History of the Flight
On 15 April 2023, a Turkish Airlines Airbus A321-271NX, registration TC-LSZ, operated flight THY690 from Istanbul Airport (LTFM) to Cairo International Airport (HECA). The aircraft carried two cockpit crew, five cabin crew, and 178 passengers. The flight was uneventful, landing on runway 05C at 06:00 UTC. The aircraft was subsequently assigned to gate G3 in Terminal 3.
Incident
At 06:07 UTC, the flight crew reported the docking system in sight. At 06:13 UTC, a refueling vehicle positioned under the right wing and began refueling. At 06:18 UTC, fuel spillage occurred at the right wing refuel coupling. At 06:20 UTC, the flight crew contacted the ground controller declaring a mayday and reported "We have fire right side engine."
Ground handling staff extinguished the fire, and the fire brigade covered the fuel spillage with foam. The aircraft was secured. Engine No. 2 was later replaced, and flights resumed on April 21, 2023.
Investigation
The Egyptian Aircraft Accident Investigation Directorate conducted the investigation. Activities included photographic documentation, technical inspection and data collection, readouts from the flight data recorder, and interviews with the fuel truck driver. No recommendations were issued in the interim statement.
Outcome
No fatalities or injuries were reported. The aircraft sustained minor damage. The investigation continues towards a final report.