767 Fire at KSFO

[bcradio]

This happened a few weeks ago.. There was a fire onboard a Airborne Express 767 on the ground at San Fransisco.  I got the audio from the archive and the summary from the NTSB:

On June 28, 2008 at approximately 10:15 pm pacific daylight time, Airborne Express flight 1611, a Boeing 767 aircraft, registration N799AX, caught fire just aft of the cockpit area while the flightcrew were preparing to start the engines. The airplane was parked at plot 11 at the San Francisco International Airport with all cargo loaded at the time the fire erupted. Both flightcrew members exited the aircraft safely via the cockpit windows. The airport rescue and fire fighting unit (ARFF) extinguished the fire. The fire burned a hole through the crown of the aircraft in the forward galley area. No injuries were reported and the aircraft was substantially damage

Some photos of the incident aircraft are here:

http://aviation-safety.net/photos/displayphoto.php?id=20080628-0&vnr=2&kind=C

[Mod: titled edited to reflect San Fran. ICAO]

[bcradio]

Just a note on the clip, most of the action is in the first 30 seconds... After that it's ground instructing aircraft to avoid fire trucks, etc...

[KPryor]

Good catch on that clip!  The pilot was remarkably calm considering he was in a burning aircraft.
KP

[jonboudreaux]

I wonder how you can escape an aircraft through the cockpit windows? Can an average sized person fit through them? Do they just slide open?

[tyketto]

I wonder how you can escape an aircraft through the cockpit windows? Can an average sized person fit through them? Do they just slide open?

They should be able to.

I remember an episode of Air Emergency where a BAE146 had lost pressure in both the flight deck and cabin, and the captain was blown out through the cockpit window. A male FA was holding on to him by his legs while the FO was getting the plane down to the nearest airport (I can't remember which airports). But they were decently average sized people, so it would be possible to get out through the windows.

BL.

[seagull]

Posted on (www.arff.info)

http://www.arff.info/forums/showthread.php?p=21775



National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594

June 29, 2008

************************************************** **********
NTSB TEAM OF INVESTIGATORS RESPOND TO A GROUND FIRE ABOARD B-767
CARGO JET


************************************************** **********


The National Transportation Safety Board is sending a team
of specialists to investigate a ground fire that erupted
aboard a parked B-767 cargo jet last night at the San
Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, California.

About 10:00 p.m. PDT, the flightcrew of a Boeing B-767
(N799AX), operated by Airborne Express as cargo flight 1611,
reported smoke and fire just aft of cockpit while preparing
to start the engines. The airplane was parked at the time,
and all cargo had been loaded. Both flightcrew members
exited the airplane safely via cockpit window. The airport
rescue and fire fighting unit extinguished the fire;
however, a hole had been burned through the crown of the
aircraft above the forward galley area.

NTSB Chairman Mark V. Rosenker has designated investigator
Lorenda Ward as the Investigator-in-Charge. An aviation
systems specialist, survival factors specialist, and
fire/explosion specialist will accompany her. The team is
expected to arrive on scene this evening.

Burned DHL 767 at SFO

June 29, 2008. This gallery shows the DHL 767 # 799 that partially got burned in San Francisco Int'l airport last night. Wider angle shots are immediately followed by closer up photos.

Note the following:
- Open emergency exit window above wing
- Open cockpit windows
- Smoke markings above cockpit windows

All images copyrighted by Jack Hannen.

Note open emergency door window above the wing
Burned forward &side section
DHL burned forward fuselage
Burned forward section. Note open cockpit window.
Front view
Close-up front view. Note smoke markings on fuselage above cockpit window.

[Fryy]

I wonder how you can escape an aircraft through the cockpit windows? Can an average sized person fit through them? Do they just slide open?

im sure some of you remember this incident. you can see one of the pilots jump out of the cockpit at about 45sec into the video, right as it blows up.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=KmKd-buNMVc