Smoke alarm on AF B-777 over Canada

[Rockhound]

Heard a report today on Canadian Broadcasting Corp radio that an Air France 777, en route from LAX to Paris, made an emergency landing at Churchill, Manitoba, after reporting smoke in the cockpit.
Anyone have further details?
Rockhound

[lubicon]

From the CBC:

Churchill's weather chilly, people warm: jet passengers

CHURCHILL, MAN. - Passengers and crew from an Air France flight got an unexpected tour of Manitoba Thursday night after their jet was forced to make an emergency landing in Churchill.

The Boeing 777, headed from Paris to Los Angeles, landed in the northern port city after smoke was detected in the cockpit. No one was hurt.


John Lampeth, who lives in Paris, wasn't expecting to have to bundle up for his trip. "We took blankets off of the plane, and they took pretty good care of us, I think," he says. "They were considerate of us. It's a very, very small airport.

"Churchill – I'd never even heard of it."

"We though we were heading for sun, and we were heading for the snow," says fellow passenger Oliver Faure. "But we've been very well received by the people there and finally we end up … somewhere … on the way."

Air Canada flew to Churchill and brought the 189 passengers and crew to Winnipeg for the night. They will continue their trip to sunny California on Friday.

[lubicon]

Sorry... This article has a little more info. From teh Edmonton Sun.

Air France flight lands in Churchill
Smoke reported on board

By SUN MEDIA

CHURCHILL, Man. -- An Air France flight from Paris to Los Angeles made an emergency landing in northern Manitoba yesterday after smoke was reported on board.

The Boeing 777, carrying 181 passengers, landed in Churchill without incident, said Peter Hildebrand of the Transportation Safety Board. Emergency crews and the local hospital had been alerted to be on standby before the plane touched down.

A pilot with Calm Air, who witnessed the landing, said it looked routine aside from the emergency crews standing by.

"They just came in and landed and parked on the runway," said Sveinn Arnbjornsson. "But that's a pretty big plane for Churchill."

The pilots realized something was amiss when warning messages sounded and they noticed the smoke.

"The pilot declared an emergency," said Susan McLennan of Transport Canada. "They reported smoke in the cockpit and landed safely at Churchill Airport shortly after 11 a.m."

Air France was forced to reroute its passengers to Winnipeg because there weren't sufficient hotel rooms available in Churchill, which is in the middle of high season for polar bear viewing and hunting.

An Air Canada 737 was chartered to take the passengers in two batches, one at 7 p.m. and the other four hours later.

Investigators with the Transportation Safety Board will go to Churchill today to inspect the aircraft.

[RUFISQUE]

I'm the F/O off this flight
first of all I want to thanks the BA crew who made the Mayday relay to Winnipeg radio
During this flight smoke and electrical fire appared at the base of CPT glareshield and during the emergency descent the glareshield
cracked twice from L/H coin to R/H coin
we used two fire bottles.
We landed on visual approach the ILS wasn't in the air.
Safe landing
two days for repair and we landed to LAX

[WhatsaLizad?]

All safe,
Good show,
Cheers!, ( from a 777 FO from the states who transversed similar airspace with a leaky CPT's window today.)


I hope you didn't tease the PB's

[slice]

What do you mean by leaky!?

I thought only the GA sh1teboxes I flew had leaky things!!!!:sad: :uhoh: :ugh:

[The Trappist]

All at the Orval gave thanks for a ‘happy landing’, from what could have been a very nasty situation.
A couple of questions were raised; what fire cover is available at Churchill? Is it suitable for a 777?

[RUFISQUE]

At Churchill airport Manitoba the fire cover isn't suitable for B777.
The traffic is only regional commuters... but the firemans have made a good job like all poeple working this day at this airport.
Runway was cover by ice and breaking action was 2,5 to 3...
with autobrake in Max position the plane stop in 1600m

[angels]

Speaking purely as a humble pax, this looks like a job well done by all concerned.

[TeaCup]

Jsut a little bit off topic, when you say leeky, do you mean the same thing as a leeky GA @#*% box? Like would the high pressure inside the cabin presurize any gaps and stop the water coming in?

[T_richard]

I'm with Angels, awesome job guys. I don't know what 2.5 to 3 means in braking but it soesn't sound good.

Sounds like there was a good size fire, something cracked and you didn't have a instrument system to aid in landing. My buddy just got off a 777 said it's Huge. Landing that beast must be "interesting" in the best of circumstances. Again, thanks from an occasional passenger

[M.Mouse]

Always amazes me how many electrical fires occur on aeroplanes.

Regarding the question on the level of fire cover available. I would suggest that that is a (relatively) minor consideration in the circumstances.

The first priority has to be getting on the ground quickly. If necessary the aircraft can be evacuated and then burn out but people will be safe. The alternative is to divert further to better fire cover and die in the process.

No wholly right answer for every situation but well done to all involved, must have been very unpleasant.

[alaister]

One thing that intrigues me is how do you get the aircraft out if the airport is only for regional traffic? - do you reduce the full load/freight and ferry the aircraft to a larger airport to reload, or can the 777 do a full-power departurer from Churchill?

Thanks

Al

[DrSyn]

alaister, Churchill has a good long runway (9000'+), and quite wide, as I recall. The reason that it is not usually equipped for large aircraft is simply due to lack of demand in a fairly remote, but beautiful area. However it is the best piece of concrete for a great number of miles around and I agree with the Mouse.

Fire or smoke on board is about the worst scenario for an airman and I am sure that RUFISQUE and his Capt did a splendid job. Better still, no "Screaming Passenger" headlines in the tabloids. Bravo, mes amis!

Just doing a trawl and found a couple of nice pics (20 Oct 02) from this incident, with a few more details. Click here (http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?placesearch=Churchill%20-%20CYYQ&distinct_entry=true) and page down about half way.

[WhatsaLizad?]

Teacup and Slice,

What I meant by "leaky" ,was that apparently there was a very slight defect in the seal on one of the main cockpit windows that can be opened. (unpressurized of course).

The result was an annoying whistle sound but no effect on pressurization. Very unusual occurence for me on the late model Boeings, more common on things like the 727 generation, especially on the entry doors.

[TeaCup]

Thanks Lizard.

And a hats off to the crew.

teacup

[av8boy]

Well... now that I've found time to check the database, I see that the question's already been answered!

However, simply because I DID look it up:

Churchill/CYYQ
Runway 25/7 Gravel 4000' x 100'
Runway 33/15 Asphalt 9200' x 160'
Elevation is 94.
Recent METAR says 29023G31KT 15SM BKN023 OVC074 M00/M06 A3004 .

Crosswinds? From time to time. Density altitude issues? Probably not today...

Dave