DL 89 Fuel Dump onto School LAX to PVG
Jan 14, 2020, 4:42 pm
#16
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ABC World News Tonight as well and they said the aircraft should have been at least 5,000' before dumping and that it was around 2300' during the dump so the fuel did not have time to vaporize. It better have been one hell of an emergency. ABC said it was from a compressor stall (which happens frequently). We will see where this goes.. Unfortunate incident for all involved and on the ground.. 
Jan 14, 2020, 4:46 pm
#17
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Jan 14, 2020, 4:49 pm
#18
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Also, jet fuel as actually really not that flammable. Much closer to diesel than gasoline. There’s a famous test out there which shows if you drop a lit match into a bucket of Jet A it will simply extinguish.
Jan 14, 2020, 4:59 pm
#19
Join Date: Feb 2013
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Exactly. Jet-A is basically Kerosene, which isn't known to explode but rather to burn steadily.
Jan 14, 2020, 5:05 pm
#20
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FAA Twitter
Jan 14, 2020, 5:12 pm
#23
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https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4d1f4f9a&opt=0
Right hand engine compressor stalls which resolved
"The crew did not request fuel dump"
Right hand engine compressor stalls which resolved
"The crew did not request fuel dump"
Jan 14, 2020, 5:17 pm
#24
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https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4d1f4f9a&opt=0
Right hand engine compressor stalls which resolved
"The crew did not request fuel dump"
Right hand engine compressor stalls which resolved
"The crew did not request fuel dump"
Jan 14, 2020, 5:17 pm
#25
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Right hand engine compressor stalls which resolved
"The crew did not request fuel dump"
Right hand engine compressor stalls which resolved
"The crew did not request fuel dump"
Jan 14, 2020, 5:27 pm
#26
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How do you accidentally dump fuel?
Someone didn't follow the checklist procedure is my guess. I'm sure before you dump fuel, you have to verify altitude.
Someone didn't follow the checklist procedure is my guess. I'm sure before you dump fuel, you have to verify altitude.
Jan 14, 2020, 5:41 pm
#27
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 452
Maybe they shouldnt be dumping fuel at all?
Jan 14, 2020, 6:04 pm
#28
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You can do this with gasoline too. Its the vapors, not the fuel.
Jan 14, 2020, 6:08 pm
#29
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You can hear DL89 talking to SOCAL Approach (Moorpark Sector) on 128.75 starting at around 5 minutes into the recording from 1930-2000Z (link here) about needing to return to LAX due to (what sounds like) an engine compressor stall.
Last edited by muaddib89; Jan 14, 2020 at 6:10 pm Reason: Misstated timing in the file
Jan 14, 2020, 6:33 pm
#30
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I would imagine if the crew decided to dump fuel there was a good reason. I’ll wait to assess blame until more info is available but perhaps there was a fire indication. If it wasn’t urgent I would think the crew would vector over the ocean to dump and land even lighter. Obviously something caused the crew to decide to dump immediately and land immediately.
Correct, however this still leads to a lower probability of ignition which is the main issue here.
Correct, however this still leads to a lower probability of ignition which is the main issue here.