[Note: Paula was flying from Seattle to Denver, on her way back to Indianapolis, when they had an emergency landing in Yakima, WA. It made for quite an interesting (and long) day for her. Here's what she has to say about it.]
Has anyone ever been on a plane that had to divert? I've experienced missed approaches and delays/cancellations for weather or maintenance but in 45 years of flying, have only diverted twice.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2011/12/14/smoke-smell-forces-emergency-landing-in-yakima
What makes my story more interesting is I was riding in the cockpit so observed all the preparation and activities that goes on during an emergency. I teach "Crew Resource Management" to new dispatchers -- now I have firsthand experience of an excellent demonstration of how well it works.
We left the gate in Seattle at 8:40am for a routine flight to Denver. The take-off was smooth and the view from the cockpit, as always, was wonderful. We climbed through a cloud layer and could see snow covered mountain tops poking out of valleys of heavy clouds. Clearance had given us instructions to climb to 37,000 feet and all was well. About 20 minutes into the flight, one of the Flight Attendants (FA) called the cockpit and reported a burning smell in the aft galley. The Captain (CA) asked several questions about what the smell was like, was the coffee pot working, was there any smoke, did anything change after shutting coffee pot off, etc. There was also another pilot sitting in the cockpit who was commuting to work. After discussing the situation with the FA, the CA sent the other pilot to the back to help troubleshoot. While he was gone the CA called the dispatch office to discuss the situation with dispatch and maintenance, while the First Officer (FO) starting collecting weather information for possible diversion airports. When the other pilot came back to the cockpit the decision was made to play it safe and land. The CA did not want to cross the mountains again to return to Seattle and Spokane was at least 45 minutes away so the decision was made to divert to Yakima, which was on our flight path.
When a decision like this is made, all sorts of people get involved. The cockpit crew notifies ATC of the issue and for a new routing, pulls out landing charts for the airport, does a PA announcement to the passengers, and - in this case - gets the plane ready for an overweight landing (we had lots of fuel and were going to land at an airport with a short runway, so special care is taken to get the speeds, rate of descent, etc. correct). ATC notified Yakima tower and declared an emergency to make sure that fire and rescue were available as a precaution. The FAs re-stow galley items, gets the plane ready for a landing and gives instructions to the passengers (NO, there was not a plan to use the slides). Dispatch is contacting customer service and Yakima station to get ground handling – Yakima is serviced by Horizon so their ground operations said they would take care of the plane. Maintenance is contacting an approved contractor in Yakima to meet the plane and investigate the problem.
The calm way that the crew discussed the situation, made a decision and acted on it was amazing to watch. My heart rate did not even go up. Now if this became a REAL emergency (actual smoke, fire alarm...) things would have moved much faster and we would have gotten on the ground ASAP.
Yakima weather was very overcast with low clouds so it was an instrument approach. We did not see the runway until less than a mile away. As we landed (around 9:30) I saw the fire trucks and every ambulance Yakima has (all 6) standing by. Most excitement the city has had this fall. We got to the terminal, Horizon brought up stairs and firemen came on board to check out the galley. No smoke or fire so everyone got off as quickly as the FAs could get them to move without taking any bags.
Before, I was just an observer in the cockpit. Now that we landed I asked what I could do and was immediately put to work. We took all the non-alcoholic beverages and ice off the plane into the terminal. The airport set up tables and we got drinks ready to serve everyone. Meanwhile maintenance and some of the crew are pulling out panels in the aft galley looking for the source of the problem. Nothing could easily be found so a more thorough inspection was needed and the plane was grounded. Within 90 minutes of de-planing dispatch was setting up a reposition flight from Denver to come get the passengers, customer service was frantically re-booking or delaying flights to handle the missed connections, and a call was made ordering 45 pizzas. (The manager was ready for the call as he heard about the diversion on his police scanner. WOO HOO, made his sales quota!)
Around 11:30 the pizza showed up and I switched from drinks to offering up slices of pepperoni, Hawaiian, veggie, or cheese pizza (brought back memories of being a short-order cook). After everyone was fed we let them back on the plane to collect their carry-ons. This could not be done sooner because Horizon had a plane arriving. In Yakima everyone walks on the tarmac to get to/from planes so we had to make sure passengers did not get mixed up. By 12:30 everyone had eaten and retrieved their carry-ons so I went back to the plane to wait with the crew – and eat pizza.
By then I knew I had missed my connection and was probably going to get stuck in Denver for the night. I'd already talked with my manager and arranged for someone else to work for me. There was a slim chance that if I could get to Denver before 7pm I could catch a Southwest flight. The 'rescue' plane from Denver was due to arrive in Yakima around 3:30 so just maybe it would work out. I wasn't concerned about getting home for work, but I was bringing Carla some Dungeness crab and it would only be good if I wasn't too late. Luckily it was in my carry-on so I left it outside (Yakima was COLD) while we waited. We figured between my crab and the wine on-board the crew and I could have a good snack if we got stranded together.
Horizon only has one set of portable stairs so when the other plane got close, the crew and I closed up the broken plane and went into their operations office to get new paperwork and wait. Nearby, they had parked the baggage carts with the luggage from the cargo holds. I could see my checked bag and asked if I could just take it with me. After thinking about the various regulations we decided I could if I took it through TSA screening at Yakima. Well, with a packed bottle of vodka that was not an option. What I really wanted to do though was grab one of the tens of boxes of oysters, crab and salmon that was among the cargo going to Denver (just kidding – about grabbing a box).
Finally, at 3:15 the new plane arrived. I stashed my crab (well wrapped) in the ice bin to keep cold and we started boarding. Dispatch had faxed a passenger list so TSA checked IDs to make sure the correct passengers re-boarded. After fueling, checking paperwork, re-loading all the bags and people, etc. we left Yakima at 4pm (7pm Indy time which was when my connecting plane was landing). Once again I was in the cockpit and could hear the passengers applaud at some information the FAs gave them. The rest of the trip was uneventful and we landed in Denver at 7pm, 6 ½ hours late.
To take care of all the missed connections Frontier brought in a bigger plane to fit all the Atlanta connections on, Detroit and other flights were delayed, passengers were rebooked and 80 hotel rooms awaited those who could not get out that night. Passengers also got meal vouchers and a $200 flight coupon. But, as a non-rev I was on my own. As I left the plane I knew I had no chance catching the 7:27 Southwest flight. Then I looked at the flight board...it was DELAYED to 7:45! I raced from Terminal A to Terminal C. Southwest had 50 open seats so I did not have to sit in the cockpit this time – and keep the crew awake while I snored.
I left Seattle at 8:40am and landed in Indy at 12:50am. I am always glad to see Carla but that night was especially nice. Someday my checked bag will catch up to me.
Thanks for reading,
Paula
Oh, do you wonder about my first diversion? Going to a wedding in Seattle in 1973, the plane diverted to Boeing Field due to a hijacking of a plane at SeaTac. But that’s another story...
[And Carla was very happy the crab made it back home in time. Sure was delicious! Oh, and it was nice to have Paula back in one piece too.]
Has anyone ever been on a plane that had to divert? I've experienced missed approaches and delays/cancellations for weather or maintenance but in 45 years of flying, have only diverted twice.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2011/12/14/smoke-smell-forces-emergency-landing-in-yakima
What makes my story more interesting is I was riding in the cockpit so observed all the preparation and activities that goes on during an emergency. I teach "Crew Resource Management" to new dispatchers -- now I have firsthand experience of an excellent demonstration of how well it works.
We left the gate in Seattle at 8:40am for a routine flight to Denver. The take-off was smooth and the view from the cockpit, as always, was wonderful. We climbed through a cloud layer and could see snow covered mountain tops poking out of valleys of heavy clouds. Clearance had given us instructions to climb to 37,000 feet and all was well. About 20 minutes into the flight, one of the Flight Attendants (FA) called the cockpit and reported a burning smell in the aft galley. The Captain (CA) asked several questions about what the smell was like, was the coffee pot working, was there any smoke, did anything change after shutting coffee pot off, etc. There was also another pilot sitting in the cockpit who was commuting to work. After discussing the situation with the FA, the CA sent the other pilot to the back to help troubleshoot. While he was gone the CA called the dispatch office to discuss the situation with dispatch and maintenance, while the First Officer (FO) starting collecting weather information for possible diversion airports. When the other pilot came back to the cockpit the decision was made to play it safe and land. The CA did not want to cross the mountains again to return to Seattle and Spokane was at least 45 minutes away so the decision was made to divert to Yakima, which was on our flight path.
When a decision like this is made, all sorts of people get involved. The cockpit crew notifies ATC of the issue and for a new routing, pulls out landing charts for the airport, does a PA announcement to the passengers, and - in this case - gets the plane ready for an overweight landing (we had lots of fuel and were going to land at an airport with a short runway, so special care is taken to get the speeds, rate of descent, etc. correct). ATC notified Yakima tower and declared an emergency to make sure that fire and rescue were available as a precaution. The FAs re-stow galley items, gets the plane ready for a landing and gives instructions to the passengers (NO, there was not a plan to use the slides). Dispatch is contacting customer service and Yakima station to get ground handling – Yakima is serviced by Horizon so their ground operations said they would take care of the plane. Maintenance is contacting an approved contractor in Yakima to meet the plane and investigate the problem.
The calm way that the crew discussed the situation, made a decision and acted on it was amazing to watch. My heart rate did not even go up. Now if this became a REAL emergency (actual smoke, fire alarm...) things would have moved much faster and we would have gotten on the ground ASAP.
Yakima weather was very overcast with low clouds so it was an instrument approach. We did not see the runway until less than a mile away. As we landed (around 9:30) I saw the fire trucks and every ambulance Yakima has (all 6) standing by. Most excitement the city has had this fall. We got to the terminal, Horizon brought up stairs and firemen came on board to check out the galley. No smoke or fire so everyone got off as quickly as the FAs could get them to move without taking any bags.
Before, I was just an observer in the cockpit. Now that we landed I asked what I could do and was immediately put to work. We took all the non-alcoholic beverages and ice off the plane into the terminal. The airport set up tables and we got drinks ready to serve everyone. Meanwhile maintenance and some of the crew are pulling out panels in the aft galley looking for the source of the problem. Nothing could easily be found so a more thorough inspection was needed and the plane was grounded. Within 90 minutes of de-planing dispatch was setting up a reposition flight from Denver to come get the passengers, customer service was frantically re-booking or delaying flights to handle the missed connections, and a call was made ordering 45 pizzas. (The manager was ready for the call as he heard about the diversion on his police scanner. WOO HOO, made his sales quota!)
Around 11:30 the pizza showed up and I switched from drinks to offering up slices of pepperoni, Hawaiian, veggie, or cheese pizza (brought back memories of being a short-order cook). After everyone was fed we let them back on the plane to collect their carry-ons. This could not be done sooner because Horizon had a plane arriving. In Yakima everyone walks on the tarmac to get to/from planes so we had to make sure passengers did not get mixed up. By 12:30 everyone had eaten and retrieved their carry-ons so I went back to the plane to wait with the crew – and eat pizza.
By then I knew I had missed my connection and was probably going to get stuck in Denver for the night. I'd already talked with my manager and arranged for someone else to work for me. There was a slim chance that if I could get to Denver before 7pm I could catch a Southwest flight. The 'rescue' plane from Denver was due to arrive in Yakima around 3:30 so just maybe it would work out. I wasn't concerned about getting home for work, but I was bringing Carla some Dungeness crab and it would only be good if I wasn't too late. Luckily it was in my carry-on so I left it outside (Yakima was COLD) while we waited. We figured between my crab and the wine on-board the crew and I could have a good snack if we got stranded together.
Horizon only has one set of portable stairs so when the other plane got close, the crew and I closed up the broken plane and went into their operations office to get new paperwork and wait. Nearby, they had parked the baggage carts with the luggage from the cargo holds. I could see my checked bag and asked if I could just take it with me. After thinking about the various regulations we decided I could if I took it through TSA screening at Yakima. Well, with a packed bottle of vodka that was not an option. What I really wanted to do though was grab one of the tens of boxes of oysters, crab and salmon that was among the cargo going to Denver (just kidding – about grabbing a box).
Finally, at 3:15 the new plane arrived. I stashed my crab (well wrapped) in the ice bin to keep cold and we started boarding. Dispatch had faxed a passenger list so TSA checked IDs to make sure the correct passengers re-boarded. After fueling, checking paperwork, re-loading all the bags and people, etc. we left Yakima at 4pm (7pm Indy time which was when my connecting plane was landing). Once again I was in the cockpit and could hear the passengers applaud at some information the FAs gave them. The rest of the trip was uneventful and we landed in Denver at 7pm, 6 ½ hours late.
To take care of all the missed connections Frontier brought in a bigger plane to fit all the Atlanta connections on, Detroit and other flights were delayed, passengers were rebooked and 80 hotel rooms awaited those who could not get out that night. Passengers also got meal vouchers and a $200 flight coupon. But, as a non-rev I was on my own. As I left the plane I knew I had no chance catching the 7:27 Southwest flight. Then I looked at the flight board...it was DELAYED to 7:45! I raced from Terminal A to Terminal C. Southwest had 50 open seats so I did not have to sit in the cockpit this time – and keep the crew awake while I snored.
I left Seattle at 8:40am and landed in Indy at 12:50am. I am always glad to see Carla but that night was especially nice. Someday my checked bag will catch up to me.
Thanks for reading,
Paula
Oh, do you wonder about my first diversion? Going to a wedding in Seattle in 1973, the plane diverted to Boeing Field due to a hijacking of a plane at SeaTac. But that’s another story...
[And Carla was very happy the crab made it back home in time. Sure was delicious! Oh, and it was nice to have Paula back in one piece too.]
And she brings you crab?
ReplyDeleteDon't let that one get away ;)