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A320 diverts to nearest suitable airport when an audible equipment failure and subsequent electrical smoke and fumes are experienced.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 758783 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200710 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 19000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Weather Elements | Turbulence |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zzz.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 2100 |
| ASRS Report | 758783 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 6000 |
| ASRS Report | 758935 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Cruising at FL190 due to turbulence heard a bang then a constant audible grinding noise followed 20 seconds later by electrical fumes; smoke in cockpit and forward cabin. Donned oxygen masks-smoke mask and declared emergency. Diverted to ZZZ about 30 mi north of our position. No ECAM at this time. Tried turning off cabin fan switch and both packs one at a time to see if grinding noise diminished; no help. Informed dispatch; flight attendants and passenger of the diversion. Very busy being so close to ZZZ. Finally got the ECAM for vent extract fan fault on final; probably when the circuit breaker finally tripped. Did not know circuit breaker tripped until at the gate. I wanted passenger off the airplane in case fumes were strong in the back. Were given guidance initially to a gate where the jetway was only configured for a different aircraft type. Had to restart and move to another gate. In future this should be a consideration at an off line airport. Fan deferred MEL items complied with.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A320 DIVERTS TO NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT WHEN AN AUDIBLE EQUIPMENT FAILURE AND SUBSEQUENT ELECTRICAL SMOKE AND FUMES ARE EXPERIENCED.
Narrative: CRUISING AT FL190 DUE TO TURB HEARD A BANG THEN A CONSTANT AUDIBLE GRINDING NOISE FOLLOWED 20 SECONDS LATER BY ELECTRICAL FUMES; SMOKE IN COCKPIT AND FORWARD CABIN. DONNED OXYGEN MASKS-SMOKE MASK AND DECLARED EMER. DIVERTED TO ZZZ ABOUT 30 MI N OF OUR POS. NO ECAM AT THIS TIME. TRIED TURNING OFF CABIN FAN SWITCH AND BOTH PACKS ONE AT A TIME TO SEE IF GRINDING NOISE DIMINISHED; NO HELP. INFORMED DISPATCH; FLT ATTENDANTS AND PAX OF THE DIVERSION. VERY BUSY BEING SO CLOSE TO ZZZ. FINALLY GOT THE ECAM FOR VENT EXTRACT FAN FAULT ON FINAL; PROBABLY WHEN THE CIRCUIT BREAKER FINALLY TRIPPED. DID NOT KNOW CIRCUIT BREAKER TRIPPED UNTIL AT THE GATE. I WANTED PAX OFF THE AIRPLANE IN CASE FUMES WERE STRONG IN THE BACK. WERE GIVEN GUIDANCE INITIALLY TO A GATE WHERE THE JETWAY WAS ONLY CONFIGURED FOR A DIFFERENT ACFT TYPE. HAD TO RESTART AND MOVE TO ANOTHER GATE. IN FUTURE THIS SHOULD BE A CONSIDERATION AT AN OFF LINE ARPT. FAN DEFERRED MEL ITEMS COMPLIED WITH.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.