What happened
On January 6, 2017, a Bombardier DHC-8-400 operated by PLL LOT departed from Warsaw Chopin Airport (EPWA) bound for Rzeszów (EPRZ) at 07:50 LMT. Shortly after takeoff, the flight crew decided to abort the flight and return to Warsaw due to technical difficulties. The crew noted significant noise emanating from the area of the 2R rear service door, which prevented effective communication among the cabin crew and caused discomfort to the passengers. No emergency was declared by the crew during the diversion.
Upon the aircraft's arrival at EPWA at 0 $ ext{08:01}$ LMT, the Tower Supervisor declared a Level 1 alarm, and emergency services were notified via telephone. The aircraft taxied to stand 43B, where the airport duty manager performed a preliminary inspection. The alarm was subsequently canceled at 08:02 LMT.
The investigation
The investigation focused on identifying the source of the noise and the loss of cabin pressurization. Technical inspections of the aircraft revealed that the noise was caused by a failure in the seal of the 2R rear service door. This damage prevented the cabin from being properly pressurized during flight.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the operational damage to the seal of the 2R rear service door.
- This damage resulted in an inability to maintain cabin pressurization and created excessive noise levels within the cabin.