WDB ACR HAS LOOP DETECTOR LIGHT ILLUMINATE. CHK AND TEST OTHER LOOP DETECTOR. TESTS OK BUT THEN ILLUMINATES. DECIDE TO RETURN LAND. ENCOUNTER WX. DIVERT TO LAND.

Date: 1992-11 · Aircraft: Widebody; Low Wing; 3 Turbojet Eng · Phase: climb

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|other-unspecified

Synopsis

WDB ACR HAS LOOP DETECTOR LIGHT ILLUMINATE. CHK AND TEST OTHER LOOP DETECTOR. TESTS OK BUT THEN ILLUMINATES. DECIDE TO RETURN LAND. ENCOUNTER WX. DIVERT TO LAND.

Narrative

ON CLBOUT FROM MCO; AFTER CLEANUP AND IN CLB; LOOP DETECTOR LIGHT ON #2 ENG ILLUMINATED. SO SWITCHED TO OTHER FIRE DETECTOR LOOP; IT TESTED OK. THEN THAT LOOP DETECTOR LIGHT CAME ON. PULLED THROTTLE BACK IN ANTICIPATION OF SHUTDOWN. LIGHTS WENT OUT AND BOTH LOOPS TESTED OK. ADVANCED PWR LEVER AND BOTH LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN. IN THE MEANTIME; SO HAD SEEN THAT THIS WAS A REPEAT GRIPE FROM THAT MORNING. HOWEVER; THE LIGHTS NEVER CAME BACK ON AS OURS DID. WE ELECTED TO SHUTDOWN #2; DUMP FUEL AND LAND BACK AT MCO. WHEN WE HAD TAKEN OFF IT HAD JUST STARTED RAINING THERE. THERE WERE CELLS WITH LIGHTNING 8-10 MI AND OUT TO 60 NM N AND SOME W TO SW 20 MI OUT. AS WE WERE VECTORED E FOR DUMPING; WE NOTICED THAT CELLS WERE GETTING CLOSER (OVER ORL VOR). CHKED LNDG ROLL FOR PLANNED WT. IT WAS 7000 FT ON A DRY RWY. ASKED FOR MIA WX. CAVU. DECIDED TO GO TO MIA DUE TO WET RWY AT MCO AND STORMS WE WOULD HAVE TO CIRCUMNAV FOR NORMAL APCH. REQUESTED VECTORS TO MIA. ENRTE HYDS (AIR TURBINE MOTORS ON WDB) WERE HAVING PROBLEMS. TRIED PROCS TO NO AVAIL. COMPLETED ENG OUT CHKLISTS AND MADE 2-ENG LNDG WITH EMER EQUIP STANDING BY. THE PACE OF OPS WITH CALLS TO ATC; THE COMPANY; AND CTR ALONG WITH HANDLING EMER AND FLYING AIRPLANE; MAKES ME THANKFUL FOR A 3-MAN CREW (WITH 3 PLUS ENGS). IT ALSO MAKES ME WONDER ABOUT THE WISDOM OF THE TREND FOR 2-MAN; 2-ENG MACHINES; ESPECIALLY ON THE LONG HAUL. IF IT WAS CHAOS 10 MINS INTO A FLT; HOW WOULD IT BE AFTER AN 8 PLUS HR XING? P.S. NICE HANDLING BY ATC BOTH ENRTE AND ON GND.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.