TACAA320 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (7 years 3 months 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 5054 times:
An emergency report has been released few minutes ago. An aircarft [no model nor airline name released yet] with 120 passengers onboard as a problem with an engine. Channel 7 [local] the most serious TV news agency here, promised new info as soon as it is available.
TACAA320 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (7 years 3 months 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 5029 times:
It's a problem [apparently] with the left engine, I some smoke has been reported. It's a 737 from AA heading to MIA.
Now it's at the terminal.
Arrived safely!!!!!!!!!!
At some point during the T/O, loud bangs could be heard from the number 2 engine, with a large flame coming out for a few seconds, which prompted the captain to shut down the number 2 engine, circle around the pacific coast of Puntarenas Province to burn fuel and request an emergency landing. The aircraft landed safely after some 18 minutes of flight. Though what really stunned me was that on Channel 6, they showed a recount of accidents that happened over the last 20 years at SJO, making this look like a tragedy, which it wasn't, since it was just an engine fire caused by either a serious engine malfunction (sudden compressor stall for example), birdstrike, FOD or, as someone in the topic I linked suggested, contaminated fuel (the guy suggested that the state owned RECOPE, the national petrolium refinery, which has the sales monopoly over regular automobile gasoline and aviation fuel, had mixed Ethanol into the Jet-A to sell it cheaper, but I don't believe that).
BAW716 From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 1994 posts, RR: 31 Reply 3, posted (7 years 3 months 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 4648 times:
Most US carriers flying to Central America will tanker their fuel, even though it is more expensive to do so than getting it down there. There is an issue with the quality of the jet fuel. I didn't think it was a problem at SJO, but I have heard it was a problem at MGA and CUN.
As for TACA...they gas up in Miami or San Salvador (they have an excellent facility there).
baw716
David L. Lamb, fmr Area Mgr Alitalia SFO 1998-2002, fmr Regional Analyst SFO-UAL 1992-1998
LTU932 From Germany, joined Jan 2006, 13864 posts, RR: 51 Reply 4, posted (7 years 3 months 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 4618 times:
Quoting BAW716 (Reply 3): There is an issue with the quality of the jet fuel. I didn't think it was a problem at SJO, but I have heard it was a problem at MGA and CUN.
I did hear about the same, but in PTY. It would still be hard to believe that RECOPE would even be desperate enough to intentionally contaminate the Jet-A they serve to other airlines. If it was true, then SJO would belong to those airports with Jet-A of poor quality.
Quoting BAW716 (Reply 3): Most US carriers flying to Central America will tanker their fuel
To be honest, either I just see that too late, or the fuel trucks that refuel the aircraft hardly ever come to those AA aircraft that come from MIA. I'll have to watch out for that next time I go to SJO.
AS739X From United States of America, joined Apr 2003, 5817 posts, RR: 23 Reply 5, posted (7 years 3 months 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 4598 times:
Just a compressor stall. A big deal, yes and no! Pilots are well trained to deal with this. Alaska had the same issue going out of BOS maybe 2 years ago. The F/O was a friend of mine. He said its really not a huge deal, but does scare the $hit out of you! And specially the passengers. But everything is under control and easy to take care of.
ASLAX
"Some pilots avoid storm cells and some play connect the dots!"
MGASJO From Nicaragua, joined Feb 2005, 448 posts, RR: 8 Reply 7, posted (7 years 3 months 23 hours ago) and read 4359 times:
Quoting BAW716 (Reply 3): but I have heard it was a problem at MGA and CUN
Fuel Quality here in MGA is very good. AA sends all flights to MGA with fuel to do the trips back and forth not because of the quality but because of the price (some US$3.50 a gallon). As of febraury we have only pumped some 2000 gallons, when we would have normally pumped at least 1500 gallons per flight. Cost saving at its best!
LTU932 From Germany, joined Jan 2006, 13864 posts, RR: 51 Reply 12, posted (7 years 3 months 17 hours ago) and read 2392 times:
Quoting Devil505x (Reply 10): I saw a pic on "the other site". Black smoke clouds behind the engine but no fire in the picture
The fire was probably there for a split second and maybe Tomás just missed the moment of taking a shot of the flame coming out.
In any case, the aircraft is grounded for the moment for inspection. So, if the engine is declared airworthy, then the aircraft could be ferried back to MIA for further inspection. However, if the engine needs to be replaced, then they'll have to ferry a CFM56-7 engine to SJO, so it can be replaced.
777236ER From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 16, posted (7 years 3 months 13 hours ago) and read 2134 times:
The engine was shut down? I would assume that a compressor stall - something that should recover itself with minimal damage to the engine - would result in the crew keeping the engine at idle and monitoring it throughout the rest of the flight. Just look to G-OBME to see the result of shutting down an engine on a twin too promptly.
Rolfen From Germany, joined Jan 2006, 1764 posts, RR: 2 Reply 20, posted (7 years 3 months 8 hours ago) and read 1880 times:
Quoting TACAA320 (Reply 19): Sorry but what is a compressor stall?
Is the damage caused so bad to ruin the engine?
Quoting from wikipedia:
Quote: A compressor stall is a situation of abnormal airflow through the compressor stage of a jet engine, causing a stall of the vanes of the compressor rotor.
...
Compressor stalls can result in one or more extremely loud bangs emanating from the engine as the combustion process "backfires". This may be accompanied by an increased exhaust gas temperature, and yawing of the aircraft in the direction of the affected engine.
The effects of a stall can vary. A minor stall may create an alarming noise but have little other effect. On the other hand, a violent compressor surge might completely destroy the engine and set it on fire.
LTU932 From Germany, joined Jan 2006, 13864 posts, RR: 51 Reply 21, posted (7 years 3 months 5 hours ago) and read 1799 times:
Quoting Rolfen (Reply 18): I remember it being discussed. It was also a compressor stall if I'm not mistaken.
A compressor stall caused by the engine having ingested a bird if I'm not mistaken. It grounded the aircraft for a few weeks, so they could check the aircraft (especially wings and engine pylons) for damage and to replace the engine. I recall that when the incident with the US 762 happened, AMS was having a problem with lots of birds in the area.
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If it was true, then SJO would belong to those airports with Jet-A of poor quality.
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