Tue, Apr 05, 2011
Crew Smelled Smoke In The Cockpit, Skidded Off Runway After
Landing
The NTSB has sent a team to investigate an incident involving
a passenger jetliner in New Orleans.
On April 4, 2011, at about 0725 CDT, an Airbus 320-232 (N409UA),
serial number 462, with 109 passengers and crew aboard, operating
as United Airlines flight 497, exited the left side of runway 19 at
the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY). The
aircraft had returned to the airport about 20 minutes after
take-off due to electrical difficulties and smoke in the
cockpit.
Preliminary information indicates that, while climbing through
4,000 feet, the crew reportedly received automated warnings and
detected smoke in the cockpit. A loss of primary instrumentation
was also reported during the event. The crew indicated that they
initiated emergency procedures and turned back to the airport. Upon
landing, the crew described a loss of anti-skid braking and
nose-wheel steering and exited the runway approximately 2,000 feet
from the approach threshold.
The passengers and crew exited the airplane via slides. It was
reported that the right forward slide did not inflate. There were
no reported injuries. Initial information is that the airplane had
minor damage, but it will be examined by NTSB investigators after
defueling and recovery.
The NTSB investigator-in-charge is Dan Bower, and NTSB technical
experts in systems and survival factors are also on the scene.
Additional NTSB experts in the areas of operations, maintenance
records, vehicle performance, and flight recorders will also
assist. Parties to the investigation include the Federal Aviation
Administration, United Airlines, the Air Line Pilots Association,
the Association of Flight Attendants, and the International
Brotherhood of Teamsters. The Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses
(BEA) of the Government of France has appointed an Accredited
Representative who will also travel to the scene along with
technical advisors from Airbus.
A preliminary report of the incident will be available on the
Board's website within 10 business days.
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