Apples and oranges. In the old days, most pilots had a couple engine failures or shut-downs every year.

Requote: 'Engineering has changed for the better since then....'. Trouble is, I'm not sure that not getting any real-time experience has done much for piloting skills.

I propose you read the preliminary report. Especially the "Airworthiness Group" part.
It was a faulty torque sensor signal line (a cracked solder joint) which caused the AFU to autofeather a perfectly running engine.

This is not a case of harking back to the good old days, nor should we be sidetracked by the need to quickly shut down in case the autofeather hasn't worked.
This is a clear case of failure to follow the correct sops, the FCOM and the correct shutdown procedure.

The report shows us what the screen would be like in the event of an engine failure of this sort. It tells you what to do, moving the power leaver to idle is item number 12 on that list. So even if you forgot the memory items, the aircraft reminds you!
It even tells you which leaver to move (1or2)
Whilst an engine failure is not run of the mill and your heart will be in your throat, with adequate training this should not be a major problem.
Training and rigorously applied basic standards.

Of note though the EWD screen shows white for Eng1, this is a non normal display and could be the reason why Capt A assumed Eng 1 was the problem. Not excusing just pointing out a possible physiological reason for his actions.

Although I point out the obvious failures, we should look at the reasons for them. Never assume you are immune from making the same mistake.

Dirty Prop;
Although Capt A had nearly 5000 total time only 250 odd was on this particular type!

Absolutely - never was a truer statement made!

...............OEB 29!

Well as we see from the report on BA, shutting down engines against procedure and without involving the FO isn't limited to Asian airlines, so maybe go easy on the 'cultural' aspects hey?

This should take you to the beginning of the AFU discussion. http://www.asc.gov.tw/upload/acd_att...ss.pdf#page=27

There is also this; http://www.asc.gov.tw/upload/acd_att...ns.pdf#page=30

Final Report - TransAsia GE235 Accident
 

The Final Report on this accident is out:

https://www.asc.gov.tw/upload/acd_at...6-001%20EN.pdf

Dangerous crew incompetence: Shutting down wrong engine. :{

Firefox is flagging that link as "untrusted"!

The wrong engine mistake was already known from the preliminary reports. What struck me when reading the findings summary was this:
:(

Regarding the untrusted link, try this instead: http://www.asc.gov.tw/upload/acd_att...6-001%20EN.pdf

Who signed him off? They are surely responsible?

They tried to restart the good left engine which had been wrongly shut down. This HP compressor had reach 50% when they crashed. With 10 more seconds they might have had enough power to save the flight.

GlueBall

I guess you have never sat in the back of a sim, or even sweated a drop while being checked while driving one in the knowledge that everything you had mentally rehearsed was going to happen?

I'll bet also that you didn't even read the entire report (which incidentally I thought was of a very high standard), did you?

Clearly you didn't get as far as page 112 because you had already determined, in your ever so simplistic thought process, that the pilots were incompetent. It seems though that there are many more of them (us) out there that do not own your piloting skill set.....

I'm no statistician, but excluding you perhaps 50% of us pprune readers might also have done it.

Deefer Dog, those stats are referring to accidents*. I think most of us with adequate training are comfortable that we would not be part of the accident group and therefore not part of the 50% who shut down the wrong engine.

*Statistics need to be read very carefully in order to make sense of them. The section is poorly worded and I am not sure if they are referring to accidents or PCM+ICR events (engine failure combined with incorrect crew response). Either way, it is not suggesting at all that 50% of pilots would make a similar error.

Shutting down the wrong engine in a multi-crew cockpit could lead one to consider slack training. It might be in an atmosphere of 'rushing' and surely would be in an atmosphere of 'not confirming'. The latter can be caused by a training culture. Some QRH's (memory & non-memory) require PM to "confirm" any control which shuts down an engine. There is, of course, a danger of lip-service to this procedure, but, again, that can be trained out in a strong culture. It does seem a staggering statistic and one which should be addressed to find 'out cause'. Mind you, 50% of 2 is 1, so just how many, here, does 50% represent? I admit to not yet having read the whole report.

deefer Dog - After engine failure, some rudder input becomes necessary in order to maintain flight path, directional control, heading. Most multiengine students during basic flight training have learned the elementary principle of "dead foot, dead engine." This concept is so instinctive that a good pilot does not need to look at engine instruments to determine which engine has lost power, or in the case of a four engined airplane, on which side the power loss had occured. So I stand by my comment that this crew, especially the PF, was incompetent in the elementary task of identifying the inoperative engine.

Well, if you have a torque runaway or overspeed of some sort, the GlueBall method will lead to shutting down the good engine [running normally] :=

avionimc - the "dead foot, dead engine" technique is an aid in IDENTIFYING an inoperative engine; the actual shutting down of an engine is a separate sequencial phase.

Glueball incompetent`s a bit heavy. Yes blame does lie with him for shutting down the wrong engine, but he was not alone in such an error, the chaps in the Kegworth crash did just the same and they had the comfort of time and altitude to realise their error, but did they, no they did not. By the very fact that it happened yet again the lessons of the Kegworth crash could not have been learned. Just have a look at the check list, nothing about dead leg anywhere on it. So the blame does not lie solely on the shoulders of the unfortunate crew. Most are taught on piston twins, lethal on single engine out on t/0, and the dead leg dead engine bit is drilled into them at that stage. But once they move onto the big and heavy machines they leave all that behind for the sophistication of automated systems. In this instance it was the AFU that was the first element in the causal chain. An essential piece of kit for a large turbo prop twin, without which it would require both legs of an Olympic wrestler to feather the great big paddles and keep the thing right way up. I just wonder for the ATR, as to where the AFU sits, on the DEL or MEL. I`d be surprised if it is on the deferred.

I was taught IDENTIFY>VERIFY>SECURE. In crewed operations, every one of these are CONFIRMED by both crewmembers out loud...

What I am having a hard time understanding is what the training captain was doing this entire time...it's almost like he treated it like a training session and kept his mouth shut.

TransAsia Airways to suspend operations: CAA | Economics | FOCUS TAIWAN - CNA ENGLISH NEWS

If you think safety is expensive, try having an accident.

More info here


TransAsia abruptly halts flights - Taipei Times

Yes too bad. Put near 2000 people out of work. Not only compensation paid, but govt sanctions to punish the airline after it's two accidents in two years (reduced flights, no new routes for a year, etc) plus 7 quarters of red ink finally forced them into suspension of operations. Next stop: liquidation of assets.

Formerly Taiwan's oldest airline (which had a previous 30 years of cessation of flight though). They stayed relevant through their catering and ground handling arms.

Seems a bit dodge... airlines gives 1 days notice and suspends all flights for a day... Continues to sell holidays and packages even when they have known they were going to suspend flight.. If you look into the finances, you'll find KMT central investments holding company produces about 15% of the shares in the airline...(previous government power)... with them no longer in power and struggling for money, you wonder where the finances in the airline have been redirected to... looks like there will be some spare A320/A321 and A330s for sale now...

TransAsia Airways to be dissolved | Society | FOCUS TAIWAN - CNA ENGLISH NEWS

TransAisa Airways will be desolved.

China Airlines to fly TransAsia routes - Taipei Times

Taiwan handles these things differently ! China Airlines to step in and take over the Trans Asia routes and honor the existing tickets. The Govt will freeze TRans Asia assets to pay for these flights as well as compensate employees.

In other news Ci and EVA looking to hire Trans Asia pilots. Maybe the mechanics, ground crew, flight attendants, etc can also apply.

Oh and the Chairman restricted from leaving the island and being investigated (along with other execs) for insider trading.

A good start. Now what about all their suppliers and other creditors. Strange that they only sold and leased back their ATR 600s last week in Dubai for example!!!

The CAAT and Taiwan in general is going to be assessed on how this is handled, and yes, I have a (6 figure) vested interest

Ouch! I am reading losses widened from 1.1 billion TWD last year to this year's so far 2.2 billion TWD so management decided to close down while "assets exceeded liabilities". They own 11 of their 26 planes apparently . I don't know how the planes are valued at fire sale prices.

It was reported they owe banks at least USD 350 plus million. So it is going to be "interesting" how it is all going to pan out. Ci, which is largely govt owned (while EVA is not) has been drafted to go in there and honor the 100,000 or so already sold tickets and run the flights (at a huge loss to Ci I am sure, as it is unsure if Ci will actually see any money). The banks are rushing in to "secure assets" . It's a mess.

Good Luck getting the deposit back !!
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/.../28/2003660113