Airbus Updates No.599

Incident: US Airways A320 near Ft. Lauderdale on Jan 13th 2012, electrical smell in cockpit

By Simon Hradecky, created Saturday, Jan 14th 2012 14:57Z, last updated Saturday, Jan 14th 2012 14:57Z A US Airways Airbus A320-200, registration N107US performing flight US-1559 from Philadelphia,PA to Fort Lauderdale,FL (USA), was on approach to Fort Lauderdale when the crew reported smell of an electrical smoke in the cockpit. The crew continued for a safe landing on Fort Lauderdale's runway 27R and vacated the runway, emergency services found no trace of fire, heat or smoke. Incident: Corsair A332 over Atlantic on Jan 11th 2012, hydraulic problem By Simon Hradecky, created Sunday, Jan 15th 2012 19:23Z, last updated Sunday, Jan 15th 2012 19:26Z A Corsair Airbus A330-200, registration F-HCAT performing flight SS-943 from Miami,FL (USA) to Paris Orly (France), was enroute at FL360 about half way between the Bahama and Bermuda Islands (approx 500nm northeast of Miami) when the crew decided to return due to hydraulic problems without requesting assistance. On the way back, while still enroute at FL360, the crew dumped fuel for about 20 minutes. While descending towards Miami the crew declared PAN advising they needed additional time to extend flaps. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Miami's runway 27 about 3:10 hours after departure. The aircraft reached Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport as flight SS-945 with a delay of 36 hours. Incident: Thomas Cook A321 near Manchester on Jan 14th 2012, unruly passenger By Simon Hradecky, created Monday, Jan 16th 2012 12:16Z, last updated Monday, Jan 16th 2012 12:16Z A Thomas Cook Airbus A321-200, registration G-NIKO performing flight MT-2014 from Manchester,EN (UK) to Fuerteventura,CI (Spain) with 206 passengers, was climbing through about FL290 out of Manchester when the crew decided to return to Manchester due to an unruly passenger on board. The aircraft descended to FL100, entered a holding to burn off fuel, and landed safely on Manchester's runway 23R about 80 minutes after departure. A male passenger (50) was arrested by police. Passengers reported a male of about 50 years had a more and more heated argument with another male believed to be his father. When cabin crew and other passengers attempted to intervene the 50 year old voiced threats and began to punch out. 5 cabin crew and passengers were needed to subdue the unruly while the flight crew returned to Manchester. Police reported the unruly passenger has been released on bail and has to appear in court. The airline confirmed the aircraft returned because of an untolerable aggressive and disruptive behaviour. The airline is going to support the police investigation. Incident: Monarch A321 near Brest on Jan 16th 2012, hydraulic problems By Simon Hradecky, created Monday, Jan 16th 2012 16:49Z, last updated Monday, Jan 16th 2012 16:49Z A Monarch Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration G-OZBU performing flight ZB-428 from Birmingham,EN (UK) to Las Palmas,CI (Spain), was enroute at FL360 about 230nm eastsoutheast of Brest (France) when the crew decided to turn around and return to Birmingham due to a hydraulic problem. The aircraft landed safely on Birmingham's runway 15 about 2 hours later. A replacement Airbus A321-200 registration G-OZBR reached Las Palmas with a delay of 6:10 hours. Incident: Air Canada A320 at Calgary on Jan 6th 2012, unsafe gear after departure By Simon Hradecky, created Monday, Jan 16th 2012 22:11Z, last updated Monday, Jan 16th 2012 22:11Z An Air Canada Airbus A320-200, registration C-FFWN performing flight AC-110 from Calgary,AB to Toronto,ON (Canada) with 154 people on board, was climbing out of Calgary when the crew selected the gear up however observed the gear indication for the right hand main gear remaining red, a "L/G NOT UPLOCKED" ECAM message and noticed sounds confirming the gear doors were not closed. The crew selected the gear down and up again, however, the right main gear again did not uplock and the gear doors did not close. The crew returned to Calgary for a safe landing about 40 minutes after departure. The Canadian TSB reported maintenance replaced the right main gear uplock assembly and performed a hard/overweight landing inspection. Incident: Tiger A320 at Melbourne on Jan 17th 2012, unsafe gear after departure By Simon Hradecky, created Tuesday, Jan 17th 2012 21:31Z, last updated Tuesday, Jan 17th 2012 21:31Z A Tiger Airways Airbus A320-200, registration VH-VNG performing flight TT-342 from Melbourne,VI to Brisbane,QL (Australia) with 100 passengers, was climbing out of Melbourne's runway 34 when the crew could not fully retract the landing gear, levelled off at 5000 feet and returned to Melbourne for a safe landing on runway 34 about 45 minutes after departure. A replacement Airbus A320-200 registration VH-VNB reached Brisbane with a delay of 3:20 hours. Incident: Germania A319 at Las Palmas on Jan 14th 2012, landed on wrong runway By Simon Hradecky, created Tuesday, Jan 17th 2012 19:22Z, last updated Tuesday, Jan 17th 2012 22:06Z A Germania Airbus A319-100, registration D-ASTY performing flight ST-2874 from Cochstedt (Germany) to Las Palmas,CI (Spain), was cleared to land on Las Palmas' Gran Canaria Airport's runway 21R, however aligned with the extended center line of runway 21L during final approach, touched down on runway 21L, rolled out safely as there was no other traffic on the runway and taxied to the apron. A listener on frequency told The Aviation Herald that the tower controller told the Germania crew an "ear full", the crew responded "sorry" multiple times. A spokesman for Germania confirmed the incident and said the exact circumstances of the incident are under investigation. The airline takes the incident very serious. Spain's AENA and CIAIAC chose to not respond. Las Palmas offers an ILS (as well as a VOR and NDB) approach for runway 21R. Instrument approaches to runway 21L are offered via a VOR or NDB approach to runway 21R with a lateral offset only. Incident: Brussels A333 near Dakar on Jan 18th 2012, engine trouble By Simon Hradecky, created Wednesday, Jan 18th 2012 14:34Z, last updated Wednesday, Jan 18th 2012 14:34Z A Brussels Airlines Airbus A330-300, registration OO-SFM performing flight SN-224 (dep Jan 17th) from Banjul (Gambia) to Brussels (Belgium) with 240 passengers, was climbing out of Banjul when the crew decided to divert to Dakar (Senegal) located about 90nm north of Banjul due to problems with an engine (CF6). The aircraft landed safely in Dakar. The passengers were taken to hotels. A replacement aircraft has been dispatched to Dakar. Incident: Rossiya A320 at St. Petersburg on Jan 20th 2012, unsafe gear after departure By Simon Hradecky, created Friday, Jan 20th 2012 14:12Z, last updated Friday, Jan 20th 2012 14:12Z A Rossiya Airbus A320-200, registration VQ-BDY performing flight FV-403 from St. Petersburg to Ekaterinburg (Russia), was climbing out of Pulkovo Airport's runway 10R when the crew received an indication the main gear was not fully retracted after the gear was selected up. The crew levelled off at 7000 feet and returned to Pulkovo's runway 10R for a safe landing about 20 minutes after departure. A replacement Airbus A320-200 registration VQ-BBM reached Ekaterinburg with a delay of 2.5 hours. Incident: Air France A388 over Atlantic on Jan 19th 2012, smoke in cabin By Simon Hradecky, created Thursday, Jan 19th 2012 23:41Z, last updated Friday, Jan 20th 2012 17:07Z An Air France Airbus A380-800, registration F-HPJC performing flight AF-346 from Paris Charles de Gaulle (France) to Montreal,QC (Canada) with 448 people on board, was enroute at FL380 over the Atlantic Ocean about 75 minutes into the Atlantic crossing, about 600nm west of Ireland, when the crew declared PAN due to smoke in the cabin, turned around, descended to FL370 and while initially heading towards Ireland decided to return to Paris Charles de Gaulle where the aircraft landed safely on Charles de Gaulle Airport's runway 26R about 2.5 hours after turning around. The flight was postponed to depart the following day noon as flight AF-4094 with a delay of 20 hours. The airline reported a video screen overheated but denied smoke in the cabin contradicting the crew report on HF radio relayed by other aircraft to Shannon Center. The airline's press office had similiarly and falsely denied a Mayday call of their crew over the Atlantic, see Incident: Air France A332 over Atlantic on Nov 30th 2009, Mayday call due to severe turbulence. A passenger reported there was smoke coming from an inflight entertainment seat in the economy class, which dissipated after the inflight entertainment system was shut down.