'Emirates plane forced back to Dubai' A Fishy Story
 

Emirates plane returns
by Rhys Jones
Arabian Business 17th April 2005


RETURN: Emirates plane forced back to Dubai
EMIRATES Airline is conducting an investigation into the dramatic recall of one of its planes, after reports of smoke in the passenger cabin forced the pilot to make an emergency landing in Dubai last week.

Flight EK087, which was bound for Zurich was called back to Dubai International Airport last Sunday (April 10) after reports of smoke came from the economy compartment. The Airbus plane had taken off less than half an hour prior to the recall order. Emirates claims the smoke came from condensation and vapour emanating from the cargo section of the plane.

“Yesterday, April 10, an Emirates Airline A340-300 (EK087) flight en-route to Zurich returned to Dubai after 20 minutes after reports of smoke in the passenger cabin,” said Mike Simon, senior vice president, corporate communications, Emirates Airline. “On arrival in Dubai a thorough investigation was made to the aircraft and it was ascertained the smoke and the smell was a result of condensation and water vapour coming from 800 kilos of fish packed in ice in the cargo hold,” he added.

However, David Learmont, the long time safety editor of Flight International magazine believes the reason for the pullback is debatable. “This is one of the strangest reasons I’ve ever heard for pulling a flight back,” he told Arabian Business. “If Emirates says the smoke was caused by the frozen fish then it should have smelt of fish and not caused as much alarm as it clearly did,” he added.

The plane, which was due for takeoff at 08:40 was later swapped for another aircraft which left three hours later. A team of experts immediately set to work on the recalled plane to try and find out what had happened.

“Our engineers are investigating the reason for this occurrence,” explained Emirates’ Simon. “We apologise for this inconvenience but our passengers safety is paramount for Emirates,” he added.

The airline denies it was a more serious technical problem that forced the plane to re-land in Dubai despite Learmont’s suspicions.

“I don’t see how condensation and water vapour, which both contain H20, can have a burning smell,” said Learmont. “I don’t think condensation can be mistaken for thick smoke, similar to that which would come from a serious fault with the engine,” he added.

The result of the Emirates investigation is expected this week.

Thank God for David Learmount.
He should get out of scaremongery and take up fish mongery.
Typical ex-spurt.... a has been and a drip under pressure.


Perhaps it was dry ice?

Condensation can cause cargo fire indications, we have had them with live frogs on one occasion and not infrequently on the 747F with a load of Duriens out of Thailand. We introduced special cabin pressurization procedures for climb if a Durian cargo was on board to avoid false cargo fire warnings.

Friend of mine, 744 Capt diverted due to Cargo Smoke detection - turned out to be "Steaming Fruit"

Recent flight as we shut down engines,call from rear cabin.
"Captain, there are strong fumes in the cabin"
Good CRM dictates visit into cabin to investigate as we have transit pax on board. Original info passed to us second hand by lebaneese senior so speak to philipino girl who reported it."Yes yes" she says " burning smell with smoke but now gone". "No,no says the bulgarian,more electrical smell but no smoke". "Are you sure?" asks the kenyan, "I thought more a rubber type smell" ."What did you smell?" I ask the Lebaneese steward. " Yes, it was just like the girls said...... only I didn't actually smell anything myself". "Ah, that explains it then.Thank you" I say to them as I wonder back to the flight deck,"you've all been most helpful"
96 nationalities..........god help us! :uhoh:

Or perhaps it should be....COD help us!
Sorry, i'll get battered for that I know!

Sorry, Slightly off topic.

Buttline,

That Captain isn't by chance a retired BA captain is it? And the diversion was to Santa Maria in marginal weather?

If so, I have met him once on my CRM course years ago. He told us the entire story of the diversion and the subsequent evacuation. He even had a video tape of the actual landing and evac. It was quite impressive to see 400 people actually get out of an aircraft in about a minute or so.