What happened
On 25 September 2000, a Boeing 747-200, registration TF-ATF, was performing a passenger charter flight from Manchester International Airport to Tenerife. Shortly after departing the runway, smoke began emerging from the area beneath the center console between the pilots. The situation escalated as cabin crew reported smoke spreading throughout the passenger cabin, particularly in the forward area. Simultaneously, air traffic control notified the crew that smoke had been observed emanating from one of the left engines.
In response to the developing situation, the commander declared an emergency and initiated an immediate return to Manchester. The aircraft performed an overweight landing without further incident. Upon arrival, the airport fire service identified that smoke was originating from the No 2 engine. The crew shut down the engine, and the aircraft was able to taxi to the stand, where all 473 passengers and 18 crew members disembarked safely with no injuries.
The investigation
Maintenance inspections following the event ruled out any faults within the aircraft's electrical systems. However, investigators found that engine oil had migrated into the air conditioning bleed ducts from the No 2 engine. During the investigation, the engine vane controller (EVC) was suspected of being defective; a subsequent trim run confirmed indications of failure in the EVC.
Physical evidence of bird strikes, likely involving starlings, was discovered on the front of the No 2 engine, with visible damage to the fan blades, inlet guide vanes, and fan exit guide vanes. While a borescope inspection confirmed the high pressure compressor stages remained undamaged, the debris from the bird strikes was found to be the primary driver of the incident.