Off-duty pilot tried to Disable Engines during flight

[AisleSeat]

An Alaska Airlines flight from Everett, WA to SFO was diverted to Portland, Oregon after an off-duty pilot inside the flight deck attempted to disable the aircraft engines.

US plane diverted after off-duty pilot allegedly tries to 'shut down' plane's engines

An Alaska Airlines flight bound for San Francisco was diverted to Portland, Oregon after an off-duty pilot inside the flight deck attempted to disable the aircraft engines.

www.sbs.com.au

 

[Quickstatus]

Not switch off engines like turn a key, but apparently he tried to trigger the engine fire supressants. Dont know if he succeeded...

 

[marki]

An Alaska Airlines flight from Everett, WA to SFO was diverted to Portland, Oregon after an off-duty pilot inside the flight deck attempted to disable the aircraft engines.

US plane diverted after off-duty pilot allegedly tries to 'shut down' plane's engines

An Alaska Airlines flight bound for San Francisco was diverted to Portland, Oregon after an off-duty pilot inside the flight deck attempted to disable the aircraft engines.

www.sbs.com.au

Flying Carbon Neutral then?

 

[Quickstatus]

Carbon Neutral

Some aircraft engine fire supressants are made of Halon. Not sure if still are. Apparently 3000x more greenhouse than CO2 IIRC

 

[jb747]

If you pull a fire switch, it immediately closes the various fuel valves to the engine. If you then rotate the fire switch, that fires the fire suppressant. I’ve never particularly thought about it, but I don’t see any reason why it all wouldn’t reset if you then pushed the fire handle back to its normal position. The engines would have to be restarted (though I gather that in this case the crew were quick enough that they didn’t shut down), but I can’t see anything that would inhibit a restart.

 

[Quickstatus]

but I can’t see anything that would inhibit a restart

If a restart required would it have required certain conditions of altitude and airspeed?

 

[jb747]

If a restart required would it have required certain conditions of altitude and airspeed?

Basically the likelihood of the restart varies with altitude and airspeed, but there is nothing lost by trying it at any altitude. Once below about F250 the chances rise dramatically. Airspeed-wise, something in the 220 to 250 kias region is fine. At altitude you'd also start the APU, which on a newish twin should start at any altitude. Once you have that going, the airspeed requirement goes away. Plus you'd have normal electrics.

One issue with high altitude starts is that it can actually be hard to recognise that the engine is starting. Acceleration is so slow, that you could well hit the maximum cutoff time allowed for the sequence in the checklist (at which time it will call for the fuel to cutoff, and try again). It's one of those times when the checklist is for guidance only.

Anyway, in this event, the engines never snuffed themselves, so it's all moot.

 

[RooFlyer]

fires the fire suppressant. I’ve never particularly thought about it, but I don’t see any reason why it all wouldn’t reset if you then pushed the fire handle back to its normal position.

What’s the nature of engine fire suppressant? I imagine it as gooey stuff like a normal foam fire extinguisher stuff and if so, that must surely gum the engine up a bit?

 

[milehighclub]

Some aircraft engine fire supressants are made of Halon. Not sure if still are.

Yes, most airlines carry Halon/BCF onboard aircraft. Along with submarines, these are generally the two permitted vessels that are allowed this substance as it is otherwise banned to everyone else.

 

[Quickstatus]

Halon and related are HFC, bad for ozone as well but hey, better that the engine fire is supressed first while giving the engines a chance to relight, and sort out the ozone later...

 

[jb747]

What’s the nature of engine fire suppressant? I imagine it as gooey stuff like a normal foam fire extinguisher stuff and if so, that must surely gum the engine up a bit?

It's just a halon, so very shortly after its fired, it would all be gone. In any event, fire extinguishing only happens in the 'cold' parts of the engine, which is basically the outside.

 

[AisleSeat]

Update:

After being subdued, he then attempted to grab the handle of an emergency exit. He admitted to being under the influence of psychedelic mushrooms at the time.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/10/24/us/alaska-airlines-disruption-off-duty-pilot-tuesday/index.html

 

[jb747]

Update:

After being subdued, he then attempted to grab the handle of an emergency exit. He admitted to being under the influence of psychedelic mushrooms at the time.

The loop was strong with this bit of fruit. It will be interesting to hear what he was like 'normally'. I'll bet he was one that the others all knew to watch out for.

 

[MARTINE]

The loop was strong with this bit of fruit. It will be interesting to hear what he was like 'normally'. I'll bet he was one that the others all knew to watch out for.

Absolutely frightening that he is a certified pilot still and abusing drugs.

 

[marki]

Some aircraft engine fire supressants are made of Halon. Not sure if still are. Apparently 3000x more greenhouse than CO2 IIRC

Well, Desflurane an anaesthetic gas is currently being banded from everyday use.

Post automatically merged: Oct 25, 2023

Absolutely frightening that he is a certified pilot still and abusing drugs.

a normal person can become not-so-normal with addiction.

Post automatically merged: Oct 25, 2023

The loop was strong with this bit of fruit. It will be interesting to hear what he was like 'normally'. I'll bet he was one that the others all knew to watch out for.

Speculation

 

[MARTINE]

a normal person can become not-so-normal with addiction.

Post automatically merged: Oct 25, 2023

At least in an office job the only risk is stapling the wrong pages together…

 

[Major]

This is an extract from AV Herald


According to court documents the off duty pilot admitted to police that he pulled both fire handles and stated he had not slept for about 40 hours, felt dehydrated and tired. He had become depressed about 6 months ago, but had not taken any medication, however, had for the first time taken some psychedelic mushrooms. According to testimonies by witnesses and the off duty pilot, everything was okay during the initial stages of the flight, then the off duty pilot said several times he was not feeling okay, threw his headset across the coughpit and subsequently pulled both fire handles down believing he was dreaming and wanted to wake up. The two pilots on duty subdued the off duty pilot, physically engaging with him for about 25-30 seconds before the off duty pilot stopped resisting. About 90 seconds elapsed between the first "I am not okay" and the off duty pilot leaving the coughpit. Flight attendants reported the off duty pilot told them he had just been thrown out of the coughpit and needed to be handcuffed right now or it's going to be bad. Flight attendants did handcuff him. Flight attendants observed him using his mobile phone texting he had just endangered 84 lives including his own. Via his solicitor the off duty pilot pleaded not guilty on all federal charges including 83 counts of attempted murder.

 

[marki]

This is an extract from AV Herald


According to court documents the off duty pilot admitted to police that he pulled both fire handles and stated he had not slept for about 40 hours, felt dehydrated and tired. He had become depressed about 6 months ago, but had not taken any medication, however, had for the first time taken some psychedelic mushrooms. According to testimonies by witnesses and the off duty pilot, everything was okay during the initial stages of the flight, then the off duty pilot said several times he was not feeling okay, threw his headset across the coughpit and subsequently pulled both fire handles down believing he was dreaming and wanted to wake up. The two pilots on duty subdued the off duty pilot, physically engaging with him for about 25-30 seconds before the off duty pilot stopped resisting. About 90 seconds elapsed between the first "I am not okay" and the off duty pilot leaving the coughpit. Flight attendants reported the off duty pilot told them he had just been thrown out of the coughpit and needed to be handcuffed right now or it's going to be bad. Flight attendants did handcuff him. Flight attendants observed him using his mobile phone texting he had just endangered 84 lives including his own. Via his solicitor the off duty pilot pleaded not guilty on all federal charges including 83 counts of attempted murder.

Horrible situation. Will he continue to be a pilot in the future? The courts will decide, as will FAA.

 

[QF029]

Horrible situation. Will he continue to be a pilot in the future? The courts will decide, as will FAA.

He'll be lucky if he can be a passenger let alone in charge of them.

 

[jb747]

Horrible situation. Will he continue to be a pilot in the future? The courts will decide, as will FAA.

Only if he buys MS Flight Simulator.