What happened
On September 2, 2003, a Falcon 90 and EX aircraft, registration HB-IAQ, arrived at Berne-Belp Airport following a flight from Lisbon. The aircraft, operated by Swiss Jet AG as a government flight, was carrying two pilots and 11 passengers. Immediately after the aircraft landed, the crew and passengers noticed the presence of smoke and a distinct odor within both the cockpit and the passenger cabin.
The investigation
The investigation focused on identifying the origin of the smoke and the potential for fire. Investigators examined the aircraft's systems and located the source of the issue within a turbo-ventilator. Technical analysis determined that a fatigue failure had occurred within the heating component of the unit. This failure caused lubricant to evaporate, which subsequently produced the visible smoke and the smell reported by those on board.
Findings
The investigation established that the smoke was not caused by an active fire or a combustion event, but rather by the evaporation of lubricant due to the internal heating failure. Because the risk of fire was ruled out and no other immediate dangers were identified, the event did not meet the criteria for a severe incident.