What happened
On October 10, 2006, an Airbus A320 operated by Clickair experienced two separate incidents during a flight from Barcelona to Seville. While cruising, the aircraft experienced a sudden surge in engine power, accompanied by an increase in temperature. The crew observed the event, but no emergency was declared at that time.
Upon arrival at Seville, a second event occurred. During the taxi phase, the aircraft experienced another surge. This second event prompted the flight attendants to initiate an evacuation. During the process, the aircraft''s left engine continued to run, and the crew's attempt to manage the situation resulted in passengers exiting the aircraft while the engine was still operational.
Findings
The investigation revealed that the primary cause of the engine surges was a mechanical failure within the fuel system. Specifically, a pin in the fuel metering unit was not seated correctly, causing the fuel flow to fluctuate wildly. This led to the observed surges in engine power and temperature.
During the investigation, it was also noted that the aircraft's maintenance records showed previous issues with the fuel system, although no corrective action had been taken prior to this flight. Furthermore, the investigation highlighted deficiencies in the crew's training regarding engine surges and the procedures for managing an evacuation when engines are still running.
Safety Recommendations
Following the investigation, several safety recommendations were made to improve the safety of operations and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. These include:
- Airlines should implement more rigorous inspections of the fuel metering unit during engine maintenance.
- Flight crews should receive enhanced training on managing engine surges and the procedures for conducting an evacuation when engines are still running.
- Maintenance procedures should be reviewed to ensure that all potential failure modes are addressed and that corrective actions are taken promptly.