LH engineer seriously injured at MAN 13th Nov
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Had a tyre burst on a helicopter many years ago. One crew member had just been sitting on it, when someone noticed a bulge forming under his left knee on the tyre. A very rapid acrobatic manoeuvre kept him from bruising (or losing!) his wotsits. Massive bang, but luckily no other damage. Sympathy to ground mechanic injured.
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Investigators awaiting an interview..
MEN - Original article can be found here: Plane engineer maimed in blast - News - Manchester Evening News
AN aircraft engineer lost part of a hand and part of a foot in a horrific explosion at Manchester Airport.
The Lufthansa engineer was carrying out an inspection of a 50-seater CRJ200 City Line plane at Terminal 1 when it is believed a tyre may have blown.
It is understood he also suffered slight face injuries and was treated by airport paramedics before being taken to Wythenshawe Hospital.
No aircraft was delayed or cancelled as a result of the accident and the airport remained fully operational throughout.
A Lufthansa spokesman said: "We can confirm a Lufthansa City Line engineer was seriously injured at Manchester Airport while working on an aircraft parked at a remote stand.
"We understand a loud bang was heard around the aircraft. The emergency services were called and the engineer was treated on site before being taken to hospital for further treatment.
"Lufthansa is working closely with the relevant authorities to establish the cause of the accident."
The aircraft flew in on Wednesday from Hamburg and was subsequently grounded following `technical issues'.
The spokesman added: "A Lufthansa City Line engineer was flown in from Germany to inspect the aircraft and make the necessary repairs to allow the aircraft to be flown back to Hamburg without passengers for a full repair."
Lufthansa City Line is a subsidiary of Lufthansa German Airlines and part of the Lufthansa Regional group of airlines.
The man was working alone and investigators were waiting to interview him to establish exactly what happened.
AN aircraft engineer lost part of a hand and part of a foot in a horrific explosion at Manchester Airport.
The Lufthansa engineer was carrying out an inspection of a 50-seater CRJ200 City Line plane at Terminal 1 when it is believed a tyre may have blown.
It is understood he also suffered slight face injuries and was treated by airport paramedics before being taken to Wythenshawe Hospital.
No aircraft was delayed or cancelled as a result of the accident and the airport remained fully operational throughout.
A Lufthansa spokesman said: "We can confirm a Lufthansa City Line engineer was seriously injured at Manchester Airport while working on an aircraft parked at a remote stand.
"We understand a loud bang was heard around the aircraft. The emergency services were called and the engineer was treated on site before being taken to hospital for further treatment.
"Lufthansa is working closely with the relevant authorities to establish the cause of the accident."
The aircraft flew in on Wednesday from Hamburg and was subsequently grounded following `technical issues'.
The spokesman added: "A Lufthansa City Line engineer was flown in from Germany to inspect the aircraft and make the necessary repairs to allow the aircraft to be flown back to Hamburg without passengers for a full repair."
Lufthansa City Line is a subsidiary of Lufthansa German Airlines and part of the Lufthansa Regional group of airlines.
The man was working alone and investigators were waiting to interview him to establish exactly what happened.
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Tyres and walkaround
Horrified to hear the news; just wanted to clarify some info received many moons ago - 'during walkround, only ever approach the tyres from a fore/aft direction - never from the sides'. Just wanted to check that this is correct. Advice given to minimise self-damage if a tyre blew during walkround. Have I got this bit of wisdom correct? Have been meaning to ask but this thread brought it to the fore.
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'during walkround, only ever approach the tyres from a fore/aft direction - never from the sides'.
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Yes, it is normally not the tyre itself, that blows, but the metal rim (which is made up out of two halves, which are bolted together, with an O-ring between the halves), and the pieces will fly away sideways.
If the wheel rim tie bolts get damaged tdue to some reason, the only thing holding the two halves together will be the axle nut.
If the wheel rim tie bolts get damaged tdue to some reason, the only thing holding the two halves together will be the axle nut.
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Well, it is correct that you should only approach a tyre from the front or rear, and not from the side. However, this applies mainly to maintenance (where I used to work in the military) - in case of a brake overheat, a suspected damaged wheel, locked brake, rejected T/O, etc.
As a pilot, when you do the walk-around, you usually have no other choice because some items to be checked (bolts, brake-assembly, pressure-transmitters, visible damage) will require you to walk around each bogie.
As a pilot, when you do the walk-around, you usually have no other choice because some items to be checked (bolts, brake-assembly, pressure-transmitters, visible damage) will require you to walk around each bogie.
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Approaching wheels from front or rear is accepted practice which should be adhered to - especially on turnarounds where there is a risk of hot brakes.It might save you from tyre burst fragments and also from fusible overheat plugs blowing.
Hope the guy recovers and gets some compensation.
If you wan't to see what happens to overheated wheels and brakes look at this on youtube. .Airbus A340-600 Rejected Take-Off test (subtitles)
I know this is extreme, but if we have hot brakes after landing I always leave the walkround for about 20 mins or so to be sure it's safe.
We had a smoking brake at Leipzig a couple of months ago on an A300. The fire services brought a fan to cool it down, but the guy got quite close to the wheel. His boss got him to move away.
After 40 years in aviation, some of the things I see on the ramp still scare me! It's the most dangerous place in civil aviation!
Safe flying and maintaining.
If you wan't to see what happens to overheated wheels and brakes look at this on youtube. .Airbus A340-600 Rejected Take-Off test (subtitles)
I know this is extreme, but if we have hot brakes after landing I always leave the walkround for about 20 mins or so to be sure it's safe.
We had a smoking brake at Leipzig a couple of months ago on an A300. The fire services brought a fan to cool it down, but the guy got quite close to the wheel. His boss got him to move away.
After 40 years in aviation, some of the things I see on the ramp still scare me! It's the most dangerous place in civil aviation!
Safe flying and maintaining.
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Mere speculation -
There is the possibility that the cylinder was labeled N2, but was actually charged with O2. We had the reverse happen in a nursing home nearby, about 8 years ago, and several patients suffocated.
Very sad.
There is the possibility that the cylinder was labeled N2, but was actually charged with O2. We had the reverse happen in a nursing home nearby, about 8 years ago, and several patients suffocated.
Very sad.
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Mere speculation -
There is the possibility that the cylinder was labeled N2, but was actually charged with O2. We had the reverse happen in a nursing home nearby, about 8 years ago, and several patients suffocated.
Very sad.
There is the possibility that the cylinder was labeled N2, but was actually charged with O2. We had the reverse happen in a nursing home nearby, about 8 years ago, and several patients suffocated.
Very sad.
( And yes, I know about the Qantas incident)
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Oxygen and Nitrogen are both right hand threads,(3/8BSP) you normally use left hand threads for fuel gas only (in an industrial application anyway, not sure about medical) An Oxy free Nitrogen cylinder is grey with a black top and white spot in the black, where as a Oxygen cylinder is Black with a white neck.
You shouldnt check cylinders by their colour anyway (it is just there as a guide) cylinders are ALWAYS identified by thier label. Cylinders are normally filled to either 230 or 300 bar depending on the supplier.
You shouldnt check cylinders by their colour anyway (it is just there as a guide) cylinders are ALWAYS identified by thier label. Cylinders are normally filled to either 230 or 300 bar depending on the supplier.
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IIRC, Medical-gas cylinders have a square-section valve -body, with the outlet on the side....there are blind holes drilled near the outlet......the take-off connector clamps around the square-section but it's mating face will not seat, unless it has it's protruding pegs aligned correctly with the corresponding holes in the cylinder-valve. It needs determined abuse and modification to mate the wrong cylinder/manifold combination and get anything approaching a gas-tight joint.
Industrial cylinders often have different seating arrangements to foil wrongful connection...IE..."pub" CO2 cyl's have flat-face valve and a washer to seal.
others have bare-metal "cone" seals.....unfortunately, there are more gases than connector combinations . There is no easy answer, though the "medical" indexed peg-socket system seems pretty foolproof.
Industrial cylinders often have different seating arrangements to foil wrongful connection...IE..."pub" CO2 cyl's have flat-face valve and a washer to seal.
others have bare-metal "cone" seals.....unfortunately, there are more gases than connector combinations . There is no easy answer, though the "medical" indexed peg-socket system seems pretty foolproof.
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Very nasty, I wish the engineer well.
Obviously we don't know the circumstances of this accident, but it serves to remind us all of the dangers when working with aircraft wheels.
My employer now supplies all its wheels fully inflated, in order to save a few minutes during a wheel change! An insane policy in my view that puts engineers, stores personnel & shippers at unnecessary risk.
Obviously we don't know the circumstances of this accident, but it serves to remind us all of the dangers when working with aircraft wheels.
My employer now supplies all its wheels fully inflated, in order to save a few minutes during a wheel change! An insane policy in my view that puts engineers, stores personnel & shippers at unnecessary risk.
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Mere speculation ?
Barit1
If anyone is speculating then it's you! I could go one better and speculate that the cylinder was filled with acetylene but I wouldn't want to suggest anything as ridiculous as you have.
A probable cause was that the cylinder regulator was set to high pressure normally used for the inflation of hydraulic accumulators and U/C oleo's (1800 psi or so). Such a small tyre as on the A/C involved would inflate to rupture point within a few seconds at this regulator pressure. I have never in my career heard of an incident like this that wasn't caused by anything but unfamiliarity by the operator with the equipment being used. Get well soon to the guy involved!
Barit1
If anyone is speculating then it's you! I could go one better and speculate that the cylinder was filled with acetylene but I wouldn't want to suggest anything as ridiculous as you have.
A probable cause was that the cylinder regulator was set to high pressure normally used for the inflation of hydraulic accumulators and U/C oleo's (1800 psi or so). Such a small tyre as on the A/C involved would inflate to rupture point within a few seconds at this regulator pressure. I have never in my career heard of an incident like this that wasn't caused by anything but unfamiliarity by the operator with the equipment being used. Get well soon to the guy involved!
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L/H Threads
Back in my spannering days - which was a while ago - Nitrogen rigs/hoses had right hand threads while oxygen rigs/hoses had left hand threads. I am not sure whether this was a BA convention or a UK convention because I do not think this distinction applied to Europe (at the time anyway).
If this incident was not caused by a faulty wheel assembly it is more likely that the inflation tool was connected to a high pressure regulator rather than a low pressure regulator - assuming he was inflating the tyre.
If this incident was not caused by a faulty wheel assembly it is more likely that the inflation tool was connected to a high pressure regulator rather than a low pressure regulator - assuming he was inflating the tyre.
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Back in my spannering days - which was a while ago - Nitrogen rigs/hoses had right hand threads while oxygen rigs/hoses had left hand threads. I am not sure whether this was a BA convention or a UK convention because I do not think this distinction applied to Europe (at the time anyway).
Flammable gases (with the exception of acetylene because of it's special dangers), like hydrogen or propane use lefthand male 3/4" threads.
Acetylene uses a clamp connection similar (but not the same) as UK medical cylinders.
Non-flammable gases use righthand 3/4" male threads, but oxygen uses righthand 5/8" male threads, while compressed air (e.g. for scuba equipment) uses righthand 5/8" female threads, so it is impossible unintentionally to e.g. hook up a nitrogen cylinder to an oxygen rig.
(all threads as seen on the cylinder valve).
I also assume that the engineer used a high pressure gauge to fill the tyre, instead of a low pressure one.
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GAZIN you can get this policy overturned. It is simply dangerous. I had a scare in a wheel shop a few years ago when unloading a 727 wheel from a truck. It bounced high in the air when we manhandled it onto the ground and we realised that it was still full pressure (180psi) It had good tread on the tyre and we wondered why it had been sent in. I checked one side, then the other, and found a twelve-inch section of rim had cracked off. 
We didn't used to check wheels on arrival at the shop for transport pressure (35psi) but after that, they were checked before getting them off the wagon.
Let your QA department know about this practice and get it stopped. Your NAA will back you on this.
We didn't used to check wheels on arrival at the shop for transport pressure (35psi) but after that, they were checked before getting them off the wagon.Let your QA department know about this practice and get it stopped. Your NAA will back you on this.
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spannerhead - I should have made it more clear that the speculation was indeed mine. Sorry for the confusion.
But whether it applies in the present case or not, the N2 vs O2 mixup HAS happened in the past, with tragic results.
But whether it applies in the present case or not, the N2 vs O2 mixup HAS happened in the past, with tragic results.
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In the UK both Oxygen and Nitrogen have the same right hand thread (as do all non flammable industrial gasses such as Argon etc) Its perfectly possible to use a Oxygen regulator on a Nitrogen cylinder and visa versa. Im not aware that OFN and Oxygen used in avation (with the exception of medical) is any different to standard industrial cylinders (although I stand to be corrected).
Acetylene in the UK uses a left hand thread, it only becomes dangerous when the cylinder is heated or suffers a significant impact.
Acetylene in the UK uses a left hand thread, it only becomes dangerous when the cylinder is heated or suffers a significant impact.
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My employer now supplies all its wheels fully inflated, in order to save a few minutes during a wheel change! An insane policy in my view that puts engineers, stores personnel & shippers at unnecessary risk.
It took ages until the companywould buy us a screw-on filler adapter, which didn't need to be pressed against the valve by a mech standing right beside the wheel. Still no safety cage yet.