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LATAM B773 complete electrical failure?

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LATAM B773 complete electrical failure?

Old 20th Dec 2018, 17:01
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LATAM B773 complete electrical failure?

Incident: LATAM B773 near Belo Horizonte on Dec 20th 2018, electrical failures

Surprised this isn't a hot topic - I must not understand the situation correctly.
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Old 20th Dec 2018, 19:22
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CESSNA MODE

Looks like they reverted to basic Night VFR Cessna mode. Put the gear and flaps down, and plopped it onto a suitable runway. Everyone OK and aircraft reusable.
Good Job!
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Old 21st Dec 2018, 00:37
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I’m surprised too. Or not...

...maybe a complete electrical failure is something that happen very often on a modern widebody like the 777-300 ER... People are not very excited about it. After all it wasn’t a BA or Qantas 777

Surprised this isn't a hot topic - I must not understand the situation correctly.[/QUOTE]

Last edited by fullforward; 22nd Dec 2018 at 17:55.
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Old 21st Dec 2018, 00:58
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ipad arrival anyone?
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Old 21st Dec 2018, 04:31
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Originally Posted by fullforward
Surprised this isn't a hot topic - I must not understand the situation correctly.
Have to say it surprises me too. I'd be interested to hear from some 777 experienced people what they think could have happened which would render both engine generators as well as APU unavailable. By the looks of it they were on stand by electrics including the RAT generator. Obviously it was enough to land the plane but no easy feat most probably.
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Old 21st Dec 2018, 06:26
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AV Herald report on B777-300ER diversion

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Old 21st Dec 2018, 06:41
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Looks like the ATC comms got patched by mistake onto the PA and went out in the cabin, hence the pax knew that they were in deep Doodoo.

Either way an outstanding bit of airmanship from these guys. If this had happened mid Atlantic then we’d be looking at another MH370, no?

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Old 21st Dec 2018, 07:24
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Azul Linhas Aereas ATR-72-212A registrations PR-AKJ and PR-AKD have been dispatched to take about 7 tons of equipment, including the needed hydraulic jack and replacement tyres, to Belo Horizonte.
Might need a couple of new harnesses / looms too.

The MH370 people will, no doubt, be looking at this with deep interest.
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Old 21st Dec 2018, 08:37
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"The MH370 people will, no doubt, be looking at this with deep interest."

Key Operative line is that the captain kept communicating with ATC on the one remaining radio.....
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Old 21st Dec 2018, 10:07
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The other issue is how it was reported here in Brazil, a company spokesman / very senior manager / exec said (I'll find the original quote in Portuguese later, so translating from memory)

"I have spoken to the cabin crew of this flight, one member told me that this was a miracle and without faith and God, we would all certainly be dead"

A very interesting stance for the company to take.

By interesting... I think I mean "ridiculous". What are people's thoughts on this?
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Old 21st Dec 2018, 13:37
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Originally Posted by reverserunlocked
Looks like the ATC comms got patched by mistake onto the PA and went out in the cabin, hence the pax knew that they were in deep Doodoo.

Either way an outstanding bit of airmanship from these guys. If this had happened mid Atlantic then we’d be looking at another MH370, no?

Not even remotely like MH370.
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Old 21st Dec 2018, 16:24
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It certainly will be interesting to know what electrics they had left and what caused this. Aircraft like this have considerable levels of automatic electrical fault isolation and huge redundancy that only multiple failures can cripple. However, as some of us appreciate, when **** happens....
Good to see a safe landing!
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Old 21st Dec 2018, 18:27
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This is doing the rounds already in Brazil... Whatever was wrong, was no small thing
Attached Files
File Type: pdf
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Old 21st Dec 2018, 18:57
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Originally Posted by JumpJumpJump
This is doing the rounds already in Brazil... Whatever was wrong, was no small thing
Impressive, the crew managed the airplane for at least 3 hours with 1 radio link and basic instrumentation, at night time.
A serious glitch indeed, wonder if the preceding faults had any connection to this.
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Old 21st Dec 2018, 19:29
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That pdf link from JumpJumpJump really is worth looking at.

Rob
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Old 21st Dec 2018, 20:35
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Talking

Originally Posted by JumpJumpJump
"I have spoken to the cabin crew of this flight, one member told me that this was a miracle and without faith and God, we would all certainly be dead"
Well, the dude talked to the best educated people (cabin crew) on the matter and referring to a captain / flight crew as "god" certainly is correct...
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Old 21st Dec 2018, 21:26
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It is indeed worth looking at ...
Looks like a freaking nightmare.
Well done guys !!!

Last edited by zerograv; 21st Dec 2018 at 21:35. Reason: remove email of Towers
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Old 21st Dec 2018, 21:46
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Agreed - this is beyond scary.
But after the recent posts lamenting the loss of traditional pilot skills, this is a wonderful testimony to a very competent crew.
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Old 21st Dec 2018, 23:05
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Like very many of the other comments regarding this incident, my opinion, is that it was a serious situation & was certainly very well handled by the Crew.
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Old 22nd Dec 2018, 11:04
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Update from AvHerald

Updated description of the electrical failures

On Dec 22nd 2018 The Aviation Herald learned that the electrical problems started with the failure of the right hand backup generator, as result both transfer and both converter circuit breakers popped leaving all electrical busses unpowered although left and right main generators as well as their generator controls, the APU and the left backup generator remained operative (see ELEC page below, the lines to the L MAIN and R MAIN should be green not white and these symbols should be green, too). As result almost all systems except a few connected to the standby busses lost power, only systems remaining powered are: stand by busses (powering one VHF radio) and emergency lighting, the left inboard and outboard and upper center displays as well as the left CDU remain also powered (according to FCOM via the batteries and/or RAT - with the RAT operating also the right hand - first officer's - displays are being powered).
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