2007-04 · NASA ASRS report 733641
A320 DISPATCHER LOSES OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF THE ACFT DUE TO FLT CREW DECLARING EMER AND LOSS OF COM.
ON CLB OUT FROM ZZZ; AN AFT FLT ATTENDANT CALLED THE COCKPIT TO REPORT SOME SMOKE IN THE VICINITY OF THE AFT GALLEY. WE DECLARED AN EMER; RECEIVED AN IMMEDIATE CLRNC BACK TO ZZZ FROM APPROX FL260 AND 68 NM W OF THE FIELD. WE ACCOMPLISHED APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS INCLUDING THE OVERWT LNDG CHKLIST; SENT AN ACARS MESSAGE TO DISPATCH; REQUESTED CFR EQUIP TO BE STANDING BY; AND EXPEDITIOUSLY LANDED ON RWY 27L. WE THEN EXITED THE RWY INTO THE RWY 9R PAD; SET THE PARKING BRAKE WITH EMER VEHICLES STANDING BY WHILE WE EVALUATED THE SITUATION IN THE CABIN. AFTER THE FLT ATTENDANTS NOTED THE SMOKE HAD CLRED WE TAXIED TO AND PARKED AT THE GATE.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR ACN 733648 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND A JUMPSEATING PLT IN THE ACFT'S REAR CABIN RPTED A POPPING SOUND FOLLOWED SHORTLY THERE AFTER BY SMOKE. THE SMOKE CONTINUED UP THE SIDE WALLS UNTIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS WERE PULLED REMOVING POWER FROM THE CABIN. THE RPTR STATED THIS WAS NO BAGEL BURNING IN THE GALLEY; IT WAS A REAL ELECTRICAL SMOKE EVENT. THE CREW TREATED THIS EVENT AS A 'LAND NOW' AND RETURNED TO LAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE NOT KNOWING IF THE ACFT WAS IN JEOPARDY OR NOT. THE CREW WAS CRITICIZED BY MANAGEMENT FOR NOT COORDINATING WITH MAINT AND DISPATCH PRIOR TO RETURNING. THE RPTR STATED THAT THE CREW FELT THE ACFT WAS IN DANGER AND WOULD HAVE RETURNED REGARDLESS OF OTHER INPUTS.SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 733378: OBSERVED IN WINDS REPORT THAT THE ACFT WAS RETURNING TO FIELD. AWARE OF WINDS REPORT OCCASIONAL ERRONEOUS MESSAGES; I QUERIED THE FLT IF INDEED IT WAS RETURNING. NO REPLY WAS RECEIVED AS ACFT DESCENDED BELOW 10000 FT. ATC COORDINATOR NOTIFIED ME THROUGH TRACON THAT ACFT REPORTED SMOKE IN CABIN AND DECLARED AN EMER. AT THAT POINT; I DID NOT ATTEMPT TO CONTACT THE ACFT KNOW THAT THEY WERE BUSY; BUT CONTINUED TO FOLLOW THE FLT ON TRACKER TILL LANDING. ACFT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I AM FILLING THIS REPORT AS OPERATIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST ONCE ACFT DECIDED TO RETURN TO FIELD.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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