Pilot's spilled coffee triggers hijacking alert

[Grandpa +65]

United Airlines Pilot's Coffee Spill Forces Emergency Landing

Updated: Wednesday, 05 Jan 2011, 7:13 AM EST
Published : Wednesday, 05 Jan 2011, 7:02 AM ESTA United Airlines flight from Chicago to Germany was forced to make an emergency landing in Canada after a pilot spilled coffee on the plane's radio equipment.
UA Flight 940 was carrying 241 passengers on Monday when the 777-200's communication and navigation equipment malfunctioned, prompting the flight crew to land just before 10:00 p.m. local time Monday at Toronto's Pearson International Airport.
While the airline refused to confirm that spilled coffee triggered the problem, the detail was noted by the Aviation Herald , a website that logs incidents on commercial flights based on flight data and incident reports.
NAV Canada reported that the crew advised of communication problems, and then reported they had navigation problems as well. The crew cycled through the transponder codes for unlawful interference and loss of communication.
It said that the FAA reported after contact with the company, that the pilot in command had spilled coffee over the radio equipment which interfered with the communication equipment. He inadvertently sent an unlawful interference code, then changed to loss of communication code.
A replacement 777-200 was sent to pick up the passengers and take them back to Chicago, where they were set to board another flight for Frankfurt on Tuesday.
Copyright MYFOXNY.COM/NEWSCORE





http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/int...offee-spill-forces-emergency-landing-20110105

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40926669/ns/travel-news/

 

[densoo]

Isn't that what happened in "Fate is the Hunter"?

 

[densoo]

1972 NTSB report

NTSB Identification: FTW72IF046
14 CFR Part 121 Scheduled operation of CONTINENTAL AIR LINES INC
Event occurred Friday, January 21, 1972 in EL PASO, TX
Aircraft: BOEING 720B, registration: N57206

N57206

72/1/21 NR.EL PASO,TEX BOEING 720B SCHED DOM PASSG SRV AIRLINE TRANSPORT

CLASSIFIED AS INCIDENT OPERATOR - CONTINENTAL AIR LINES,INC.
DEPARTURE POINT HOUSTON,TEX INTENDED DESTINATION LOS ANGELES,CALIF
TYPE OF ACCIDENT MISCELLANEOUS

PHASE OF OPERATION IN FLIGHT: NORMAL CRUISE
PROBABLE CAUSE(S) SYSTEMS - FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS: FLIGHT CONTROL BOOST SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL
MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - GROUNDED MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - FROZEN, MOISTURE
MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - INTERFERENCE WITH FLIGHT CONTROLS

EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES - PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON AIRPORT DIRECTIONAL CONTROL PROBLEM SUSPECTED MECHANICAL DISCREPANCY

REMARKS- SPILLED COFFEE IN COCKPIT DRIPPED ON YAW DAMPER COUPLER PLUG,CAUSED SHORT. ACFT ENTERED DUTCH ROLL.

 

[tomgoodman]

Isn't that what happened in "Fate is the Hunter"?

Yes, in the goofy movie (not the Gann book). They shut down a good engine due to a false fire warning caused by a coffee spill. Then, when they really did lose the other engine, they made no attempt to restart the first one, and crashed. :nuts:

 

[densoo]

Yes, in the goofy movie (not the Gann book). They shut down a good engine due to a false fire warning caused by a coffee spill. Then, when they really did lose the other engine, they made no attempt to restart the first one, and crashed. :nuts:

The flying scenes were too few and Glenn Ford's portrayal of an accident investigator was melodramatic, but it was a very early look at the philosophy of accident investigation. Are some accidents simply unavoidable? or do all accidents have a cause, and are therefore preventable? The CAA/FAA obviously settled on the latter.

 

[ableone]

The USAF lost a B-1 to a similar fault.

An engine failed and when the crew activated the firewall shutoff the entire panel shorted out and shut down all four engines. They were low level and had to punch out.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Pride in uniform...

SWA guys know a thing or two about spilled coffee protocol. Yes? :laugh:

 

[KarmaPolice]

"He inadvertently sent an unlawful interference code, then changed to loss of communication code?"

hahahaha. 7, 6, or 5? He needed more coffee to help him figure that out!

 

[kwick]

SWA guys know a thing or two about spilled coffee protocol. Yes? :laugh:

Especially if you're not wearing anything!

 

[Abernathy]

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