[Peetwo]

MAL under the spotlight with latest incident YBBN?

By Robyn Ironside , via the Oz:

Near-disaster in Brisbane puts heat on Malaysia Airlines

A Malaysia Airlines flight narrowly avoided disaster in Brisbane. Picture: AFP

The Australian
12:00AM July 25, 2018
ROBYN IRONSIDE

AVIATION WRITER
Brisbane
@ironsider

Aviation experts have questioned the safety of Malaysia Airlines’ ­operations after the carrier narrowly avoided disaster in Brisbane.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has launched an ­investigation into flight MH134, after its airspeed indicators failed on take-off late last Wednesday night. The A330-200, with 226 people on board, was forced to return to Brisbane after dumping fuel over Moreton Bay, landing so heavily the aircraft was unable to continue to the gate.

Brisbane Airport confirmed the runway was closed for 90 ­minutes, forcing an Emirates flight from Dubai to divert to Melbourne, and delaying a Cathay ­Pacific flight from Hong Kong. The cause of the problem is thought to have been a failure to remove covers from the pitot tubes that measure airspeed and altitude, and feed that information into the on-board computer.

Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association secretary Steve Purvinas said no aircraft should take off with a cover on the pitot tubes.

“In our industry it’s just little mistakes like that that can cause critical failures in flight,” Mr Purvinas said.

“There should be an engineer checking the aircraft before it ­departs and then the pilot should check it. If those checks aren’t happening, they shouldn’t be flying a plane.”

He said reports of a heavy landing were not surprising, given the pilot would not have known what altitude the aircraft was at as it ­descended.

“Before an aircraft lands, they normally flare the nose up so the landing is smooth,” said Mr Purvinas. “They would’ve found that ­really hard to judge on this flight.”

Veteran commercial pilot Byron Bailey said it was an appalling oversight not to remove the pitot tube covers as part of pre-flight checks. He said it was standard procedure for either the captain or co-pilot to conduct an external inspection of the aircraft to ensure the tyres were inflated and pitot tube covers were removed.

“The second check should have ­occurred on the runway, when the airspeed is being cross-checked. At that time if there’s a discrepancy the take-off should be aborted,” Mr Bailey said. “It’s shocking they ever actually got airborne.”

Malaysia Airlines confirmed the A330 yesterday remained in Brisbane undergoing repairs, ­almost a week after the incident.

A spokeswoman said the flight had returned to Brisbane “due to an unexpected technical issue that occurred after take-off”.

“The airline is unable to comment while investigations are still in progress but is working closely with and giving full co-operation to the authorities,” she said.

“Safety is of paramount importance to the airline at all times.”

Blocked pitot tubes were partially blamed for the crash of an Air France A330 into the Atlantic Ocean in 2009. All 228 people on board died. At Brisbane Airport, aircraft operators are required to cover pitot tubes due to the risk of mud wasps building nests over the openings following an incident involving an Etihad Airways A330 in 2013. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority issued an alert in May warning that keyhole wasps found in Brisbane could build nests in as little as 20 minutes. The alert ­advised that the consequences of blocked pitot tubes were “hazardous”. As part of its investigation into the incident, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau will examine the aircraft, collect the flight data and cockpit voice ­recorders, and interview maintenance and flight crew.

Malaysia Airlines resumed flights between Brisbane and Kuala Lumpur only in June, three years after axing the service as part of a restructure. The overhaul was the result of plunging passenger numbers in the wake of the MH370 and MH17 tragedies.

From the HVH investigation page:

Aviation safety investigations & reports

Airspeed indication failure on take-off involving Airbus A330, 9M-MTK, Brisbane Airport, Queensland, 18 July 2018
 
Investigation number: AO-2018-053
Status: Active
[img=150x0]https://www.atsb.gov.au/Assets/Progress/progress_0.png[/img]

Summary

The ATSB is investigating an airspeed indication failure on take-off involving an Airbus A330, 9M-MTK, at Brisbane Airport, Queensland on 18 July 2018.

During take-off, the airspeed indicators failed and the crew conducted a return to Brisbane.
As part of the investigation, the ATSB will examine the aircraft, collect recorders, and interview maintenance and flight crew.

A final report will be released at the end of the investigation.

Should a critical safety issue be identified during the course of the investigation, the ATSB will immediately notify those affected and seek safety action to address the issue.
 
General details
Date: 18 July 2018
 
Investigation status: Active
 
Time: 13:34 UTC
 
Investigation phase: Evidence collection
 
Location   (show map):
Brisbane Airport
 
Investigation type:
Occurrence Investigation
 
State: Queensland
 
Occurrence type: Aircraft preparation
 


 
Occurrence class: Operational
 
Report status: Pending
 
Occurrence category: Incident
 
Anticipated completion: 3rd Quarter 2019
 
Highest injury level: None
 
 
Aircraft details

Aircraft manufacturer: Airbus
 
Aircraft model: A330-323XZ
 
Aircraft registration: 9M-MTK
 
Serial number: 1318
 
Operator: Malaysia Airlines
 
Type of operation: Air Transport High Capacity
 
Sector: Jet
 
Damage to aircraft: Nil
 
Departure point: Brisbane, Qld
Destination: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
 
 
Last update 19 July 2018

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