Fire on board

[Spin]

A burning 747 freighter is fairly well removed from the flying most of us do, but fire can spoil your day in any powered aircraft. I have had a quick look through the pprune discussion, as usual lots of detours and downright bs, but something that came through pretty clearly was the necessity of getting the show on the ground asap once fire is identified. It very seldom gets any better and normally goes pear shaped pretty rapidly. I have seen similar reports of fires in GA aircraft - enough to cure me of any "she'll be right" attitude to maintenance of fuel systems!

 

UPS Issues Statement on Dubai Accident

 

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--At the request of the families, UPS can now confirm that two of our crewmembers, Captain Doug Lampe of Louisville, Kentucky, and First Officer Matthew Bell of Sanford, Florida, lost their lives in the crash of Flight 6 yesterday, Sept. 3, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

 

The two pilots were flying a 747-400 en route to Cologne, Germany, when it crashed near Dubai International Airport shortly after takeoff.

 

“This is a terrible tragedy, and all of us at UPS extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of both of these crewmembers,” said UPS CEO Scott Davis. “Our thoughts and prayers will continue to be with them during this difficult time.”

 

The UPS Family Assistance Team is working with the victims’ families to help them in their time of need.

 

Captain Lampe, 48, has been with UPS since 1995. First Officer Bell, 38, has been with UPS since 2006. Both crewmembers flew out of UPS’s Anchorage, Alaska domicile, or pilot base.

 

The aircraft, tail number N571UP, was just three years old, entering UPS service off the Boeing production line in September 2007. The airframe had flown 9977 hours, completing 1764 takeoffs and landings. It was up to date on all maintenance, having just completed a major inspection in June 2010.

 

UPS owns 12 747-400s, eight of which are new, and four of which have been purchased from other carriers and adapted for UPS use. The aircraft, which has a payload capacity of nearly 258,600 pounds, is used on long-range international routes, such as the regular Dubai-Cologne routing.

 

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is dispatching an aviation investigation team to assist the General Civil Aviation Authority (GACC) of the United Arab Emirates in the crash investigation. The GCAA will take the lead on the investigation and release all information on the progress of the investigation.

 

NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman has designated senior air safety investigator Bill English as the U.S. accredited representative. His team will include NTSB specialists in the areas of human performance, fire, operations and systems. The team will also include technical advisors from the FAA, Boeing, UPS, GE and the Independent Pilots Association.

 

A UPS team has arrived in Dubai at this time and will cooperate with authorities in the investigation.

 

“We established an internal command center within minutes of learning of this tragedy. It will be staffed around the clock with experts from every part of our operation,” said UPS Airlines President Bob Lekites. “Safe, secure operations are our top priorities for our employees, our customers, and our public stakeholders.”

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Reminds me of the South African 747 that caught fire over the Indian Ocean, hindsight may have showed ditching miles from help would have been better than continuing in the air.

 

 

[Ultralights]

i have had 1 smoke in the cabin incident in Raaus aircraft, turning downwind runway 36, the cab began filling with smoke rapidly, gave a mayday call, advised all at the airport i was making an emergency landing runway 18, turned off all electrics and made a normal landing opposite to the direction we just took off. once on the ground shut down engine and got out. smoke stopped. source was oil leaking from a oil line onto the exhaust.. got the heart rate going i must say.

 

 

[facthunter]

In-flight fire.

 

The thrust of this thread is correct. An in flight fire is about the worst thing that can happen to you. EMPHASISE GET IT ON THE GROUND. However do not lose sight of the fact that you must still FLY the plane. If you crash when already on fire, you are having a really bad day, so make sure the landing is done well but AS SOON AS IS SAFELY POSSIBLE..

 

FUEL you can turn off, and it may go out, but an oil leak onto a hot exhaust starts a fire quite easily, and you can't turn it off. ( Not in our types of aircraft anyhow). Nev

 

 

[Guest disperse]

anyone carry a extinguisher? or installed suppression system ?

 

 

[Spin]

Extinguisher yes, difficult to get at an engine compartment fire in flight though and I suspect cost and weight will argue against a supression system for most of us.

 

I'll be honest, fire in flight scares me silly, I had an old Ford go up in smoke in town one day and I didn't have much time to bail out clutching a few important files, before it was well alight - you don't get a lot of time once it becomes evident.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

A engine bay suppression system is pretty easy to make. it does not need complicated activating system. just mount a normal fire extingisher near the firewall but within easy reach. adapt a fitting to the nozzel and fit copper tube from the extingisher thru the firewall and point it at the area where fire may be a problem. add a T piece for multiple outlets. if a engine fire starts simply remove pin and discharge system. I noticed a similar system that Australia Post use in the larger post boxes. instead of copper pipe they use teflon tube and block off the end. The extingisher is then activated. If a fire starts it melts the teflon and automaticaly completes the discharge. too simple

 

 

[biggles5128]

A few years ago I had the misfortune of a catastrophic engine failure at night in a Chieftain. The engine blew to bits causing oil to spill all over the white hot turbo charger, a fire ensued which thankfully blew itself out after a short while. When I think back it is so important to practice your emergency procedures. The phase one actions for assymetric were done almost subconciously because we trained for that regularly.

 

I can only imagine what the outcome might have been if the fire did not extinguish by itself. One things for sure I would not be typing posts here.....

 

 

[facthunter]

Fire detection and Suppression.

 

ALL jets would have a detection and fire extinguishing system for each engine. You usually have 2 bottles to fire. The engine shutdown process cuts fluids to the engine. .......Cargo, depending on how it is loaded may be difficult to access, but it is meant to be accessible, in the cabin..

 

Even the larger piston engines had fire fighting systems for the engines and firewall protection for associated equipment....Nev

 

 

[Spin]

A few years ago I had the misfortune of a catastrophic engine failure at night in a Chieftain. The engine blew to bits causing oil to spill all over the white hot turbo charger, a fire ensued which thankfully blew itself out after a short while. When I think back it is so important to practice your emergency procedures. The phase one actions for assymetric were done almost subconciously because we trained for that regularly.I can only imagine what the outcome might have been if the fire did not extinguish by itself. One things for sure I would not be typing posts here.....

Phase two doubtless having something to do with extracting the seat cover from where it had become wedged! :ah_oh:

 

 

[biggles5128]

Phase two doubtless having something to do with extracting the seat cover from where it had become wedged! :ah_oh:

You got it........ sh**s were trumps for a while I give you the drum!

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

I have an aerosol extinguisher mounted in my cockpit and plumbed thru to a spot upwind of the fuel lines in the engine bay. Weighs c.800g; made in Tasmania, but factory is now closed down. I shake up the contents regularly to extend its life until I can find a replacement.

 

 

[Guest disperse]

After my last post I noticed that the Millennium Master a engine fire suppression system standard. I was also looking at oxygen systems. And some of their ultra light bottles are a thin aluminum canister wrapped in Kevlar/Carbon fiber. A extinguisher made similar would reduce the weight, to within reason so to speak