Events and Flight History
On December 23, 2024, an Airbus A220-300 (BD-500-1A11) operated a commercial air transport flight from Bucharest Otopeni Airport (Romania) to Zurich International Airport (Switzerland) with 74 passengers and five crew members. At 16:30 UTC, the flight established initial contact with WIEN RADAR while operating normally. At 16:32:12, the cockpit crew detected an engine abnormality indicated by an EICAS advisory message: L ENGINE FAULT and an INFO message: 79 L ENGINE FAULT - OIL DEBRIS ABOVE LIMIT. At 16:33:46, a master caution was triggered with an EICAS message: ENG VIBRATION; close to this caution, the cabin crew recalled hearing a loud bang in the passenger cabin. Another master caution appeared: L ENG OPER DEGRADED. At 16:34:12, the cockpit crew detected smoke and immediately donned their oxygen masks. At 16:34:17, a master warning was issued on the EICAS with the alert LAV SMOKE, accompanied by an aural warning. At 16:34 UTC, four minutes after initial contact, the crew declared an emergency due to smoke in the cockpit at flight level 400, approximately 23 nm east-northeast of Graz Airport (LOWG). At 16:36 UTC, the crew requested an immediate diversion to Graz Airport. The smoke entered the passenger cabin and cockpit area. The cabin crew members donned respiratory personal protective equipment (smoke hoods), while the flight crew used full-face quick-donning oxygen masks.
Landing and Emergency Evacuation
The aircraft landed with one engine inoperative at 16:53 UTC on runway 34C. An emergency evacuation commenced at 16:55 UTC using four emergency exits. All passengers and crew successfully evacuated.
Injuries and Medical Response
Several passengers and the entire crew were taken to a hospital for medical evaluation and treatment. One cabin crew member later succumbed to their condition on December 30, 2024.
Investigation
The standby service of the Austrian Federal Safety Investigation Authority - Civil Aviation Division (SUB) was informed by the Austro Control GmbH (ACG) Search and Rescue Center at approximately 17:15 UTC. A safety investigation was instituted in accordance with Article 5(1) of Regulation (EU) No 996/2010. The states concerned were informed: Canada (state of design and manufacture of the aircraft), United States (state of design and manufacture of the engine), Switzerland (state of the operator and registry). The investigation is ongoing, and this preliminary report contains facts ascertained up to the date of publication.