YOW rejected takeoff
 

A bit of hyperbole by the reporter in this piece.


July 27, 2005

Air Canada pilot averts disaster as engine blows

Canadian Press

OTTAWA — Passengers credited the quick action of the flight crew for averting potential disaster late Monday after an Air Canada jet blew an engine and aborted takeoff.

The Vancouver-bound Airbus A320 was almost at takeoff speed and more than halfway down the runway at 6:55 p.m. when there was a "pop" from the right engine, said Peter Simpson, a passenger seated just behind the left wing.

Simpson said the aircraft, believed to be carrying about 120 passengers, seemed to lose speed and the pilot immediately deployed the flaps and started braking.

"The flaps went straight up and we roared to a stop,'' he said. "The pilot came on the intercom and apologized and announced they had lost an engine on takeoff.

"I really admire what the pilot did. He was wonderful. He stopped it almost on a dime."

Simpson said the plane's tires were shredded in the emergency stop and firefighters had fans under the aircraft to cool the overheated wheels and brakes.

Air Canada spokeswoman Laura Cooke said the pilot noticed an engine light come on during takeoff.

"As a precaution, he rejected takeoff and as a result the aircraft came to an abrupt stop on the runway which put, obviously, pressure on the brakes and tires," she said.

The plane was not evacuated.

The flight, No. 139, originated in Halifax and stopped in Ottawa to pick up passengers and change crew before flying on to Vancouver.

Simpson said he saw skid marks about 100 metres long with only about a third of the runway remaining. He said the captain told him later that the runway was spewed with engine parts after something disintegrated in the right engine.

Erica Heaphy, 19, was flying for the first time. She and her parents were on their way to a wedding.

"I was freaking out before it happened but when I saw the flames, I was really freaking out,'' said Heaphy. "I just saw a bunch of orange."

Yes, seems like timely action by the crew. Does anyone know how close to V1 this happened ?

SB...

If there was a 1/3 of the runway left when it stopped, likely a long way from V1 - and in fact somewhat unlikely there was a genuine V1. An A320 from a strip limited (dry) runway will have V1 2/3 - 3/4 down the runway, and a stop from V1 will stop very near the end i.e. airliners stop a hell of a lot quicker than they accelerate... Especially A340s :)

Deployed the "flaps", flaps went up????

sounds like there maybe been skid marks else where other than on the runway!

"Deployed the "flaps", flaps went up????"

sounds like spoilers

I really didn't think it necessary to dissect the article to the very obvious extent that a punter quoted as saying "flaps went up" meant spoilers... :)

NoD, agree completely. Do the mods have to allow every wisecrack just because some reporter put the story out in laymans terms.

If the passenger isn't as clued up as some of the spotters on here and states that they saw "flaps go up" then we don't need Reginald S Potter stating the bleedin' obvious. Those of us who do fly these things for a living are perfectly able to suss out that the passenger probably meant the spoilers.

I would have thought that the article was more a reflection on the literacy of todays yoof with the comments "I was freaking out before it happened but when I saw the flames, I was really freaking out,'' said Heaphy. "I just saw a bunch of orange."

I was cheesed off when I saw the original post but now I'm REALLY cheesed off after I saw some of the replies. :rolleyes:

I know what you mean arewenearlythereyet? I was freaking out when I first read it, but now I've read the replies I'm really freaking out!:} :E ;)

arewenearlythereyet,

This is just another symptom of the media's increasingly sensationalist take on events involving transportation. These guys try to profess knowledge, but just end up looking like idiots. An engine failure on take off is not to be taken lightly, but the guys up front are trained to deal with such events, and dealt with it.

Engine Failure
 

An engine failure just before V1 is not exactly "just another day in the office" but no more than the crew should be prepared to deal with on any particular day in the office.

Why don't I see "Shock Horror Sensation, Disaster averted as 52 seat coach has engine failure on M25" ??

Because for some mysterious reason the world expects disasters to befall aviation and then revels in them when they do.

Even when it takes a long stretch of the imagination to even get the mundane to the "could have".

:confused:

Totally agree with the comment about the M25, but I think the aviation industry gets off lightly when compared to the rail industry.

Glad to see the press going for the knowledgeable witnesses to an event !

Good thing Simpson was able to distinguish these from tyre marks made by aircraft landing on the reciprocal runway.

NigelOnDraft,
Wouldn't you think that if there is only 1/4 of the runway left and the V1 is not even reached on twin engine jet there is something seriously wrong! A320 will need more than remaining 1/4 to stop ....

No big thing...Performed a reject/abort on runway 32 ,a few years ago ,with the 320.we actioned at 90knots,and with brake setting auto we were stopped by the 07 intersection(V1 about 140)..The wheel temps went up to 480,but the fuse plugs held,and after 25 mins of brake cooling(external,as no fans fitted on the the gear)we again Departed for YVR.
IN this case I can only assume a higher speed at the reject,and the YOW area have a Hot session of weather(it was a transient flight,what was the residual brake temp?),all would contribute to the plugs going...
cheers..:ok:

Note to all - Heaphy does NOT like flying easyJet.

K Don't quite understand what you are saying?

On a dry runway, when I have a "real" Stop V1 (not often) I would say I am 75%+ down the TODA - as a wild generality... Examples being, say, EDI from the Intersection, ABZ....

In short, this aircraft was reported "stopped" with 1/3 left. Doesn't sound like a critical V1 abort to me :)

Nod = A320 Capt

Hope, the autopilot wa switched to "on".

:D :D :D

Freaking out
 

My older son just arrived on a three leg flight LAX-JFK-PRG-RIX for a visit. He's one of them that has a fear of flying and admitted he used the barf bag four times. Asked about the flight conditions, he admitted that they were fine except some thunderstorms departing New York.

This goes with the quote of the passenger who said she was "freaking out" even before the plane was airborne but she was "really freaking out" when she saw flames.

I don't know how to explain it properly, but we all have some kind of phobias. As a formerly trained pilot I don't have any problems in the cockpit or in the cabin. I can sit by the window and the whole world whirls below without any problems because I know I'm safe.

Put me in a car in the driver's position going over a very high bridge (Lisbon, Seville) and I'm a wreck, concentrating on the center line and not feeling too good in my stomach. For me, also high mountain roads are off limits.

Interestingly enough, aircraft don' affect me at all. Maybe because I was a former pilot and I know what they're doing there up-front.

Nod,
I am impressed . Didnt know that A320 will stop with max gross from 140KIAS in less than 400 meters.