Serious Cabin Fume Incident Leaves Flight Deck Temporarily Incapacitated
Nov 25, 2019, 1:06 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: UK
Programs: IC Hotels Spire, BA Gold
Posts: 8,667
Serious Cabin Fume Incident Leaves Flight Deck Temporarily Incapacitated
This being reported.......date of occurrence was October 19th and apparently an ."onion bahjis" smell 
A British Airways Airbus A320-200, registration G-GATL performing flight BA-2676 from London Gatwick,EN (UK) to Paphos (Cyprus), was descending through 8000 feet to 6000 feet towards Paphos when the first officer noticed an unusual odour in the cockpit and queried the captain whether he would also smell onion bahjis, the captain indicated he did not. About 30 seconds later the first officer felt his arms and legs were tingling and he had the impression he was about to faint. He donned his oxygen masks and made sure oxygen was set to 100%. He then turned to the captain telling him, he didn't feel good, but there was no response, the first officer then indicated he was incapacitated, still no response from the captain. After a couple of seconds the captain finally reacted stating very slowly he didn't feel good, too, and donned his oxygen mask. Both pilots verified the captain's oxygen was set to 100%. During that time several calls by ATC to descend to 4000 feet went unnoticed. The pilots recovered a bit, however, could not establish two way communication between them with the oxygen masks on, they figured the captain could hear the first officer but the first officer could not hear the captain. The captain was pilot flying and began to point to the checklist to be executed (smoke, fire, fumes), then throughout the approach pointed to the relevant levers to be operated for flaps and gear extension while the first officer continued to communicate with ATC and read the checklists. The aircraft landed safely on Paphos' runway 29 about 13 minutes after the onset of trouble, the crew opened the cockpit windows immediately after roll out before taxiing to the stand.
Following shut down at the stand the captain went to the lavatory almost immediately, while the first officer checked with the cabin whether there was everything okay. The cabin had not noticed anything untoward, however, the flight attendant was shocked by the view of the first officer being completely pale. She stated there was a strong smell of fuel from the cockpit when the cockpit door opened. The tingling, confusion and difficulties to concentrate continued past the landing despite the oxygen mask. Both pilots went to a hospital where they were both diagnosed with very low blood oxygen saturation and feaver. The doctors recommended the flight crew to stay in hospital overnight for monitoring, however, the pilots preferred to go to the hotel and returned to London the next day as passengers, refusing to fly on the occurrence aircraft.
The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 27 hours, then returned to London Gatwick as flight BA-2675 and continued service.
A British Airways Airbus A320-200, registration G-GATL performing flight BA-2676 from London Gatwick,EN (UK) to Paphos (Cyprus), was descending through 8000 feet to 6000 feet towards Paphos when the first officer noticed an unusual odour in the cockpit and queried the captain whether he would also smell onion bahjis, the captain indicated he did not. About 30 seconds later the first officer felt his arms and legs were tingling and he had the impression he was about to faint. He donned his oxygen masks and made sure oxygen was set to 100%. He then turned to the captain telling him, he didn't feel good, but there was no response, the first officer then indicated he was incapacitated, still no response from the captain. After a couple of seconds the captain finally reacted stating very slowly he didn't feel good, too, and donned his oxygen mask. Both pilots verified the captain's oxygen was set to 100%. During that time several calls by ATC to descend to 4000 feet went unnoticed. The pilots recovered a bit, however, could not establish two way communication between them with the oxygen masks on, they figured the captain could hear the first officer but the first officer could not hear the captain. The captain was pilot flying and began to point to the checklist to be executed (smoke, fire, fumes), then throughout the approach pointed to the relevant levers to be operated for flaps and gear extension while the first officer continued to communicate with ATC and read the checklists. The aircraft landed safely on Paphos' runway 29 about 13 minutes after the onset of trouble, the crew opened the cockpit windows immediately after roll out before taxiing to the stand.
Following shut down at the stand the captain went to the lavatory almost immediately, while the first officer checked with the cabin whether there was everything okay. The cabin had not noticed anything untoward, however, the flight attendant was shocked by the view of the first officer being completely pale. She stated there was a strong smell of fuel from the cockpit when the cockpit door opened. The tingling, confusion and difficulties to concentrate continued past the landing despite the oxygen mask. Both pilots went to a hospital where they were both diagnosed with very low blood oxygen saturation and feaver. The doctors recommended the flight crew to stay in hospital overnight for monitoring, however, the pilots preferred to go to the hotel and returned to London the next day as passengers, refusing to fly on the occurrence aircraft.
The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 27 hours, then returned to London Gatwick as flight BA-2675 and continued service.
Nov 25, 2019, 1:15 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,395
The wording of the report has me intrigued, mainly because it does not appear to have what I personally would describe as an ‘official’ tone.
Are you able to give the actual source ?
Are you able to give the actual source ?
Nov 25, 2019, 1:17 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: UK
Programs: IC Hotels Spire, BA Gold
Posts: 8,667
Nov 25, 2019, 1:36 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold 1MM, BA Gold, UA Peon
Posts: 6,105
I'm sure it's only a matter of time before the "Aerotoxic" bunch pop up here, so I doubt I'll make things worse by asking if this was an engine oil leak or hydraulic leak into the bleed air?
I assume the investigating authority in the first instance will be the Cypriot aviation regulator, but perhaps they'll delegate it to the UK AAIB.
I assume the investigating authority in the first instance will be the Cypriot aviation regulator, but perhaps they'll delegate it to the UK AAIB.
Nov 25, 2019, 1:36 pm
#9
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: GLA/EDI
Programs: BAEC Gold life/ GGL and U2 plus
Posts: 91
Nov 25, 2019, 1:40 pm
#10
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,887
I'm sure it's only a matter of time before the "Aerotoxic" bunch pop up here, so I doubt I'll make things worse by asking if this was an engine oil leak or hydraulic leak into the bleed air?
I assume the investigating authority in the first instance will be the Cypriot aviation regulator, but perhaps they'll delegate it to the UK AAIB.
I assume the investigating authority in the first instance will be the Cypriot aviation regulator, but perhaps they'll delegate it to the UK AAIB.
Nov 25, 2019, 1:41 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: NT Australia
Programs: QF WP
Posts: 4,159
first registered with ACES Colombia as N834VX in 2003 (looks suspiciously like a US rego to me, mind), then seems to have been leased out for a bit including to WizzAir until 2014
interestingly, the all Y LCC configuration apparently only had 3 more seats
https://m.planespotters.net/airframe...irways/bneZIKR
interestingly, the all Y LCC configuration apparently only had 3 more seats
https://m.planespotters.net/airframe...irways/bneZIKR
Nov 25, 2019, 1:48 pm
#13
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,732
Another amateur question here, why didn't they check the passenger cabin, and if it was OK, fling open the flight deck door?
Nov 25, 2019, 2:04 pm
#15
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 3,439
It must be quite worrying for the crew who experience these fume events and probably makes them reluctant to fly on that frame again.
Do other airlines such as EasyJet experience these frequent fume incidents or is it to do with the age and history of these LGW birds?
Do other airlines such as EasyJet experience these frequent fume incidents or is it to do with the age and history of these LGW birds?