BA 747-400 diverts into Bali
 

BA012 from Singapore has diverted into Bali with smoke in the cabin.Engineers have been sent out to investigate the problem.

pure speculation here but this sounds like a recirc fan bearing failure in c zone ceiling. unfortunatly its not that uncommen.

Are you sure? The BA012 is Singapore to London. Bali is a very long way south of the track from Singapore to London.

Edit; I believe that it was the BA009, BKK to SYD that diverted to DPS.

Airclues

It was the BA9 enroute to SYD from BKK; the BA12 SIN-SYD is operated by a 777 at the moment.
Apparently it was smoke on the flight deck, from the Capts air vent.
Could not have been much fun diverting to DPS (Bali) at night wearing O2 masks.
Engineers are still scratching their heads. Have to dismantle the LH side of the flight deck to get access to check for source.
All the pax delivered safely to SYD today on another BA744…… I will be home 5 days late though!! :)

As well as O2 masks we were on HF as well with Brisbane!

Was the BA 009,and was not re-circ fans, apparantly they have been checked !

Sweaty in Bali .

Pretty sure the BA11/12 only goes as far as SIN these days, the 15/16 goes onto SYD and that has been a 777 lately.

Not a plane spotter rego collector by the way, I'm just used to jostling for levels all the way to Asia with the lads!

Re: BA 747-400 diverts into Bali
 

I was in the air close to Bali.
BA9 was talking to another traffic on guard trying to get a relay and Bali frequency.
Request to Ujung (Indonesia) control:
Ujung, relay for Speedbird 9. Speedbird 9 declares Mayday and return to Bali.
Request Bali frequency.
Ujung control:
Roger, tell them to contact Brisbane on HF...
It took couple of transmissions to explain Ujung a Mayday call..
I thought to myself: it's going to be a long night for the boys.
I am glad BA9 made it safe back to Bali.

Hi all glad you got down OK I was Relaying for BA009 kept a listening watch until you boys touched down.Usual performance from Ujung control, even Bali had been informed by Brisi HF about the situation!! but still didn't appear to no about it, but it all ended OK. Enjoy Bali Boys. Brunei 67:D

TL you are 100% correct :D , was not function on all cylinders after my Bali Hi jaunt to get the stranded punters. OK now after some cow and grape in Manly.
;)

ndbdme airylad
 

Thank you for help guys was me on radio on ba 9

cheers

Leggit & NDBDME,
So how bad was Ujung Radio that night then?

pk-kar

Paddy: Mate, this is a Rumour network, not a bollocks network. Where did you get yours from.
Brunei67: My thanks also for your timely assistance on a particularly ****ty night over the Timor sea. (Scary Julie would have thanked you in a much better way than I ever could, don't you think Leggit!!!!)

Scary Julie!!
 

My pleasure Gents. Tell Scary Julie I am looking forward to her Thankyou:)
Brunei 67

Brunei 67: the boys have beaten me to it, but a belated thanks for all your help - that was a long 45 minutes for us!
Hope you get a chance to be thanked properly by Scary Julie!!
Safe flying

It was Ba009,after a thourough investigation looks like it was the upper right recirc fan.It was found to have some fans broken with black marks on the air intake.Aircraft now serviceable.

i thank you (check out the second post in this thread). thats gotta be one of the longest range diagnostics ever, cardiff to bali. still prove that us lot down at bamc know what we're talking about.

coincidentily, we just started (this morning) fitting the recirc fans with killswitches attached to vibration moniters. should stop the affore mentioned problems

Just out of interest, is this the normal indication of bearing failure, or does it suggest that the fan has ingested something?

ingestion of anything is unlikely due to the filters in the system. this kind of problem usually arises as the bearings start to wear causeing a vibration and in some instances contact with the fan caseing (causeing blade damage). this isnt just a problem on the 744 as there have been few 777 diverts due to smoke in the cabin traced to this fault.

Happened once when I was pax on United 747-400 from Sydney to SFO, a few years ago. Woke up in total darkness, to find a few crew members and a couple of travelling firemen crawling all over the place with torches.

Unfortunately we were mid pacific at the time, so I would guess that there were no closely available diversions, eventually they found the fault, as described on this incident, and we continued to destination. Scary half hour contemplating what an interesting choice the captain must have if smoke source could not be found. Continue until unflyable (Swissair) ? or night ditching in the Pacific ? Captain sounded a lot cooler than I felt on his PA's though. :D