G-VSXY 16 April 2012

[Darren Wheeler]

After nearly 2 years investigating and compiling, the AAIB have released their report into G-VSXY's emergency landing and evacuation at Gatwick.

The report is some 72 pages long but here are some key points.

The smoke indication alarm was caused by a faulty sensor in the cargo hold along with a CAN Bus fault and possibly high humidity due to perishable items in hold (peppers).
2 passengers received 'Serious' injuries.
Evacuation was completed within 109 seconds with most off within 60 seconds.
The emergency slide at R4 failed to deploy fully and other exits were used.
Some passengers took items of large hand baggage with them.
One passenger commented that there was no-one at the bottom to catch children.
It was reported that the speed on the slides was faster than in training.
Landing was overweight as A330 cannot dump fuel - design.
Minor damage to aircraft from slides being deployed along with overheating brakes.

Contrary to news reports at the time, there is no mention of the crew "panicking" on evacuation.

There are a number of technical recommendations, but for passengers only 2:

Emphasis on leaving hand baggage behind
Information on how children use the evacuation slide

The full report can be found at:
http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cf ... G-VSXY.pdf

Overall, it seems official, kudos to the crew for pulling off an over-weight emergency landing and evacuation with only 2 'Serious' injuries. There is a police helicopter video of the incident too. Now the report is complete, we'll see if that gets released to the public.

Now the report is complete, we'll see if that gets released to the public.

Somehow I can't visualise the headline "Aircraft Successfully Evacuated (In Spite of Passenger Behaviour"). Unless, of course, the passengers in question are benefit claimants...

One passenger commented that there was no-one at the bottom to catch children.

Why does nobody think of the children
Of course that passenger could have stuck around and helped catch the children at the bottom of the slide, cabin crew can't evacuate a jet by themselves and members of the public need to step up and help.

I was on the inbound leg of G-VSXY immediately before this incident, glad the sensor didn't go off mid-Atlantic!

Personally, I always watch the safety demonstration even though I could, probably, recite it word for word and perform the relevant actions, as well.

I also read the seat pocket safety card, and count the rows in each direction to the nearest exits.

In the event of an emergency, my intention is getting myself and others, especially those requiring assistance e.g. someone who boarded in a wheelchair or on crutches, off the aircraft safely; if that involves shouting 'leave your f*cking hand luggage where it is' then so be it.

If someone had luggage with them in front or behind me, it's likely that it's going onto an empty seat; rabbit punching someone in such circumstances would impede other passengers, but I'm all for insisting that people follow the rules in an emergency situation as they are there for a reason.

I seem to remember that quite a number of the passengers of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 which crashed at SFO on approach, came off with huge carry on bags; thankfully only 2 fatalities, but with the airframe on fire, WTF?

So just as I thought, the media reports into crew panicking and shouting was a load of wash. I have to say I will read the full report later, but whenever I have travelled with Virgin I have always found the cabin crew to be the most courteous and professional to deal with.

The recommendation that people leave hand baggage behind, not surprised even if it is a fire drill in the office people insist on taking that with them and laptops, thinks it is ingrianed.