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| Date: | Friday 20 January 1995 |
| Time: | c. 14:08 LT |
| Type: |  British Aerospace ATP |
| Owner/operator: | Manx Airlines |
| Registration: | G-MANA |
| MSN: | 2056 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1992 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 19 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Minor |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Manchester International Airport (MAN/EGCC) -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Manchester International Airport (MAN/EGCC) |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The aircraft and crew had flown an uneventful 45 minute sector from their base to Manchester. After
embarking the passengers, the engines were started and the aircraft taxied to Runway 24. The co-pilot took control for a rolling takeoff which was carried out at full power in the normal manner at
1405 hrs. After takeoff, landing gear and flaps were retracted and engine power was reduced to the
climb rating. Later, at 1,000 feet in the climb on runway heading, the propeller speed was reduced to
85% on both powerplants. When the aircraft was about three miles from the airport, climbing through
2,700 feet altitude, the cabin and flight crew felt and heard a distinct thud as the aircraft yawed. The co-pilot applied rudder to correct the yaw and the commander noticed that right-hand engine torque had reduced from about 90% to 20%. The commander asked ATC if they could maintain heading and climb to safety altitude whilst they addressed an engine problem. Shortly after receiving the desired ATC clearance, there was a second thud and the right engine fire warning bell sounded. The
commander shut down the right engine and carried out the 'Engine Fire' immediate actions. The
warning did not cease within 45 seconds of discharging the first fire extinguisher shot but it went out
shortly after the second extinguisher discharge. After extinguishing the fire, the commander declared
an emergency using the 'MAYDAY' prefix and asked for radar vectors back to Manchester. He then
took control from the co-pilot and spoke to the passengers on the cabin Public Address (PA) system.
By this time the Senior Cabin Crew Member (SCCM) had made her way to the flight deck to report the
noise she had heard, the sudden yaw and an unusual smell in the cabin which she likened to the smell
of exploded caps from a toy cap gun. The flight crew were obviously busy so she waited behind
them. Whilst she was waiting, the second cabin crew member came to the flight deck to inform the
SCCM that she and the passengers could see flames coming from the right engine and that there was
smoke in the cabin.
The flight crew had not been aware of any smoke until the flight deck door was opened whereupon an
acrid smoke haze was obvious. The SCCM asked the commander to ventilate the cabin whilst she
went aft to attend to the passengers. As she went aft, she could still see the length of the cabin but the smoke was noticeably worse aft of row eight. Some passengers seated on the side nearest the engine fire were trying to move to seats on the other side so she asked them to return to their seats and fasten their seat belts, which they did. By the time she reached the rear of the cabin, the engine fire was no longer visible but she did see the jet-pipe change colour from orange to black and she noticed that the propeller was rotating very slowly. The SCCM identified one man seated at the rear who was calm and had a good view of the right engine. She asked him to monitor the engine and to press his call bell if he saw the engine on fire again, but not to press it for any other reason. She then went forward to attend to passengers at the front of the aircraft including one person whose eyes were irritated by the smoke. This person, who was blind, had recently received hospital treatment for an eye condition but apparently none of the other passengers suffered any respiratory or ocular discomfort. Oxygen was not used on the flight deck or in the cabin.
The smoke gradually cleared as the commander manually flew the aircraft towards the downwind leg
for Runway 24 with vector assistance and priority from ATC. Whilst positioning for a visual
approach, the flight crew reviewed and carried out the remaining fire drill actions from the emergency checklist and completed the approach and landing checklists just before they landed at 1420 hrs, eight minutes after the fire warning. Both pilots stated after the incident that the aircraft performed better than they had expected on one engine, and that they had not experienced any control difficulties.
Meanwhile ATC at Manchester had brought the airport emergency services to full alert and the fire
service were watching the aircraft as it approached to land. There were no signs of fire and the aircraft landed normally on Runway 24 in benign weather conditions. The commander taxied off the runway via rapid exit turnoff 'X' and brought the aircraft to a halt on taxiway number 4 with the right-hand engine downwind of the cabin. There the fire service vehicles surrounded the aircraft. Because the fire was now out and there were only 15 passengers, one of whom was blind, the commander ordered the SCCM to evacuate the aircraft via the normal stairs at the forward left door. This was achieved a few seconds after the left engine was shut down but, despite earlier requests to evacuate without their belongings, several passengers tried to carry them off the aircraft. The SCCM and a further PA call from the commander succeeded in encouraging them to leave their belongings on the aircraft.
The passengers were assembled and counted upwind of the aircraft on the tarmac. Having shut down
the engine the commander left the co-pilot to complete the remaining actions whilst he satisfied himself that the passengers were safe. Airport buses arrived and conveyed the passengers to the terminal. One person required minor medical attention.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f82f40f0b6134600071b/BAe_ATP__G-MANA_08-95.pdf
https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/8969252 (Photo)
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Jul-2025 19:04 | Justanormalperson | Added |
| 04-Jul-2025 19:05 | Justanormalperson | Updated [Accident report, ] |
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