This article is from page 16 of the 2007-06-12 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 16 JPG
AN AIR Accident Investigation Unit inquiry into a “very serious in- cident” involving an Aer Lingus jet has blamed the faulty installation of a cargo door seal for pressurisation problems which forced the aircraft to declare an emergency return to Shannon Airport.
The inquiry concluded that a cargo door seal had been fitted incorrectly by an engineer at Dublin Airport who had never carried out a cargo door seal replacement on an A330 previously. The seal in this case was fitted inside out and upside down.
The incident occurred on August 18, 2005 after the Aer Lingus Air- bus A330-301 aircraft left Shannon for JFK Airport in New York.
Shortly into the flight, the captain declared an emergency due to pres- surisation problems. The aircraft made an emergency descent from 35,000 ft and the captain requested a diversion to Shannon. A normal approach was executed and the air- craft, although overweight, landed safely at 4.23pm.
Earlier, when the flight first ar- rived at Shannon, the captain was forced to abort his first landing af- ter reporting a pressurisation prob-
lem. The plane landed safely on the second attempt.
The door seal was fitted inside out and upside down which, according to the report, “would indicate that neither the crew leader nor crew- members understood how the seal functioned in flight. Taken collec- tively, they all had adequate experi- ence but obviously none were aware of the significance of the inflation holes.”
According to the investigation unit report, the incident should sig- nal the need for a review of the con- tractor’s initial and ongoing train- ing system.
The report cited mitigating cir- cumstances, however, stating that the crew leader’s attention was di- vided between two aircraft. There was also the length of time taken to acquire a seal, the time spent on the job as a consequence, the move- ment of the aircraft to another stand and the encroaching darkness.
Had the new seal been fitted at the time of the damaged seal removal, its correct orientation in the door might have been obvious to the crew who might also have noted that the inflation holes were on the incorrect side and facing out from the door centre.