Delta Air Lines Flight 89

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Delta Air Lines Flight 89
Boeing 777-232-ER, Delta Air Lines AN1616513.jpg
N860DA, the Boeing 777 involved in the incident, pictured in 2009
Incident
DateJanuary 14, 2020 (2020-01-14)
Summary Compressor stall, subsequent fuel jettison
Site South Los Angeles, California, United States
33°57′36″N118°10′23″W / 33.96°N 118.173°W / 33.96; -118.173
Aircraft
Aircraft type Boeing 777-232ER
Operator Delta Air Lines
IATA flight No.DL89
ICAO flight No.DAL89
Call signDELTA 89
Registration N860DA
Flight origin Los Angeles International Airport
Destination Shanghai Pudong International Airport
Occupants165
Passengers149
Crew16
Fatalities0
Injuries0
Survivors165
Ground casualties
Ground injuries56+
N860DA in 2008. N860DA (7297974072).jpg
N860DA in 2008.

Delta Air Lines Flight 89 was a scheduled flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG). On January 14, 2020, the Boeing 777-200ER conducting the flight had engine problems shortly after takeoff; while returning to the origin airport for an emergency landing, it dumped fuel over populated areas adjacent to the city of Los Angeles, resulting in skin and lung irritation in at least 56 people on the ground and triggering a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigation. The aircraft landed safely with no injuries to passengers or crew.

Contents

Background

N860DA in 2001. N860DA B777-232ER Delta MAN 17FEB01 (6834430304).jpg
N860DA in 2001.

Flight 89 was a regularly scheduled Delta Air Lines flight from LAX to Shanghai Pudong International Airport. On January 14, 2020, the Boeing 777-200ER widebody jet aircraft operating as Flight 89 departed from LAX at 11:32 a.m. [1] [2] The aircraft had 149 passengers and 16 crew members on board. [3]

To reach Shanghai, the aircraft would be carrying enough fuel to exceed its certified maximum landing weight, increasing its landing distance and risking structural damage if fuel was not dumped. However, according to retired 777 pilot and CNN aviation analyst Les Abend, many runways at major airports can safely accommodate a landing by an overweight 777 in dry conditions. [4]

Incident

Minutes after departing LAX and initiating a climb over the Pacific Ocean, the pilots reported a compressor stall in the aircraft's right Rolls-Royce Trent 800 engine. Air traffic controllers asked Flight 89's pilots if they wanted to remain over the ocean to dump fuel, but the pilots declined, saying "we've got it under control... we're not critical." Controllers again asked, "OK, so you don't need to hold or dump fuel or anything like that?", to which the pilots responded, "Negative." [5] The pilots requested Runway 25R, the longest runway at the airport. [4] Flight 89 turned back towards land and headed towards LAX to make an emergency landing.

While over land and approaching LAX for an emergency landing, the plane dumped fuel over a five-mile portion of the Los Angeles county area, including five elementary schools and a high school. [1] The most affected area was Park Avenue Elementary School in Cudahy, California, where several students were doused with jet fuel. Students at elementary schools in South Gate, California were also affected. [6] Children who were in a physical education class thought it was rain before seeing the plane above them. [7] CBS News reported that, based on the expert opinion of a former Boeing 777 captain, Flight 89 would have likely dumped 15,000–20,000 US gallons (12,000–17,000 imp gal; 57,000–76,000 L) of fuel. [3] Shortly after completing the fuel dump, the aircraft landed safely. [8]

Aftermath

First responders were called to multiple schools to treat children and staff who were outdoors at the time Flight 89 dumped fuel. At least 56 children and adults were reported to have minor skin and lung irritations. [3] All affected schools were closed for cleaning, but reopened the following day. [5]

The story received widespread media attention, with detailed investigation and analysis from organizations including CBS News, [3] The New York Times , [1] the Los Angeles Times , [2] and received substantial international media coverage. [5] [9] [10] Aviation experts were puzzled by the actions of the flight crew. A former United Airlines captain called the fuel dump over a populated area "a pretty outrageous thing" that "nobody" would do. Safety expert John Cox said that because "they were not in an immediate threat condition, and they started out over water", the pilots will need to explain "why they continued to dump fuel at low altitude when they weren't in a fuel-dumping area, and didn't advise ATC that they were dumping fuel". [11] Abend noted that the pilots twice told controllers that they needed to delay the landing for unexplained reasons, suggesting that they needed more time to complete checklists and dump fuel, and did not feel compelled to land right away. However—trying to surmise why the pilots did not use the extra time to explain their intentions, nor to ask for vectors to a dumping area over the ocean—Abend stated "Honestly, I don't have the answer." [4]

Following the Flight 89 incident, the mayor of Burien, Washington, a city located adjacent to Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, called on the Port of Seattle to develop an emergency response plan for similar situations. [12]

The aircraft was put back into service with Delta ten days later on January 24. [13] It was withdrawn from service on October 4 and stored at Southern California Logistics Airport after the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on aviation prompted Delta to retire its entire Boeing 777 fleet and replace them with Airbus A330 and A350-900 aircraft. [14] [15]

Investigation

On January 15, 2020, the FAA announced it was investigating the Flight 89 incident. In a statement, the FAA noted that "There are special fuel-dumping procedures for aircraft operating into and out of any major U.S. airport", and that "procedures call for fuel to be dumped over designated unpopulated areas, typically at higher altitudes so the fuel atomizes and disperses before it reaches the ground". [5]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Bogel-Burroughs, Nicholas; Lyons, Patrick J. (January 15, 2020). "Delta Airplane Dumps Jet Fuel on Los Angeles Schools" . The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 26, 2021. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  2. 1 2 Stiles, Matt (January 14, 2020). "Tracking Delta Flight 89's path before it dumped fuel on an elementary school". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Martinez, Peter (January 14, 2020). "Delta jet dumps fuel over Southern California, sickening dozens of schoolkids and adults". CBS News . Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 Abend, Les (January 22, 2020). "Pilot: The mystery of Delta flight's fuel dump". CNN . Retrieved May 7, 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Dazio, Stefanie (January 15, 2020). "FAA investigating Delta jet fuel-dumping on schoolkids". CTV News. Associated Press . Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  6. ↑ Shalby, Colleen; Vives, Ruben; Campa, Andrew (January 14, 2020). "Elementary school kids doused as jet dumps fuel before emergency landing". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  7. ↑ Campa, Andrew J. (January 14, 2020). "Children in P.E. class showered with jet fuel: 'We thought it was rain'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  8. ↑ Dazio, Stefanie (January 14, 2020). "Jet dumps fuel that lands on schoolkids near Los Angeles". AP News. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  9. ↑ Mahmood, Basit (January 15, 2020). "Children seen leaving school in tears after plane fuel dumped on playground". Metro . Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Plane dumps fuel over schools near Los Angeles airport". BBC News . January 15, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Aviation experts puzzled after airliner dumps fuel over city". AP News. January 16, 2020. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  12. ↑ Ayers, Christin (January 15, 2020). "Burien mayor calls for 'plan of action' at Sea-Tac Airport after LAX fuel dump incident". KING 5 News . Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Flight history for aircraft - N860DA". Flightradar24. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  14. ↑ "N860DA Delta Air Lines Boeing 777-200". www.planespotters.net. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  15. ↑ Slotnick, David (May 14, 2020). "Delta will retire its iconic Boeing 777 fleet because of the coronavirus pandemic, an unexpected end to the airline's pioneering flagship". Insider. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
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