Created Sunday, Sep 20th 2020 19:09Z, last updated Sunday, Sep 20th 2020 19:09Z
An Asiana Airlines Airbus A350-900, registration HL7579 performing flight
OZ-751 from Seoul (South Korea) to Singapore (Singapore) with 310 people on board, was enroute at FL320 over the South China Sea near Manila when the crew needed to shut the right hand engine (Trent XWB) down. The aircraft drifted down to FL230 and diverted to Manila (Philippines) for a safe landing on runway 06 about 80 minutes after turning around.
The airline reported the crew shut the right hand engine down due to a failure in the engine's fuel system. The passengers were taken to hotels while waiting for the replacement aircraft.
A replacement Airbus A350-900 registration HL8362 reached Singapore with a delay of about 18 hours.
On Feb 6th 2020 the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) released Emergency Airworthiness Directive 2020-0020-E requiring a "a liquid prohibited zone in the cockpit, and the procedures to be followed in the case of inadvertent liquid spillage on the centre pedestal." The EASA argues:
Two in-service occurrences were reported involving inadvertent liquid spillage on the ENG START panel or ECAM Control Panel (ECP) on the centre pedestal in the flight deck on A350 aeroplanes. In both cases, the aeroplane experienced an un-commanded engine in-flight shut-down (IFSD) of an engine some time after the liquid spillage. Subsequent engine relight attempts were not successful.
In both events, the flight crew performed a diversion and landed the aeroplane safely.
Results of the preliminary technical investigations indicate abnormal operation of the components of the ENG START panel or ECP due to liquid spillage in the system.
This condition, if not corrected, could lead to a dual engine IFSD, possibly resulting in a forced landing with consequent damage to the aeroplane and injury to occupants.
Dated Jul 28th 2020 EASA superseeded the previous EAD with Airworthiness Directive EASA-2020-90R1 reporting following temporary solutions as laid out in EAD-2020-20E "Airbus developed mod 116038, introducing a water resistant ENG START panel and ECP ICP."
EASA writes: "Consequently, this AD is revised to exclude post-mod 116038 aeroplanes from the Applicability."
The second case referred to by EASA happened in January 2020, see Incident: Delta A359 over Beaufort Sea on Jan 21st 2020, engine trouble.
Related Flight:
OZ751,
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