Qantas jet in scare landing......

[chrisb]

I am just amazed that all power (cabin and flight deck) is all routed through one point.

From what I can work out from the 'rumors' the water took out the Generator Control Units and their Backups which killed the power... It was luck that the inverter connected to the batteries was elsewhere.

As for it being an interesting flight - I doubt it. 15 mins out is usually past TOD, so pax would have already been told to buckle in for landing - it would have just become a little darker earlier than normal. I assume the emergency lights would have come on, which I've seen a couple of times as well, so it's not that unusual. I doubt they were even told.

Chrisb.

 

[moa999]

It was luck that the inverter connected to the batteries was elsewhere.
.

I would think it is Safety101 to locate backup systems away from primary systems in case of events like these or fires etc.

 

[chrisb]

I would think it is Safety101 to locate backup systems away from primary systems in case of events like these or fires etc.

Safety101 would probably tell me not to put the electricity meter and distribution board for my house under the kitchen sink.

Chrisb.

 

[serfty]

... 1 short in a water heater can take out a 747 ??? wow and people are worried about hacking A380/B787 etc from inflight computer access. ...

There was no "short in a water heater"; according to information on PPRuNe, a large fibre glass drain/water barrier was not re-installed after the last C check. Because of this water from a galley was able to flood onto electronics/power racks. All mechanical AC (Alternating Current) power was lost.

The Standby power came from a >40Kg Nicad battery feeding DC into an inverter that puts out AC juice for about 1 hour to feed essentials.

 

[Yada Yada]

according to information, a large fibre glass drain/water barrier was not re-installed after the last C check. Because of this water from a galley was able to flood onto electronics/power racks. All mechanical AC (Alternating Current) power was lost.

That's a very serious lapse.

 

[Evan]

That's a very serious lapse.

And the last C check was done in AU.... so much for off shoring reducing quality. Errors can happen anywhere.
E

 

[straitman]

That's a very serious lapse.

I actually think of it as a minor lapse with potentially very serious consequences :!:
To use chrisb's terminology I'd call it risk management 101.

Missing engine parts or control serfaces is a very serious lapse.

 

[moa999]

Although I think chrisb's quote on Boeing design is also pertinent

Safety101 would probably tell me not to put the electricity meter and distribution board for my house under the kitchen sink.

 

[newflyer]

As for it being an interesting flight - I doubt it. 15 mins out is usually past TOD, so pax would have already been told to buckle in for landing - it would have just become a little darker earlier than normal. I assume the emergency lights would have come on, which I've seen a couple of times as well, so it's not that unusual. I doubt they were even told.

I agree with Chrisb and I wonder how many times other potentially serious incidents happen behind the scenes that pax are not told about? (Although as not the most confident flyer around, I think I'd be happy to be kept in the dark...pardon the pun in this particular case.)

 

[Yada Yada]

I actually think of it as a minor lapse with potentially very serious consequences :!:
To use chrisb's terminology I'd call it risk management 101.

Missing engine parts or control serfaces is a very serious lapse.

Yes, you're right.

Although I think chrisb's quote on Boeing design is also pertinent

Maybe there needs to be some safety mechanism that ensures this part is installed before the pilot can turn the key!

 

[NM]

VH-OJM operated as QF002D - hopefully either with a new water barrier installed, or with no pax. Given the time of year, it would have been interesting logistics to get 300+ people onto alternate flights. I suppose they could have diverted a JQ flight from coughet?

 

[pauly7]

And the last C check was done in AU.... so much for off shoring reducing quality. Errors can happen anywhere.
E

Hopefully that shuts the unions up for a bit

 

[NM]

Hopefully that shuts the unions up for a bit

nah, they will just blame it on being under-staffed and over-worked due to Qantas management incompetence as per the usual process.

 

[Alanslegal]

If the plane was not within an hour of flying time of any suitable airport, I would have to wonder whether or not the flight crew would have been able to pinpoint the problem within the hour? and if they did, whether they have any chance of rectifying the problem eg flight engineer?

 

[NYCguy]

... If they did, whether they have any chance of rectifying the problem eg flight engineer?

Even IF there had been a 'flight engineer' aboard, surely their capacity to do a comprehensive mechanical assessment and perform repairs on complex systems during flight would have been limited at best?

 

[chrisb]

If the plane was not within an hour of flying time of any suitable airport, I would have to wonder whether or not the flight crew would have been able to pinpoint the problem within the hour? and if they did, whether they have any chance of rectifying the problem eg flight engineer?

The only way I could see this working is if there is a manual system to override the generator control units and manually force the generators online and into the AC bus via circuit breakers or similar.

Since the equipment was affected by water, it would be a very very dangerous job to try and do anything else with the power still online.

 

[Yada Yada]

There is a bit more on the SMH online here.

The Director of Aerospace at RMIT University in Melbourne, Dr Arvind Sinha, said that while the jumbo's engines and steering would not have been affected, there was only an hour's worth of back-up power for its navigation and communication system, which were essential to landing.

I love this quote from a passenger:

"We just got told that there was a slight power failure," Ms Washbrook said.

Yeah, slight failure.

 

[codash1099]

There was no "short in a water heater"; according to information, a large fibre glass drain/water barrier was not re-installed after the last C check. Because of this water from a galley was able to flood onto electronics/power racks. All mechanical AC (Alternating Current) power was lost.

The Standby power came from a >40Kg Nicad battery feeding DC into an inverter that puts out AC juice for about 1 hour to feed essentials.

I have seen somewhere that it was a blocked drain, not a missing barrier. Preflight inspection procedures have been amended already to check for this .

Surprising indeed that switching for all generators was in the same area and located close to water. I believe Airbus have theirs located more sensibly.

 

[littl_flier]

Nice Turnaround.....

A QANTAS jumbo jet that lost all electrical power when descending into Bangkok is now back in normal operation.
The B747-400 aircraft, which was en route from London on Monday, automatically reverted to standby power.

The pilots on flight QF2 handled the "unusual situation'' in line with their training, Qantas executive general manager John Borghetti said today.

He said the incident was triggered by water entering the generator control unit, which caused loss of power.

"The aircraft was subjected to stringent inspections and testing in Bangkok before being cleared to fly,'' Mr Borghetti said.

Qantas would carry out its own investigation, as well as work with Boeing, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

"As a precaution, Qantas has inspected its entire B747-400 fleet and all of these aircraft have been cleared to fly,'' he said.

Faulty Qantas jumbo back in operation | Herald Sun

 

[N860CR]

I believe the aircraft arrived this afternoon. I was flying into SYD and overheard the Channel 7 chopper requesting clearance to hover over the jetbase and film the plane landing. Had to laugh when ATC advised the plane had landed 15 minutes earlier. In true 7 network quality, the request was "well are there any 747's landing that we can get some pictures of"

While on my 7 News rant, they mentioned tonight that QF2 became "only the 3rd aircraft in world history to lose all power". Me thinks they may be trying to make out this was a repeat of the BA + Air Transat "gliders". When did our journos get so.... useless.