Wednesday, 11 December 2024
Aviation Safety

Brazilian cargo aircraft catches fire mid-flight, crew escapes through cockpit windows

Crew of Total Linhas Aereas Boeing 737-400F successfully performs emergency landing at São Paulo airport after cargo hold fire

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The remains of the Total Linhas Aereas Boeing 737-400SF after the fire in the cargo hold. (Photo: FL360aero via X)

A Total Linhas Aereas Boeing 737-400 freighter performed an emergency landing at São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport early Saturday after the crew reported a fire in the cargo hold during descent, leading to a dramatic evacuation through the cockpit windows.

Flight 0T-5682, operating from Vitoria to São Paulo Guarulhos with registration PS-TLB, was approaching its destination when the crew declared an emergency due to fire indications in the cargo compartment. Radio contact was lost approximately five minutes before landing, though the aircraft’s transponder remained operational.

The crew managed to safely land the aircraft on runway 28L at 12:42 a.m. local time. Ground controllers reported visible flames from the aircraft after it came to a stop. The flight crew evacuated using escape ropes through the cockpit windows after shutting down the engines.

Airport emergency response teams immediately surrounded the aircraft and penetrated the fuselage to extinguish the fire. The incident resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft, with fire damage particularly evident on the fuselage crown. Firefighters had to cut through sections of the fuselage to gain access during their firefighting efforts.

The affected runway remained closed for approximately eight hours until the aircraft could be removed following cargo unloading operations. Brazil’s Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (CENIPA) has launched an investigation into the incident.

The aircraft involved, a Boeing 737-4Q8(SF) with manufacturer serial number 26299, began its service life with Turkish Airlines in April 1994. Throughout its 30-year history, it operated for several carriers including Asiana Airlines, Enter Air, and ASL Airlines Ireland before joining Total Linhas Aereas’ fleet in May 2024. The freighter conversion was completed in October 2017 at the Dothan Regional Airport facility.

The aircraft had recently been ferried from Shannon, Ireland, to Brazil via Morocco, Cape Verde, and Recife between May 31 and June 1, 2024, when it joined Total’s fleet. Following this incident, the airframe has been declared a write-off due to the extensive fire damage.

While the incident temporarily affected operations at Guarulhos Airport, which features dual runways, normal operations resumed on the alternate runway shortly after the emergency.

Written by
Dirk Andrei Salcedo

Dirk is the founder and editor-in-chief of Aviation Updates Philippines (AUP), a platform dedicated to providing the latest news and insights on the aviation industry in the Philippines. With a strong passion for aviation and a background in computer engineering, he manages all aspects of AUP, from website development to content curation.

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