Thai Airways flight from Sydney to Bangkok makes emergency landing due to cracked window

[gregj69]

After another delay of nearly 2 hrs sitting on the tarmac in Bali and no explanation everyone finally got to Bangkok 20.20 tonight. Oh, and 4 hrs of chaos trying to check back in.

[lee b]

Usually Boeing 787 have the cracked cockpit glass problem.

 

Usually planes that are not serviced how they should be have this problem. Cut Cut ohh wheres the corner gone????

[webfact]

UPDATE:

 

Thai Airways clarifies emergency landing

By Digital Content 

 

 

BANGKOK, Aug 14 -- Thai Airways International (THAI), the country's national flag carrier, reported a cracked cockpit glass on Flight TG476 from Sydney to Bangkok prompted an early landing in Bali, Indonesia.

 

Pongpeera Paisarnkulwong, THAI vice president for aviation safety, security and standards, said the Boeing 747 aircraft departed Sydney at 10am local time yesterday carrying 273 passengers and 21 crew members.

 

About six hours later the pilot found a crack in a right cockpit window and sought permission to land at Bali's Denpasar, the nearest airport, at 4.52pm local time. The action complied with safety standards.

 

The passengers were accommodated in Bali and boarded another plane serving the same Sydney via Bali route to Bangkok to Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport at 8.10am today. 

 

The new flight was scheduled to leave Sydney at 10am, reach Denpasar at 2.30pm and depart from the Bali airport at 5.05pm.

 

THAI pilots and mechanics left for Denpasar to examine the damage and replace the window.  (MCOT online news) 

 

[tna]2014-08-14[/tna]

[JoeThePoster]

A crack in the cockpit is very serious because it can distract the pilot.

[songhklasid]

One wonders what will happen to thai airways, sort of @ a crossroads @ the moment, whatever happened to the new A380 airbuses destined for the syd- bkk route,That would add some competition to the route, I.m flying qantas next trip, can't beat there prices.

rgds songhklasid.

[beechguy]

A crack in the cockpit is very serious because it can distract the pilot.

 

Only for an idiot pilot, it's pretty clear in the emergency procedures, what actions to take. It doesn't happen everyday, but often enough, and the planes don't fall out of the air.

[Chang_paarp]

 

A spokesman for the airline confirmed that flight TG476 carrying 107 passengers landed in Bali at 4.52pm yesterday.

 

 

Pongpeera Paisarnkulwong, THAI vice president for aviation safety, security and standards, said the Boeing 747 aircraft departed Sydney at 10am local time yesterday carrying 273 passengers and 21 crew members.

 

It would seem the number of passengers has mysteriously increased by 166 from the original press release. Good internal communications Thai.

[wirat69]

 

A crack in the cockpit is very serious because it can distract the pilot.

 

Only for an idiot pilot, it's pretty clear in the emergency procedures, what actions to take. It doesn't happen everyday, but often enough, and the planes don't fall out of the air.

 

Lost your humour? What a crack up! Read carefully prior to reply to tongue tied cunning linguist!!

[beechguy]

 

 

A crack in the cockpit is very serious because it can distract the pilot.

 

Only for an idiot pilot, it's pretty clear in the emergency procedures, what actions to take. It doesn't happen everyday, but often enough, and the planes don't fall out of the air.

 

Lost your humour? What a crack up! Read carefully prior to reply to tongue tied cunning linguist!!

 

 

Actually, I guess I have. Been in aircraft maintenance for 30 years, and get really tired of stupid posts that always come along in these threads.

 

Do carry on, and have fun.

Edited August 14, 2014 by beechguy

[carlyai]

U talkin about me? 'cunning linguist' thats my HASH name.

[blazes]

U talkin about me? 'cunning linguist' thats my HASH name.

 

I believe the Bond secretary, Miss Moneypenny, was the first to use the term "cunning linguist"......"You're such a cunning linguist, James".

 

Don't recall which Bond film...

[SeaVisionBurma]

 

U talkin about me? 'cunning linguist' thats my HASH name.

 

I believe the Bond secretary, Miss Moneypenny, was the first to use the term "cunning linguist"......"You're such a cunning linguist, James".

 

Don't recall which Bond film...

 

 

Tomorrow Never Dies.  From memory it was some new, fake non-Lois Maxwell ring in, and I wasn't impressed with her at all.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Getting back on tt Thai Airways at least (as we seem to be straying into Bond anecdotes)

 

 

 

..Thai Airways.....and AOT.....

 

...when staff receive from 10 months to 2 years salary 'bonus'....every year.....

 

...the average age of Thai Airways fleet ........is now 'way up there'.........

 

Please provide a link to show evidence of the salary bonus?

 

 

I notice no reply there, I'm also curious evidence of about these 10 month to 2 years salary bonuses every year

[realenglish1]

A cracked windshield is very serious and can lead to decompression and other serious problems

 

The pilot did the right thing End of  argument

[belg]

with all those crackdowns everywhere, no wonder

[Captor]

Well done by the pilot and Thai airways! Safety first! A cracked windshield can end up badly. Me too have worked with aircraft maintenance....

[khaosai]

Hi,

It's always difficult to get the complete picture of what actually happened, but at the end of the day the crew made a decision to divert. Safety was of primary concern to them.

Damage to a flight deck window may not necessarily mean and immediate descent and diversion. It may be possible, depending on the problem encountered to continue the flight to destination. This decision of course may vary on the aircraft type involved.

Things that can go wrong are electrical arcing due to the windshield being heated, cracking, delamination and shattering.

Arcing, shattering or cracking may well allow the flight to continue. The checklist will offer guidance on this as part of the decision making for the crew.

If the window deforms or an air leak occurs then you would land at the nearest suitable airport and descend to a safe altitude above ground or ten thousand feet whichever is higher. Again this would be highlighted in the checklist.

What's important is a correct assessment of the situation. If unsure then the best logic to apply is the safest course of action.

[Malthus101]

Blah, blah, blah... ** joke about ghosts ** followed by this emoticon:

[harrry]

 

There were 272 on board including me. What a complete mess they have made of this.

 

Even 272, that is less than 70% load factor. No wonder they are loosing money.

 

 

 

http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Thai_Airways/Thai_Airways_Boeing_747-400_7442.php

 

I think you will find that it is largely an air freight flight though it does get a fair number of passengers.

[harrry]

A crack in the cockpit is very serious because it can distract the pilot.

Much more serious than that..aircraft are pressurised and once there is a scratch on glass it loses a lot of its streangth.  Quite a good reason to land early.  I think the aircraft probably decended tl a lower flight level to as soon as it could. It is quite common too see this report:

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/1357/F0001519ReplyLetter.pdf

Edited August 14, 2014 by harrry