Summary
- A World Atlantic Airlines aircraft had an engine failure during takeoff from El Paso but safely landed back with no injuries.
- Pilots train rigorously for engine fires and follow emergency procedures like shutdown, cut-offs, and extinguisher activation.
Following an engine fire, a classic airliner had to return to its departure airport in El Paso, Texas, in an emergency; here’s what happened.
The emergency
According to Fox 14, on June 11th, at approximately 8:20 a.m., an emergency unfolded at El Paso Internais is tional Airport when an aircraft faced an inflight enincludeude emergency.
The El Paso Fire Department promptly sprang into action upon receiving reports of a plane with an engine ablaze requiring an emergency landing. The aircraft managed to land safely, and the skilled EPFD Aircraft Rescue and firefighting teams promptly and effectively extinguished the fire.
The Avherald goes into further detail about the incident; it reported that the World Atlantic Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-83, with the registration number N804WA, was conducting flight WL-101 from El Paso, Texas, to McAllen, Texas, with 141 passengers onboard. During the initial climb out of El Paso’s runway 04, the flight crew issued a Mayday call, indicating that they had experienced an engine failure (JT8D). The aircraft ceased its ascent at 5500 feet and made arrangements to return to runway 04 but later opted for a landing on runway 26L. Following the landing on runway 26L, the crew reported a fire in the right-hand engine. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries.
Related
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The MD-80 was a popular aircraft in many regions, still in very limited service.
How do pilots respond to engine fires?
Pilots regularly train for these scarce scenarios, which is why passengers needn’t worry in most cases. However, they must follow the cabin crew’s instructions for their safety. This includes reviewing the brace position and evacuation routes—these can be found on the safety card.
Photo: LauraVl | Shutterstock.com
According to Ask Captain Lim, in the event of an onboard fire, the pilot must immediately implement the emergency fire procedures. This involves promptly shutting down the correct engine, cutting off its fuel and electrical supply, and activating the fire extinguisher.
It is widely accepted that the flight crew may have as little as 15 to 20 minutes to land the aircraft safely in such rare scenarios.
Additionally, it’s important to note that an inflight fire can develop inside the plane’s cargo compartment, galley, or lavatory area, posing severe risks to passengers and crew.
An illustrative example of effective emergency response occurred on April 23rd, 2013, when a Singapore Airlines Airbus A330 en route from Singapore to Dhaka with 105 passengers and 12 crew members encountered a cargo fire while cruising at 35,000 feet. The crew decided to divert to the nearest airport in Bangkok and successfully landed the aircraft within 20 minutes, ensuring the safety of everyone onboard.
Related
Delta Air Lines Airbus A320 Returns To West Palm Beach Following Engine Fire
The aircraft stopped climbing at 3,000 feet before safely returning to its departure airport.
Bottom line
On June 11th, an engine fire emergency unfolded at El Paso International Airport involving a World Atlantic Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-83, flying from El Paso to McAllen with 141 passengers. The flight crew issued a Mayday call after an engine failure during takeoff and safely landed back, with firefighters extinguishing the blaze; no injuries were reported.
Pilots train for such scenarios and follow strict emergency procedures to ensure passenger safety, including engine shutdown, fuel and electrical cut-offs, and fire extinguisher activation.
