Montenegro E190 enroute on Aug 16th 2014, both bleed air systems failed

Last Update: August 27, 2014 / 14:03:29 GMT/Zulu time

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Incident Facts

Date of incident
Aug 16, 2014

Classification
Incident

Airline
Montenegro Airlines

Flight number
YM-206

Departure
Tivat, Montenegro

Destination
Belgrade, Serbia

Aircraft Registration
4O-AOC

Aircraft Type
Embraer ERJ-190

ICAO Type Designator
E190

A Montenegro Airlines Embraer ERJ-195, registration 4O-AOC performing flight YM-206 from Tivat (Montenegro) to Belgrade (Serbia), was enroute when the crew received indication the left hand bleed air system had failed. While working the related checklists the right hand bleed air system failed as well prompting the crew to request and receive clearance for a rapid descent to FL100, no loss of cabin pressure was being felt or indicated on board of the aircraft. The crew continued the flight to Belgrade maintaining FL100, even though the right hand bleed air system recovered after working the related checklists, and landed safely in Belgrade.

The aircraft was unable to continue its schedule, flights YM-207 and YM-202.

A passenger on flight YM-202 from Tivat to Belgrade reported there were high vibrations shortly after takeoff on 4O-AOC from Tivat. The crew announced they had a number of fuel pumps failed and engine vibrations and they were diverting to Podgorica. A replacement aircraft took them to Belgrade.

A replacement Embraer ERJ-190 registration 4O-AOD performing flight YM-202A reached Belgrade with a delay of 3:45 hours.

The airline's technical chief reported on Aug 27th 2014 (initial inquiries to the airline's press department had not resulted in a reply) that the passenger report was false, 4O-AOC did have an incident that day, however, not on flight YM-202 but on flight YM-206 (also Tivat to Belgrade) when the left hand bleed air system failed shortly followed by the right hand bleed air system prompting the crew to descend to FL100, the cabin altitude slowly climbing but without loss of cabin pressure being felt or indicated, and continue to Belgrade for a safe landing in Belgrade. As the aircraft was unable to continue the schedule, 4O-AOD positioned to Belgrade and resumed the schedule. As Tivat is closed after sunset, flight YM-207 performed by 4O-AOD could not land in Tivat but diverted to Podgorica, the passengers for flight YM-202 were bussed from Tivat to Podgorica and boarded flight YM-202A from Podgorica to Belgrade there while the passengers on board of YM-207 were bussed to Tivat.

Confronted with the statement by Montenegro Airlines the original source "immensely apologized" on Aug 27th 2014 stating that in fact he hadn't been a passenger himself but trusted a friend, who had been passenger and reported the occurrence. The source saw delays and anomalies surrounding the flight taking them as confirmation of the friend's story. The source stated in the apology: "I have told you that I was a passenger only because I wanted to make sure this story went up." and added that the friend, actual passenger of the flight, assumed a cover up would occur. The source concluded: "And I really want to apologize once again for doing something so stupid."

The occurrence aircraft was able to resume service the following day after about 12 hours.