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Flight crew of LJ55 encounters smoke emanating from cockpit blower vents at top of climb. Declare emergency and divert to pbi.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 619879 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200406 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : pbi.vortac |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl single value : 41000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zma.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Learjet 55 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1880 |
| ASRS Report | 619879 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport other |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
We had just leveled at FL410 when we witnessed smoke coming from the overhead cockpit blowers. The circuit breaker associates with the cockpit blower had already been pulled prior to takeoff, we were aware we had no cockpit blower for our flight. The smoke was pretty thick. I immediately declared an emergency and requested vectors to pbi, most suitable place to land. I initiated the emergency descent and told copilot to handle ATC communications and run the appropriate checklists. I pulled all relevant breakers associated with the air conditioning system since I strongly believed it to be the cause. This action seemed to diminish and eventually stop the source of the smoke. On final approach, most of the smoke had cleared and we landed uneventfully. Crash fire rescue equipment equipment met us, but no action was necessary. Our quick response and actions helped in avoiding a serious event.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT CREW OF LJ55 ENCOUNTERS SMOKE EMANATING FROM COCKPIT BLOWER VENTS AT TOP OF CLB. DECLARE EMER AND DIVERT TO PBI.
Narrative: WE HAD JUST LEVELED AT FL410 WHEN WE WITNESSED SMOKE COMING FROM THE OVERHEAD COCKPIT BLOWERS. THE CIRCUIT BREAKER ASSOCIATES WITH THE COCKPIT BLOWER HAD ALREADY BEEN PULLED PRIOR TO TKOF, WE WERE AWARE WE HAD NO COCKPIT BLOWER FOR OUR FLT. THE SMOKE WAS PRETTY THICK. I IMMEDIATELY DECLARED AN EMER AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO PBI, MOST SUITABLE PLACE TO LAND. I INITIATED THE EMER DSCNT AND TOLD COPLT TO HANDLE ATC COMS AND RUN THE APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS. I PULLED ALL RELEVANT BREAKERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING SYS SINCE I STRONGLY BELIEVED IT TO BE THE CAUSE. THIS ACTION SEEMED TO DIMINISH AND EVENTUALLY STOP THE SOURCE OF THE SMOKE. ON FINAL APCH, MOST OF THE SMOKE HAD CLRED AND WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. CFR EQUIP MET US, BUT NO ACTION WAS NECESSARY. OUR QUICK RESPONSE AND ACTIONS HELPED IN AVOIDING A SERIOUS EVENT.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.