An aircraft operated by TUI Airways did not pressurize because engineers failed to turn switches back on after maintenance, according to an investigation. The Boeing 737-8K5 was carrying 193 passengers and crew and had taken off from Manchester heading towards Kos when it had to abort the flight soon after take-off. The AAIB said in a report that both pilots did not detect the oversight during pre-flight checks and did not follow correct protocols when alerted. The jet returned to Manchester, and there were no reported injuries. However, the investigators suggested that those on board were placing themselves in potential danger.
On the 20th of October, the same aircraft had a mishap at Leeds Bradford Airport when it veered off the runway during Storm Babet due to a “catastrophic failure” of a nose wheel bearing. An investigation report into the incident over Lincolnshire revealed that the aircraft departed with the engine bleed air system off because the switches had been left off following maintenance activity the previous night. The switches were also not turned on during pre-flight checks. The report suggests that “the after take-off checklist is designed to trap the latter omission, but the incorrect switch selection went undetected by the crew.”
The lead engineer claimed that they had returned the switches to the “on” position after completing the work. However, the second engineer also failed to detect the incorrect switch position. Consequently, the aircraft failed to pressurize, and the crew did not complete prescribed drills from a Quick Reaction Handbook in response to a cabin altitude warning, which remained illuminated for 43 minutes. The pilot turned both switches to “on” and continued to climb.
The cockpit crew received a further warning, prompting the pilot to stop the climb and seek advice from the air control authorities on the ground. The decision was made to return to Manchester Airport, where the situation was explained to the passengers over the public address system. The report noted that had the aircraft continued to climb, the passengers’ oxygen masks would have deployed automatically at 14,000ft. However, the likelihood of loss of consciousness below that altitude is “very small” for those without significant medical conditions. The report suggests that cognitive performance and decision-making could be affected at this altitude
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
