Aircraft Fire at Haneda Airport, Japan

[Georgealbert]

4 hours ago, MangoKorat said:

Do you think those plans would have included walking right up to the wing (fuel tank) which could surely explode at any second without warning? This was an already burning aircraft, not one that has the potential to burn. I've seen them cover (unlit) planes with foam at Manchester and was told by a firefighter friend that its something that's done when there is a known or potential fuel leak following damage but even that was done by a tender from distance not by a single firefighter standing right next to the wing.

 

If it had exploded, I can't think of any scenario where he would have survived. I bow to your experience but I can't imagine any plan that would allow for him to be so close to an already burning aircraft.

 

Planned or unplanned, that guy is probably more lucky than the passengers.

No I fully agree with you, it is in a very strange and dangerous position.

 

My experience here counts for nothing, I was never ARFF certified, but I would never put myself or a team member in that position, unless there was a life safety/protection need.

 

Emirates flight 521, in 2016, killed a firefighter when an explosion occurred as the flames had reached the centre fuel tank, that was a Boeing 777, in similar circumstances, but this was after a very hard landing.

 

Not only are they exposed to the fuel, they are exposed to heated tyres, which can violently exploded, even if deflated, from pryrolysis building up inside the tyre, plus the brake would have been hot, and do not like cool water or foam on them.

 

It would appear that the team, were from the airport fire team, looking at the equipment in use, and as soon as they are withdrawn the main roof foam monitor is used.

 

Found you comments and others, very interesting, and got the old grey matter in my head working, thanks.

 

I also tend to follow incidents like this, and will be interested in the interim report, which soon be issued quickly, given the accident happened on the ground, and the black boxes, should have survived both fires.

 

The finally positions of both aircrafts, in picture below, seems to indicate the coastguard plane was entering the runway, and burnt on the runway.

 

I also see the Ministry of Transport at a press conference, said it was unclear if the JAL had permission to land, this will be in the air traffic control data and recordings.

 

I know it is not good to speculate until the investigation has been done, but you cannot help human nature.

 

 

Edited January 3 by Georgealbert

[Elkski]

Couch investigator's ruined the comments.  

[CharlieH]

This topic is in World News, Please continue there.

 

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