Supplimentary Web Site for Swissair SR111 Crash:

The following is a report of an incident, not related to SR111, but involving a situation of smoke in the cockpit in the same type of aircraft (MD-11):

  • ACCESSION NO.: 423043
  • DATE OF OCCURRENCE: 9812
  • REPORTED BY: FLC
  • PERSONS FUNCTIONS: FLC, PIC.CAPT
  • FLIGHT CONDITIONS: VMC
  • REFERENCE FACILITY ID: ZOA
  • FACILITY STATE: CA
  • FACILITY TYPE: ARTCC
  • FACILITY IDENTIFIER: ZOA
  • AIRCRAFT TYPE: MD11
  • ANOMALY DESCRIPTIONS: ACFT EQUIPMENT PROBLEM/CRITICAL
  • ANOMALY DETECTOR: COCKPIT/FLC
  • ANOMALY RESOLUTION: NOT RESOLVED/DETECTED AFTER-THE-FACT-NOT RESOLVED/OTHER:
  • ANOMALY CONSEQUENCES: ACFT DAMAGED; OTHER;

    • NARRATIVE: BLACK/GRAY SMOKE AND ACRID (ELECTRICAL FUMES) FROM CTR OF THROTTLE QUADRANT COMING FROM THRUST LEVER TRACKS. QUADRANT VERY HOT. DONNED OXYGEN MASKS/TURNED 'OFF' AUTOTHROTTLES. PREPARED SMOKE GOGGLES FOR USE, BUT NOT REQUIRED. TURNED AIR SYS 'ECON' SWITCH OFF (MAX AIR FLOW FOR PACKS). TURNED OFF CABIN BUS AND CHKED ELECTRICAL PANEL (SMOKE CHKLIST). DECLARED EMER WITH SFO RADIO AND TURNED OFF TRACK 25 MI (DSNDED 500 FT). CLRED DIRECT SHEMYA, EARECKSON AIR STATION BY ANC CTR. USE OF MANUAL THROTTLES INCREASED FUMES, BUT NO SMOKE. LANDED IN SHEMYA, AK, WITH FIRE EQUIP ESCORT. FIREMEN BOARDED ACFT AND CONFIRMED FUMES. ACFT SECURED IN SHEMYA. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS AN MDll, AND THE THICK GRAY BLACK ACRID SMOKE CAME FROM THE THROTTLE QUADRANT AND UP TO THE LEVEL OF THE GLARESHIELD WITH HEAT RADIATING FROM THE QUADRANT. THE RPTR SAID THE AUTOTHROTTLES WERE SWITCHED OFF AND THE PACKS SWITCHED TO HIGH FLOW, DISPERSING THE SMOKE. THE RPTR STATED THAT MOVING THE THROTTLES MANUALLY DID NOT CAUSE ANY SMOKE, BUT INCREASED THE ACRID FUMES. THE RPTR WAS PRESENT WHEN THE AUTOTHROTTLE QUADRANT MODULE WAS REMOVED AND DISASSEMBLED BY THE MANUFACTURER, AND THE FINDINGS WERE A BRAKE COIL HAD SHORTED AND BURNED. WHEN ASKED BY THE ANALYST IF ANY AUTOTHROTTLE AND SPD CTL CIRCUIT BREAKERS TRIPPED, THE RPTR ANSWERED NONE OF THE BREAKERS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYS TRIPPED. THE RPTR SAID ONLY 1 BREAKER WAS FOUND TRIPPED, AND IT WAS THE LNDG GEAR POS INDICATING SYS.

    Translation of narrative: Black/gray smoke and acrid electrical fumes were noticed pouring from the center of the throttle quadrant coming from the thrust lever tracks. The throttle quadrant became very hot. Oxygen masks were donned, and the auto-throttles were turned 'off'. Smoke goggles were prepared for use, but were not required. The air system 'econ' switch was turned "off", in order to maximize air flow from the air conditioning packs. The cabin bus was turned off, and the electrical panel was checked using the smoke checklist. An emergency was declared with San Francisco airport radio, the aircraft was turned off track 25 miles, and we descended 500 ft. ANC center cleared us direct to Shemya, areckson air station. The use of manual throttles was observed to increase the emission of fumes, but not of smoke. We landed in Shemya, AK, with a fire equipment escort. Firemen boarded the aircraft and confirmed the presence of fumes. The aircraft was secured Shemya. A callback conversation with the reporter revealed the following informatio: the reporter stated that the aircraft was an MD-11, and the thick gray black acrid smoke came from the throttle quadrant up to the level of the glareshield, with heat radiating from the quadrant. The reporter said the auto-throttles were switched off and the packs switched to high flow, dispersing the smoke. The reporter stated that moving the throttles manually did not cause any smoke, but increased the acrid fumes. The reporter was present when the auto-throttle quadrant module was removed and disassembled by the manufacturer, and the findings were that a brake coil had shorted and burned. When asked by the analyst if any auto-throttle and speed control circuit breakers tripped, the reporter answered that none of the breakers associated with this system had tripped. The reporter said that only one circuit breaker was found tripped, and it was the breaker for the landing gear position indicating system.

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