Eurowings A319 at Dusseldorf on May 16th 2016, smoke in cockpit and cabin

Last Update: December 18, 2019 / 15:47:12 GMT/Zulu time

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Photo of Eurowings D-AGWA, Airbus A319 — Eurowings D-AGWA, Airbus A319 (Photo credit: Peter Glyn / Flickr / License: CC by)

Incident Facts

Date of incident
May 16, 2016

Classification
Incident

Cause
Smoke in cockpit

Airline
Eurowings

Flight number
4U-9023

Departure
Dresden, Germany

Destination
Dusseldorf, Germany

Aircraft Registration
D-AGWA

Aircraft Type
Airbus A319

ICAO Type Designator
A319

A Eurowings Airbus A319-100, registration D-AGWA performing flight 4U-9023 from Dresden to Dusseldorf (Germany) with 142 passengers and 5 crew, was on approach to Dusseldorf when the crew reported smoke in cockpit and cabin. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Dusseldorf's runway 23L with emergency services on standby. The aircraft taxied to the apron after landing. All crew went for examination by medical personnel, both pilots were diagnosed with minor carbon monoxide intoxication.

Due to the engagement of emergency services there were no departures and landings in Dusseldorf for about 25 minutes.

On May 25th 2016 the BEA reported Germany's BFU rated the occurrence a serious incident and opened an investigation.

On Nov 1st 2016 Germany's BFU released their May bulletin reporting the aircraft was descending through FL160 on approach to Dusseldorf when the crew noticed an odour and smoke in the cockpit. The crew donned their oxygen masks, declared emergency and continued the approach for a safe landing on runway 23L. The occurrence was rated a serious incident, an investigation has been opened.

The Bulletin also released a preliminary report stating, that the first officer (49, ATPL, 12,191 hours total, 9,915 hours on type) was pilot flying and immediately donned her oxygen mask when the odour and smoke became visible at the right hand side of the cockpit near the first officer's side stick, the captain (42, ATPL, 6,650 hours total, 4,012 hours on type), pilot monitoring, called the flight attendants and was informed that the odour was present in the cabin, too, the cabin crew in the aft cabin had donned their protective breathing equipment (PBE). The captain declared emergency and donned his oxygen mask. An Avionics Smoke Warning activated for about 2 seconds.

The BFU reported that following landing a static inverter was identified as source of the smoke. The device was secured by the BFU and examined in lab, a PCB showed indications of exposure to heat.

The BFU reported that both pilots suffered a minor carbon monoxide intoxication as result of the occurrence.

On Dec 18th 2019 the BFU released their final report stating facts only and without formal conclusion. The report, now available also in English (other than the May 2016 bulletin which was available only in German), is basically identical to the May 2016 bulletin. The only new information:

The manufacturer stated in writing that the supplier of the capacitor C306 (P/N 1-001-0306-0054) identified quality deficits in the production line. Subsequently, production was changed. Delivered static inverters were corrected in accordance with the Service Bulletin 1830-25-37 Initial Release (Revision 0). The replacement capacitors are optimised.