AVIATION/ AAIB REPORTS ON THOMSON GLASGOW INCIDENT

The UK Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) has released a Report into a February 2010 incident at Glasgow Airport in which Pilots of a THOMSON AIRWAYS Boeing 757 were "unaware" of an evacuation in which passengers were injured. A cabin crew member ordered the evacuation on the 757 in February last year after "a pungent burning smell" was detected. The AAIB said a smell of smoke had been reported on the plane while it was flying to Glasgow from Madeira, with 230 passengers and crew onboard. The flight crew had been aware of the smell and the Co-Pilot had briefly left the cockpit during the flight to investigate but there was no visible smoke in the cabin. Shortly after the 757 landed, cabin crew members informed the senior cabin crew member that there was "a pungent burning smell" throughout the cabin and it was strongest in the rear of the plane. The Report states that a senior cabin crew member went on to the flight deck to update the Captain "but did not convey her concerns on the need to evacuate passengers as the flight crew were busy dealing with the incident". The AAIB said she then ordered an emergency evacuation over the passenger address system under the belief that the situation in the cabin was potentially life-threatening. As there were no steps at the back of the plane, the cabin crew deployed the emergency evacuation slides at both rear doors and a total of 43 passengers exited via the slides. The AAIB said some passengers collided at the foot of the slide and 4 suffered minor injuries. Some were concerned about the "apparent lack of assistance" given to them once they had been evacuated. It also noted that "the flight crew were not aware that an evacuation had been initiated until after the event". The AAIB report concluded: "However, the flight crew were not incapacitated and it is evident that verbal communication with them would have been possible had the member of cabin crew persisted".  The electrical burning smell was later traced to the right re-circulation fan. The AAIB said that Thomson had reminded cabin crew about circumstances when a non Pilot-authorized evacuation can be initiated and of cabin crew's responsibilities for evacuated passengers. The full Report can be found on the AAIB website.