EI725 LHR-ORK Emergency Landing

Hogzy

EI725 had to make an emergency landing tonight. Was meant to land in Cork but diverted to Shannon. Does anyone know why?

DJ Hafez

Hydraulics issues it seems! Needed a longer runway

kub

It must happen in 3's, EI had a 330 t/a flight which had to turn around and return to Dublin a few days ago, now we have a 320 with another issue landing at SNN.

I hope to God no. 3 is minor.

Gary Brogan

I have family onboard EIN565 inbound Barcelona - Dublin this evening. Departed, flew the SID, climbed to FL170 and returned to BCN. Captain telling PAX that "a faulty ice detector on the wing" was the issue.

kub

Gary Brogan wrote: »

I have family onboard EIN565 inbound Barcelona - Dublin this evening. Departed, flew the SID, climbed to FL170 and returned to BCN. Captain telling PAX that "a faulty ice detector on the wing" was the issue.

Phew that sounds like no. 3, thanks.

Gary Brogan

kub wrote: »

Phew that sounds like no. 3, thanks.

I'm assuming it was really the wing anti-ice or something that failed. Don't A320s only have ice detectors at the windshield?

kona

Gary Brogan wrote: »

I'm assuming it was really the wing anti-ice or something that failed. Don't A320s only have ice detectors at the windshield?

They do, could have been a sticking valve or something. These usually fail open though

n0brain3r

Write up about it here http://www.aviationinspector.com/?p=13976 .

The article mentions manual release of the landing gear by use of a crank. Did someone have to climb down in to the hold or how is this done on a 320?

Fabio

Now that'd be interesting to know how it's done...and how long it takes to crank too

A320

n0brain3r wrote: »

Write up at it here http://www.aviationinspector.com/?p=13976 .

The article mentions manual release of the landing gear by use of a crank. Did someone have to climb down in to the hold or how is this done on a 320?

No there is a pullout handle aft of the pesedstal that is turned.Dont remember how many turns

LoonyLovegood

I shouldn't be glad that EI565 had to turn back, but considering I'm travelling with EI on Thursday, that better have been the third!

Suasdaguna1

CTYIgirl wrote: »

I shouldn't be glad that EI565 had to turn back, but considering I'm travelling with EI on Thursday, that better have been the third!

Chill....all these incidents are minor events. Posting "emergency landing" for a single hydraulic failure is laughable. There's 3 hyd systems on the airbus 320s. If one goes like the cork flight, it's a minor inconvenience. If the 2nd hyd system goes and your down to one system, then that is defined as an emergency and landing at the nearest suitable airport ( pints and medals stuff).! If all 3 go....it's sporty. In the history of airbus fly by wire aircraft, I am not aware of a full triple hyd failure in line operations.

Enjoy your flights guys and I hope the above eases a few niggles.

donvito99

If an emergency was declared, can it only then be called an emergency landing?

Shamrock231

AFAIK only a Pan Pan Pan was declared, not a mayday.

Outkast_IRE

I know one of the passangers he was sent this on today im not sure of the source.

"
A Cork-bound passenger jet was forced to divert to Shannon Airport after the aircraft suffered a hydraulic failure which crippled a number of its systems.

Aer Lingus flight EI-725 from London Heathrow was due in Cork at 11.15pm on Sunday.

Some 150 passengers and a crew of six were onboard the Airbus A320-200 jet.

While the flight was off the South West coast and about 15 minutes from landing, the crew contacted air traffic controllers at Shannon to report they had suffered a hydraulic systems failure on board.

The system uses pressurised fluid to operate critical mechanical parts, including flaps, speed brakes, and landing gear. Modern jets have three or more hydraulic systems.

The crew had intended continuing to Cork Airport, but opted instead to divert to Shannon so that they could avail of the longer runway.

The longer of the two runways at Cork is 2,133m compared to Shannon’s 3,200m — the longest in Ireland.

The crew declared a Pan-Pan call which is not as serious as a Mayday distress. It indicates an emergency but no immediate risk to the plane or passengers.

The pilot told controllers the crew had no nose-wheel steering capability and the plane would need to be towed off the runway after landing.

The crew also advised controllers that because of the hydraulic failure, they would have to manually deploy the landing gear into position. This meant a crank had to be used to release the landing gear which then dropped down with gravity and locked into place.

Airport crash crews were standing by for the jet when it touched down at 11.15pm. Emergency crews raced down the runway to meet the aircraft and quickly surrounded it.

A tug was brought out to tow the aircraft to the terminal but only after the runway had been blocked for about 40 minutes.

It was midnight before the aircraft was finally towed clear of the runway while it was a further 15 minutes before the jet reached the terminal building.

Several busses were provided to bring passengers on to Cork.

An spokeswoman for Aer Lingus confirmed the flight diverted to Shannon due to a technical fault.

The airline said the aircraft was being serviced and was expected to return to service late yesterday."

Fabio

Seems a bit sensational in that report there.

kub

What in heavens name was the plane doing off the South West coast when they reported the problem to Shannon ATC.

To my knowledge, incoming flights to Cork are handed over to Cork at around 10,000 feet from Shannon ATC. As the aircraft was coming from UK then surely they were East or just South of Cork which is as we all know is fairly South. I am concluding of course that 35 was the runway in use.

Surely also it was during the decent that the crew noticed this fault, so I wonder were they actually onto Cork approach and then handed back to SNN.

Suasdaguna1

Who cares?

kub

Suasdaguna1 wrote: »

Who cares?

I wondered why did i bother typing that after i posted it.

Fabio

It's a valid question I suppose...I have no idea of the answer mind.