Southwest Airlines plane's tyre catches fire on landing

[NM]

From news.com.au:

PASSENGERS were forced to escape in an emergency chute after the tyre of a Southwest Airlines plane caught fire during landing last night.

Includes Youtube video

 

[docjames]

Nice video, although misses the crucial bit when the tyre first bursts.

As i was watching, it seemed like ages until the fire trucks arrive, and just as long to get slides open. I'm sure on the ground it felt fast however, and by the video timer, the trucks were there in <2 mins, but if it'd been a major fire, 2 mins might have been disasterous.

 

[NM]

Notice that one of the last passengers to evacuate was carrying his briefcase and dropped several papers while trying to get off the slide. So much for following instructions to leave all belongings on board during an evacuation.

 

[NM]

Nice video, although misses the crucial bit when the tyre first bursts.

As i was watching, it seemed like ages until the fire trucks arrive, and just as long to get slides open. I'm sure on the ground it felt fast however, and by the video timer, the trucks were there in <2 mins, but if it'd been a major fire, 2 mins might have been disasterous.

yes, all seems pretty efficient. I wonder how long it took for the Captain to understand the situation and have enough information available to make the call to evacuate. Obviously sufficient information was available to know to evacuate via the port side only.

 

[samh004]

I saw it first on the news last night. One of the neighbours was over who was a pilot and said it could of just been a few drops of oil on the runway that would of started the fire. Is that right?

Notice that one of the last passengers to evacuate was carrying his briefcase and dropped several papers while trying to get off the slide. So much for following instructions to leave all belongings on board during an evacuation.

Quite a few of them had handbags/briefcases/laptop bags with them when they got off. The fire wasn't bad at all, but if I was in an emergency evacuation from a plane I'd grab my backpack with laptop and passport, no matter what. I don't care what they say, it's not worth the hassle to replace all that when I could easily take them with me.

 

[NM]

I saw it first on the news last night. One of the neighbours was over who was a pilot and said it could of just been a few drops of oil on the runway that would of started the fire. Is that right?

Possibly. Also could have been a blown tyre or seized breaks.

The fire wasn't bad at all, but if I was in an emergency evacuation from a plane I'd grab my backpack with laptop and passport, no matter what. I don't care what they say, it's not worth the hassle to replace all that when I could easily take them with me.

I hope that such a decision by an evacuating passenger in no way delays others from evacuating causing injury or death to those also trying to get out behind them. I would not be happy if my exit was delayed by another passenger in front of me while they gathered their "essentials". I don't believe any of the passengers would have been in a position to make a judgement about the seriousness of the situation while preparing to evacuate the aircraft.

 

[samh004]

I hope that such a decision by an evacuating passenger in no way delays others from evacuating causing injury or death to those also trying to get out behind them. I would not be happy if my exit was delayed by another passenger in front of me while they gathered their "essentials". I don't believe any of the passengers would have been in a position to make a judgement about the seriousness of the situation while preparing to evacuate the aircraft.

I guess it depends on the seriousness of the situation. From the looks of things in the video, the pax were probably told it was nothing to worry about and to wait till the fire crew got there, as they didn't open the door till that first car parked behind the plane.

In another situation it might be more of a frantic dash for the exits where it would be difficult for anyone to grab a bag, or maybe it'd be the furthest thing from their minds.

Has anyone on AFF experienced an emergency evacuation from a plane? If it was serious, was it orderly or chaotic? And if it was minor, the same questions.

It's never happened to me so I can't say for sure about any situation, but if I could, I'd probably grab my bag, as I only have 1 bag and it has my life in it pretty much.

 

[NM]

In another situation it might be more of a frantic dash for the exits where it would be difficult for anyone to grab a bag, or maybe it'd be the furthest thing from their minds.

I just keep remembering the video of the 737 that over-ran the runway in Indonesia. It was filmed by a film crew camera man that was on the plane. So he has obviously grabbed his camera before exiting the aircraft and was obviously one of the first to exit. On that flight, many people did not make it out in time and perished in the fire. I remember commenting at the time that as interesting as the film footage was, I really hope the actions of the camera man to collect his camera before exiting did not delay the evacuation process such that another passenger's exit was impeded.

In my view, and evacuation should be considered serious. If the situation is such that belongings left on the aircraft are destroyed, then its serious enough to get off quickly without delaying to collect a brief case or laptop.

I sure hope I am never in a situation where someone may consider their passport or their laptop computer is more important than my (or any other passenger's) life. I doubt many passengers are qualified enough to make that judgement during an evacuation situation.

 

[samh004]

I just keep remembering the video of the 737 that over-ran the runway in Indonesia. It was filmed by a film crew camera man that was on the plane. So he has obviously grabbed his camera before exiting the aircraft and was obviously one of the first to exit. On that flight, many people did not make it out in time and perished in the fire. I remember commenting at the time that as interesting as the film footage was, I really hope the actions of the camera man to collect his camera before exiting did not delay the evacuation process such that another passenger's exit was impeded.

In my view, and evacuation should be considered serious. If the situation is such that belongings left on the aircraft are destroyed, then its serious enough to get off quickly without delaying to collect a brief case or laptop.

I sure hope I am never in a situation where someone may consider their passport or their laptop computer is more important than my (or any other passenger's) life. I doubt many passengers are qualified enough to make that judgement during an evacuation situation.

OK, I am going to get out of this while I still can, but I never said my passport or laptop was more important than anyone's life. I simply thought that had I been in that recent situation I probably would of grabbed my bag... if I was able to. If for whatever reason it was a mad rush/panic then I doubt anyone would be able to grab anything, people would probably get trampled, as most people always think of themselves before anyone else in those situations.

As for the 737 in Indonesia, I think I recall seeing the video once, maybe. I might head over to Youtube now to take a look. Regardless, I doubt grabbing his camera would of impeded anyone (and I don't know that for sure, I'm just saying I doubt it would of), but clearly his morals are lower than most as the right thing to do would be to help others out, instead of setting up a camera to film people dying.

 

[oz_mark]

with laptop and passport, no matter what.

I probably would of grabbed my bag... if I was able to.

There's a subtle difference between "no matter what" and "if I was able to". In any case, I think they prefer that you are not going down slide rafts with laptops and what not.

 

[notzac]

I sure hope I am never in a situation where someone may consider their passport or their laptop computer is more important than my (or any other passenger's) life. I doubt many passengers are qualified enough to make that judgement during an evacuation situation.

Agreed - which is why I make a point of ensuring that my passport and wallet are on my person at all times during a flight. Laptop data should be backed up (!), insurance will replace the hardware. No insurance company has yet worked out how to replace humans..

 

[samh004]

There's a subtle difference between "no matter what" and "if I was able to". In any case, I think they prefer that you are not going down slide rafts with laptops and what not.

Ultimately it is if I am able to. If I can't reach up into an overhead bin while turning to run down an exit row and outside a door within 4 seconds, then **** happens. I reckon I could make it, others reckon I couldn't. With the flying I like to do, time will tell I am sure.

Agreed - which is why I make a point of ensuring that my passport and wallet are on my person at all times during a flight. Laptop data should be backed up (!), insurance will replace the hardware.

Backing up a laptop covers data, the insurance company covers costs. If you don't consider your laptop to hold any sentimental value, that's your choice. It's guided me through the good and the bad, it means something to me. And before this starts anything more, what it means to me, you couldn't know in the split second that is an emergency.

 

[odysseus]

Notice that one of the last passengers to evacuate was carrying his briefcase and dropped several papers while trying to get off the slide. So much for following instructions to leave all belongings on board during an evacuation.

Not sure if you've been on Southwest but the cabin crew are not very rigorous about the safety requirements. They seem to only do them as they are compulsory, but rush through them and have been effectively impossible to understand them when I've flown with them. I've even had them giggling with each other through them.

You'd expect them to be a bit more serious in this situation, but they come across as quite casual inflight so bringing accessories off wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Mal]

I have to say, pathetic response from all involved.

Hopefully the NTSB gives them a scathing review in the accident report (I'm sure one will be made!), and future incidents will be handled better by all involved.

~3 mins for the doors to be popped and evac? Similar time for Fire crews to turn up?

They're lucky...

 

[samh004]

I have to say, pathetic response from all involved.

Hopefully the NTSB gives them a scathing review in the accident report (I'm sure one will be made!), and future incidents will be handled better by all involved.

~3 mins for the doors to be popped and evac? Similar time for Fire crews to turn up?

They're lucky...

Well I think I asked this initially, but is it standard practice to wait for ground crews to get to the scene first? I understand had it been more severe pax probably would of got as quickly as possible, but how do you know which side the fire is on, when the fire is under the fuselage and the smoke could go either way?

Do the cabin crew wait for the captain to suggest which side to evacuate from or do they just take a guess?

It seemed slow, but it seemed that after the first 4WD arrived, the doors opened (off camera I just saw the slide, but it didn't pan for a while). So it seems the captain didn't know where the fire was and waited for confirmation from someone before they chose a door/exit?

I guess the audio will be released eventually. We'll know then.

 

[NM]

I have to say, pathetic response from all involved.

Hopefully the NTSB gives them a scathing review in the accident report (I'm sure one will be made!), and future incidents will be handled better by all involved.

~3 mins for the doors to be popped and evac? Similar time for Fire crews to turn up?

They're lucky...

I don't think we know enough about the whole situation to make such a call at this time. We don't know what information the tech crew or the cabin crew had available to them with which to make the decisions they needed to make.

We don't know if they felt or heard something break upon landing? What sensor indications did the flight crew receive in the coughpit? What information was relayed to them by radio? What could they see themselves through the windows?

I will reserve judgement on the crew's actions until more is known about the information they had available to them at the time. I expect the report will show if they followed correct procedures or not.

 

[straitman]

Well I think I asked this initially, but is it standard practice to wait for ground crews to get to the scene first? I understand had it been more severe pax probably would of got as quickly as possible, but how do you know which side the fire is on, when the fire is under the fuselage and the smoke could go either way?

Do the cabin crew wait for the captain to suggest which side to evacuate from or do they just take a guess?

It seemed slow, but it seemed that after the first 4WD arrived, the doors opened (off camera I just saw the slide, but it didn't pan for a while). So it seems the captain didn't know where the fire was and waited for confirmation from someone before they chose a door/exit?

I guess the audio will be released eventually. We'll know then.

It is entirely possible that the Flight Crew did not know of the fire until advised from a vehicle. They would then need advice about the degree of the problem and work out which exits to use. From then the Flight Crew would need to tell the Cabin Crew who would need to unstrap and deploy the escape slides. Unbelievable as it sounds that process could take upwards of a minute (or more).

In the beginning it is often quicker to go slower :!:

 

[ishkaban]

in this incident, no doubt the flight deck were going through a number of engine shutdown and other checklists before initiating an evacuation. Which can sometimes take upwards of 3 - 5 mins

 

[JohnK]

Notice that one of the last passengers to evacuate was carrying his briefcase and dropped several papers while trying to get off the slide. So much for following instructions to leave all belongings on board during an evacuation.

Ignorance? Selfishness? Some people's personal belongings are more important than their own lives and unfortunately could put other people people's lives in danger. Seconds could be the difference between life and death.

Quite a few of them had handbags/briefcases/laptop bags with them when they got off. The fire wasn't bad at all, but if I was in an emergency evacuation from a plane I'd grab my backpack with laptop and passport, no matter what. I don't care what they say, it's not worth the hassle to replace all that when I could easily take them with me.

Sam a laptop is replaceable. You should always keep a wallet, passport, money and travel documents on you at all times....

 

[samh004]

Sam a laptop is replaceable. You should always keep a wallet, passport, money and travel documents on you at all times....

I usually do.