can self evaluate my decision making.

I have come close on two occasions in declaring an evac,luckily both occasions were indication issues,and it never eventuated.But at least the crew were prepared and trained,and the mindset was in place.Very seldom do you get evacs 100% right,if you have read the post-flight evac from the crew,something was either missed,forgotten or just plain lost in translation.An example being the Hudson water landing,Paxs standing on wings,I don't remember seeing the wing exit ropes being anchored???,please correct me if I'm wrong.

Kaikohe mate,just look back a few years,and I'm not pointing fingers,or scape goating anyone here,but there have been several Asian carriers, (LLC types)no names mentioned,but video and eye witness reports (a mate and pilot on one of these flights)show the crew evacuating before the Passengers!!!!. Lovely!! At least where I'm at,we try to do it right,like so many others ......Kapai

[kaikohe76]

Pakehaboy

Appreciate your last post & thanks for your comments.
For me, it's quite some time since sitting at the sharp end & much in the aviation world has progressed since then. However basic airmanship I'm fairly sure will still prevail, as it must of course, for all our sakes.
The question of when & when not to evacuate, I suppose will still be discussed long after I'm garden compost & it will always be, dammed if you do & dammed if you don't, I would think. I was lucky enough never to be met by a really serious event during my time in the air, double air system failure on the 1-11 was interesting, but thankfully fairly strait forward to deal with, we descended fairly quickly I recall.
Cheers.