What happened
On January 4, 2022, while descending for landing at Warsaw Chopin Airport (EPWA), the crew of a Boeing 787-8, registration SP-LRA, detected the smell of burning plastic within the passenger cabin. Following the landing, maintenance personnel initiated the specific fault isolation procedure for smoke or fumes in the cabin, as dictated by the aircraft's maintenance documentation.
The investigation
The investigation focused on identifying the source of the odor through technical inspections and system monitoring. Maintenance crews inspected various aircraft components to locate any malfunctions or defects capable of producing a burning smell. During this process, the aircraft remained under continuous technical supervision for several hours with most systems powered on. No further instances of smoke or burning odors were observed during this monitoring period.
As the fault isolation procedure noted that recirculation fans could potentially be a source of unusual odors or smoke, technicians decided to replace the lower right recirculation fan (RECIRC FAN LWR R). Following this component replacement, the aircraft was cleared to return to service.
Findings
- The investigation could not establish a definitive cause for the occurrence, as no specific malfunctions or irregularities were identified during the inspections.
- No contributing factors were determined for this event.