Aircraft maintenance and how (not) to ditch a plane. (9)
shot3743: From the BBC
Fuel gauge
An Italian court has jailed a Tunisian pilot who paused to pray instead of taking emergency measures before ditching his plane, killing 16 people.
The twin-engined Tuninter ATR-72 turboprop aircraft was flying from the Italian city of Bari to the Tunisian island of Djerba on 6 August 2005, when it ran out of fuel and came down in the sea eight miles off the northern coast of Sicily.
Out of the total of 34 passengers and five crew on board, 23 survived. Many had to swim for their lives, while others clung on to floating pieces of the fuselage.
The Italian National Air Safety Board (ANSV) found in 2007 that the plane had run out of fuel because it had failed to take on enough before leaving Bari.
It said this was the result of a faulty fuel gauge, which had been installed the previous day by the maintenance arm of Tunisair, owner of Tuninter.
Ground crew had installed a fuel gauge designed for the ATR-42, which is similar to the ATR-72 but has smaller fuel tanks, the ANSV found. The same conclusions were reached by the manufacturer.
Prosecutors said that after both the plane's engines cut out, the pilot succumbed to panic, praying out loud instead of following emergency procedures and then opting to crash-land in the Mediterranean instead of trying to reach the nearest airport.
On a Wing and a Prayer takes on a pretty weird meaning!Fuel gauge
An Italian court has jailed a Tunisian pilot who paused to pray instead of taking emergency measures before ditching his plane, killing 16 people.
The twin-engined Tuninter ATR-72 turboprop aircraft was flying from the Italian city of Bari to the Tunisian island of Djerba on 6 August 2005, when it ran out of fuel and came down in the sea eight miles off the northern coast of Sicily.
Out of the total of 34 passengers and five crew on board, 23 survived. Many had to swim for their lives, while others clung on to floating pieces of the fuselage.
The Italian National Air Safety Board (ANSV) found in 2007 that the plane had run out of fuel because it had failed to take on enough before leaving Bari.
It said this was the result of a faulty fuel gauge, which had been installed the previous day by the maintenance arm of Tunisair, owner of Tuninter.
Ground crew had installed a fuel gauge designed for the ATR-42, which is similar to the ATR-72 but has smaller fuel tanks, the ANSV found. The same conclusions were reached by the manufacturer.
Prosecutors said that after both the plane's engines cut out, the pilot succumbed to panic, praying out loud instead of following emergency procedures and then opting to crash-land in the Mediterranean instead of trying to reach the nearest airport.
When deciding whether to fly with a particular airline, it's a good idea to reflect on what level of training the maintenance crews might have under their belts, so to speak.
I once knew a guy from Turkey who worked for Swissair, and once we were on a domestic flight from Istanbul to Izmir, a short hop. Anyway I noticed he was quite nervous and said to him "Didn't you used to work for this airline?" "Yes that's why I'm nervous!" "I thought you told me the pilots were well trained." "Yeah it's the maintenance people I worry about."
I once knew a guy from Turkey who worked for Swissair, and once we were on a domestic flight from Istanbul to Izmir, a short hop. Anyway I noticed he was quite nervous and said to him "Didn't you used to work for this airline?" "Yes that's why I'm nervous!" "I thought you told me the pilots were well trained." "Yeah it's the maintenance people I worry about."
Conrad73: On a Wing and a Prayer takes on a pretty weird meaning!
Yeah can you imagine that US Airways pilot over the Hudson River reciting prayers as his Airbus was headed for the drink?
shot3743: Yeah can you imagine that US Airways pilot over the Hudson River reciting prayers as his Airbus was headed for the drink?
Plenty Dead People!
shot3743: When deciding whether to fly with a particular airline, it's a good idea to reflect on what level of training the maintenance crews might have under their belts, so to speak.
I once knew a guy from Turkey who worked for Swissair, and once we were on a domestic flight from Istanbul to Izmir, a short hop. Anyway I noticed he was quite nervous and said to him "Didn't you used to work for this airline?" "Yes that's why I'm nervous!" "I thought you told me the pilots were well trained." "Yeah it's the maintenance people I worry about."
I once knew a guy from Turkey who worked for Swissair, and once we were on a domestic flight from Istanbul to Izmir, a short hop. Anyway I noticed he was quite nervous and said to him "Didn't you used to work for this airline?" "Yes that's why I'm nervous!" "I thought you told me the pilots were well trained." "Yeah it's the maintenance people I worry about."
i take it he succumbed to the maintenance men.
gussi: i take it he succumbed to the maintenance men.
Well I've no idea what he's doing now - hope he's in the land of the living!
I deliberately didn't mention the name of the airline in question.
Hint: they recently pranged one in the land of the tulip and the wooden clog.
shot3743: Well I've no idea what he's doing now - hope he's in the land of the living!
I deliberately didn't mention the name of the airline in question.
Hint: they recently pranged one in the land of the tulip and the wooden clog.
I deliberately didn't mention the name of the airline in question.
Hint: they recently pranged one in the land of the tulip and the wooden clog.
didnt that one have a small detail with the fuel guage.
shot3743: "Yeah it's the maintenance people I worry about."
So true. Qantas airlines, Aussie icon, had a blemish free safety reputation. Had is the operative word here...until much of the maintenance was outsourced offshore!
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Fuel gauge
An Italian court has jailed a Tunisian pilot who paused to pray instead of taking emergency measures before ditching his plane, killing 16 people.
The twin-engined Tuninter ATR-72 turboprop aircraft was flying from the Italian city of Bari to the Tunisian island of Djerba on 6 August 2005, when it ran out of fuel and came down in the sea eight miles off the northern coast of Sicily.
Out of the total of 34 passengers and five crew on board, 23 survived. Many had to swim for their lives, while others clung on to floating pieces of the fuselage.
The Italian National Air Safety Board (ANSV) found in 2007 that the plane had run out of fuel because it had failed to take on enough before leaving Bari.
It said this was the result of a faulty fuel gauge, which had been installed the previous day by the maintenance arm of Tunisair, owner of Tuninter.
Ground crew had installed a fuel gauge designed for the ATR-42, which is similar to the ATR-72 but has smaller fuel tanks, the ANSV found. The same conclusions were reached by the manufacturer.
Prosecutors said that after both the plane's engines cut out, the pilot succumbed to panic, praying out loud instead of following emergency procedures and then opting to crash-land in the Mediterranean instead of trying to reach the nearest airport.